Yummy Mummy

Barbara was a single mum and a stripper back in 1972
The lovely Barbara would be 73 this year and might even be a grandma. 
What Barbara was doing back in the 70s is still considered by some as un-feminist immoral behaviour. I say to them, shut the fuck up and mind your own business.

Truth, may 6 1972

MUMMY IS A STRIPPER

'THE BEST WAY TO KEEP THE CHILDREN'

by Robert Berglund

A mother of three, who was educated at a ladies college, is providing for her family by appearing in an all-off strip show – the Purple Knight

Barbara Sinclair, 31, told me: “its the best way I know of to support my three children.”

Barbara went to school at Strathern Ladies College in Hawthorn. She became a stripper after she was apporached by the man behind the Purple Knight, Roger (Duke) Carroll.

She said “One day Roger and his wife came around and he talked about a show he planned to put on in Melbourne. He asked me if I was interested. He and his wife seemed pretty decent people so I said I would like to. Besides I needed the money. If I had a day-time job my mother would have to look after the children. This way I earn good money and can afford to pay off the house. I can also spend a lot of time with my children when they are on holidays and at weekends. Thats important, especially when the other parent isnt around.

MEN ARE DECENT

“At college I was interested in dancing. I also learned to play piano. My eldest daughter met the Carrolls. She knows I work as a stripper. She understands. My husband and I separated because there were always disagreements. I was married when I was 17. it was very shaky. We've been apart for a year.”

Barbara said that in working as a stripper she had only one unpleasant experience.

“One night a taxi driver tired to get funny, but I put him off. Usually the men in the audience are decent. I havent had any trouble. The important thing is not to look vulgar on stage. Here one must be careful how one looks and stands”

I went to the Purple Knight to see Barbara's act. The show is on the first floor of the Sir Governor Hotham Hotel in Flinders Street. One gets to where the action is by climbing an old staircase, at the head of shiwch is the huge frame of Duke Carroll. The room in which the strippers work is small and smoky. First on was a blonde resplendant in tight fitting white dress and carrying white boa. True to the Purple Knight advertising boast she was naked by the end of her act. For a fraction of a second she stood, arms raised, in the spotlight. Then darkness as she gathered her discarded clothes and walked through the crowd to a side door.

Then Barbara in a form-fitting pink dress sparkling with sequins. She would have looked at home at a society cocktail party. But soon the former college girl who likes classical music was getting her gear off.

I looked up stuff about the Sir Governor Hotham Hotel, it was one of the many pubs in Melbourne that was a victim of the beer shortage in the summer of 1951. And at one time part of the buildings masonry fell off and injured people checking the cricket scores in the window. 

Now its a Nomads backpacker hostel, and its a pretty shitty noisy one if the reveiws are anything to go by. The photos at the end of this are what it looks like now. It needs a serious clean up, it looks shit. Its funny to think that where the backpackers are now sleeping Barbara got her boobs out in front of a crowd so she could feed and clothe her kids. The backpackers get drunk and flash them for free.

The property was sold for $10.75million recently. It'll cost a shit load of money to fix it up. I wonder what their plans for it are.

An article from many many years ago about it says:
“The location commands the shipping trade, adjacent to wharves and Spencer Street Railway Station, Harbor trust offices and Railways Offices, fish market- proposed improvements to bring mail and other large freight right up to the City- all to benefit the hotel.
It includes cellar, ground floor with large public bar, private bar, billiard room, four bar parlours and offices; three storeys and open flat on roof; first floor has large dining room, and services, drawing room, reading and smoking rooms, nine bedrooms with linen press, bathrooms and lavatory accommodation; second floor has private sitting and dining rooms, bedrooms servants bedrooms and facilities; third floor has 14 bedrooms, servants dining room, modern kitchen; cellar one of the largest and best in Melbourne; passenger and goods lifts, electric lighting.”