Power Without Glory

Power Without Glory is a 1950 historical novel written by Australian author Frank Hardy, following the life and ambitions of John West, a politician born into a working-class family who rises to prominence in Australian federal politics.

Following the novel's publication, Ellen Wren, the wife of bookmaker and businessman John Wren sued Hardy for criminal libel, claiming that the characters of John West and his wife Nellie were modelled on the Wrens, and that Nellie's affair in the novel was libellous to Ellen Wren. Ultimately Hardy was cleared and publication allowed.

Publication The work was originally self-published, with illustrations by "Amb" Dyson, a friend of Hardy, with the subtitle "a novel in three parts by Frank J. Hardy, Ross Franklyn". "Ross Franklyn" was the pseudonym Hardy had always used prior to Power Without Glory. This combination of real name and pen name was also used in Hardy's 1961 book The Hard Way, which described the difficulties "Ross Franklyn" had in having the book published, and the problems Hardy faced in answering the criminal libel charge against him arising from the publication.

Hardy was a member of the Communist Party of Australia, which featured in the novel as the enemy of the protagonist; and the work was completed whilst at Camp Eureka in 1949. After the novel's publication, Hardy unsuccessfully ran for office as a member of the Communist Party.

Hardy wrote in his later work, The Hard Way, that he felt dissatisfied with the final chapters of the novel. In his desire to complete the long work at a manageable length for publication, and with the threats regarding the novel's publication, Hardy felt the final chapters were hurried.

The publication of Power Without Glory and its success was credited as being linked to the creation of the Australasian Book Society, which Hardy was key to founding.

Plot Power Without Glory follows the life of John West, who is born into an impoverished family in the fictitious Melbourne suburb of Carringbush, which is based on the suburbs of Abbotsford and Collingwood. When the novel opens, in 1893, West is twenty-four years old and already involved in criminal activities including gambling and bookmaking. The novel follows West's life as he rises to be a highly ambitious businessman and corrupt politician, as a powerbroker for the Australian Labor Party.

The novel is partly set during World War I, and the debate about conscription is a major issue in the novel. West is a fierce patriot who supports conscription, and his sometimes fiery arguments with the Irish-Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, who opposes conscription on the grounds that to send men to aid England was contrary to his, and Ireland's, historical enmity with that country.

West's family dramas are many: his brother Arthur spends time in jail for aiding and abetting a crime of rape, West's wife Nellie has an affair with a tradesman and falls pregnant with his child, and his daughter becomes a member of the Communist Party of Australia in the years after the War.

West's relationship with Communism is a hateful one, and he heavily finances the efforts of the (real life) anti-communist, Roman Catholic B. A. Santamaria. This crusade damages both his family fortunes and his marriage, and continues until West's death as an old man in 1950.

Characters The novel can be considered a Roman à clef, or a novel in which many of the characters correlate with real-life figures of the time, including Victorian Premier Sir Thomas Bent and Prime Minister James Scullin.

The following list attempts to align Power Without Glory characters with real historical persons who may have been inspirational to the author. Recognisable features do not necessarily imply any attempt at an exact correlation. Hardy himself conceded or even affirmed some such correlations, but stated in The Hard Way that many such lists were being created and passed around by parties without his involvement, perhaps even without his knowledge.

Novel character Real-life person Notes Family name First name Possible correlation Occupation Ashton Frank Frank Anstey Labor politician and social propagandist Bacon Snowy Reginald Leslie (Snowy) Baker fight promoter, sportsman, actor, soldier, and journalist ('versatile') Bennett The Gentleman Thief Hon. W.J. Beckett MLC for Melbourne North, Melbourne East & Melbourne Blackwell Maurice Maurice Blackburn State Labor MP for Essendon, Fitzroy & Clifton Hill; Federal Labor MP for Bourke Blaire Sir Thomas Blamey Army general and Victorian Police Commissioner, 1925–1936 Bond Thomas Sir Thomas Bent 32nd Premier of Victoria, 1904–1909 Bradley Richard Richard Buckley A notorious gunman and murderer Brady William Bill Barry State Labor MP for Carlton; minister in various Cain Governments Callinan Police Commissioner Thomas O'Callaghan Victorian Police Commissioner, 1902–1913 Cameron Campbell Cycling promoter exhibition Carr John John Cain Leader of Victorian Labor Party; Premier on three occasions Conn Archbishop Thomas Carr Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, 1886–1917 Cregan J. Jack Cremean Federal Labor MP for Hoddle Cutting Slasher John "Snowy" Cutmore Gunman and thief Darby Lou Les Darcy Boxer Davison Alfie Sir Albert Dunstan Conservative Victorian Premier, 1935–1943 Devlin Dr Sir Hugh Devine Dwyer Godfrey Sir Gilbert Dyett Long-serving President of the Returned and Services League of Australia Gardside David David Gaunson Prominent criminal barrister Gibbon Sir S. Sir Samuel Gillott , Chief Secretary in the Bent Cabinet Horan Ned Ned Hogan Labor Premier of Victoria on two occasions Joggins Rev. Reverend G. Judkins A prominent anti-vice crusader; preacher Jolly Bob Bob Solly State Labor MP for Carlton Kelleher Paddy Pat Kennelly MLC for Melbourne West; Federal Labor Secretary Kiely Michael Standish Michael Keon State MP for Richmond; later Federal MP for Yarra Lamb Richard Dick Lean Manager of Melbourne Stadium Lambert Percy Percy Laidler Theatrical supplier of 201 Bourke St; prominent socialist Lammence Frank Frank Laurence Lane Jack Lang NSW Labor leader; Premier of New South Wales Lassiter family Loughnan family Levy Ben Ben Nathan Founder of Maples Store McCorkell William McCormack Labor Premier of Queensland Malone Daniel Dr. Daniel Mannix Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, 1917–1963 Manson "Plugger" Pete "Plugger" Bill Martin Cyclist Morton Fim Jim Morley Communist organiser; journalist with the Morning Post Murkett Kenneth Sir Keith Murdoch Journalist and newspaper proprietor O'Flaherty Dave Detective O'Donnell Chief of Gaming Squad, Victoria Police Parelli Pellegrini Parker Clive Clyde Palmer Journalist with The Truth newspaper Piggy Piggy Ryan,alias Williamson A gunman and standover man Real T. J. T. J. Ryan Premier of Queensland Redmond Ron Ron Richards Aboriginal boxer Renfrey Sugar Robert "Sugar" Roberts Mayor of Collingwood Robinson Barney Barney Reynolds Sandow Ad Santel A champion wrestler Scatt Bob Bob Solly Solomon Sol Sol. Green A big bookmaker Squeers Bill Bill Squires A boxer Summer James James Scullin Labor MP; Prime Minister, 1929–1932 Swinton Sir George Swinburne An engineer, politician and philanthropist Tanner Snoopy Squizzy Taylor A gunman and thief Thurgood "Red Ted" Theodore Labor Premier of Queensland; 1919–1925, Federal Treasurer; mining and business magnate Tinn Ted Ted Thye Bogus champion wrestler Trumblewood Thomas Tom Tunnecliffe Labor MP for Collingwood; Speaker, 1937–1940 Watty Jim Jack Welsh Secretary, Milk Distribution Association West family Wren family Williams Detective Harry Herbert Wilson A detective with Victoria Police Wodman Paddy Paddy Boardman

Locations Novel location Real-life location Notes Apsom Epsom Racecourse, Mordialloc Bagville Street Sackville Street, Collingwood Carringbush Collingwood Chirraboo Chillagoe, Queensland Jackson Street Johnston Street, Fitzroy and Collingwood Ralstone Richmond Richton Richmond Racecourse Royal Oak Hotel Royal Mail Hotel Silver Street Gold Street, Collingwood

Court case Hardy was tried for criminal libel in 1951 on the basis of the depiction in the novel of West's wife having an affair but he was acquitted by jury, after putting a number of arguments and cross-examining witnesses. It was the last prosecution for criminal (as opposed to civil) libel in Victoria.

The case attracted enormous publicity, coinciding as it did with the anti-Communist referendum and served mainly to give the novel and any negative portrayal of Wren greater prominence. Hardy readily conceded that he had published the work, and so the defense was built on the remaining two points, of whether the informant Ellen Wren was in fact identical with the character Nellie West, and if so, whether in fact the publication was defamatory.

Witnesses had testified that they recognized Ellen in the character of Nellie, and that she had been defamed. Hardy's successful defense, as described in The Hard Way, argued that while the character of John West had character traits of John Wren, he was also an amalgam of ideas, with many events in the story not correlating to Wren's life. Hardy argued that if John Wren was not solely based on John West, then the character's wife could not solely be based on Ellen Wren. Hardy was acquitted of all charges, and the novel was published to a wider audience than its initial publication.

Historians have debated whether Ellen Wren did actually have an affair and conceive an illegitimate son, as in the novel. In The Hard Way, Hardy denied ever having spoken to any member of the Wren family during his extensive research for the book, claiming the affair was entirely fictional. However, in 2005, Monash University academic Jenny Hocking claimed to have discovered archival material supporting the argument that Ellen Wren did indeed have an affair with a tradesperson, and that Hardy may have had knowledge of the affair.

TV series adaptation In 1976, the novel was made into a 26-episode ABC-TV series starring Martin Vaughan as West. While Nellie's affair with the brickie is depicted, the affair does not produce a child. The series won numerous Logie, Penguin and Sammy Awards.

Cast Martin Vaughan as John West Wendy Hughes as Mary West Terence Donovan as Frank Lammence Rosalind Speirs as Nellie Moran / Nellie West George Mallaby as Barney Robinson Patsy King as Vera Maguire Leila Hayes as Florrie Robinson Gus Mercurio as Sparring Partner / Bill Timms Graham Kennedy as Clive Parker Frank Wilson as Tom Trumbleward Tony Bonner as Brendan West Vivean Gray as Jane Brian Blain as Peter Wells Ken Wayne as Ted Thurgood Reg Gorman as Priest Norman Kaye as Ned Horan / Prosecuting Sergeant Sean Scully as Eddie Corrigan Jonathan Hardy as Paddy Kelleher / Rev. Joggins Peter Cummins as Detective Sergeant O'Flaherty Graeme Blundell as Snoopy Tanner Terry Norris as Ron Lassiter Elspeth Ballantyne as Dorothy Wells Sue Jones as Bridget Tristan Rogers Fay Kelton

Other books Hardy wrote several books examining his experiences arising from writing Power Without Glory, including The Hard Way: The Story Behind Power without Glory (1961), Who Shot George Kirkland?: A Novel About the Nature of Truth (1981), and But the Dead are Many: A Novel in Fugue Form (1975). In these a central theme is the ambiguity between truth and fiction.

Power Without Glory

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