Sly Grog Shanty – Florence Menon

Sly Grog Shanties sprang up where ever people settled and the police were hard pressed to keep a check on the offenders. The record from the Morgans Courier details just such a case that would annoy the local constabulary.  I wondered if this term of incarceration for Florence Menon would have made her tread the straight and narrow or did she continue with her ‘life of crime’

From the ‘Morgans Courier 20^th Oct 1906

Sly Grog Bush Shanty

As a result of a raid made by the police at the Sandstone Leases last month, amongst the shanty keepers was a woman named Florence Menon who was amongst the offenders. She was requested to answer the charges of sly grog selling at the Black Range police court on the 29^th ult.  When the case was called in the court the defendant failed to materialise. Menon having ‘skipped by the light of the Moon’ in order to avoid complications.  The bench sentenced the defendant to a month’s imprisonment in addition of a find of £30 with the alternative of another three month imprisonment in lieu of the fine.

The defendant however did not evade capture for a lengthy period as last week she was run to earth at Baramble about 75 miles north west of Black Range where she had another ‘sly grog ranch’ running in full swing where she was arrested by the police. She was brought into Black Range from which place she will be forwarded on to Lawler’s gaol to complete her sentence.

No further mention in the newspapers indexed to date except for this notice of Florence’s death in the “Riverina Recorder” NSW Saturday 7 August 1937 .  A quick search of the newspapers of Riverina show a prominent pastoralist called James Menon. I can only speculate that it was this family who inserted the following notice for some one who died so far away in Boulder Western Australia who was possibly a family member.  I wonder if they knew of her former occupation.

Death Notice of Florence Manon

Florence is buried in the Boulder Cemetery with the following memorial.

Memorial of Florence Menon Boulder Cemetery

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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