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| The very old and the new Cohen Place Melbourne |
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| As you know when taking photos you can be tapped on the shoulder and told " No photo taking allowed here " so you are looking at artefact's found in the archaeological dig at 50 Lonsdale Street Melbourne. |
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Our retail precinct derives its name from a rather notorious Melburnian, Madame Brussels. Brothel owner and resident of Lonsdale Street, she was on a collision course with the forces of morality in the 1880s. Born Caroline Baum in Potsdam, Germany in 1851, Madame Brussels opened her first brothel at 8 Lonsdale Street. She was a 28 year old widow. As business thrived, she purchased 32 Lonsdale Street, a brick house with seven rooms. She bought the adjoining six-room house at 34 Lonsdale Street in 1889. She connected the houses and retained ownership of both until her death in July 1908. Perhaps bravely for the times in which she lived, Madame Brussels listed her main establishment at 32-34 Lonsdale Street as a brothel in the directory. Eight of the brothels in the precinct surrounding 50 Lonsdale Street were controlled by her in those days. Most were considered "high class", but others like the one at 4 Casselden Place were of a more dubious calibre. In 1878, Local Policeman, Sergeant Dalton, was cited in the Report on the Bill for the Prevention of Contagious Diseases that "she has two splendid houses in [Lonsdale] Street that cost her 1,300 pounds and those two houses are her own property, plus two cottages and another nearby house let out for prostitution". He was quoted as saying that her weekly earnings were "something enormous: 3 or 4 pounds". He also said that no other brothels were as extensive as Madame Brussels'. Her infamy reached its zenith in 1889, when conservative moral crusaders claimed that she had been parading in Collins Street in charge of a beautiful girl under 20 with a white feather in her hat, indicating that her maiden virtue was to be had for a price "in her gilded den". The foyer of 50 Lonsdale Street has some wonderful artifacts, redolent with history. Do make some time to cast your eye over the flotsam that emerged during the excavation of this site. And if ghosts could walk today in Madame Brussells Lane, no doubt they could regail us with colourful stories of the lives of these early Melburnians. (Taken from the 50 Lonsdale street site. ) |
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| Cohen Place off Little Bourke Streeet and the home of the Museum of Chinese Australian History |
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| I love these old buildings in the lanes of Melbourne. The Chinese Australian History Museum is situated at the back of Her Majesty's Theatre.Hands up if you enjoy Chinese Dumplings . Just around the corner in Market Lane is the Hutong Dumpling Bar, where the dumplings are made in the downstairs eating area of this delicious restaurant. If you are in the area it is a must taste and see. |
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| And another |
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| The handwork on all the garments on display is to drool over. There was a wedding gown on display that was quilted with the tiniest of stitches sewn in gold thread. | | | |
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As you can see I have been enjoying myself doing some of the things that give me joy. As a family historian I am always on the search trail. We have been to the Chinese Museum before, but it was refurbished this year so , we wanted to see what had been added. I also took along a marriage certificate 1871 of DH great grandparents. The wife was the daughter of convicts from England and the husband a Chinese from Canton.
This is my first post for nearly a month less on day, I have had Sciatica, which layed me low for a couple of weeks. I did get some stitching done and I will post that next week. Back into the swing of things again and getting my Advent parcel ready , that's fun. Quit the biggest time waster in the universe Facebook.
