John Wren (3 April 1871 – 26 October 1953) was an Australian businessman and underworld figure. He has become a legendary figure thanks mainly to a fictionalised account of his life in Frank Hardy's novel Power Without Glory, which was also made into a television series. Wren exercised some influence in Victorian politics and business, but he was not as powerful as subsequent legend has suggested.
Early life
Wren was born in Collingwood, an inner working-class suburb of Melbourne, the son of Irish Catholic immigrants. In 1890, while working in a Collingwood shoe factory, he bet his entire savings on Carbine, the winner of the Melbourne Cup. In 1903 he added considerably to that sum when his own horse, Murmur, won the Caulfield Cup.
Racing and boxing activities
In 1892 Wren established an illegal totalisator (betting shop) behind a tobacconist's shop in Johnston St, Collingwood. The shop provided entry to a spacious wood yard at the rear, which was heavily fortified preventing easy access by the authorities. The betting model he employed for delivering transparent odds to his clients was adopted from George Adams's successful Tattersalls totalisator venture. The Collingwood tote made Wren a rich man and also gave him political influence in the inner suburbs. In 1905 he inherited the running of business interests in pony and horse racing from another Collingwood identity, and later made further expansions into gambling, cinemas, goldmining, newspaper publishing, and professional cycling. He subsequently had a role in the establishment of Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, which competed with the Victoria Racing Club's course at Flemington.
John Edward "Jack" Wren (30 January 1894 – 1948) was an English footballer who played at half back for Millwall, Bristol City, Notts County and Southport in the first decade following the First World War playing over 170 Football League games.
Career
Jack Wren was born in St Werburghs Bristol and after playing local football with Greenbank he joined Millwall. After three years with Millwall, during which he made over ?? first-team appearances, Wren moved to the Second Division with Bristol City.
Wren remained with the Ashton Gate club until 1922 making over 100 appearances, before again moving to Notts County.
References
Podcasts:
-
by Jann Browne
Mexican Wind
by: Jann BrowneThis is my third night
Under bright shooting stars
I have crossed into Mexico
Maybe that's where you are
You told me you'd come here
If our love should end
Eighty miles past the border
On the Mexican wind.
So I followed the dusty roads
Into Flores Magon
And they said you had left there
For Aquiles Serdan
You told me you'd come here
If our love should end
Eighty miles past the border
On the Mexican wind.
There's a place in the desert
Where we let it begin
We would dance close together
As the candles would dim
In a quiet cantina
With sweet mandolins
As they'd serenade softly
On the Mexican wind.
--- Instrumental ---
My life seems to slow down
The further I go
Into the bare heart
Of old Mexico
Still I keep searching for someone
Who once let me in
But somehow I lost him
To the Mexican wind.
There's a place in the desert
Where we let it begin
We would dance close together
As the candles would dim
In a quiet cantina
With sweet mandolins
As they'd serenade softly
On the Mexican wind.
Eighty miles past the border