Jimmy Brockett

This once was a Banned book!

I read Power Without Glory by Frank Hardy in my younger days and thought it a superb read. It was highly controversial on release as it portrayed the main character in the book, John West, as a composite of Melbourne identity John Wren. At least that was what some in the Wren family thought so for his trouble Hardy was tried for criminal liability in 1951 in what was a huge cause célèbre at the time. Power Without Glory was a book about corruption and greed. I recall when I read it in my late teens in the 1970's it still resonated nearly 30 years on from its original release date.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Without_Glory

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wren

Little did I know that another Australian author, Dal Stivens, had released in 1951, this novel that is also about corruption and greed; power without glory. This was about the same time as Hardy's trial and was Stiven's first novel. A few years back it was rereleased through Allen & Unwin's House of Books. Allen & Unwin (mischievously?) call this a “Memoir” on the back cover. Of whom I asked myself and to find out I had to do some research.
Interestingly the wiki on the book links to the very good National Library of Australia Trove site that is a fantastic online resource that links one to “books, images, historic newspapers, maps, music, archives and more”

https://trove.nla.gov.au/

The link below contains a newspaper report that the then Australian Federal Minister had released the book for sale in Australia after it was held up by customs as it may have borne “a close resemblance to the career to that of a Sydney promoter.”

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23089403

I found another link that mentioned that Jimmy Brocket may have “bore a resemblance” to Hugh D McIntosh.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23086511?searchTerm=Jimmy%20Brockett&searchLimits=l-availability=y

McIntosh wiki below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_D.McIntosh. Another link talks of both McIntosh and John Norton. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189925844?searchTerm=Jimmy%20Brockett&searchLimits=l-availability=yhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Norton(journalist)


The times they have changed.

One of the more interesting links through trove is the following that actually called for the books ban to have not been lifted. Read this and laugh. By today's standards this book is fairly tame so pity the poor reader back then.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/52846315?searchTerm=Jimmy%20Brockett&searchLimits=l-availability=y

Jimmy Brocket is a very good read so why has it not retained the familiarity of Hardy's more renowned Power Without Glory?

Jimmy Brockett, the books eponymous character was from working class roots in Glebe in Sydney and through graft and corruption made his way to become a Sydney identity of some standing. He started in the wrestling and boxing game in 1905 and by the end of the book had reached enormous wealth by not letting anyone stand in his way. Jimmy Brockett told his story in the first person but repeatedly talked of himself in the third person, a presentation that I enjoyed. It allowed the reader to understand that he was a character of great ego, devilish charm and cunning and an individual to not make an enemy of. When later reading about both Hugh D McIntosh and John Norton it was hard not to understand how they achieved what they did in both business and politics if the character of Jimmy Brockett was based as a composite of these two individuals.

So why did Jimmy Brockett disappear off the radar in term so being part of the cannon of Australian Literature considering its history and the subject matter? Hardy's Power Without Glory made huge waves at the time with its criminal liability case and was maybe an easier read to a public whom was not probably keen on Jimmy Brockett's more racy style of delivery? I am unable to recall any rawness about Power Without Glory but there was with Jimmy Brockett. He had no issue sleeping around and boasting about it. He was loud and brash and that is a style of character that may not have been palatable to the readers of the day. John West may have been conniving but kept it to the background. Jimmy Brockett did not even attempt anything.

Jimmy Brockett used many colloquialisms of his day that may have embarrassed a readership many years later? Many had me scurrying to the dictionary to find out what they actually meant. It was interesting to see that they were once common but had fallen into disuse with time. For many examples see this link.

https://greensdictofslang.com/search/quotation?biblid=4265

Jimmy Brockett had several automobiles and was never shy in mentioning that he was one of the first in Sydney to have one. He had two in particular that caught my attention, a De Dion and a Russell. I have to admit that I had to research these two makers as I had not heard of them before. Live and learn.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Dion-Bouton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Motor_Car_Company

Recommended to those that have an interest in Australian political literature.