‘All she had was nut grass’: Burdekin rallies to honour murdered sex worker Jean Morris

A woman brutally stabbed to death in 1932 Ayr, her body unclaimed by any family, has finally received a headstone after 93 years in an unmarked grave.

Jean Morris, murdered in Ayr while she was living and working at a Queen St site known to be a brothel.

A woman brutally stabbed to death in 1932 Ayr, her body unclaimed by any family, has finally received a headstone after 93 years in an unmarked grave.

Known as Jean Morris, the woman’s murder shocked the community of Ayr and filled newspapers where she was dubbed ‘Stiletto Jean’.

However, despite gripping the nation’s interests, no family came forward to claim the 19-year-old and she was buried in an unmarked grave in Ayr cemetery.

James Cook University historian Bianka Vidonya Balanzategvi has a keen interest in the sugarcane era and migrant stories, and came across the case of Jean Morris while looking into the Black Hand Gang or the ‘La Mano Nera’.

“Jean Morris is supposed to be involved with the Black Hand Gang, and was a victim of them,” Dr Vidonya Balazategvi said.

Jean Morris' first headstone, 93 years after she was buried.

“I got to know Adam Grossetti, who did the ABC documentary The Black Hand Gang, and we’ve both been looking at this chapter of history closely.”

The Black Hand Gang was an extortion, sly-grog and prostitution racket that ran in the 1930s, targeting Italian migrants working in Queensland’s northern sugarcane towns.

While other ‘Black Hand’ rackets were common at this time, the North Queensland gang was the most violent, and frequently ended up in the newspapers.

A news article on 'Stiletto Jean' Morris, who was discovered dead in Ayr with 43 stab wounds to her body.

Dr Vidonya Balazategvi said it was Mr Grossetti who finally unearthed documents showing that Jean Morris was a fake name, and the murdered Jean Morris was born as Anna Philomena Morgan.

“When we realised she was buried in an unmarked grave, we felt she deserved a headstone. Sometime later, some residents in Ayr thought the same thing, and we asked for her real name to be included on the headstone, which has happened.”

Jean Morris' first headstone, 93 years after she was buried.

Dr Vidonya Balazategvi said Anna, under the name Jean Morris, worked in Ayr, Ingham, Innisfail and Cairns as a sex worker.

“In Ingham she came into the orbit of the Black Hand and was seen in the company of the two leaders,” she said.

“She settled in Ayr and was working in Queen St when she was murdered by a persons unknown. It was a vicious murder, and it shocked the community.”

One of many ‘Black Hand’ gang members at the time: Lorenzo ZUCCO. Born 1900, jailed 1934 for extortion in South Johnston (near Innisfail).

According to a Queensland Police report, Jean was stabbed 43 times by either a dagger or stiletto.

She was found dead in her bed, in her apartment on Queen St, dressed in a silk nightdress

Ayr hairdresser Paula Dowson, and fellow resident Henry Petersen were the driving force behind the new headstone, fundraising for years to pull together the money needed.

Henry Petersen with the sign on his fence for Jean Morris' gravestone fundraiser.

Mr Petersen said he first heard about Jean Morris when he was working as a bar man in the 70s at the Delta Hotel.

“I used to buy the Melbourne Truth newspaper and they had a story linking her with another girl murdered in Shepparton. I saw the word Ayr and they had my interest,” he said.

Hotel Delta on Queen St, Ayr

“I went out with a mate to find her grave, and that’s when I learnt it was unmarked. It wasn’t until the ABC documentary that I decided to do something and, at the same time, Paula had also watched the same documentary.”

A bombed building in Mourilyan in Jan 29 1938, where alleged Black Hand Gang (La Mano Nera) leader Vincenzo DAgostino was seriously injured. He died two days later.

Mrs Dowson said watching the ABC documentary on the Black Hand Gang was a powerful moment for her - especially when the documentary crew visited Jean’s grave in Ayr.

“All she had was nut grass,” Mrs Dowson said.

“It moved me that night, some people don’t believe in these things but I felt my angels reach out to me, and from that day on we decided to do something about it.

“Now, not only does she have a name, she had a blessing too from the minister, and I am happy and content in my heart.”

Jean Morris headstone reveal: Paula Dowson at the event

As the moment for the headstone reveal drew closer, Mrs Dowson said it felt like Anna was there.

“The headstone monument was done by Trevor Neal from Whitsunday Monuments and he said ‘it’s like she’s here with me, not a thing has gone wrong (during engraving), and normally something goes wrong,” she said.

“Even when engraving her face, it went well.”

Jean Morris headstone reveal: Liz and Trevor Neal from Whitsunday Memorials

Another coincidence was a vintage car rally coming to Ayr the day before the funeral, and a couple who owned a 1928 Austin 7 car agreeing to bring their car to the cemetery after being approached by Mrs Dowson.

Mrs Dowson said the cafes and restaurants of the Burdekin were also incredibly generous, donating amazing food to the ceremony, where moving speeches were read out while 1930s music played.

Jean Morris headstone reveal: The Austin 7 1928 car (Chubby) which owners Ross and Sylvia Chapman brought to the event after a chance discussion with Mrs Dowson the day before.

“Everything went perfectly, we had so many compliments and even the mayor said you should be proud,” she said.

“No one wanted to leave, they were all held there.”

In her words by Anna Morgan’s graveside, Dr Vidonya Balazategvi said Anna was a young woman who’d potentially been scheming to escape her situation and her pimp.

“Anna, almost a century after your brutal murder, we honour you and remember you.”

Originally published as ‘All she had was nut grass’: Burdekin rallies to honour murdered sex worker Jean Morris