The Palace of Wonders – Adelaide Arcade Waxworks
Discovering the location and any information about the waxworks
that were once housed inside the Adelaide Arcade have been a labour of love for
me over the past few years. I first discovered a little information about the waxworks
when researching the death of Sydney Byron Kennedy, and the subsequent
aftermath that followed.
The Kennedy’s lived
in the upstairs section of shop 11 (now The Manhattan Drycleaners) and worked
from a shop on the ground floor, showcasing their style of psychic offerings
and phrenology. The Kennedy’s were not the perfect couple, and Michael soon
absconded to Tasmania, leaving Bridget Kennedy distraught.Bridget sent a private detective to retrieve her son, who returned without him, but with the location of where to find him. Only a month later, young Sydney would be found dead inside the living room of the Arcade residence, and seven months later in August 1902, Bridget Kennedy, would also be found dead in the Adelaide Parklands (you can read about the case in greater detail here: http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/adelaide-arcade-part-four-madame-kennedy.html)
The first advertisements for the Arcade Waxworks (sometimes referred
to in the newspapers as "Kennedy’s Waxworks”) appear in local newspapers in
December 1901. In The City of Adelaide: A
Thematic History, (McDougall and Vines 2006), on page 104, it states that
the waxworks were positioned in the basement.
This would make sense, as the Kennedy’s
lived on the top floor and held their psychic productions on the ground floor, so
most likely utilised the basement, for other purposes. It being cooler, and out
of site from onlookers who didn’t want to pay, made it the prime location for
it to be housed.
After his scandalous affair and the death of his wife and
child, Michael Kennedy returned to the Arcade and ran the waxworks, which had
become a major attraction in the city.
In a weird coincidence of the macabre, the Adelaide Wax
Works, inside the Adelaide Arcade, in 1904 featured a wax effigy of convicted
murderer Thomas Horton. Thomas Horton killed his wife, Frances Horton at the
Rundle Street (Mall) end of the Adelaide Arcade on February 27th,
1904.
Thomas was hung for his crime in the Adelaide Gaol on May 12th, 1904, when justice was much swifter, and brutal than today’s standards.[1]
Thomas was hung for his crime in the Adelaide Gaol on May 12th, 1904, when justice was much swifter, and brutal than today’s standards.[1]
Professor Michael Kennedy ran the Arcade Waxworks until his
death in 1908. The waxworks were then taken over by a lady, also a psychic,
named Madame Phyllis.
Madame Phyllis had 75 wax figures displayed in her version
of the waxworks, so one would think, that possibly, the collection was now
housed on the ground floor and in the basement.
When a guest would arrive at the waxworks, a tour guide would show the guest around the displays and give a detailed explanation of the real person’s life, and why they had been chosen by Madame Phyllis to be put on display.
Notable waxworks from this period included Queen Victoria, Sir Hector McDonald, Ned Kelly and his sister Kate.
When a guest would arrive at the waxworks, a tour guide would show the guest around the displays and give a detailed explanation of the real person’s life, and why they had been chosen by Madame Phyllis to be put on display.
Notable waxworks from this period included Queen Victoria, Sir Hector McDonald, Ned Kelly and his sister Kate.
After Madame Phyllis, the next owner appears to be Mrs
Brown. In a 1935 article printed in the local News, retiring caretaker of 50
years (who took over after the death of Francis Cluney), Mr Jonah Benjamin,
stated of Mrs Brown:
"She was a queer old soul, some people didn't
like her. She was hardy and independent, but she had a good heart and many a
time I have seen her walk out of her works and give some poor fellow a couple
of shillings to go on with."[2]
I believe the next owner, Mr A. Netter, either bought the
waxworks or leased it from Mrs Brown in 1941, but at this stage in my research,
this is hard to confirm.
In 1942, a visiting group of soldiers to the Adelaide Arcade Waxworks, stole a full-sized effigy of Adolf Hitler.[3]
In 1942, a visiting group of soldiers to the Adelaide Arcade Waxworks, stole a full-sized effigy of Adolf Hitler.[3]
In 1953, The waxworks were removed from the arcade, but they
didn’t go without a fight! As Mr Yeend, a carpenter, was removing the lifelike
figures, one fell forward and pinned him to the floor, in the wax effigies hand
was a sharp blade, which landed on Mr Yeend’s throat – as it turned out, the
effigy was one of a murderer. Mr Yeend survived, with an incredible story to
tell his grandchildren![4]
Believe it or not, this is probably one the local, former Adelaide
attractions I am most often asked about by news reporters, as there is so
little information available about it in local history archives.
I am keen to continue researching this fascinating
attraction in the Adelaide Arcade, and would love to know what became of the
waxwork effigies, and if any still survive. If you have any information about
the former waxworks, or a photo, please get in touch!
Researched and written by Allen Tiller ©2017
Bibiliography
1905 'Advertising', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 -
1931), 3 March, p. 2. , viewed 18 Sep 2017,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5039998
1908 'AMUSEMENTS.', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 -
1931), 10 September, p. 14. , viewed 28 Sep 2017,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5181306
1909 'AMUSEMENTS.', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 -
1931), 3 March, p. 11. , viewed 18 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5178688
1909, The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA : 1867 - 1922),
3 March, p. 3. (4 o'clock.), viewed 18 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page23039181
(Madame Phyllis photo)
1917 'WAXWORKS', Daily Herald (Adelaide, SA : 1910 -
1924), 2 January, p. 8. , viewed 18 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105384205
1935 'CARETAKER HAS WATCHED CITY ARCADE FOR 50 YEARS', News
(Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), 4 April, p. 11. , viewed 18 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128824259
1942 '"HITLER" VANISHES', Mirror (Perth, WA :
1921 - 1956), 23 May, p. 2. , viewed 18 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75890802
1953 'S.A. Waxworks Dismantled', The Advertiser
(Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 31 July, p. 3. , viewed 18 Sep 2017,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48272067
Find A Grave, 2012, Thomas Horton, Find a Grave, viewed 18
Sept 2017, https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=90947852
McDougall and Vines 2006, The City of Adelaide : a
thematic history, page 104, McDougall
& Vines, Norwood, S. Aust
[1]
Find A Grave, 2012, Thomas Horton, Find a Grave, viewed 18 Sept 2017,
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=90947852
[2] 1935 'CARETAKER HAS WATCHED CITY
ARCADE FOR 50 YEARS', News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), 4 April, p. 11.
, viewed 18 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128824259
[3]
1942 '"HITLER" VANISHES', Mirror (Perth, WA : 1921 - 1956), 23
May, p. 2. , viewed 18 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75890802
[4] 1953 'S.A. Waxworks Dismantled', The
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 31 July, p. 3. , viewed 28 Sep
2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48272067
Newspaper records suggest that Madame and Professor Kennedy, or at least, Madame Kennedy (Bridget Kennedy Bryon) arrived in Adelaide in 1897.
ReplyDeleteThe first advertisement appears to be that in The Express & telegraph on 5 April 1897 (p. 1) which records: "Intuitional Palmistry. Madame Kennedy (from Hobart) the celebrated Intuitional Palmist, has arrived, and may be consulted at 96, Hindley-street, opposite
Cyclorama."
Then on 10 April 1897 (Express & Telegraph p. 1) is found the following two advertisements: "MADAME KENNEDY (from Hobart), Intuitional Palmist and Medical and Business Clairvoyant, daily. 96, Hindley-street, opposite Cyclorama."
"PROFESSOR KENNEDY, Practical Phrenologist and Physiognomist. - Youths' charts a speciality. Daily. - 96, Hindley-street, opposite Cyclorama."
On 8 May 1897 (Express & Telegraph p. 1) is recorded: "PALMISTRY & CLAIRVOYANCE. Madame KENNEDY wishes to inform her Clients that she removes to the Adelaide Arcade on Wednesday."
It is evident that at first Madame and Professor Kennedy operated out 13, Arcade, before subsequently moving into for some time No. 10, and finally No. 11.
Also of interest is that the woman with whom Professor Kennedy (Bryon) absconded to Hobart was actually "Madame Phyllis" (as she was later known) who, on arrival in Adelaide 1900/1901, had called herself Madame Cheira. "Madame Phyllis, was actually Ella/Ada Brown.
Madame Phyllis was also one of the 18 women and men arrested on 4 July 1917 and charged with being rogues and vagabonds for pretending to tell fortunes. Those arrests were the first ones instigated by Policewoman Kate Cocks and the Commissioner of Police.
There is little doubt the actions of the police women used in the cases constituted entrapment. It is also quite clear that the prime motive on the part of the police, or more particularly Cocks, was to try and eradicate the spiritualist mediums who had been offering their services to concerned and grieving parents, while at the same time gathering up the various "psychics"and "fortune tellers" operating in Adelaide, many of whom had been practicing their craft for up to 30 years with impunity.