The Sun, Kalgoorlie: 24 March 1907, page 9
MARRIAGE OF A RUE DE BROOKMAN RESIDENT.
The foundations of goldfields society were shaken to their bedrock bottom on Wednesday morning, last, when the “Kalgoorlie Miner” issued the announcement of the marriage of a well known Afghan, to a more notoriously known French woman, of the ‘Rue de Brookman’, of which the blonde bride had been a belle for many years, professed to be both hurt and shocked at the surprise announcement!
Hocking’s daily published this, matrimonial. notice on Wednesday, last.
MARRIAGES: MAHOMET— LESIRE On 18th March 1907, Violette Adrienne Lesire, (French) to Gool Mahomet (Afghan), in the Mahometan Church (under Mahometan religion), Coolgardie.
Adrienne Desiree Ernestine LESIRE – Born 1881 France Died 16 Oct 1938 Farina SA – Photo Ancestry.com
Brookman street society was, as stated, hurt and shocked. Hurt possibly because it had not been invited to the wedding – shocked for the reason that one of their exclusive set had not drawn the ‘colour line’, and had married an afghan.
The amour culminated in the transformation of Mdle. Lesire into Mrs. Gool Mahomet had not gone on in the Rue without attracting notice. The several Princesses, Queens, and Empresses constituting the best society set in the Brookman Quarter had found the evident attachment of the Afghan for the young demoiselle Lesire fine food for discussion over their afternoon tea. They had seen the Ghan haunting the Maison Dubreuil (Mdlle. Violette’s villa) for five weeks past but surmised it was only a business flirtation caprice on their young countryman’s part. It proved very much otherwise, and the lookers-on were confounded and dumbfounded when Sid Hocking’s journal announced the marriage.
There are a number of men in these fields who know the new Mrs. Gool Mahomet (nee Lesire) In the days when Hannan’s town was possessed of the most unenviable notoriety by reason of the goings-on in the then riotous ‘Rue de Brookman’. Violet Dubrueil was in business as a partner or associate, with Madame Blanche D’Arville, professionally known as ‘Big Blanche’. The young girl Dubreuil, came out from ‘Gay Paree’ as the woman D’Arville’s protegee, not to say slave, and their Maison in the Brookman Quarter did not want for patrons.
From their first stand next to Scott’s Brewery they moved lower down on the opposite side, below Wilson street. Selling a row of four houses which she bought there, D’Arville, took Violette on a tour of the Continent and America. The pair were in San Francisco ten days before the Great Quake.
Early this year Blanche and Violette returned to Kalgoorlie. For a week they resided at the Home from Home Hotel the while, D’Arville was to buy the land on which. O’Donnell and Dempsey’s cordial factory stood. She effected the deal, renovated and rebuilt two houses on the Rue side of the block, and she and Violette were once more professionally associated, each in her own house. Three months ago, a new “protegee” having arrived from Paris consigned to Blanche, that woman decided to take, a holiday alone, and left for France, leaving her two girls in the one house in the Rue.
Gool Mahomet is a middle-aged native of Afghanistan – his home village being Smilekhanderra. He is reputed “well in” with the business people of Coolgardie, among whom he is well known as a camel carrying contractor. Accrediting him with the possession of more than the average man’s share of this world’s goods. Anyway, Gool holds a bill of sale over some sixty head of camels for £600, money advanced by him to brother natives of Afghanistan. He is, as certain official documents would appear to indicate, in partnership in the carrying line with a well-known South Australian firm.
Gool Mahomed in 1946 as an old man.
Violet Dubreuil or Lesire – which is said to be her real maiden name, is not a wealthy woman as women of her class go. The bride of the moment very evidently jumped at Gool Mahomet’s offer of marriage. It meant a measure of liberty for her, at least freedom from the D’Arville control.
She left a letter at her house last Thursday week, the day she skipped to Coolgardie to do the matrimonial deed. Addressing D’Arville: she wrote: “I am tired of this life, so tired. Glad I will be to start a new life. The man I am to marry is black-skinned – but he has a white heart and a good heart. Farewell, it must be. Farewell.”
Mr. and Mrs. Gool Mahomet have taken up their residence in the Afghan quarter of Coolgardie, on the east side of the town. Hocking’s daily may, later on, announce Mrs. Gool’s “At Home” days.
Gool MAHOMET/MAHOMED:- born 1865 in Kabul, died 21 May 1950 in Adelaide, South Australia. Arrived in Western Australia in 1897, moved to Pt Augusta SA where he worked carting copper by camel between Parachilna SA to Blinman QLD. Worked on Wilgena Station for seven years managing the camel trains. Moved to Kalgoorlie to card wood, sold his camels to buy a market garden in Leonora WA. He married Desiree Ernestine Adrienne LESIRE who converted to Islam and took on the name ‘Miriam Bebe’. They had six children, 3 boys and three girls.
Ref:- Australia’s Muslim Cameleers, Pioneers of the Inland 1860-1930 by Philip Jones and Anna Kenny
News – Adelaide SA – Tuesday 23 May 1950, page 2
GOOL MAHOMET, an 85-year-old Afghan, who died on Sunday, had come to Adelaide from central Australia to make arrangements for a pilgrimage to Mecca. He had booked his passage from Australia and spent Saturday making final arrangements. Gool Mahomet was ready to make his pilgrimage to Mecca. His passage on the Himalayan was booked, but on Sunday, at the Mahommedan Mosque in Little Gilbert street, he died.
Eighty-five-year-old Mr. Mahomet was one of the best-known members of the Australian Afghan community. He came to Australia 55 years ago to join the camel trains carrying supplies to the WA goldfields. He joined Moosha Balooch’s camel train and later was in charge of camel men at Marree. After having worked upon the Peterborough Railway Station, he carried his swag alone on a 10 day, 400-mile tramp to Wilgena Station. He worked on the station for seven years, saving enough money to buy his own string of camels. In those days camels cost about £40 each, and there were up to 50 In a string. With his camel train, Mr. Mahomet carted the wire netting, posts, and supplies for the first vermin-proof fence built in the Lake Torrens West district.
He carried supplies and equipment to new goldfields at Tarcoola and in WA. In 1907, he married Mdle. Adrienne Lesire. They had six children, four of whom are still living and are in Adelaide for the Islamic funeral today. Early in their married life, Mr. and Mrs. Mahomet crossed from Coolgardie WA to Port Augusta by camel. After Mr. Mahomet had been sinking dams near Farina, he and his two sons bought Mulcaria station and developed 378 square miles of virgin country. During the war, when camels were needed for a special NT camel corps, Mr. Mahomet offered 20 camels free, as his war effort. Last Saturday with his friend, Mr. R. R. Bunney, of the GPO, he finalised arrangements for his pilgrimage to Mecca.
Chronicle- Adelaide SA – 1 June 1950, page 6
Moya Sharp
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