Tilly Devine
Encyclopedia
Matilda 'Tilly' Devine (8 September 190024 November 1970) was an English-born prominent Sydney crime syndicate gangs member figure, involved in a wide range of activities, including sly-grog
and razor gang
s, but most notable as a madam.
, London in the United Kingdom. In 1915, she and many English and Australian females were found working as prostitutes and thieves. At 16 she married an Australian serviceman, James Edward (Jim) Devine, (born Brunswick, Victoria
, 1892, died Melbourne
, 1966), on 12 April 1917 at the Sacred Heart Church, Camberwell, London. The couple had one son, born at Camberwell in 1919.
Her career in prostitution began when she was a teenager and after she was married. She and many English females were usually found soliciting on the wide footpaths on The Strand, at night. From 1915 onwards to 1919, she spent time at Bow Street Court and Lock Up for prostitution, theft and assault.
When Jim returned to Australia she followed him back on the bride ship Waimana, arriving in Sydney on 13 January 1920. Her son stayed in London and was brought up by her parents. Both Tilly and Jim Devine rapidly became prominent illegal narcotics dealers, brothel owners and crime gangs members in the Sydney criminal milieu.
Tilly Devine's wealth was legendary, although, it was all earned from the proceeds of crime. She hoarded a large portfolio of real estate in Sydney, many luxury cars, looted gold and diamond jewellery and travelled by ship in first class staterooms. Much of her wealth was also used to pay bribes to the police sectors, and fines for her criminal convictions that spanned fifty years. Tilly Devine faced numerous court summons and was convicted on 204 occasions during her long criminal career, and served many jail sentences in New South Wales female jail mainly for prostitution, violent assault, affray and attempted murders. She was known to police to be of a violent nature and was known to use firearms.
Her husband Jim Devine was a violent 'stand-over' man, a convicted thief, a 'pimp', a drug dealer, a vicious thug and 'gunman'. He was also an alcoholic. Jim Devine committed a number of high profile murders in Sydney between 1929 and 1931: notably, the murder of criminal George Leonard "Gregory" Gaffney on 17 July 1929, secondly, as an accessory to the murder of Barney Dalton
on 9 November 1929 (with famous Sydney gangster and assassin, Francis Donald "Frankie" Green) and, thirdly, the accidental shooting of taxi driver, Frederick Herbert Moffitt on 16 June 1931. Although he was charged with murder on more than one occasion, he was always acquitted at court, successfully citing 'self defence'. He shot and killed Gaffney and Moffitt outside his and Tilly's Maroubra residence.
Tilly and Jim Devine's marriage was marred by domestic violence. On 9 January 1931, Jim Devine was charged at Central Police Court with the attempted murder of his wife Tilly after a heated argument at their Maroubra home. As Tilly ran out of the house, Jim Devine fired a number of shots at her in a similar way to the murder of George Leonard Gaffney in 1929. Luckily for Tilly she escaped unscathed: the only damage being one of her brand new stilettos - the left one. Their terrified neighbours called the police resulting in Jim Devine being arrested and charged over the incident. He was later acquitted at trial on 16 January 1931, because his wife Tilly refused to testify against him. The Devines separated in the early 1940s and were finally divorced in January 1944.
1901, died Sydney
1958).
Tilly famously shot Eric Parsons in the leg after an argument only months before they were married. This shooting occurred at her other Sydney residence: 191 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst. The house was almost opposite the notorious Tradesman's Arms Hotel. It was at this hotel, that Tilly Devine met Eric Parsons. She was arrested by police and charged with the shooting, but was acquitted at trial on 31 March 1945. They were happily married for 13 years until Eric Parsons died of cancer on 22 November 1958.
For over 30 years, Tilly Devine lived at a house in Torrington Road, Maroubra in Sydney's eastern suburbs. A number of murders were committed at this residence.
She sold off her last brothel in Palmer Street, Darlinghurst in 1968, and died two years later.
Tilly was famous for flamboyant acts of generosity, and also for her violent feud with criminal vice rival Kate Leigh
. Tilly Devine was charged by the famous Sydney Detective Frank Farrell
on many occasions, and their feud lasted for 30 years.
, on 26 November 1970 with Catholic rites by her married name, Matilda Mary Parsons. She was survived by her son Frederick Ralph (Devine) Twiss (1919–1978) and 2 grandchildren.
Her funeral service was poorly attended and her death went virtually unnoticed by Sydney's media and population and it was said that very few people openly mourned her death. The only public eulogy offered to Tilly was given by the then police commissioner Norman Allan who said: "She was a villain, but who am I to judge her?"
wrote a play called The Slaughter of St Teresa’s Day (1973 Currency Press), based on Devine's life.
The song "Miss Divine" from the 1990 Icehouse
album Code Blue
is about Devine.
A popular cafe-nightclub in Canberra
is called Tilley's Devine Cafe
. A wine bar in Darlinghurst, Sydney opened in 2011, named "Love Tilly Devine" in honour of Devine.
In August 2011, Australia's Channel Nine commenced screening Underbelly: Razor
, a true crime
television drama series that deals with the Leigh/Devine Sydney gangland wars in the 1930s. The series was based on the Ned Kelly Award-winning book by Larry Writer.
Sly-grog shop
A sly grog shop is an Australian term for an unlicensed hotel or liquor-store, often with the added suggestion of selling poor-quality liquor; a place where alcoholic beverages are sold by an unlicensed vendor....
and razor gang
Razor gang
Razor gangs were criminal gangs that dominated the Sydney crime scene in the 1920s. With the passage of the Pistol Licensing Act 1927, the New South Wales State Parliament imposed severe penalties for carrying concealed firearms and handguns...
s, but most notable as a madam.
Early life
She was born Matilda Mary Twiss, from one of the numerous criminal English families, at 57 Hollington Street, CamberwellCamberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, London in the United Kingdom. In 1915, she and many English and Australian females were found working as prostitutes and thieves. At 16 she married an Australian serviceman, James Edward (Jim) Devine, (born Brunswick, Victoria
Brunswick, Victoria
Brunswick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
, 1892, died Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, 1966), on 12 April 1917 at the Sacred Heart Church, Camberwell, London. The couple had one son, born at Camberwell in 1919.
Her career in prostitution began when she was a teenager and after she was married. She and many English females were usually found soliciting on the wide footpaths on The Strand, at night. From 1915 onwards to 1919, she spent time at Bow Street Court and Lock Up for prostitution, theft and assault.
When Jim returned to Australia she followed him back on the bride ship Waimana, arriving in Sydney on 13 January 1920. Her son stayed in London and was brought up by her parents. Both Tilly and Jim Devine rapidly became prominent illegal narcotics dealers, brothel owners and crime gangs members in the Sydney criminal milieu.
Criminal career
Tilly Devine became infamous in Sydney, initially as a prostitute, then later as a brothel madam and organised crime entrepreneur. The NSW Vagrancy Act 1905 prohibited men from running brothels; it did nothing to stop women with criminal gangs' support and briberies to police sectors from controlling and running criminal enterprises. Historian Larry Writer has noted that the Devines ran diversified operations. Elite "call girls" were available for state politicians, prominent business figures and visiting overseas guests of significance, while "tenement girls" were young working class women who resorted to casual prostitution to supplement their drug spendings, clothings and meagre earnings during times of Australian criminal and narcotic cultures, and the absence of a comprehensive welfare state, or unemployment. Later, older female prostitutes, "boat girls", were older sex workers who catered to itinerant sailors or working class men who wanted to use their services. Devine does not seem to have run analogous operations for the gay sex work market during this timeTilly Devine's wealth was legendary, although, it was all earned from the proceeds of crime. She hoarded a large portfolio of real estate in Sydney, many luxury cars, looted gold and diamond jewellery and travelled by ship in first class staterooms. Much of her wealth was also used to pay bribes to the police sectors, and fines for her criminal convictions that spanned fifty years. Tilly Devine faced numerous court summons and was convicted on 204 occasions during her long criminal career, and served many jail sentences in New South Wales female jail mainly for prostitution, violent assault, affray and attempted murders. She was known to police to be of a violent nature and was known to use firearms.
Her husband Jim Devine was a violent 'stand-over' man, a convicted thief, a 'pimp', a drug dealer, a vicious thug and 'gunman'. He was also an alcoholic. Jim Devine committed a number of high profile murders in Sydney between 1929 and 1931: notably, the murder of criminal George Leonard "Gregory" Gaffney on 17 July 1929, secondly, as an accessory to the murder of Barney Dalton
Barney Dalton
Bernard Hugh Dalton was a rugby league player In the Australian competition – the New South Wales Rugby League. He was born in 1891 in Sydney.A winger, Dalton played for the Eastern Suburbs club side in the years and...
on 9 November 1929 (with famous Sydney gangster and assassin, Francis Donald "Frankie" Green) and, thirdly, the accidental shooting of taxi driver, Frederick Herbert Moffitt on 16 June 1931. Although he was charged with murder on more than one occasion, he was always acquitted at court, successfully citing 'self defence'. He shot and killed Gaffney and Moffitt outside his and Tilly's Maroubra residence.
Tilly and Jim Devine's marriage was marred by domestic violence. On 9 January 1931, Jim Devine was charged at Central Police Court with the attempted murder of his wife Tilly after a heated argument at their Maroubra home. As Tilly ran out of the house, Jim Devine fired a number of shots at her in a similar way to the murder of George Leonard Gaffney in 1929. Luckily for Tilly she escaped unscathed: the only damage being one of her brand new stilettos - the left one. Their terrified neighbours called the police resulting in Jim Devine being arrested and charged over the incident. He was later acquitted at trial on 16 January 1931, because his wife Tilly refused to testify against him. The Devines separated in the early 1940s and were finally divorced in January 1944.
Second marriage
She married for the second time on 19 May 1945 to an ex-seaman and returned serviceman named Eric John Parsons (born MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
1901, died Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
1958).
Tilly famously shot Eric Parsons in the leg after an argument only months before they were married. This shooting occurred at her other Sydney residence: 191 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst. The house was almost opposite the notorious Tradesman's Arms Hotel. It was at this hotel, that Tilly Devine met Eric Parsons. She was arrested by police and charged with the shooting, but was acquitted at trial on 31 March 1945. They were happily married for 13 years until Eric Parsons died of cancer on 22 November 1958.
For over 30 years, Tilly Devine lived at a house in Torrington Road, Maroubra in Sydney's eastern suburbs. A number of murders were committed at this residence.
Decline
Although she was one of Sydney's weathiest women in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, by 1955, the Taxation Department ordered her to pay more than £20,000 in unpaid income tax and fines sending her close to bankruptcy. In 1953 Tilly Devine boasted to the media, "I am a lucky, lucky girl. I have more diamonds than the Queen of England's stowaways - and better ones too !"She sold off her last brothel in Palmer Street, Darlinghurst in 1968, and died two years later.
Tilly was famous for flamboyant acts of generosity, and also for her violent feud with criminal vice rival Kate Leigh
Kate Leigh
Catherine Mary Josephine Leigh was an underworld figure who rose to prominence as an illegal trader of alcohol and cocaine dealer in Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia during the first half of the twentieth century...
. Tilly Devine was charged by the famous Sydney Detective Frank Farrell
Frank Farrell (rugby league)
Francis Michael "Bumper" Farrell was an Australian premiership winning and national representative rugby league footballer. A prop forward, his long club career was with the Newtown Bluebags from 1938 to 1951 with four Test appearances for the Australian national side between 1946 and 1948...
on many occasions, and their feud lasted for 30 years.
Death
Tilly Devine died of cancer, aged 70 at the Concord Repatriation Hospital in Sydney on 24 November 1970. Her funeral service was held at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Darlinghurst. She was cremated at Botany Crematorium, now known as Eastern Suburbs Memorial ParkEastern Suburbs Memorial Park
Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park is a cemetery and crematorium at Matraville, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Land was dedicated as a cemetery site in 1888, with the first interment recorded on 21 August 1893. Since then, more than 65,000 people have been buried there...
, on 26 November 1970 with Catholic rites by her married name, Matilda Mary Parsons. She was survived by her son Frederick Ralph (Devine) Twiss (1919–1978) and 2 grandchildren.
Her funeral service was poorly attended and her death went virtually unnoticed by Sydney's media and population and it was said that very few people openly mourned her death. The only public eulogy offered to Tilly was given by the then police commissioner Norman Allan who said: "She was a villain, but who am I to judge her?"
Popular culture
Peter KennaPeter Kenna
Peter Joseph Kenna was an Australian playwright, radio actor and screenwriter.Born in Balmain, New South Wales, Kenna left school at fourteen and took up various jobs. He started working in the theatre by participating in concert parties at the camps in Sydney during World War II...
wrote a play called The Slaughter of St Teresa’s Day (1973 Currency Press), based on Devine's life.
The song "Miss Divine" from the 1990 Icehouse
Icehouse (band)
Icehouse is an Australian rock band, formed as Flowers in 1977 in Sydney. Initially known in Australia for their pub rock style, they later achieved mainstream success playing new wave and synthpop style music and attained Top Ten singles chart success in both Europe and the U.S...
album Code Blue
Code Blue (Icehouse album)
Code Blue is a studio album by the Australian rock synthpop band Icehouse and was released in November 1990 by Regular Records. Although less commercially successful than their previous studio album, 1987's Man of Colours, Code Blue peaked at #5 on the Australian album charts...
is about Devine.
A popular cafe-nightclub in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
is called Tilley's Devine Cafe
Tilley's
Tilley's Devine café Gallery is a well-known café in the suburb of Lyneham in Canberra, Australia. It was named after Matilda 'Tilly' Devine, a gangster and madame from Sydney who lived in the mid-twentieth century....
. A wine bar in Darlinghurst, Sydney opened in 2011, named "Love Tilly Devine" in honour of Devine.
In August 2011, Australia's Channel Nine commenced screening Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor is a 13-part Australian television mini-series detailing real events that occurred in Sydney between 1927 and 1936. The series depicts the "razor gangs" who controlled the city's underworld during the era and the violent war between the two "vice queen" powers, Tilly Devine and...
, a true crime
True crime
True crime is a non-fiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people.The crimes most commonly include murder, but true crime works have also touched on other legal cases. Depending on the writer, true crime can adhere strictly to...
television drama series that deals with the Leigh/Devine Sydney gangland wars in the 1930s. The series was based on the Ned Kelly Award-winning book by Larry Writer.
See Also
- Kate LeighKate LeighCatherine Mary Josephine Leigh was an underworld figure who rose to prominence as an illegal trader of alcohol and cocaine dealer in Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia during the first half of the twentieth century...
- Tilly's bitter rival for control of Sydney's gangland during the thirties.
External links
- Devine, Matilda (Mary) (1900 - 1970) Australian Dictionary of Biography online edition (Retrieved 9 March 2008)
- Fifty Australians - Tilly Devine Australian War Memorial (Retrieved 9 March 2008)
- Tilly Devine Bio Colourful Sydney Identity, Tilly Devine (Retrieved 10 March 2010)
- Devine, Matilda Mary (Tilly) (1900–1970): Obituary from The Sydney Morning Herald, page 18, 25 November 1970. (Retrieved 28 August 2011)
- Devine, Matilda Mary (Tilly) (1900–1970): Obituary from the Daily Mirror, page 9, 24 November 1970. (Retrieved 28 August 2011)
- Devine, Matilda Mary (Tilly) (1900–1970): Obituary by Ron Saw from the Daily Telegraph, page 6, 25 November 1970. (Retrieved 28 August 2011)