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Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney
Subjects
Culture and Customs
Eating and Drinking
Nightclubs

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Nightclubs

Subject

Bodgies and African American Influences in Sydney

Breeding delinquents: Surf City 1963-1966

Shirley Beiger

Trocadero

NSW Code of Practice for Dance Parties

Carousel Club

Kings Cross Theatre

Kinselas

Beach House

50-50 Club

Booker T Washington Club

Chequers nightclub

Diamond Horseshoe Club

Hawaiian Eye

Jewel Box

Kandy's Garden of Eden

Karen's Kastle

Kit Kat Club

Les Girls

Purple Onion

Romano's

Ruby Red's

Stork Club

The Annexe

Venus Room

Whisky a Go Go

Ye Olde Crusty Cellar

Ziegfeld Club

Beiger, Shirley Patricia

Bowen-Daniels, Gill

Carlotta

Foy, Harry

Lee, Donald George

Lee, Sammy

Saffron, Abe

Wong, Denis

Wong, Jap Kuan (Keith)

Ivy's Birdcage

Whisky a Go Go nightclub, Kings Cross 11 August 1969

APIA Club dance at the Trocadero March 1958

Band playing at a Popular Dance night at the Trocadero 1938

Carlotta, Kings Cross 1970-71

Costume cavalcade at Artists' Ball at the Trocadero 6 November 1953

Jitterbuggers at the Trocadero February 1948

Kandy and friends performing at Ken's Karate Klub, Kensington 1981

Miles of carpet for the Trocadero... 1936

Pedestrian crossing Darlinghurst Road outside the Tabou nightclub at night, Kings Cross 1961

Rolf Harris amuses diners at a nightclub in Sydney 1966

Roosevelt nightclub, Kings Cross September 1944

The Beach House Beatles performing at a 2UW Surf Music night at Surf City, Kings Cross February 1964

The Beach House Beatles performing at a 2UW Surf Music night at Surf City, Kings Cross February 1964

The Beach House Beatles performing at a 2UW Surf Music night at Surf City, Kings Cross February 1964

The Beach House Beatles performing at a 2UW Surf Music night at Surf City, Kings Cross February 1964

The Dorchester nightclub in Potts Point 1959

The Echoes band entertaining dancers at Surf City, Sydney 1963

The Phoencian Club on the corner of Broadway and Mountain Streets, Ultimo 1980s

The glamorous showgirls at Chequers, one of Sydney's leading nightclubs 1968

United States R & R men from Vietnam meet Aussie girls at the Whisky-A-Go-Go, 9 November 1967

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Nightclubs

Bodgies and African American Influences in Sydney

The bodgie movement was a feature of street life in Sydney in the post-war period. This article, based on oral history interviews, reveals how bodgies modelled their dress and movement on African Americans, including black GIs stationed in Sydney during World War II. Part of the first generation recognised as 'teenagers', bodgies embraced fun, sensuality and spectacle as a rebellion against the dull years of depression and war and the conformism of the dominant Anglo-Irish culture, and their parents' generation.

Breeding delinquents: Surf City 1963-1966

The venue Surf City in the former Kings Cross Theatre on Darlinghurst Road was accused of ‘breeding delinquents’ soon after it opened in 1963. Despite its short lifetime, the venue is crucial to the musical history of Australia. For three years it served as the spiritual home of Australian beat music, giving rise to mainstream pop stars and underground cult heroes whose influence remains today.

Shirley Beiger

Shirley Beiger was a fashion model who shot and killed her lover, Arthur Griffith, outside Chequers Nightclub in 1954. She was tried for murder and acquitted. Her trial gained significant national media attention at the time.

Trocadero

Once the most glamorous dance hall in Sydney, the Trocadero hosted Queens, Dukes, and international stars, as well as Sydneysiders out for a good time.

NSW Code of Practice for Dance Parties

Document drafted by NSW Police after the death of Anna Wood in 1995 to ensure the health and safety of participants at dance parties that was published in 1997.

full record »

Carousel Club

Nightclub in Kings Cross on the corner of Darlinghurst Road and Roslyn Street that was owned by Abe Saffron & Sammy Lee who had built the venue to house the revue 'Les Girls'.

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Kings Cross Theatre

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Cinema on the corner of Darlinghurst Road and Victoria Streets at Kings Cross that opened in April 1916. Part of Frank Waddington's chain of picture houses, the cinema seated over 2000 and was described as 'particularly lavish'. A 'junior' nightclub called the Birdcage, run by radio compere Peter Bergin was open briefly in the venue in 1963 after the theatre closed, and soon replaced by John Harrigan's Surf City, that occupied the building from 1963 until 1966 when the building was demolished, to be replaced by the Crest Hotel.

Kinselas

Former drapers which was converted to a funeral chapel by architect C Bruce Dellit. The foyer contains a sculpture by Raymond Hoff and the whole was considered one of the finest Art Deco style funerary spaces in Sydney. The building is now used as a bar and function rooms.

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Beach House

Nightclub in a former car showroom on Elizabeth Street in the city in the 1960s. It was run by John Harrigan, the manager of Surf City and other venues.

full record »

50-50 Club

Sydney's best known illegal casino, sly-grog nightclub and cocaine den during the 1930s.

full record »

Booker T Washington Club

Nightclub in Surry Hills established by the American Red Cross during World War II, exclusively open to those of African or Aboriginal cultural background.

full record »

Chequers nightclub

Nightclub established by Chinese entrepreneurs Denis and Keith Wong which attracted a colourful and often notorious clientele to its original basement location in The Strand Arcade in the 1950s. It then moved to 79 Goulburn Street.

full record »

Diamond Horseshoe Club

Club located in Oxford Street,Woollahra, where Lea Sonia would often appear in drag.

full record »

Hawaiian Eye

Nightclub or 'discotheque' in the city in the 1960s and 1970s that was owned and managed by John Harrigan and Denis Wong.

full record »

Jewel Box

Kings Cross nightclub which featured 'drag' acts.

full record »

Kandy's Garden of Eden

Drag venue at 95 Enmore Road Enmore.

full record »

Karen's Kastle

Nightclub in Redfern featuring drag shows

full record »

Kit Kat Club

Nightclub in Kings Cross.

full record »

Les Girls

Legendary Kings Cross 'drag' show. The Carousel Club was purpose built by underworld figure Abe Saffron to house the show.

full record »

Purple Onion

Nightclub at 83 Anzac Parade Kensington famous in the 1970s for elaborate drag shows.

full record »

Romano's

Restaurant which became one of Sydney's most elaborate and fashionable, open from the 1920s to the 1960s.

full record »

Ruby Red's

Lesbian bar and dance venue on Crown Street in the 1970s and 80s.

full record »

Stork Club

Nightclub in Sylvania Waters which featured drag shows.

full record »

The Annexe

Nightclub in Kings Cross which featured 'drag' acts.

full record »

Venus Room

Nightclub in Orwell Street Kings Cross.

full record »

Whisky a Go Go

full record »

Nightclub on William St Kings Cross during the 1960s and 1970s.

Ye Olde Crusty Cellar

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Wine cellar opened by the winemaker and viticulturist, Leo Buring, in the basement of the former Primrose Building at 255A George Street in August 1931. The premises were described as having 'the head of Bacchus...to guide guests in and out' with 'shaded lights' and a feeling of 'cloistered gloom'. According to a publication produced by Buring, titled 'Amusings of the Ye Olde Crusty', it notes:

In an earlier and out-of-print edition of the "A-Musings,” Ye Olde Crusty was described as a Wine Cellar...It is more than such words could convey. It is the treasure house of the Grape, presided over by the Master Vigneron, Mr. Leo Buring.

The cellar's special vintages attracted crowds and the venue also played host to many distinguished guests. In May 1933, officers of the German Navy light cruiser DKM Köln visited the cellar.

Ziegfeld Club

Nightclub in King Street Sydney which operated from 1920 and was a well known venue for drag acts.

full record »

Beiger, Shirley Patricia

Model and magazine cover girl who shot and killed her lover, Arthur Griffith, outside Chequers Nightclub in 1954. She was acquitted of the crime and her trial gained significant national media attention at the time.

full record »

Bowen-Daniels, Gill

full record »

Dancer at Chequers nightclub in the 1950s and a witness in the trial of Shirley Beiger for the murder of Arthur Griffith.

Carlotta

full record »

Transgender Australian cabaret performer and entertainer who became the most famous member of the Les Girls show, in Sydney's Kings Cross. Carlotta is the stage name of Carol Spencer.

Foy, Harry

Nightclub dancer and entertainer.

full record »

Lee, Donald George

Waiter at Chequers nightclub who lived in Kellett Street, Kings Cross in the 1950s.

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Lee, Sammy

Canadian bandleader who settled in Potts Point and became a prominent and flamboyant nightclub owner.

full record »

Saffron, Abe

Nightclub owner and property developer reputed to be a major figure in Australia's organized crime in the latter half of the twentieth century.

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Wong, Denis

Restaurateur and nightclub owner.

full record »

Wong, Jap Kuan (Keith)

Chinese businessman who first arrived as a student in 1938 and who, with his brother, Denis, established a highly successful nightclub business.

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Ivy's Birdcage

Popular club above Taylor Square on Oxford Street which featured drag shows. It was the second venue opened by entrepreneur, Ivy Richter. Her first was at Bondi Junction called Chez Ivy's. Richter described the venue:

...it was $2 to go in. You bought your own grog. And so we had, in one corner was the band, round the other were these lovely round tables and chairs, there was a seat built in all the way along and a dance floor...And then you'd go up to the next floor. And that's when we had all the birdcages up and the stage up one end....

The club closed down after two fires.

full record »

Whisky a Go Go nightclub, Kings Cross 11 August 1969

full record »

Contributed By

City of Sydney Archives

(NSCA CRS 871/56(e] 1)

APIA Club dance at the Trocadero March 1958

full record »

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[d7_05116 / APA 05116]

(Mitchell Library)

Band playing at a Popular Dance night at the Trocadero 1938

full record »

By

Ivan Wilfrid Ive

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 388/Box 030/Item 121]

(Courtesy ACP Magazines Ltd, Mitchell Library)

Carlotta, Kings Cross 1970-71

full record »

By

©

Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive

Costume cavalcade at Artists' Ball at the Trocadero 6 November 1953

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[news-article41489158]

(The Australian Womens Weekly', 18 November 1953, p32 via Trove)

Jitterbuggers at the Trocadero February 1948

full record »

By

Ivan Wilfrid Ive

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 388/Box 010/Item 042]

(Courtesy ACP Magazines Ltd, Mitchell Library)

Kandy and friends performing at Ken's Karate Klub, Kensington 1981

full record »

By

With kind permission of

National Library of Australia

[nla.pic-vn3097662]

Miles of carpet for the Trocadero... 1936

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[Decoration and Glass 1 May 1936 p43 via Trove]

Pedestrian crossing Darlinghurst Road outside the Tabou nightclub at night, Kings Cross 1961

full record »

Contributed By

National Archives of Australia

[A1200, L38208]

Rolf Harris amuses diners at a nightclub in Sydney 1966

full record »

By

Contributed By

National Archives of Australia

[A1200, L54113]

Roosevelt nightclub, Kings Cross September 1944

full record »

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[Home and Away - 22272]

(Mitchell Library)

The Beach House Beatles performing at a 2UW Surf Music night at Surf City, Kings Cross February 1964

full record »

By

Courtesy

Horwitz Publications

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 558/Box 49/nos. 58-65]

(Mitchell Library)

The Beach House Beatles performing at a 2UW Surf Music night at Surf City, Kings Cross February 1964

full record »

By

Courtesy

Horwitz Publications

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 558/Box 49/nos. 58-65]

(Mitchell Library)

The Beach House Beatles performing at a 2UW Surf Music night at Surf City, Kings Cross February 1964

full record »

By

Courtesy

Horwitz Publications

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 558/Box 49/nos. 58-65]

(Mitchell Library)

The Beach House Beatles performing at a 2UW Surf Music night at Surf City, Kings Cross February 1964

full record »

By

Courtesy

Horwitz Publications

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 558/Box 49/nos. 58-65]

(Mitchell Library)

The Dorchester nightclub in Potts Point 1959

full record »

By

Contributed By

National Archives of Australia

[A1200, L31079]

The Echoes band entertaining dancers at Surf City, Sydney 1963

full record »

By

© By kind permission of

National Library of Australia

[PIC Online access #PIC/14971/6]

The Phoencian Club on the corner of Broadway and Mountain Streets, Ultimo 1980s

full record »

Contributed By

City of Sydney Archives

(SRC3332)

The glamorous showgirls at Chequers, one of Sydney's leading nightclubs 1968

full record »

Contributed By

National Archives of Australia

[B941, HOTELS, MOTELS, RESTAURANTS/NIGHTCLUBS/1]

United States R & R men from Vietnam meet Aussie girls at the Whisky-A-Go-Go, 9 November 1967

full record »

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 388/Box 110/Item 045]

(Mitchell Library)

Eating and Drinking