Rosaleen Norton: 'The Witch of Kings Cross'

Rosaleen Norton (known as Rowie/Roie to those close to her) was a notorious figure in Sydney during the 1950s. She was a bisexual witch and occult artist and writer, attracting significant controversy from the public and the media. A non-conformist, she pushed social boundaries and overturned social norms and expectations of the conservative 1950s. 

Early Life

Rosaleen Norton was born in Dunedin, New Zealand on October 2nd, 1917 before moving to Sydney, Australia, with her family in June 1925.

She was a self-identified witch from a young age, and despised authority figures and social expectations. She preferred the company of animals over humans and seemingly existed in a magical realm different to everyone else. 

Her early drawings comprised supernatural beings like ghouls, vampires and werewolves which resulted in her expulsion from the Church of England Girl's School, Chatswood at age 14. However, sculptor and teacher Rayner Hoff encouraged Rosaleen's talent and creativity while she attended East Sydney Technical College.

Relationships

Rosaleen married Beresford Lionel Conroy in Sydney on December 24th 1940, and divorced in 1951. She met her partner, poet Gavin Greenlees, by 1949. Gavin and Rosaleen's relationship was of a sexual and practical nature, as the two enjoyed not only a romantic partnership but also one career-related. Gavin took part in Rosaleen's occult lifestyle and contributed poetry to accompany Rosaleen's artwork.

Art Exhibition and Obscenity Charges

In August 1949, Rowden-White Library at the University of Melbourne showed an exhibition of her artwork. Because Rosaleen's work depicted sexual and occult imagery, they were seen as profane and morally corrupt to the public. Subsequently, police raided the exhibition and confiscated Rosaleen's artworks. Rosaleen was taken to court on obscenity charges, but these charges were acquitted. This was the first case of its kind against a woman in Victoria. 

Published Works

While still a teenager, Rosaleen published short stories for the Smith's Weekly newspaper in 1934, which were later reproduced and published in Three Macabre Stories in 1996, edited by Keith Richmond.

Her early published artworks were for the Pertinent magazine in October-November 1941, which were two fantasy works and a pencil study. 

With the help of publisher and patron Walter Glover, Rosaleen published her artworks and accompanying poems by Gavin Greenlees in a book named The Art of Rosaleen Norton (1952). Similar to the Melbourne exhibition, Walter Glover was charged for sponsoring and publishing obscene work. This book was subject to censorship (the blacking-out of explicit imagery) and could only be distributed within Australia. In the USA, any copies found by customs officials were burned. Walter Glover reissued The Art of Rosaleen Norton in 1982, who then published the Supplement to To the Art of Rosaleen Norton in 1984.   

Much of Rosaleen's artwork was directly influenced by her occult lifestyle and spiritual beliefs and experiences. Inducing a trance-state through self-hypnosis and substances was part of her artistic methodology and magical practice. 

Magic and Occult Life

Rosaleen considered herself a devout follower of the 'Great God Pan' but also included other pagan deities like Hecate in her practice, as well as various archetypal beings that she encountered during her trances and rituals.  

She felt a strong affinity towards pantheism and the connection between homage to Pan and the natural world. Though pantheism was her spiritual anchor, she was inspired by and incorporated a variety of traditions and practices into her own. These included the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Thelemic magical practice of Aleister Crowley, and some spiritual practices of other cultures. She was well read in Jungian and archetypal theory as well as comparative religion, which influenced and informed her spiritual world view.

Rosaleen practiced ceremonial magic and rituals rooted in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. She established a coven in Kings Cross and adopted the magical identity/name "Thorn". A notable figure who joined her coven was the famous musical conductor and composer Sir Eugene Goossens.

Her occult writings (as well as drawings, poetry, and other material) are available in the now published Thorn in the Flesh: A Grim-memoire (2009) edited by Keith Richmond.

She was perceived as a Satanist by those outside her occult circles, a misconception that was fueled by the media. This was due to the dominant Christian ideologies typical of the time period. 

Reputation in Kings Cross

Despite living in the bohemian hub full of eccentrics, vagrants and creatives, Rosaleen Norton still managed to stand out in Kings Cross.  Rosaleen leaned into and encouraged her reputation as a witch and eccentric, even placing signage reading "The Female Vagrant" and "Welcome to the house of ghosts, goblins, werewolves, vampires, witches, wizards and poltergeists" outside her terrace house flat on Brougham Street. Rosaleen's eccentricity and non-conformity became synonymous with Kings Cross culture, and she herself became a tourist attraction. 

Along with her notoriety came accusations and scapegoating. In 1955, a girl named Anna Hoffman claimed that she had attended a Black Mass - a Satanic ceremony - held by the Witch of Kings Cross as an excuse for her behaviour towards a policeman. Hoffman was arrested regardless and later admitted this claim was false, but the rumour of devil worship had spread and firmly embedded itself into Rosaleen's reputation. Despite Rosaleen asserting that she was a follower of Pan and not a Satanist, the media continued to publish the rumours. 

Scandal with Sir Eugene Goossens

In 1956, Rosaleen was involved in a scandal with an internationally renowned conductor and composer Sir Eugene Goossens which ended his prestigious career. Goossens was known in Australia for his professional involvement with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the discovery of letter correspondences between Rosaleen and Goossens revealed an occult and sexual relationship between them. This led to Goossens being apprehended by customs officials at the airport for attempting to import various prohibited occult ritual materials and erotic photographs, and was charged under Section 233 of the Customs Act. 

Media Representation

Rosaleen often found herself a target of media sensationalism, often portrayed as an irreverent Satanist and a morally corrupt artist within the conservative time period. Though sensationalised, Rosaleen actively reinforced her reputation as an eccentric and a witch when she took part in interviews. The scandal between herself and Sir Eugene Goossens continued to receive extensive coverage persisting into the 21st century, with the blame often attributed to Rosaleen. 

Death and Legacy

Rosaleen died from colon cancer on December 5th, 1979, at the Rowan Catholic Sacred Heart Hospice for the Dying, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. Despite her death, her legacy lived on as her media presence continued in both positive and negative portrayals. As well as continuing to feature in print journalism, Rosaleen's story as the Witch of Kings Cross has continued to inspire novels, plays, operas, and more recently film documentaries. To some she is a feminist icon and an artist ahead of her time, but to others a femme fatale figure who ruined Sir Eugene Goossens' career. She was a notorious personality of Kings Cross in the 1950s and became an almost personified aspect of Kings Cross' culture during that time period. 

Researching Rosaleen Norton

Now perceived to be a woman ahead of her time and overturning social norms, Rosaleen Norton is an interesting Australian historical figure. The material found in Rosaleen Norton Collection has many interdisciplinary research opportunities which include Gender Studies, Queer Studies, Art, English, Modern History, Sociology, Psychology, Media Studies, and beyond.

The Rosaleen Norton Collection

The University of Newcastle holds The Rosaleen Norton Collection in Special Collections. This collection was donated by Dr Marguerite Johnson.

See the finders guide for an explanation for what material is in the collection. 

View the collection page here.

To access the physical collection, book an appointment with Special Collections here.