Verbatum extracts from a close friend's (JHW) diary.
August 6th.1865
In the evening I went with a friend to St Patricks R.C. Church on Eastern Hill, the finest place of worship in Victoria or I should say it will be when its finished, at the conclusion of the service we met two girls we know slightly, the youngest of which I walked home with, her name is Louisa Burke, a daughter of very poor people, but she is a lovely little girl & appears to be very sharp & intelligent & if educated would be the making of a fascinating woman, she is a mere child as yet, I should not think was more than 15 years of age -
August 13th 1865
Spent the afternoon at home reading, In the evening I met Louisa Burke as I was going to St Peters Church took a strool for an hour with her instead, she is very simple & unaffected & yet shrewd & knowing in a quiet innocent way, on parting she said very archly. You must come & take me out for a walk next week I like you, very confiding, but rather a dangerous confidence to expose herself to too often -
August 27th 1865
I met Louisa Burke going to a Soiree given by the Roman Catholics in the Orderly room down Victoria Parade she persuaded me to accompany her having nothing else to do I agreed & on payment of 1/- I was admitted into the room found it crowded with people the lowest riff raff I can ever think of meeting, it had been raining heavily & the smell & the fumes from the damp clothes was something frightful to inhale, it was supposed to be a Soiree *Dance & most of the people had come prepared to have a dance, but alas for their hopes of enjoyment in that respect the place on ordinary occasions might accommodate about 200 but on this extraordinary one there was supposed to be 1200 present. A M.C. called out a Quadrille was to be danced & it took an hour I am sure to get couples wedged together before it did commence, & by the shades of all that's lively! wasnt it fun to see the jigging & capering indulged in by all classes. (Catholic priests & laymen, the dirty & clean, rich & poor I should have written) there were several toasts proposed during the evening the first being that of the "Blessed Pontiff Pius ?" which was most enthusiastically received. Then came the "Queen" which was hardly as warmly responded to as that of the Pope. I considered it an insult to place his "Holiness" as he was frequently called before our good Sovereign. I muttered something of my feelings on the subject, but I *soon smothered them when I heard somebody present allude to me as an "Orangeman". I should liked to have given him "Lemons" however I thought I had better hold my tongue, which I did & made the best of my time. I really enjoyed myself the noise & novelty Etc all forming such a contrast to anything of the kind I ever witnessed before. Some of the speeches of the Clergy (R C) were very rich in brogue & racy in wit. I couldnt help being amused by the artful plausible way they have in working upon the passions of their listeners & how well they know the characters of those they are addressing, but it was really sickening to witness the reverence & blind faith they display towards their pastors - The papers have been very severe upon the meeting & its promoters, alluding to the affair as a lot of low rowdy Catholics -
[Sunday, 3 September 1865]
Friday evening I went out for a strool met my little friend Louisa, who joined me me in my ramble for half an hour, on leaving her I met an acquaintance & we were together till 10.30 when I came home, on arriving here I found a young Scotchman named Robertson, who had arrived from NZ lately he brought me a letter of introduction he had from J Hamilton.
May 5th.1866.
Thursday, Fred quite recovered from his sudden fit of indisposition. After tea I went to Smith Street for mother - on my way home met Louis walked home with her - (one would imagine to read these pages I was a regular ladies man)
June 24th 1866
This morning I went with Bessie to St Marks Church & was rather surprised to hear the Bans called out for my little friend Louisa Burke union with a person named Hayward or Heard. I hope she will be happy with the object of her choice.
25th. Novr.1866
I heard something in connection with my little protege Louis Burke yesterday that made me very low spirited I believe a short time after her marriage, her husband left her & since then it is reported committed some robbery or was connected with some murder or something else discreditable & is at present doing a penal servitude. Poor Louis I am sorry for her here again Am I to blame god knows who may hereafter read these pages - I dont purpose to state how by a train of circumstances arising from X myself her misery has been caused - I heard after a great deal of trouble that she is living at present with her Grandfather at St Kilda - I will try & see her & if possible do all in my power to assist her - I believe she is is just on the point of becoming a mother.
X I heard after a day or two before her wedding that her husband-
was a bad character & I ought to have endeavoured to prevent-
her wedding taking place X-
2 Decr 1866.
I alluded last week to Louisa Bourke (that was) having heard she was in Melbourne I endeavoured to see her & ascertain if the reports I had hard concerning her were correct - I met her last night, purely accidently in Bourke Street closely veiled - & from her I heard such a tale of unmitigated cruelty & heartlessness & depravity that I never could conceive possible to take place in this age - When I saw her last, 7 months ago, she was a young lovely girl of 16, one of the sweetest faces I have ever looked upon & possessed a nice amiable disposition poor girl! what sorrows will produce in a short time - she is looking so thin & delicate now - I met her about 8 pm & did not part till near 11 pm - & then her tale was hardly told - It appears the man (S.Heywood ) whom she married had been living near them some time previous - & had occasionally met her & become enamoured with her - & to possess her he took lodgings at her fathers house - where he made him-self very agreeable & became a great favourite with the family - he represented himself to be a watchmaker & jeweller & had a large stock with him & was on the lookout for a suitable place to commence business in - some three months passed on, he managing to ingratiate himself into her good graces - he proposed for her & was accepted, they went out after together & he made more than one attempt to seduce her but without effect - they were married & even on his wedding day treated her slightingly - & acted in a most disgusting manner towards one of her bridesmaids They went out (some Half dozen) for a drive & he attached himself to the Bridesmaid, & got her away & try to seduce her - she did not like to hurt Louisa feelings by alluding to it afterwards but coming home, where a little party was held - he took more notice of Miss L. than of his wife - this passed on & three days afterwards, they went to Gipps Land & at Pt Albert, he left her to pursue his journey to Sale alone - he was several days before he joined her, he took her to Sale where they lived in lodgings - he spending his time idly gambling, & living a very suspicious kind of existence sometimes leaving her quite in the dark as to his pursuits this went on for several months when she lived in some bush public house - he one day borrowed from the landlord a Buggy & Pair of horses & stated he was going to Sale, (some 10 miles) he never returned, soon after his departure, a detective came after him & it came out this Heywood had committed an extensive robbery of jewellery some 12 months ago - & although his description was given out at all the police & detention offices in the colony, he had somehow managed to allude the vigilance of all who sought to capture him - at the time he married Louisa he was in the "hue & cry" she poor girl was very ill for some time & was in confine to her bed when this was made known to her - & to make things worse he had gone away leaving several months Board & Lodging unpaid for at different places they had lived at, before leaving her he took every article of value she had - & the person who had been robbed identified even her wedding ring & keeper as his property - & endless are the petty & miserable actions he was guilty of towards her & others she told me about he has been far from constant towards her - having seduced & left a girl in the family way at the hotel they had been staying at she discribes him as a man having extraordinary power & influence over those he comes in contact with he can wheedle & fawn & deceive the very devil himself it appears he came to Melbourne & was knocking about here for some time - the police not being able to drop across him she wrote home & her father, who is an old man with a large family & ill prepared to send for her & afterwards to keep her, who sent money to bring her home she has been here in town some 6 weeks being at her Grand-mothers in St Kilda part of the time - she is about 6 months gone in her pregnancy - since her return she has heard from his father, some old vagabond that Heywood is not his proper name - she thinks his name is Symons & that he has several such wives as her about the colony - poor girl, just 17 years of age & to have began life under such terrible auspices - her whole future rendered a miserable blank - she admitted to me she has been several times induced by the force of feelings to commit suicide - she appears very undecided how to act - if he is caught, it is supposed he will get 12 years penal servitude - & would not be a difficult matter to get a divorce from him I advised the step but she seems to treat the idea of such a thing with abhorance. This seems a mystery to me, inpenerateble [impenetrable] a woman so wronged & so cruelly deceived one would think would be actuated by a sense of her wrongs to revenge - she seems as if under some magnetic influence says she does not know what she would do even should she meet him - whether to give him up to justice or screen him - their seems a fixed determination about her something really inexplicable to me - she feels & is convinced in her own mind she will be the first to discover him - a something within her - a feeling not understood by any scientific laws found only in those suffering & having very highly wrought & sensitive natures - tells her he is still in Melbourne - & that at different times he has been quite close to her - The police cannot trace or get any clue to his whereabouts - & yet by one of those singular coincidences, she is the only one that has seen him since her return - her brother & her were walking up Flinders St some few days ago & she looked into the door open door of a house & stretched upon a sofa at his ease was Heywood! her brother also recognised him & dragged her away ere she had time to betray any emotion, he put her into a cab & sent her home, while he in the meantime, visited the Detective office & gave the information - through some bungling on the part of the officer engaged in making his inquiries the fiend got suspicious & went off - no one knows where - endless would be my tact were I to refer to all the petty details of low & vicious depravity she poured out to me concerning him - sufficient that my very heart seemed weary by the recital - may God in his mercy be kind towards her - & soothe her sorrows - Im afraid the intense excitement she is suffering from will affect her as Im sure it has already, her reason so young, so fair, & to have her young life blacked & partly traceble to me - I cannot bear to think about it she says she never received the note I sent her two days before she was married in which I informed her of his character as I had accidently discovered it to be -
Decr.9th 1866.
Saturday afternoon spent helping mother about the house - assisting her improvements & alterations. In the evening I went down town met Adamson - & had a long chat & strool with him till 10 Pm when we parted on my way home I overtook old Mr Burke & his daughter Louis - walked home with them, heard some more particulars respecting her husband not to his credit - the police have heard nothing more about him he has eluded them again - I fancy he must have left the colony by some means
Decr 16th.1866
Friday evening
I met Louisa & took a long strool with her she has heard nothing more of her husband - poor child - for child she is, in age & manner - she is very low spirited & must indeed be very wretched - with little prospect of things looking brighter in her favor - I sincerely pity & sympathise with her -
[1866-12-23-Sunday]
Tuesday, I met Louisa & took a long walk with her, she has heard nothing more about her husband -
Feby 10th 1867
Thursday night I went to their house for a short time, on my way home I met my little friend Louisa Burke (that was) she expects to be confined in about a month - she tells me she has heard her husband found his way to N.S.Wales & has been committing several petty robberies there, but was caught & after paying the penalty for them there will be forwarded on to Melbourne, to meet other charges awaiting him in this colony.
Feby 17th 1867
Thursday night
I met Louisa & took a long walk with her.
June 21st.1868
Friday evening I met Louis Burke saw her home, having a bad cold, I came home early - Saturday rained nearly all day did not go out in the afternoon, spent it reading & copying music. In the evening I went out for a strool met Louis Bourke walked home with her, afterwards went to Jims lodgings, was introduced to some funny people who are living in the same house.
25th.[June 1868]
In the evening I took a walk met Louis Bourke, had a chat with her for a few minutes -
July 12th.1868
Friday evening I took a walk, met Louis Burke, out with her for a hour or so.
Melbourne July 26th.1868
Friday spent at home except for about an hour when I took a strool out
Louis. B. poor girl is suffering severely with a bad cold & general debility brought on by their clothing hard work Etc.
August 2nd 1868
Friday evening I went out for a strool met Louis B. she was little better than when last I met her -
Melbourne - Sept 6th.1868
Wednesday evening, I also went taking with me Louis Burke. I thought it would cheer her up to go to the Theatre, tho’ considering the circumstances she is in, I did not care about being seen in public with her, she was very much pleased & seemed to enjoy the performance & I am sure it afforded me pleasure, if only to see her so happy, she expects her husband will be brought from Sydney in a few weeks time & put upon his trial for his offences against society in Victoria when she hopes to be able to get a divorce from him, she has had no communication or connection with him since her return from Gipps Land where he deserted her.
Saturday afternoon I took my sister Bessie to the Gardens to hear the Band play. Mrs.Hamilton joined us, after tea, I took a strool into town, met Louis Bourke, walked home with her
Melbourne November 1st.1868
Saturday ....
In the evening I went to town, on my way home, I passed Burkes shop. Louis saw me & came after me we took a long walk together till nearly 12 pm. her husband has been brought from Sydney after completing his sentence there, he was brought up here on his arrival & put upon his trial for robbing a travelling Jeweller some 3 years ago near Geelong, & committed. Louis poor girl is in a sad way, her baby is not well, nor is she herself very well, her husband has four aliases, she does not know the proper name she ought to bear, she was married by the name of Hayward, but thinks his proper name is Sybon - whatever his name may be it is a disgrace & she feels it, to bear, she hopes she will be able to get a divorce tho I am very much afraid she will have some difficulty in getting one.
Novr 8th.1868
Saturday afternoon I took a walk, in the evening I took a strool into town met Louisa Burke, or Mrs.Hayward, her husbands trial took place the day before, he was sentenced to five years transportation with hard labour, we took a long walk together, nearly 12 when I left her, she is going to make an effort to get a divorce, she is a lovely woman & will have little difficulty in getting married again if she is so inclined, her child is her only incumbrance - & she clings to it with all a mothers fondness
Novr. 15th.1868
I went to Church to day, morning & evening, after the evening service I again met Louis.B. took a walk together, talking over her prospects of getting a divorce Etc,
Decr.6th.1868
Friday evening I went to Stewarts, sang for an hour at scales & exercises, very dry work, on arriving home I found Joe West who stayd till 11 pm Saturday afternoon I & Bessie went to the Band in Fitzroy Gardens, after tea, I took a strool & met Louis Burke 11 pm when I left her.
April 4th.1869
Friday was observed as a Holiday, not being a general one most of the retail places of business being opened, services were held in most of the places of worship, it was intended to pray for rain but there was no occasion to do that having had such a quantity the last few days as to satisfy the most thirsty. I spent the day quietly, visited Harry Dights found him absent stayed about two hours with Mrs.D In the evening I left home to go to Et Melb to bring my mother home who had been spending the day at Mary’s Met Louisa Bourke on my way, strode about with her for an hour, poor girl she was very low spirited having been so far, unsuccessful in her efforts to procure some employment suitable for her.
June 27th 1869
Wednesday evening I spent at Mrs. Skinners a large party was assembled to do honor to the wedding of her daughter to an acquaintance of mine Henry Chadwick a clerk in the National Bank - I was not fortunate enough to see the happy pair they having gone on a wedding tour I met several there I was intimate with among the number Louisa Burke by far away the loveliest girl at the party I had eyes & attraction for all but more in particular for her, there was plenty to eat & to drink & plenty of food, it was nearly 4 Am next morning when I took my departure. Louisa rieled me considerably about my new flame - as she terms Miss S., poor girl she feels her position very much & from her manner which she showed, rather foolishly, her penchant for her old admirer, caused me to be pretty considerably chaffed if she was single things might have been different.
Stephen.J. Arnold 
