Tag / Cannington

by Eddie

The Highgate Rain Baby

No, it wasn't there in 1932, but it's still a great tower

No, it wasn’t there in 1932, but it’s still a great tower

There are some things you don’t expect to find in Lincoln Street. A large tower to stop the sewerage smelling, yes. A weirdo dressed only in an overcoat and a pair of shoes, no.

Late one evening in June 1932, 28-year-old Stewart H. carefully folded his clothes and placed them under a tree. It was raining heavily. He told the arresting officer, Constable Weaver, he was simply having a shower. #YOLO

During the subsequent trial the media christened him the ‘Rain Baby’. As a defence, Stewart said he was unemployed and had been declined a chance to get to the Blackboy Hill Unemployment Camp to work for the dole.

The magistrate ordered him to pay costs, and ensured that he was found a place at Blackboy immediately. Sometime it pays to have an unusual shower.

Eighteen years later, Stewart was arrested in Roberts Road, Subiaco, dressed in women’s clothing and with powder and rouge on his face.

The clothing he was wearing was produced in Court. It consisted, as the newspapers carefully detailed, of a woman’s overcoat, dress, brassiere—packed with linen—a scarf, and women’s shoes. He was carrying a handbag and umbrella. Worst of all, according to the media, Stewart was wearing nothing under the dress.

“There seems to be something queer about you,” observed the magistrate.

Four years later in Kewdale, Stewart was charged with “alarming women and children” by lurking while dressed in women’s clothing. He had fled before the police arrived, but had already been recognised.

As the police explained in court, when they turned up at his East Cannington home he was wearing only blue swimming trunks and a dressing gown. This time he got fourteen days.

North Perth. Subiaco. Kewdale. Cannington. At least Stewart’s hobby got him out of the house.

by Eddie

Love is in the air

trap1

Marlene Dennis, 1959

Did you hear the one about the lion tamer who fell in love with a trapeze artist?

It’s not a joke. Just a story of everyday life in Cannington in 1938.

Mavis Bullen was a trapeze artist from the famous Bullen’s Circus. Professionally working as ‘Miss Jeanette’, she would swing near the tent top, high over the heads of the audience in a seeming death-defying act.

A trapeze artist’s life depends on a good relationship with the man who worked the ropes. In Mavis’ case, this was Bob Dennis, who also doubled up as the lion tamer.

Now, a man who has no problems wrestling a lion isn’t likely to be backwards at coming forwards.

Even so, it was some time before Bob could bring himself to propose to Mavis. And when he did, she refused him point-blank.

The lion-tamer was not going to let a little thing like a refusal worry him. He waited until next time they were rehearsing, and when Mavis was sitting on the trapeze he asked again. Once more she shook her head.

Bob said nothing, but simply tied the rope to a post and left her in the swing until she changed her mind.

In the middle of winter it’s pretty cold sitting on a swing wearing only a trapeze costume, but she stuck to her decision.

After that, every rehearsal, Bob stuck to his strategy—only each time he kept Mavis aloft a bit longer.

When she complained to her mother about this treatment, she got little sympathy. “Serves you right,” said Mrs Perce Bullen. “You’re both in love, and the sooner you make up your minds the better.”

The following day at the end of practice Bob refused to lower Mavis to the ground.

“Will you marry me?” he shouted from the ring. She half smiled, but shook her head.

“All right, then. You’ll stay up there this time till you change your mind,” he said. And she did stay. For an hour and a half.

As Mavis shivered high in the air, Bob stayed below casually smoking a cigarette.

Eventually she called: “Let me down, Bob. I’ve changed my mind.”

Mrs Bullen, who had watched the whole proceedings from a distance, broke their embrace to give them her blessing.

The marriage does seem to have been a success, and one of their daughters, Marlene, went on to perform as a trapeze artist and to work with animals.

Did you hear the one about the lion tamer who fell in love with a trapeze artist?

They lived happily ever after. And that’s not a joke.