M-N – Dancing reported by Police

◄ Previous page Back to main page Next page ►

M’CORMACK, Catherine

Tripping it on the light fantastic toe, 1833 Sydney

Catherine M’ Cormack, a vestal of the new school, was brought up by her master, Mr Ralph Hindmarsh, charged with having displayed a bad taste for rural enjoyments, by quitting his very picturesque little farm on the Parramatta road, and tripping it on the light fantastic toe to gulp down large libations of the luxuries of the grog metropolis. But cruel fate had decreed that Catherine’s pleasures should not last for ever, for scarce had she finished her seventh week, when she felt the rude gripe of an over vigilant trap dragging her to her account with his Worship, for the said gentle slip of the foot. Catherine’s master not wishing to be very hard with her, declined saying anything further; when his Worship, kind soul, taking into consideration the fatigues attendant on an unrestrained course of pleasure during seven weeks, was pleased to consign her to the comfortable apartments of Mrs Gordon’s villa* for 2 months, 3d class

*Mrs Ann Gordon was the matron of the Parramatta Female Factory from 1827 to 1836.

Police Report. (1833, February 7). The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), p. 3. Retrieved January 2, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2210660

M’CORMACK, Patrick

Tripping it on the light fantastic toe to the tune of “Paddy Carey”…sent to the treadmill

Patrick M’Cormick, assigned to John Mackaness Esq., was brought up by his master, charged with absconding from his employment, and neglecting to attend to a horse which was placed under his charge, in consequence of which his master was put to serious inconvenience. Pat, instead of looking after the animal, was found in one of the Sheban houses on the Rocks tripping it on the light fantastic toe to the tune of “Paddy Carey,” when he was seized and put into durm a vil. The bench sent him to the tread-mill for 7 days.

* Sheban – (especially in Ireland, Scotland, and South Africa) an unlicensed establishment or private house selling alcohol and typically regarded as slightly disreputable.
Police Report. (1833, September 3). The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), p. 2. Retrieved January 2, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2213719

A Bar Dinner.-Patrick M’Cormack was charged with absconding, and being found behind the bar in the sanctum sanctorum of a sly grog shop, blowing out his hide with salt pork and cabbage, and washing down the morsels with a horn or two of grog; on being captured, he wished the charley to wash his gums with a few drops of the same liquid, but it was no go. The Bench sent him to dance on the spring board for seven days.

“POLICE INCIDENTS.” The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842) 5 Sep 1833: 2. Web. 9 Apr 2015 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12847653>.

 

M’CARROLL, Margaret

Taken to a dance 1827 Sydney

Margaret M’Carroll, a prisoner, wife of William Radborn, was brought before the Bench by her husband, charged with being toxicated with liquor on Tuesday last, with striking at her lord and master, the slut, and with attempting to draw a knife across his throat. It appeared, however, that Mr. Billy had repeatedly struck her for all these naughty doings, which caused her to say that she would be a bitter pill to him the longest day that she lived. The prisoner on being interrogated stated, that she had been taken to a dance by her husband, that he accused her of being drunk, and he there and then murdered her, although she was perfectly sober. The constable who apprehended the woman declared that she was perfectly sober at the time, and as the conduct of Bill, to his unfortunate wife, appeared to be no better than it should have been, the parties were recommended to make the matter up.

Police Reports. (1827, January 1). The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), p. 3. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2187224

M’GUIGAN, James

Footing it most merrily at a hop, 1833 Sydney

James M’Guigan and Jeremiah Perkin were charged with taking a jaunt from Canterbury into Sydney, for the purpose of appearing at a hop in Kent-street, where they were found footing most merrily. The Bench thinking a little music would be in keeping with the dancing, sent them to try Jack Ketch’s music to the tune of twenty fire.

POLICE INCIDENTS. (1833, February 25). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), p. 2. Retrieved January 2, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12846298

 

Back to main page

 

M’GUIRE, James

Unauthorised dance party, 1832 Sydney

WEDNESDAY. — High Life below Stairs. — James M’Guire was placed at the bar on the following charge :- His master having occasion to proceed up the country for a few days, James paid a visit to his wardrobe, and togged himself in a spic and span new black coat, kerseymere inexpressibles, silk stockings, pumps, and knee buckles ; cards of invitation were then issued to sundry of his friends, both male and female; and the decorator having arranged his hair in the last fashion, James prepared to receive his visitors, who, to the number of a dozen, shortly arrived, together with a fidler[sic]; after partaking of a little necessary refreshment, dancing commenced, and was kept up with spirit to a tolerably late hour, when they sat down to a hot supper, but how transitory are all human arrangements, scarcely had the cloth been removed, and the table set out with wine, spirits, &c. not forgeting a box of choice Havannahs belonging to master, when master himself arrived, and observing the illumination in the parlour, made, his entre at the back door, and found his way up stairs without interruption ; at this moment James was hammering out a speech, lying down rules on the latest plan adopted to fleece master’s without discovery, when the head of his master caught his view inside the door, this was the signal for a regular turn out, and the candles- having been extinguished, the tables, &c. capsized, all bolted, save James, who having been stripped of his borrowed plumes, was conveyed to the lock-up. Seven days mill.

POLICE INCIDENTS. (1832, November 1). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), p. 3. Retrieved December 16, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12845592

M’MAHON, Mary

At wakes, fairs and dances 1838 Sydney

Miss Mary M’Mahon, a fascinating Emerald Islander, stood charged by Mr. Deau of Prince-street, with not finding her way home. Mary who was all blandishment, and from whose ears were suspended drops, that would do credit to the “Maid of Judah,” appeared all contrition, but it was no go ; Mary innocently having scraped acquaintance with what is called a “Smasher” at home ; that is one of those gentlemen that pass the imprint of our Sovereign on what is vulgarly termed, candlestick gold. It appeared that Mary and her testimonial had been at wakes, fairs, and dances at home, and that she poor soul was still inconsistent. Under all the circumstances the Bench adjudged a short crop of Mary’s flaxen ringlets, together with one months’ ruralizing in the Female Factory, accompanied with an intimation from the Bench that she was henceforward to ruralize in the bush.

Police Incidents. (1838, July 14). Commercial Journal and Advertiser (Sydney, NSW : 1835 – 1840), p. 2. Retrieved January 26, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226459353

 

M’SHEA, Mary

Tripping it on the light fantastic toe to Joe Love, 1833 Sydney

Mary M’Shea, a troublesome little customer, who set every law and authority at defiance that did not chime in with her ideas of ease and comfort, was charged with playing off her old pranks in bolting, and resorting to a house of very questionable repute, where she was discovered tripping it on the light fantastic toe, to the Paganini-like performance on the violin, of Joe Love ; when ordered to about ship she pouted her pretty lips, and threatened to send packing the charley who dared to interfere with her innocent pastime; finding this would not do, she offered grog, then a brace of Spaniards, these being of no avail, she caught the guardian of the night in her arms, and smothered him with her caresses ; this was still worse, for he walked her off instanter-six weeks to the Mother o’ the Maids.

POLICE INCIDENTS. (1833, August 8). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), p. 3. Retrieved January 2, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12847422

 

McKENNA, Patrick

Dancing in a Public House, 1833 Sydney

Offence: Dancing in a Public House in Kent Street on Saturday night
Punishment: Discharged

Hyde Park Barracks Museum database MLMSS 2481 p.204

 

Back to main page

 

McMAHON, John

Practising the last set of quadrilles with great vivacity

MONDAY —John McMahon, John Dixon, John Oldfield, and John Pamington, were charged with having been taken up in Kent-street, practising the last set of quadrilles with great vivacity. The only music they had to keep time to, was McMahon whistling Michael Wiggins. They marched in an orderly manner to the watch-house, and now marched equally as orderly to the stocks, where they were billeted for three hours each.

Police Incidents ( 16 May 1833). Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), p. 3. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12846824

MacPHERSON, Mary

Going down a country dance, 1832 Sydney

FRIDAY.-Mary Macpherson, a capital study for Cruikshank, was charged with being found in a genteel assembly, as busy as a bee, going down a country dance of twenty or thirty couple, with most fascinating activity. When discovered, she endeavoured to soften the constable with her tears, but the man being made of opposition stuff, bore her off. One month Mrs. Gordon’s Dancing Academy.

POLICE INCIDENTS. (1832, June 18). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), p. 2. Retrieved December 16, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12844717

 

MARSHALL, Jane

Genteel hops on the Rocks, 1833 Sydney

Saturday,— Jane Marshall and Sarah Mulhony, fellow servants, and having a strong resemblance to each other, were placed at the bar. The only difference was, Jane’s, chubby face was — one can’t say shaded, with small bright red corkscrew curls; while Sarah, having a higher bridge to her nose, had taken the Grecian line, and had accordingly drawn two long stripes of sandy hair across her temples, a la Madonna. The charge against these beauties was, that they had walked of from their master’s crib, and betaken themselves to one of the genteel hops that are frequently held on the Rocks, where they were found turning round in the soft mazes of the waltz, occasionally imbibing a quartern of max to moisten their clay. The appearance of the constable not a little astonished them, and they remained some time parlying, but without effect — go they must, and go they did, They both looked very silly, as might be imagined, and still more so when they found their frolic rewarded by six weeks each to Gordon’s dancing academy.

*quartern of max = gin

POLICE INCIDENTS. (1833, October 28). The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 – 1848), p. 3. Retrieved December 16, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42008385

 

MARTIN, Mary

Allowed dancing and fiddling in her house every night, 1829 Sydney

A woman named Mary Martin, living in Harrington-street, was brought before the Bench, charged with harbouring a prisoner of the Crown. This woman, upon being asked, acknowledged she frequently transgressed the sixth commandment; and, moreover, that she was a fomenter of mirth and merrymaking, as she willingly allowed dancing and fiddling in her house every night. Not-withstanding this frank acknowledgment, Mrs. Boniface was fined 50 dollars, which if not paid within three days, were to be raised by levy on her goods and chattels; or in default thereof, she was to suffer personal imprisonment for three calendar months.

POLICE INCIDENTS: (1829, May 5). The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 – 1848), p. 3. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36864370

MILLER

Disorderly house fined for unlicensed dancing, 1843 Hobart

Temperance Coffee House. — An information was recently laid against a man named Miller, the keeper of a disorderly house in St. John-street, which having been known formerly by the above name, continues to retain it. We feel it almost unnecessary to inform the public that the house in question has no claim to such title, unless it be part and parcel of the leasehold.

We are glad to see the attention of the police directed to its proceedings, and hope they may be successful in suppressing it. Mr. Stoneham of the Temperance Coffee House, in Patterson-street, complains that the police report in the Chronicle has been misunderstood by many as. applying to his house and requests us to remove the impression. Miller was convicted, under the New Act for regulating public entertainments, and fined £50, for allowing dancing, &c., without a license. The Sydney Teetotaller Baye, and we think with truth, that ‘the Launceston Teetotallers are more active and determined in carrying out their principles than those of any other place in the Southern Hemisphere.’

Temperance Coffee House (1843, 23 January 1843). Launceston Courier (Tas. : 1840 – 1843), p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84674385

 

Back to main page

 

MOSS, George

In a house with fiddling and dancing, 1833 Sydney

Offence: Absent after regular hours and found in a disorderly house in Harrington Street, Sydney where fiddling and dancing was going on
Punishment: Treadmill 3 days and returned to service.

Hyde Park Barracks Museum database. ML MSS 2481 p.95

 

MUIR, James

Dancing to tune of Paddy Carey, 1833 Sydney

James Muir was brought to the bar, charged by Ann Williams, a notorious customer at this office, with attacking her on the previous evening, about 12 o’clock, knocking her down, dancing upon her to the tune of  “Paddy Carey,” and, finally, easing her of the sum of seven shillings and sixpence, in British sterling money: all which she was ready to prove ; aye, and ten times more, but the Bench had so often before experienced from her sufficient proofs of her capability in this respect, that they were under the necessity of compelling her silence, the more particularly so as she evidently did not appear to have recovered the effects of a too free indulgence of the rum bottle on the preceding evening. She swore most lustily that the prisoner had robbed her as aforesaid, and the Bench committed him, allowing him bail-himself in “£50 and two sureties in “£25 each.

Police Report. (1833, September 19). The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), p. 2. Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2213970

 

MULHONY, Sarah

Genteel hops on the Rocks, 1833 Sydney

Saturday,— Jane Marshall and Sarah Mulhony, fellow servants, and having a strong resemblance to each other, were placed at the bar. The only difference was, Jane’s, chubby face was — one can’t say shaded, with small bright red corkscrew curls; while Sarah, having a higher bridge to her nose, had taken the Grecian line, and had accordingly drawn two long stripes of sandy hair across her temples, a la Madonna. The charge against these beauties was, that they had walked of from their master’s crib, and betaken themselves to one of the genteel hops that are frequently held on the Rocks, where they were found turning round in the soft mazes of the waltz, occasionally imbibing a quartern of max to moisten their clay. The appearance of the constable not a little astonished them, and they remained some time parlying, but without effect — go they must, and go they did, They both looked very silly, as might be imagined, and still more so when they found their frolic rewarded by six weeks each to Gordon’s dancing academy.

*quartern of max = gin
POLICE INCIDENTS. (1833, October 28). The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 – 1848), p. 3. Retrieved December 16, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42008385

 

MURRAY, Hamilton

Dancing a reel on the King’s Wharf, 1833 Sydney

Thursday.-EIizabeth Fisher, Matthew Fisher, and Hamilton Murray, belonging to the Waterloo, were charged with dancing a reel on the King’s Wharf, at the hour of eleven overnight, to the music of a black fiddler*, who, seated on an anchor stock, most manfully scraped away, all parties being at that time in a very happy state of forget-fulness. On the charleys making their appearance, the three prisioners made some demur to their sports being interuptcd, which caused them to be marched off to the Watch-house ; the black fiddler being too good a judge to be caught in that man-ner, bolted, pulling out of his instrument as he went ” Off she goes.” Elizabeth and Matthew were discharged, as their faces were new to the Bench ; Hamilton, was under the necessity of handing out the rhino, to prevent an exhibition of his ancles.

*possibly John Randall

POLICE INCIDENTS. (1833, September 2). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), p. 2. Retrieved February 26, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12847612

 

MURPHY, Sarah

The maizy waltz 1832 Sydney

Sarah Murphy, for smuggling a strapping young emeralder into her master’s kitchen, treating him with bottled heavy, and singing ” Wake, dearest wake,” in a fine mezzo soprano, and swimming round the larder in the maizy waltz, was sent to be domiciled at Mrs. Gordon’s for 6 weeks.

POLICE INCIDENTS. (1832, November 1). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), p. 3. Retrieved January 31, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12845592

 

NIXON, Margaret

Singing & dancing to tune of Paddy Carey, 1833 Sydney

MONDAY -Margaret Nixon, or Hixon, or Flixon, with a strong esquimaux cut of her jib, and a tongue that blightly followed its occupation, in spite of all the muzzle lashings attempted to be put on by the Bench, was charged with receiving a pass from her mistress on Tuesday week to proceed to hospital, in consequence of being troubled with the mulligrubs, instead of getting a good drench, she pastured at the first sly grog shop, seated herself by a fire quite cozey; called for a can of dog’s nose and pipe, then sipped and smoked, and smoked and sipped again; by the time a couple of quarts of the delicious mixture had trickled down her throat, she began to find herself at home, trowled glibly off her tongue ” Paddy Carey oh!” and danced round the room, snapping her fingers for castenets. This game went on all very well til Sunday, when she took a lounge to the Domain, and was taken into custody for her pains. The Bench, to teach her the merits of schedule A. on the Reform system, sent her to study under Mrs. Gordon for two months.

POLICE INCIDENTS. (1833, August 8). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), p. 3. Retrieved January 2, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12847422

◄ Previous page Back to main page Next page ►