Mary Maher might have been unfortunate, might have haunted the streets, but she was far from forlorn.
Mary Maher had a decent job as a cook in Brisbane’s hotels in the 1910s. She liked a drink, and found herself increasingly unable to indulge in moderation. Sadly this cost her a number of jobs and residences, and she joined the group of prostitutes poignantly described in one newspaper as “the forlorn women haunting our streets.”
Despite her addiction and lifestyle, Mary Maher was a resilient woman who took no nonsense from anyone, particularly when in her cups. This led to a lot of convictions, over 300 in fact, and she felt confident when she declared in 1926 that her behaviour was “getting better,” having only been convicted once in the past month. The Magistrate had to concede that this was something of an improvement.
Mary chose to bathe daily, usually fully clothed, in the Brisbane River, having no reliable facilities at home – when she had a home. On one occasion, she garnered a great deal of attention by choosing not to bathe fully clothed. She was arrested, and made her initial appearance in Court draped in a rug, and fit to be tied (she was probably still several sheets to the wind). Several days later, clothing had been located, and she appeared before the Magistrate feeling rather contrite.
This is how she became known as the North Quay Nymph.
Woman who Bathed in the Nude Sentenced to Three Months.
“On Friday morning last a lady of mature years and considerable avoirdupois caused a sensation at North Quay by disporting in the river entirely in the nude. As already reported, the lady gave the police a considerable amount of trouble, when they endeavoured to save her, one of their number being given an involuntary bath.
When hauled ashore she refused to dress or be dressed, in fact, she settled that part of the transition to her own satisfaction by tearing her apparel to shreds.
The usual big crowd had assembled, and the police made the best of a bad job by hauling their capture to the watch-house in a cab-but still in the nude.
This morning a contrite and demure Mary Maher appeared before Mr H. L. Archdall, C.P.M., on a charge of having willfully and obscenely exposed herself; also for using obscene language.
Defendant pleaded guilty. Sergeant Stephenson, of the Water Police, in detailing the circumstances, observed, that the defendant had frequently occasioned the police trouble by her voluntary immersion, but this was the first occasion that she had divested herself of her clothing. Her language on the occasion and during her removal to the watch house was lurid in the extreme.
Mr. Archdall noted that there were 266 previous convictions against the defendant. He sentenced her to three months’ imprisonment for the exposure, and for the obscene language imposed a fine of £5, in default three months, the sentences to be concurrent.”
Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld: 1912 – 1936), Monday 24 December 1923, page 1
Moreton Bay and More 