RESEARCH THUS FAR

SQUIZZY TAYLOR

History

Joseph Leslie Theodore Taylor
Alternate names: Squizzy Taylor, Leslie Grout, Michael McGee
Born 29th of June 1888 in Brighton, Melbourne and died in Fitzroy on the 27 of October 1927 aged 39 or 40
First criminal charge was when he was 18, he was convicted of assault and other minor crimes followed

Book

Dressed for an outing in a black overcoat with velvet collar, velvet collar, bowler hat fawn gloves and pointed leather shoes.In his right hand he carried a cane with a silver knob
‘Mornin’ lads’ – addresses everyone as lads
Cunning and beady eyed
‘a man not to be trusted’
‘a scheming blaggard who’d squeal on his own mother to save his own skin’
‘pint sized and snappily dressed’
Commanded respects and whats more, he got it.
Goes to the theatre
SHORT

CHARLIE FEEHAN

Charlie, Ma, baby brother Jack
Dad died of Spanish Flu it’s explained well at p.28
Neighbour in Richmond – Cecil Redmund
Lived in the slums of Richmond and his father died because of the cold they were too poor for warmth which drive him to become a runner
Brown coat and pants
Was initially terrified of Squizzy, addresses him with ‘it is, sir’
Had bad odds because he was poor
Being an underdog was ‘what he knew best’
Charlie liked him right from the start despite his flaws ‘there was something about him I admired’
‘it was squizzy above all others I wanted in my corner’
Dodging and weaving is his speciality
15 y/o in 1919
‘when the undertakers came to wheel my father’s lifeless body onto the hearse, it was as if they took my childhood with them’
He has a lot of pride p. 31
‘so protective of that load, it was as if I was steering the crown jewels through the streets of Melbourne’
Relies on himself to ‘carry [him] out of the slums for good’
‘I didn’t want what other people wanted… I wanted a piece of the action… enough to give Ma and Jack a better life’
‘I realised what it was I loved about working for Squizzy Taylor. It was more than just the money. It was the power I loved as well.’ Pg. 65
‘running belonged to me’ p. 7
‘for me there was always hope’ p. 185

NORMAN ‘NOSTRILS’ HEATH

‘A does of Normal Heath – there was no better medicine for raising ones spirits’

SECONDARY CHARACTERS

MELBOURNE 1919 (Charlie’s life as a runner)

‘audition run’ in the rain
Football was a thing
Two whiskeys, one gin, half a dozen bottles of beer’
Trams and horses on the streets!!!!
‘there wasn’t a lot to laugh about in the slums, laughing was one of the things that came for free.’ P.108
Known as ‘struggle town’

Richmond

‘The streets of Richmond were like pages in a book. They told a story.’ Pg. 69
‘This story was full of hardships. Hard to mouth and day to day, that’s how it was.’ Pg. 69
Industry boomed here
Tanneries, breweries, the boiling down works, the cork factory, the jam factory, the tip
Smells bad
Fisho’s and rabbito’s
‘these were the same gutters that children played in – a playground full of blood and guts, iof horse manure, of empty tins and rats
Enemies with Fitzroy
Home to ‘every imaginable evil’ p. 185

MELBOURNE 1919 TERMINOLOGY

‘ya’ ‘anythin’ – Ma
‘indeed I ‘ave, missus’ – Mr Cecil Redmund
‘but I know the fang farrier who works on the ‘orses’ teeth at the track. I’m told ‘h does ‘ouse calls’ – Cecil
‘fang farrier’ – means dentist
‘ya’d best be off to school’ – Ma
‘But I sure as ‘ell aint cold’ – Charlie
‘Yer the last of ‘em. Mr Taylor will be with ya shortly.’ – Dasher
‘D’ya ‘ear that? Charlie ‘ere ‘as the newspaper fillin’ the ‘oles in ‘is boots’ – Squizzy
‘keep outta me way’
‘throng of punters’ – Charlie
‘I’ll do me best Mr Taylor’
‘awight lads’ – Squizzy
‘well to do’ meaning rich
‘cripes , Charlie’, shindig, struth, taking the piss, ‘copper’, ‘wolfed down’ ‘jiff’, ‘sheilas’, ‘lass’, ‘dunno’
‘flamin ‘eck’, ‘hang about’ ‘rolled’
Caper – an illicit or ridiculous activioty
‘as mad as a cut snake’
‘ratbags’

MELBOURNE 1920’s (differing social/economic worlds during this time)

MELBOURNE 1920’s TERMINOLOGY

MELBOURNE 1925 (present day Charlie/Squizzy)

MELBOURNE 1925 TERMINOLOGY

MELBOURNE 21st CENTURY (corruption)

MELBOURNE 21st CENTURY TERMINOLOGY

PLACES IN BOOK

CHARLIE’S HOME

SQUIZZY’S HOME

GIFTS FROM BETHANY

STORMING THE BRAIN

BETHABY SIMONS AND THE ROAD THUS FAR

AN IN DEPTH INVESTIGATION OF SOLO STRUCTURE NINE

Characterisation

'RESEARCH CURRENCY'

MELBOURNE, 1919

FINALLY UNDERSTANDING MY STRCUTURE

EMOTIONAL INTERVIEW

'THE RUNNER' BY ROBERT NEWTON

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