Adelaide - Larrikinism

The inhabitants of Currie Street... have been annoyed by wanton acts of aggression committed by a few choice spirits - roving bucks of the lowest grade, who enjoy their nightly walk of mischief; prowling into backyards, overthrowing water-butts and rolling them away, breaking fences, pulling down insecure and empty buildings.

Larrikinism is a development of modern civilisation and a very objectionable one and Australian society appears to be a peculiarly congenial soil for the production of this type of life. There is nothing corresponding exactly to it in England; but the 'hoodlum' of America is a brother to the 'larrikin' of Australia.

If Charles Darwin was challenged to explain the origin of the larrikin species, it may be supposed that he would refer to the superabundance of physical energy derived from the British stock; to the inordinate growth of the doctrine of liberty; to the comparatively large amount of leisure obtained in these days by all classes of society; to the ease with which money is obtained, leading to indulgence in a host of excesses that penurious times forbade; to the want of exercise of proper parental authority and to the early maturity of the physical constitution in these colonies, resulting, not infrequently, in the attainment of a man's stature before the mental powers are matured.

The growth of larrikinism has been gradual, but steady, and flourishes most where population is dense. Its freaks vary according to circumstances and opportunity and range from such petty foolery as breaking gates off their hinges, removing sign boards and jostling foot passengers, to the barbarity of murdering Chinamen by torture, or assaulting and maiming the police.

Nothing comes amiss to the larrikin, provided it is sufficiently foolish and mischievous. In his esteem there is naught that is sacred. The beauty of a flower, the grace of a tree, are nothing to him but objects for the gratification of his craze for destructiveness. The rights of property, the inviolability of the person, the tenderness claimed for the weak, the reverence due to the aged, all have no meaning to him - especially if the vigilance of the police can be eluded.

The larrikin is a gregarious animal - I had almost written, beast. Combination is an essential condition of his operations, and he is an arrant coward. He plays his highest jinks at the expense of the defenceless, or when he believes himself supported by such a number of accomplices that he can depend on a practical immunity from chastisement. Nor must it be supposed that he belongs exclusively to what are commonly called the lower orders of society. He sometimes belongs to wealthy and would-be-respectable families - generally, in this case, to what have been happily but severely called 'the wealthy lower orders.'

Whatever the accidents of birth the larrikin is an essentially ill-conditioned creature and, where means and opportunity have been such as rather to favour the development of decent habits and manliness of character, he is deserving of the greatest contempt. He is simply contemptible - a disgrace to himself and a nuisance to other people.

In an 1872 report it was said that 'larrikinism has not yet taken hold upon the youth of the colony as it has upon the youth of some of our neighbours.' However, there was no doubt that, within Norwood and elsewhere, there was a class of boys and young men among us who, being ill-trained either intellectually or morally, were, in their public conduct, an insufferable nuisance. Any who doubted this needed only to walk down our main thoroughfares on a Saturday or Sunday evening to be convinced:

To a stranger the sights and scenes in Rundle Street on a Sunday night must be peculiarly edifying. The number of tender youths gracefully disporting themselves... with that peculiar calf-like gaiety so natural to our intelligent larrikins must give the beholder a pleasing impression of our intellectual superiority and the liberality of our educational laws.... Last Sunday night a band of boisterous boobies burst bawling into Rundle Street... There was no hard-hearted policeman... to stop these gay gossoons in their harmless pleasantries and I trust no tyrannical lawgiver will so outrage the principles of freedom so dear to a Briton as to interfere.

Young people of both sexes paraded the footpaths and jostled against each other and the language used was of a most disgusting character. While fair-minded citizens had no desire to interfere with the liberty of these people having a right to public footpaths equally with others they did object, in the interests of public morality, to the occupation of our streets by those classes which drove respectable people away from them. Though many of them were of tender years they were adept at vice as their language and actions testified:

He generally follows his calling between the ages of 11 and 19. He is vulgar, mean, rude, abusive, cruel, sneaking, dishonest, cunning and an abject coward... When assembled together larrikins insult, ill-treat and abuse all those who are weaker in number or in physical strength than themselves. They are as great a curse as the Hanoverian rat is to the country... Surely a good sound flogging [is needed on] such a very offensive animal...

Late in 1872 Mr James P. Boucaut introduced a Bill into the House of Assembly for the more effectual punishment of juvenile offenders which, when carried into law, was expected to be of great service to the community. It dealt with male offenders under the age of sixteen years and provided the 'wholesome and salutary punishment' of flogging for a number of offences which were specified as:

Riotous or indecent conduct, or indecent or obscene language, or assaults on women, or disturbing the peace in any public place.
Exposure in any public place.
Singing obscene songs, or writing or drawing obscene words, figures, or representations in a public place.
Throwing any deleterious drug, to the damage or danger of any person. 5. Being convicted as a rogue and vagabond.
Throwing stones or other missiles to the danger of any person, after a previous conviction for a similar offence.
Being guilty of simple larceny when the property stolen is of the value of £5 or less.

For each or any of these offences the courts could sentence an offender to be once or twice whipped, either in substitution of, or in addition to, any sentence with which, by law, such offender could then be punished. In respect of whippings, the number of strokes were limited to twenty five.

At the time, it was expected that this law would have:

A wholesome effect in deterring youths from the commission of offences for which there was no provision for adequate punishment... Fines and imprisonment produces but little impression on the most incorrigible of these offenders... The use of the lash produced wonderful effects in England when it was employed for the punishment of hardened and brutal ruffians who would laugh at either fines or imprisonment... We believe the effect of a good whipping on larrikins, for offences to which they are prone, would be ... salutary...

Over the next two decades the efficacy of the new laws, aimed at stamping out the menace, may be gauged from random newspaper reports:

If the mischief is not arrested at once and the value of the police as a terror to evildoers maintained, there is no saying to what length the larrikin element amongst us will advance.

The impunity with which juvenile ruffians injure public and private property in this country and otherwise annoy peaceable citizens is anything but creditable to the intelligence and manliness of the masculine portion of the community. Deliberate injuries to property, public and private, perpetrated by youths who have reached years of discretion should be punished by the free application of the lash.

The evil has become so rife that severe corporal punishment would seem to be the only effective means available for appealing to the sensibilities of experienced and hardened larrikins... This repressive process cannot in any sense of the term be considered a radical cure for juvenile depravity.

The fast growing larrikinism of our youths greatly arises from want of reverence. There is no respect shown to age or position. Age is spoken of as 'that (expletive) old fool'; the master as 'the (expletive) boss', with the adjective short but sanguinary... This growing larrikinism is one of the concomitants of 'the dignity of labour'. If everybody is equal there is no room for authority... It may be that Democracy and Free Education are not all beer and skittles.

By the close of the nineteenth century the growth of 'gangs' or 'pushes', as they were more generally called, was apparent to any discerning citizen. They were to be found at our street corners annoying passers-by in the squares, along the river bank, in the parks and numerous other places and, in doing so, exerted a very bad influence on the rising generation.

They played pitch and toss or lounged on the grass and played cards, 'two-up', 'knifey' and other games. From these gatherings emerged filthy language used in ordinary conversation. Until about 1897 the pushes were known by such names as the 'North Adelaide Push', the 'West Adelaide Push', or they took the names of their ringleader but, today, the 'pushes' are everywhere.

They are so numerous, and the public so familiar with them, that their evil is scarcely noticed. Years ago a 'push' was regarded as a lawless set of larrikins, whom the police were asked to keep an eye on. They went about openly insulting people. The modern 'push' does not do this, they are often not noisy, but cluster together in circles and do their mischief in a cold-blooded manner.

Children are attracted to the groups and hear and see all that takes place and their presence does not, in the slightest, make any difference. Thus, little children of tender years are often heard in the streets imitating those who are older and who ought to have set a good example. Boys and young men are not contented now with one or two companions, but want to join a 'push' and these are still growing.

Undoubtedly gambling, the desire to gain other people's money, is at the root of it all. The Sunday scandals on the Park Lands, the pitch and toss 'pushes', which should have been suppressed in the first place, had been allowed to go all but unmolested. They had gained in daring, and hundreds of hitherto quiet, respectable boys, who would have blushed to have been seen in company with those who are now their associates, have become hardened.

The Christian Endeavourers, all honour to them, should never have been allowed to interfere. The police ought to have swept them away with no uncertain hand. Now something is being done and the 'pushes' are being driven into the paddocks of our back streets and, until vigorous measures are taken, our children are in danger.

The solution is imprisonment without the option of a fine. A few private clothes men could do wonders and, providing the government gave them and the Police Magistrate plenty of rope, respectable people could, again, move about and breathe in a pure atmosphere.

So the debate continues as to the most effective method of eradicating the larrikin from our streets. Perhaps I can conclude by repeating part of a sermon (Deut. xxi, 20) given recently in the Wesley Church, Norwood:

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, who will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, he will not hearken unto them; then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city and unto the gates of the place; and they shall say unto the elders of the city, 'This our son is stubborn and rebellious - he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.' And all the men of the city shall stone him with stones, that he die; so shalt thou put evil away from among you.

General Notes

Information on the origin of the word "larrikin" appears in the Register,
19 May 1886, page 7h -
A policeman with a rich, thick Irish brogue transformed the word "larking" into "laraking"; also see
4 June 1886, page 5b,
22 October 1903, page 6g.

"Tom and Jerryism" in Adelaide is discussed in the Register, 12 April 1854:

The Register of 10 July 1861, page 3c says:

The evil seems to have reached its climax this last week or two and the principal offenders are a number of half-civilised, bearish, awkward hobbledehoys, who are apparently bent on signalizing their incipient condition of manhood by acts of brutal rudeness and annoyance... It is to be hoped that something will be speedily done to remove it, by banishing these cowardly Mohawks to more congenial haunts.

The behaviour of "Our City Youths" is taken to task in the Register,
15 August 1871, page 6a:

Register

Another irate citizen expressed concern at juvenile behaviour:

Register

"Tricks of Larrikins" is in the Chronicle,
21 September 1872, page 11g,
"Larrikinism" in the Express,
9 November 1872, page 2b,
7 and 11 August 1874, pages 3f and 2c.

By late 1874 the problem in the city had reached endemic proportions and on 22 October at page 4e the Editor of the Register penned a censorious editorial - "The Future of Larrinkinism":

Its existence proves a lamentable want of moral training among a large section of those who were but children a few years ago... We will not now discuss whether the fittest punishment is whipping or simple punishment, or prolonged detention with plenty of hard work in a suitable reformatory...

Further comment followed on
24 October 1874, page 5b,
13 and 24 November 1874, pages 6b and 4e:

Register

"Larrikinism Rampant" is in The Irish Harp,
27 November 1874, page 4d; also see
Express,
24 and 30 November 1874, pages 2b and 2g.

An editorial headed "More Larrikinism" is in the Advertiser,
25 November 1874, page 2d; also see
26 November 1874, page 3b,
1 December 1874, page 2e (supp.),
Express,
19 August 1875, page 3d; also see
The Lantern,
28 November 1874, page 5b,
19 December 1874, page 5a,
15 May 1875, page 12 (cartoon).

"The Larrikin's Lament" is in the Register,
27 July 1875, page 5g,
Observer,
31 July 1875, page 14b,
12 February 1876, page 14b,
14 April 1877, page 14a.

An editorial on larrikinism is in the Advertiser,
1 March 1876, page 4c:

"The Larrikin" is in the SA Figaro,
7 March 1877, page 2c.

By 1877 the mischief had not been contained and on 7 April at page 4e the Editor of the Register delivered another censorious blast:

Register

On 8 May 1877, page 4f the Editor concluded:

If the mischief is not arrested at once and the value of the police as a terror to evildoers maintained, there is no saying to what length the larrikin element amongst us will advance.

"Rowdyism in the Streets" is in the Register,
8 May 1877, page 4f.

A perceptive citizen reached the following conclusion in a letter published in the Register on 11 May 1877 at page 7b:

Register

Compulsory education and larrikinism are discussed in the Register,
22 April 1878, page 4e.

A poem is in the Register,
18 February 1879, page 5f,
Observer,
22 February 1879, page 21g; one stanza reads:

"Larrikinism and Open Air Preaching" is in the Express,
17 April 1879, page 3g.

On 13 December 1880 the Editor of the Register at page 4g says:

Register

"Larrikinism at Public Entertainment" is the cause for complaint in the Advertiser,
29 January 1881, page 1d (supp.).

"Juvenile Offenders" is in the Register on 5 December 1881, page 4f:

Two months later on 6 February 1882 at page 4d the Editor says:

Register

A few weeks later he again airs his displeasure:

Register

An editorial on larrikinism is in the Advertiser,
6 February 1882, page 4e:

Whatever the accidents of birth and circumstance; the larrikin is an essentially ill-considered creature; and where means and opportunity have been such as rather to favor the development of decent habits and manliness of character, he is deserving of the greater contempt... Every rightly-disposed colonist will desire to see measures enacted that shall remove the reproach of larrikinism from colonial life.

Larrikinism at the Botanic Gardens is discussed in Frearson's Weekly,
4 March 1882, page 57,
"Larrikinism and Gymnastics" is in the Observer,
13 May 1882, page 32b.

"Street Roughs" is in the Register,
17 and 20 May 1882, pages 4g and 4e.

A lecture on "Larrikinism" is reported in the Register,
25 September 1882, page 6d; also see
28 September 1882, page 6f,
Observer,
5 May 1883, page 25e.

On 5 October 1882 at page 7a in the Register a correspondent exonerated the "English-born" from being associated with the larrikin "push":

It would appear that the youths and young girls who form this class are colonial-born subjects... who are mostly brought up... in a wild fashion in the colonies, and are not amenable to home discipline, and as long as they have arms to defend themselves and legs to run, think they can do pretty much as they please with the police constables...

The Register of 2 March 1883 at page 5b records the sentencing of four larrikins found guilty of assaulting an inoffensive Chinese hawker. They were sentenced to, respectively, 5 years hard labour and 15 lashes, 3 years and 12 strokes, 3 years and 15 strokes and 10 years and 2 whippings of 20 strokes each.

An editorial in the Advertiser on 14 January 1884, page 4e says:

When it has grown and deteriorated into a downright organisation of vice and brutality, it is high time it should be extirpated from the community root and branch.

A cartoon "The Cure for Larrikinism" is in The Lantern,
12 January 1884, page 7.

"Disgraceful Disturbance" is in the Register,
1 December 1884, page 5a.
A special report in the Register on
6 December 1884 at page 6d says, inter alia:

Larrikinism is growing worse and our genus homo for the future if unchecked in vice will become a race fit only to fill our prisons.

A lay sermon on "Larrikinism" is in the Chronicle,
26 January 1884, page 5g.

"Larrikins in Adelaide" is in the Register,
23 September 1886, page 3d.

A correspondent to the Register on 8 July 1887 at page 3h suggests that "the larrikin element is greatly on the increase in the neighbourhood of the Central Market..."

To stamp out the evil a correspondent to the Register on 15 March 1888 at page 7b recommended:

We do not bring the genes with us. We find them here and it is quite unfair to expect those who neither claim to be social reformers nor philanthropists to eradicate an evil which has grown up and continues under the noses of the public, pulpit and police, not to say anything of parents...
(Register, 27 March 1888, page 7e.)

The larrikins added insult to injury by using the most filthy language and indulging in insolent freedom to such a degree that the ladies were almost speechless with terror...
(Register, 19 November 1889, page 7g.)

The greater part [of them] never work and how they live is only known to themselves... I have watched and listened a great deal to this class of community... the principal topic of conversation is football and horse racing... It seems impossible for them to speak in a subdued manner, and that every sentence they utter contains some vile slang or oath...
(Register, 20 November 1889, page 5c.)

On a happier note a correspondent to the Register on 16 October 1891 at page 6b reports that:

Lately I have come to notice... the almost total absence of larrikins of any kind... Two years ago a male or female could not walk down the street without being treated to some filthy remarks... [Our] thanks are due to our worthy magistrate (Mr Pater) who brought about this state of order by his action in dealing severely with all cases of larrikinism and sending the offenders to gaol.

"Larrikinism and the Law" is in the Register,
12 August 1893, page 4f,
"Larrikins and Larrikinism" on
29 June 1895, page 6b,
"A Growing Evil" on
1 July 1895, page 5a,
"Larrikins and the Police" on
12 February 1896, page 4g:

Register

"Larrikins at Play" is in the Express,
6 October 1896, page 2g.

"Larrikins and Idle Boys" is in the Register,
7 July 1897, page 4e,
Observer,
10 July 1897, pages 13a-28e:

Evil companionship soon converts into a serious public menace almost any promiscuous crowd of youths and boys, who may imagine that they can set law and order at defiance...

Also see Register, 8 July 1897, page 6d where a correspondent says:

The fast growing larrikinism of our youths greatly arises from want of reverence. There is no respect shown to age or position. Age is spoken of as "that (expletive) old fool"; the master as "the (expletive) boss", with the adjective short but sanguinary... This growing larrikinism is one of the concomitants of "the dignity of labour". If everybody is equal there is no room for authority... It may be that Democracy and Free Education are not all beer and skittles.

"Larrikins and Idle Boys" is in the Register,
7 July 1897, page 4e,
"Juvenile Depravity" is in the Register,
3, 6, 8, 12, 14 and 26 July 1897, pages 9b, 6d, 6d, 6b-e, 6g and 7d.

"Larrikins, Scuttlers and Hoodlums" is in the Register,
21 May 1898, page 4e.

Interesting articles headed "Our City Pushes" are in the Observer,
14, 21 and 28 January 1899, pages 29d, 41d and 25d:

Years ago a "push" was regarded as a lawless set of larrikins whom the police were asked to keep an eye on. They went about openly insulting people. The modern "push"... cluster together in circles and do their mischief in a cold-blooded manner... Two evils in connection with these "pushes" require eradicating - bad language and gambling...

This erudition resulted in a spate of comment for and against the proposition - see Register,
9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 19, 20 and 25 January 1899, pages 6h-7h, 7d, 7f, 6e-f, 6f-7a, 3g, 6g, 6f and 7c:

Register

"Larrikins and Hooligans" is in the Register,
22 December 1900, page 4e,
"Larrikinism and Education" on
31 August 1901, page 6c,
6 September 1901, page 6g,
"Long Sentences or the ""Cat"" on
9 June 1903, page 4c:

The Police Magistrate of the day, the late Mr Pater, was determined to suppress it. He first tried heavy fines with imprisonment; but these were only partially effective. Then he ordered whippings and a magical effect was produced. The cowardly scamps who had disturbed the good order of the people became almost immediately comparatively exemplary in their conduct.

"The Larrikin as a Type" is in the Advertiser, 17 August 1901, page 6d:

Advertiser

"Larrikinism in Adelaide", a report from the Park Lands Ranger, is in the Advertiser,
26 November 1901, page 7b.

A cartoon titled "A Push Battle" is in The Critic,
14 December 1901, page 10.

"Vandalism in the City" is in the Advertiser,
11 November 1903, page 9b and
a report on an Adelaide "push" on
8 November 1904, page 4f.

"Assaults by Larrikins" is in the Express,
12 April 1904, page 4e.

"Larrikins, Ancient and Modern" is in the Register,
31 May 1904, page 7g.

"Larrikins and Footballers" is in the Register,
16 May 1905, page 4f.

"Torrens Lake and Larrikinism" is in the Register,
20 January 1906, page 4g.

"Larrikinism at the Rotunda" is in the Express,
30 January 1906, page 3f.

"Vandalism and Larrikinism" is in the Register,
18 July 1907, page 6d:

It is impossible for a lady to walk through the leading thoroughfares of the city without being insulted by blackguards... It is a fact that certain individuals make it a practice to walk the streets for the purpose of molesting any woman they may discover without male escort.
(Register, 13 January 1910, page 7a.)

For many years Adelaide has had a reputation of being a sober, quiet, and, generally speaking, law abiding city of respectable, well disposed people. That enviable reputation, however, cannot now apply, judging by the scenes to be nightly witnessed in the main city streets of mobs of drunken men and youths staggering about and interfering with people, especially girls... and using foul language.
(Register, 25 January 1910, page 7e.)

Adelaide has been rightly called "the city of culture" but we have in our midsts a most undesirable element which in the main takes up its abode in the western portion of the city...
(Register, 29 October 1913, page 15d.)

"Larrikins and Pushes" is in the Express,
26 April 1912, page 1i,
"Larrikins in Khaki" is in the Register,
4 January 1916, page 4d.

"The Larrikin and His Ways" is in The News,
27 May 1930, page 6c.

"How To Deal With the City's Bad Boys" is in The News,
14 July 1932, page 8e.

"When Larrikin Gangs Roamed Adelaide's Streets" is in the Chronicle,
4 February 1937, page 2d.

Adelaide - Larrikinism

See Also:

Larrikinism

General Notes