In 1917, at the tender age of sixteen, Matilda Mary Twiss married Sapper James Devine, an Aussie Digger who spent more time AWOL and in detention than carrying out his military duties.
Two years later, she arrived on Australian shores as a war bride.
Making their home in East Sydney, the Devines involved themselves within Sydney’s criminal underworld. After tolerating years of an abusive marriage, Tilly decided to challenge the inferior status of women in society and set out to prove that you didn’t need to be born with a set of testicles to rule Sydney’s underworld!
When women were considered nothing more than breeding stock and house slaves in a patriarchal society, Tilly worked her way up from the street to become the Queen of Woolloomooloo who, at her peak owned 30 brothels, was the leader of a razor gang, and became the richest woman in New South Wales.
Ruling the criminal underworld with guts and cunning, in a violent world generally considered a man’s domain, Tilly racked up 204 criminal convictions. She served numerous prison sentences in the New South Wales gaols for prostitution, affray, assault, and attempted murder.
Devine Justice takes you on a journey back to the 1920s and onwards where you will be introduced to the violent but captivating criminals who dominated Sydney’s underworld and were integrally involved in Tilly Devine’s life.
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