
Madame Brussels
The Life and Times of Melbourne's Most Notorious Woman
- 336 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
A must-read biography of an enigmatic personality who helped shape early Melbourne
Madame Brussels, the most legendary brothel keeper in nineteenth-century Melbourne, is still remembered and celebrated today. But until now, little has been known about Caroline Hodgson, the woman behind the alter ego.
Born in Prussia to a working-class family, Caroline arrived in Melbourne in 1871. Left alone when her police-officer husband was sent to work in remote Victoria, she turned her hand to running brothels. Before long, she had proved herself brilliantly entrepreneurial: her principal establishment was a stone's throw from Parliament House, lavishly furnished and catered to Melbourne's ruling classes.
Caroline rode Melbourne's boom in the 1880s, weathered the storm of the depression years in the 1890s and suffered in the moral panic of the 1900s. Her death in 1908 signified the end of one kind of Melbourne and the beginning of another: in terms of prostitution, the city went from tolerance to complete prohibition in her lifetime.
Drawing on extensive research, author and historian Barbara Minchinton deftly pieces together Madame Brussels' story and recreates a fascinating, colourful period in Melbourne's history. This is a major biography of an Australian icon.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- 1. Telling Caroline Hodgson’s Story
- Part I: The Old World
- Part II: Early Days in Melbourne
- Part III: The Halcyon Days
- Part IV: The Complicatated Years
- Part V: The New Century
- Part VI: The End
- Appendix 1. Summary of Property Transactions
- Appendix 2. Lohmar/Schulze Family Tree
- Appendix 3. Hodgson/Duke Family Tree
- Afterword by Philip Bentley
- Acknowledgements
- Image credits
- Notes
- Index
- Back Cover