In 1918 there was an angry public clash between the Victorian Police and the Fitzroy Council which played out through the press. It all started when a newspaper quoted a police report by a Superintendent Davidson in which it was stated that "Fitzroy was the home of Melbourne criminals generally." Fitzroy Council was so offended that they led a deposition to the Chief Commissioner. They labelled the Criminal Investigation Branch incompetent and were quoted in the media as saying that "some officers of the Police had become too fat to chase after a lizard let alone a criminal."
Despite the misgivings of the Chief Secretary, the Chief Commissioner stood by his Superintendent and commissioned reports from other members of the force to support the claim. One report submitted that what had been said was actually an understatement and that proof of Fitzroy's criminal nature was borne out by the shooting crimes which had occurred since the furor began. Several reports pointed out that some of Fitzroy's streets were practically all sly grog shops, brothels and dens of thieves. Other reports not only supported the original statement with statistics but set out the factors which contributed to the criminal nature of the suburb.
These included:
Within several months of these reports the suburb had erupted into a gang war known as the Fitzroy Vendetta.
Melbourne Historical Crime Tours follows the story of Fitzroy's journey from the affluence of the 1890's through to the notoriety of the 1920's.
Every house has its story, every street one thousand more.
Explore the streets and alleyways of Melbourne's old Fitzroy through the eyes of its cops and crooks. The Fitzroy Crime Tour goes for 2 hours every Sunday and starts at the Workers Club Hotel, 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy.
First Friday of each month: Gangsters, Brothels & Lolly Shops tours (with laser projector) at 7pm. Starting from the Coopers Inn, 282 Exhibition St. (Adults only, children 16+ with parent or guardian)
Saturday Gangsters, Brothels & Lolly Shops tours at 11am. Starting from the Coopers Inn, 282 Exhibition St. (Adults only, children 16+ with parent or guardian)
Sunday Fitzroy True Crime Tours at 10.30am. Starting at the entrance doors to Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton. (Adults only, children 16+ with parent or guardian)
The meeting place for the Fitzroy tour is right on the edge of Melbourne's CBD and easily accessible by public transport.
Despite the misgivings of the Chief Secretary, the Chief Commissioner stood by his Superintendent and commissioned reports from other members of the force to support the claim. One report submitted that what had been said was actually an understatement and that proof of Fitzroy's criminal nature was borne out by the shooting crimes which had occurred since the furor began. Several reports pointed out that some of Fitzroy's streets were practically all sly grog shops, brothels and dens of thieves. Other reports not only supported the original statement with statistics but set out the factors which contributed to the criminal nature of the suburb.
These included:
- Fitzroy's close proximity to the city
- The cheap boarding houses, numerous in every Fitzroy street, which enabled local crooks to move regularly from place to place. They also harbored visiting criminals from interstate
- Slum landlords who let their properties fall into such wretched states of disrepair that they attracted the 'unfortunate class' because of the cheap rent
- The introduction of 6 o'clock closing which delivered thirsty customers from all over Melbourne to the sly grog shops of Fitzroy
- A police force diminished in resources and numbers by WWI and the Spanish Flu epidemic
- Inadequate powers in regard to closing brothels and disorderly houses and the difficulties experienced in gaining sufficient evidence to prosecute them.
Within several months of these reports the suburb had erupted into a gang war known as the Fitzroy Vendetta.
Melbourne Historical Crime Tours follows the story of Fitzroy's journey from the affluence of the 1890's through to the notoriety of the 1920's.
Every house has its story, every street one thousand more.
Explore the streets and alleyways of Melbourne's old Fitzroy through the eyes of its cops and crooks. The Fitzroy Crime Tour goes for 2 hours every Sunday and starts at the Workers Club Hotel, 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy.
First Friday of each month: Gangsters, Brothels & Lolly Shops tours (with laser projector) at 7pm. Starting from the Coopers Inn, 282 Exhibition St. (Adults only, children 16+ with parent or guardian)
Saturday Gangsters, Brothels & Lolly Shops tours at 11am. Starting from the Coopers Inn, 282 Exhibition St. (Adults only, children 16+ with parent or guardian)
Sunday Fitzroy True Crime Tours at 10.30am. Starting at the entrance doors to Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton. (Adults only, children 16+ with parent or guardian)
The meeting place for the Fitzroy tour is right on the edge of Melbourne's CBD and easily accessible by public transport.
