John Wren

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John Wren (born April 3, 1871 in Collingwood , Victoria , † October 26, 1953 in Fitzroy , Victoria) was an Australian businessman who earned part of his fortune through activities in the illegal betting industry. He became a legendary figure in Australia due to a fictional depiction of his life in Frank Hardy's novel Power Without Glory , which was also filmed as a television series.

Life

John Wren was born in Collingwood on April 3, 1871. He was the third son of Irish immigrants John Wren (worker) and Margaret, nee Nester. He left school at the age of 12 and worked in a lumber yard and as a shoeshine boy , while additionally supplementing his wages through various games of chance. He lost his job in the depression of the 1890s and in 1893, disguised as a tea merchant, started an illegal horse betting company with the new tote system in a backyard on Johnston Street, Collinwood. This is said to make him £ 20,000 a year in later years. Waren also invested his money in cycling races, boxing competitions and betting shops and used existing loopholes in the law to enrich himself. He donated money for the needy and the Catholic Church and is said to have bribed both police officers and politicians. It was only when business went worse in 1906 due to a new gambling act that Wren shifted his business to the areas of hotels, theaters and horse racing tracks. The Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne still exists. Throughout his life, he remained particularly connected to trotting and invested large sums in maintaining this sport. In the 1920s and 30s, Wren controlled parts of Melbourne city politics, which brought him to court again and again.

John Wren died of a heart attack on October 26th at Mount St Evin's Hospital in Fitzroy.

progeny

Gabrielle Pizzi, a granddaughter of Wren, became known as an art dealer for promoting Aboriginal art. Other of his descendants had a rather problematic life. His son Anthony committed suicide after he was disinherited after an argument with Wren. His daughter-in-law Nora and his grandchildren received only a small sum. When another of Wren's grandchildren, Susan Wardlaw, passed away, her two brothers had her buried without notifying her husband Greg. He then had 24 hours to leave the family home while another of Wren's daughters, Angela, allegedly died of malnutrition. At 39, she left an estate worth £ 97,000.

John Wren in literature

In 1950, writer and Communist Party member Frank Hardy launched an attack on Wren with his novel Power Without Glory , published in 1950 , in which Wren appears disguised as John West . The book also included characters based on other important political figures from Victoria and Australia , including Victorian Prime Minister Sir Thomas Bent and Prime Minister James Scullin , as well as Roman Catholic Archbishop Daniel Mannix . Wren, who, like Hardy, came from the Irish Catholic milieu, sued the writer for defamation, but to no avail.

Author Niall Brennan described Wren in his 1971 biography as John Wren: Gambler. Hugh Buggy's portrayal of The Real John Wren (1977) with a foreword by Arthur Calwell , Vice-Chairman of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, was also very favorable . An alternative representation of Wren was offered in Chris McConville's article in Labor History "John Wren: Machine Boss" (1981). John Wren: A Life Reconsidered by James Griffin (2004) presented an essentially positive view of Wren's life and career.

literature

  • Niall Brennan: Dr Mannix . Rigby Limited, Adelaide 1964.
  • Niall Brennan: John Wren: Gambler . Melbourne 1971.
  • Hugh Buggy: The Real John Wren. Melbourne 1977.
  • James Griffin: Wren, John (1871-1953). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Volume 12, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp. 580-583.
  • James Griffin: John Wren: A Life Reconsidered. Scribe, Melbourne 2004.
  • Greg Growden: The Snowy Baker Story . Random House Australia, 2003.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ James Griffin: Wren, John (1871-1953) In: Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Center of Biography, Australian National University, Volume 12, 1990, accessed July 15, 2019.
  2. ↑ a b Lawrence Money 'No glory in the saga of the Wren family feud' Sydney Morning Herald 17 Feb 2010
  3. ↑ Racing com Staff: John Wren - Glory Glory Glory Opens At Champions. Retrieved July 5, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Former John Wren's Dead. In: Collingwood Historical Society Inc. Retrieved July 5, 2019 (Australian English).
  5. ↑ 1940 - Power with Glory: John Wren and Pandect! In: Kings of the Turf. April 4, 2018, Retrieved July 5, 2019 (American English).
  6. ↑ James Griffin: Wren, John (1871-1953) . In: Australian Dictionary of Biography . National Center of Biography, Australian National University, Canberra ( edu.au [accessed July 5, 2019]).
  7. ↑ Lawrence Money, Suzanne Carbone: Shunned Wren in-law has the last laugh. February 20, 2008, accessed July 5, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Wren, John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Australian businessman
DATE OF BIRTH April 3, 1871
PLACE OF BIRTH Collingwood
DATE OF DEATH October 26, 1953
Place of death Fitzroy , Victoria