Defiant love
Love can make people do crazy things, risking their reputations, careers and even their freedom. New research into the NSW Police Forensic Photography Archive has revealed some unexpected stories behind the images.
The path to true love is seldom smooth. For many bi-racial couples in 1920s Sydney, it meant enduring society’s censure and even police scrutiny. Gladys Lowe had been living with a Chinese man for four years when she was caught with opium during a police raid in 1928. The raid was conducted in response to complaints by locals that white women and Chinese men frequented Lowe’s Darlinghurst house. At this time, rumours were rife of an underworld white slave trade in which young European women, plied with opium, were forced to provide sexual services to non-European men. No evidence of slavery was found, and Lowe was fined 10 pounds by the court for opium possession. She continued to live with her Chinese lover in defiance of neighbourhood disapproval.
Underworld Blog
Descend into Sydney’s seedy underworld with our blog. Discover exclusive stories, never-before-seen images, and behind-the-scenes insights
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Nerida Campbell
Former curator
Nerida’s passion for history was sparked by childhood holidays spent at her grandmother’s farm, happily rifling through chests brimming with family photographs, cast-off clothing and gramophone records. Studies in history at the University of Sydney led her to explore the darker side of Australian history and what it can teach us about today’s society. Her curatorial work has focused on stories of crime, courts and police from around the New South Wales.
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