City of Shadows

[Sator]

Those from the US who have visited these shores often remark on how casually dressed Sydney siders are. Comparisons have been made to California. However, a book which has attracted some degree of international interest shows a very different historic view of Sydney.

City of Shadows, written by Peter Doyle is based upon archival forensic police photographs taken between 1912-1948.

http://www.amazon.com/City-Shadows-Sydn ... 204&sr=8-2

Sadly, most of the contextual information surrounding the photographs has been lost to time. What is truly remarkable - even frightful - is that even petty criminals held in police custody - even those of an inadequate degree of notoriety to be remembered by history - seem to be all too often far better dressed than many professional people in this day and age.

Here are a few photos I have scanned from the book.

These first two pictures date c.1920s and are thought to have been taken at the central police prison cells (hmmm... I wonder if these guys are wearing Akubra hats):





Here are a couple of pictures of typical street scenes:





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[novice]

Very nice photographs indeed

[Sator]

Here are a couple of more photographs to catch my eye. The dates on which they were taken are inscribed into the pictures.

The first of these shows the reunion for a commital hearing of a group of four involved in a robbery. They have obviously turned out in their best clothes, which contrasts with the more deshevelled state of most criminals in many untimely, impromptu mugshots. One of the thieves has even turned up in a detachable winged collar shirt worn with bow tie and fob chain. SB peaked lapel coats too seem rather popular (and not just in this shot). Notice too his Oxford boots - in fact every man in the book wears lace up ankle boots.



The next picture is of William Stanley Moore who is recorded as a wharf labourer. My tailor tells me that organised crime in Sydney was concetrated around the dock yards back in the old days. The records state that Moore was involved with 'waterfront thieves and illicit drug dealers'. He simply is too well dressed for a labourer, suggesting he might be some sort of mafia boss with his well cut lounge suit and ostentatiously - even arrogantly - puffed pocket square. Particularly fascinating is the Prince of Wales checkered suiting, and the pinned contrasting shirt collar with with wider stripes than the rest of the shirt body:



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[edhayes]

mr moore looks to be more then a wharf laborer to me-see the way he holds the cigar.
And his hands are awfully thin for a laborer
Note the tie, collar, shirt combo
A man after our hearts.