‘Toowoomba’s Madams and Houses of Ill-Repute’

From just before WWI up to WWII Toowoomba was home to two famous houses of ill-repute —Coronation Villa and Sunnyside —each of which, at different times, was operated by the infamous ‘madam’ Emma Mitchell and in one of which ‘Pretty Pat’ was murdered and Vera Purdy —‘Ace Siren of the Australian Underworld’ —died from a drug overdose.

These institutions and persons will be the centrepiece of a talk on prostitution in Toowoomba from the 1860s to the 1940s to be given at the next meeting of the Toowoomba Historical Society.

The speaker will be Society president, Emeritus Professor Maurice French, author of several books on the history of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting, to be held in the Society’s Rooms, 49 Lindsay St, on Monday, 21 October 2019 at 7.30pm. Light refreshments will be served.