Florence Jardine

(1874-)

In mid 1907 a North Fremantle woman, Mrs Florence Jardine, was accused of ‘conspiring to accuse’ William Linehan (1876-1955) a widower, of the incest and child abuse of his own daughter. After a scandalous court case it was determined that the allegations were false and that Mrs Jardine had concocted them to ‘get rid’ of Mr Linehan to get a ‘rich man’ to look after Linehan’s children and herself. Her story would be viewed today from the perspective of a dysfunctional childhood (or a colourful family), mental illness and the precarious financial situation of women at this time.

Florence ‘Florrie’ Urana Whitburn was born about 1874 in Maldon, Victoria. Her parents were John ‘Jack’ Henry Whitburn (1838- 1900) from  Redruth, Cornwall, UK and her mother was Lauretta ‘Josephine’ Reynolds (1851–1935) from Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania, daughter of master mariner Captain John Borman Reynolds.

In 1867, Lauretta (16), known as ‘Josephine’ married Jack Whitburn in the goldfields town of Maldon, Victoria. Soon after Whitburn was declared ‘insolvent from want of profitable employment as a miner, and sickness in the family’ (The Argus, 4 Feb 1868). Perhaps Jack moved around trying to find work as a miner or to escape his debtors because the family continually moved around and ‘Florries’ childhood must have been quite fragmented and chaotic. Florence’s three elder sisters were all born in different Australian states: Ada Leah (1868–1950) born Sandhurst, Victoria,  Helen Annie (1870–1964) born Moonta, South Australia, and Alice Coorong (1872–). Her younger sister Eliza Maybella ‘May’ Whitburn (1876–1953) was born in George Town, Tasmania.

The marriage failed, her parents separated c 1878, before Florence was seven and although there is no evidence of divorce her mother took up with another man- William Charles Karkeek (1854–1891) a carpenter, in South Australia. It is possible her mother took the five children of her first family with her (as they assumed the name Karkeek) but she soon had more children: Ora Zoe Harris Karkeek (1879–1967) born  Moonta Mines, Daly, SA,  Lauratta ‘Wilmot’  Karkeek (1880–1962) born Frome, SA, Eugene Charles Byron Karkeek (1886–) and Elma ‘Kate’ Victoria Karkeek (1887–1973), born in Port Augusta, SA.

Meanwhile in 1883 her father Jack (45) lived with Maria Elizabeth Lawley (31) and he fathered six more children. He died at Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo, Victoria, in 1900.

By 1890 Florence’s family had moved to Adelaide –where step-father  William died the following year. Sometime after this her mother Josephine, now working as a dressmaker, moved to Sydney, where in January 1898, she married 66 yr old Nicholas Hopson, a successful draper and property owner. Less than six months later, Hopson succumbed to pneumonia. On Hopson’s death, Josephine inherited much of his money- and realised many a woman's dream of marrying a ‘rich man’ and achieving financial security.

Three of Florence’s younger step sisters went on to have considerable careers as theatrical performers. Between 1892 and 1902 Zoe Karkeek (1879-1967) and Wilmot Karkeek (1880 -1962) performed with Pollard’s Lilliputian Opera Company, which toured Australasia with a repertoire of popular musical comedies. Elma Kate went on to become a star of stage and screen under the name Violet Hopson in the British film industry in the 1910s and 20s. She has been recognised as one of the British cinema’s first female film stars, with an impressive 120 film appearances (mostly made between 1912 and 1925) to her credit. She died in London in 1973, having hidden her Australian birth and childhood all her life. ***

In 1896, aged 22,  Florence Karkeek married James Cleland Howard Jardine, aged 34. However, after she had discovered her real surname (Whitburn) she remarried him again in Victoria on 14 June 1899. (reference)

James Cleland Jardine (1862–1929) was quite a character. He claimed to be the eldest son of the late Captain Jardine, 2nd Royal Dragoons (Scots Greys) Edinburgh and nephew of Sir Robert Jardine, Bart of Castlemilk, Dumfries, Scotland. 

By 1903 they had moved to WA and lived at Victoria Ave, North Fremantle, where JC ran the Lone Star Saloon- a Tobacconist and Hairdressing Saloon, in Victoria Avenue, North Fremantle (1903-1906). In Nov 1904 he stood unsuccessfully in the North Fremantle municipal elections. (reference)

“Few men have had a more adventurous career than J.C. Born at Edinburgh, he ran away from school when only 12, and for nearly thirty years knocked about all over the world as a sailor, cowboy, mounted trooper, cattle-drover, gold-digger, and in other adventurous avocations. He also participated in the historical naval battle between the Peruvian and Chilean fleets off Iquique, on the Pacific coast of South America, and the wonder is that he lives to tell the thrilling tale.” At 40 years old JC admitted that he had taken up ‘barbering’ to make his fortune from selling a hair tonic ‘West Indian Hair Forcer’. (reference)

The business could not have been going well because in 1903 Florence answered an Ad for a housekeeper in the south west; from an engineer at the Boranup timber mill, William Linehan, who had eight children.

William Patrick Joseph Linehan (1876-1944), and Mary Elizabeth Ray Byrne (1860–1902) had six children. After her mothers death in 1902, the eldest daughter, Ada (13) ran the household, with some help from neighbours and her sister, Lizzie (11) until William engaged Florence. The children were:  Ada Grace (1889-1922), William Joseph (1890-1956), Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ (1892–1979), Edith ‘May’ (1895–1990), Rupert James ‘Jimmy’ (1896–1968), Lilian ‘Maud’ (1898–1976), and baby John Robert ‘Jack’ (1900–1971). 

The new arrangement seemed to work well at first. Ada described Mrs Jardine as being pleasant and caring. However, according to Ada, this behavior changed to being violent and controlling, including beatings of the children, who were too afraid to tell their father. 

It seems that William and Florence soon began to have an intimate relationship. Ada described several early morning and evening visits by William to Florence’s room and he would kiss her when arriving home after work. Mrs Jardine occasionally returned to North Fremantle to see her husband, JC Jardine.

In 1905 the Linehan family moved to live with Florence and James at ‘Lima’ in Harvest St, North Fremantle and William worked as a ‘washer’ for the Railways. The close relationship between Florence and William Linehan apparently continued at the North Fremantle house but never when Mr Jardine was home.

In 1907 Florence began making allegations that William had abused his eldest daughter Ada (then 18 yrs old) and committed incest. In early March, Ada claimed that Mrs Jardine told her that she was going to take Ada and her sister Lizzie to visit a ‘rich gentleman’ in Perth. This gentleman was going to send Ada and Lizzie to boarding school and perhaps marry Ada at a later stage. In addition, Florence herself would be getting a great deal of money from this man. Florence also told Ada that she wanted to ‘get rid’ of William, in order for them all to enjoy the benefits of life with the ‘rich gentleman’. They would all have a better life, would not have to work and would be able to have a piano in the house.

Florence told Ada that she ‘knew’ there was something inappropriate going on between Ada and her father. When Ada denied this, Florence said she would make Ada ‘tell the truth’ about it at some stage. Ada steadfastly denied it. A few days later Florence took Ada into her bedroom and tried for hours to force her to admit to the relationship. She removed Ada’s top and examined her breasts, saying that they looked bigger and that this was proof. Florence swore not to let Ada out of the room until she admitted to the allegations. Finally, under duress, Ada admitted that the allegations were true. Florence then told her what details of the abuse she was to reveal. This involved several stories of forced sexual activity, sometimes witnessed by Ada’s siblings. The allegations also involved two pregnancies and miscarriages, apparently induced by Ada herself.

Florence then arranged for Reverend Craggs and Captain Seaman from the Salvation Army to come to the house to question Ada over the matter. Ada admitted to a number of incidents and was taken to Perth Hospital where she was examined by two doctors. The next day another doctor examined her while she was under anaesthetic (chloroform). A Perth policeman Constable Jones took a statement from Ada where she admitted to incidents of incest and abuse, along with pregnancies and miscarriages. Finally Detective Mann came to question Ada on three occasions. On the third occasion Ada changed her story and claimed that none of the allegations were true.

On further investigation, police decided that Florence was lying about the allegations and had forced the Linehan girls to lie to corroborate them. They charged Florence Jardine on 18 July for Conspiracy- of accusing William Linehan for a crime (carnally knowing a girl) which he did not commit. (reference)
On day one of the Trial, 23 July 1907, Ada Linehan told her side of the story. (reference) and (reference). Ada’s two younger sisters confirmed her story and testified that none of the allegations were true. They also testified that Florence had burned the children with a hot poker on occasions. Several witnesses confirmed the stories of ill-treatment of the Linehan children by Mrs Jardine, including beatings, burnings and withholding of food. Maude Linehan (9) also testified to this. (reference)

On day five of the trial, 30 July, evidence from doctors who examined Ada confirmed that there was no physical evidence of any sexual activity, pregnancy or miscarriage. In fact, Dr Tymms stated his opinion that Ada was a virgin. (reference with photographs)

The Defence lawyer’s (Dr Haynes) argued that:

“Ada Linehan was suffering from hysteria, especially as she had attempted to commit suicide on five different occasions. Hysterical women and girls were liable to make false charges in order to become notorious.” (reference)

This defence was rebuffed by Justice Burnside.

On day seven of the Trial,  Mon 12 August 1907, William Linehan testified that Mrs Jardine had originally told him that her husband had died at sea, and then told him the truth later, when they were about to marry. She always took most of his earnings and when the family lived in North Fremantle there were frequent rows between the two over the children. Florence threatened to tell the police that he had poisoned his first wife. When he noticed burn marks on the children, he questioned her. She flew into a rage and knocked him unconscious with a lemonade bottle. He then arranged for some of the children to be looked after by friends.

The court learned that when Mrs Jardine was arrested on 18 July 1907 she had cried that there was insanity in her family and that she had some memory loss owing to her own mother beating her with a brush when a girl. (reference)

When Mrs Jardine took the witness stand she denied all charges and allegations against her and claimed that she had acted only out of concern for the children.

An impassioned argument by Mrs Jardine’s defence counsel maintained that she had been framed by public opinion. However, this was not successful, and the jury quickly found her guilty of ‘conspiracy to falsely incriminate a person’. 

On the 17 September 1907 The judge sentenced her to two years in Fremantle prison with Hard Labour. (reference)

“It is clear that Linehan was peculiarly interesting to Mrs. Jardine. Mr. Justice Burnside, in sentencing the accused, said that she was to be pitied, as she was unquestionably one suffering from hysteria.” (reference)

An appeal in early November failed, and she had to serve her sentence. 

Her husband JC stood by Florence during the entire trial and refused to admit that she was guilty in any way. William Linehan reported that he had been violently assaulted by JC Jardine in the street for “swearing away the character of his wife”. (reference)

The scandalous trial was reported in the papers nationally and the well known columnist Edwin Greenslade Murphy, as Dryblower, wrote a poem in the Sunday Times, about the gossip accompanying it. ( reference)

JC Jardine left the barbering business in Fremantle and moved to 48 William Street, in Perth. (reference) where he concentrated on being the Agent for the miraculous products ‘West Indian Hair Forcer’ (reference) and ‘Life Passio (Iron) pills’. (reference)

The Sunday Times conducted a chemical analysis of Life Passio pills in March 1909. The paper discredited them as an ‘aphrodisiac’ and refused to place any more advertising for Jardine:

So Life Passios are a long way from being what they are represented to be. They are incapable of producing any better results than those which may be achieved by a powerful laxative, followed by a wine-glass of mineral water… The police should overhaul Mr. Jardine's crib at Pantheon Chambers. They should ascertain whether "the joint" isn't something entirely different to what it appears to be. If a charge of 6d. for 24 pellets of carbonate of iron isn't clearly an imposition on the purchaser, this paper is incapable of reading an intelligible construction into the meaning of things. The business of Sir James C. Jardine and Co only exists on the credulity of a section of the public. This paper considers Jardine and Co., and their pellets of iron carbonate, should be suppressed and confiscated, and the stock-in-trade sent to Mephan Ferguson's foundry to be converted into iron pipes for the Coolgardie Water Scheme.” (reference)

So both Florence and JC having been disgraced publicly, lived together at various places; in 1910 when Florence was released she resumed living with her husband at 520 Hay St, Perth, in 1912 they moved to Warwick House, 21 Irwin St, Perth, in 1913 to 5 Fitzroy St, Perth and in 1914 to 142 William St, Perth where she gave her occupation as ‘manageress’ and James as ‘Agent’ in Pier St.

However in 1915 Florence may have left Perth without James and a son Henry Phillips Jardine (Riley?) (1915–2004), may have been born in Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria. At this point Florence seems to have disappeared from the records.

In 1920 The Daily News published  the story as a famous in the career of Inspector Harry Mann with the headline: SATAN Personified; The Jardine Case in Inhuman woman, DIABOLICAL TORTURING OF CHILDREN. (reference)

In 1925 JC Jardine was living alone at 1144 Hay St, West Perth and in 1928, he was described as a “well known figure on Perth streets, and a resident of the Grand Coffee Palace (Hay St)”, when he was was struck by a motorcycle, near the intersection of Hay and Havelock streets and taken to the Perth Hospital for treatment. (reference) He died 13 March 1929 in Perth and was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.

“Mr. James Cleland Jardine, late of the "Leader’' published by the United Press Ltd, and who died on Wednesday night, aged 68, was an intensely loyal subject. Born In Edinburgh he was in his earlier years engaged In a sea-faring life, and served with distinction in the Chilian navy. Leaving the sea, he settled in South Australia but 30 years ago -came to the West. He was always to the fore in expressing his pride in the Empire.” Sunday Times, 17 March 1929 (reference)

The Great Southern ‘Leader’ was published in Pingelly and Narrogin from 9 August 1907 to 2 November 1934.

In 1920 Ada Grace Linehan (aged 21) went on to marry a WW1 hero and Pingelly farmer- Edwin Gardner (1884–1959), who in 1916 had been awarded a Distinguished Conduct medal for gallant service as a stretcher bearer, carrying wounded to safety under fire, at Dardanelles. Edwin had been married before- to Emily Bransby (1911). They were divorced in June 1919 when he returned from the war, to find Emily had been living with another man, her cousin. (reference) A son, John Edwin Gardner was born in Pingelly in 1921. Sadly Ada died on 6 August 1922, only 2 years after she was married. Edwin didn't have much luck with wives. In 1935 after seven years of being married to his third wife, Naomi Fox, she deserted him. (reference

William Joseph Linehan (1890- 1956) married Kathleen Westwood in Wellington in 1910, He died at Mornington Mills in 1956.

Lillian Maud Linehan married Bertie J. Praed and died in 1976.

All further information welcomed.

Researched and written by Mark Jardine, written by Jo Darbyshire, March 2023

*** This information comes from Violet Hopson – the carpenter’s daughter who played a villainess, by Nick Murphy, January 25, 2022.  (reference)