The name is quite evocative. I first knew it as the name of a night-club in Stillorgan. Not that I ever went there (I've been in precisely two night-clubs in my life, and both visits were ghastly), but I remember UCD students talking about it a lot, and I'd often pass it when I was living there.
Going by an Australian history that was published some years ago there was as much of an evolution at Bondi as anywhere else in the English speaking world. Before about 1902 there was a fine of £2 for bathing between 7:30am and 8pm(ie during broad daylight) Further-"Mr. R.G Watkins, mayor of Waverly, an eastern Sydney suburb, received complaints about the costumes worn or not worn on the beach at Bondi in his municipality. Aldermen Houston, for example, said he could no longer take his daughters for a walk by the sea. The recumbent nakedness is too indecent said the alderman. And morality apart, it reduced the value of property......mayor Watkins conferred with the mayor of Manly Mr. J Learmonth and the mayor of Randwick Mr J.C. McDougall, and the three custodians of seaside decency issued a stern combined directive. Henceforth, all bathers, male and female alike, were to wear skirts. The required costume was to be 'a combination of a guernsey with sleeves reaching to the elbow and trouser legs reaching to the bend of the knees together with a skirt covering the figure below the hips.' 'A suitable decoration would be red tape along the seams ' suggested the SYDNEY MAIL"
ReplyDeleteFair play to Watkins, Learmonth and McDougall...I applaud them!
Delete