Kathleen Mary Josephine Leigh was an Australian underworld figure who rose to prominence as a madam, illegal trader of alcohol and cocaine, and for running betting/gambling syndicates from her home in Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia during the first half of the twentieth century. Leigh, known as the ‘Queen of Surry Hills’, was a sly groger and fence for stolen property.
Kate Leigh in April, 1915
Surry Hills, New South Wales
Surry Hills is an inner-east suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Surry Hills is immediately south-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney. Surry Hills is surrounded by the suburbs of Darlinghurst to the north, Chippendale and Haymarket to the west, Moore Park and Paddington to the east and Redfern to the south. It is often colloquially referred to as "Surry".
Surry Hills Library and Community Centre
A Surry Hills street scene, 1940s
Tram lines from Eddy Avenue running into Elizabeth Street in the early 1940s
Commercial buildings on the corner of Crown and Campbell Streets