(The Gender Centre advise that this article may not be current and as such certain content, including but not limited to persons, contact details and dates may not apply. Where legal authority or medical related matters are cited, responsibility lies with the reader to obtain the most current relevant legal authority and/or medical publication.)

Farewell Rose Jackson

One of the Sydney Gay Scene's Most Loved Theatre Artists Passes On

Obituary by James Waites, originally printed in the Sydney Morning Herald , reprinted with kind permission
Article appeared in Polare magazine: October 2011 Last Update: June 2013 Last Reviewed: June 2013


Rose Jackson, 1935 - 2011

Rose and the other cast members lived above [the Purple Onion] in what she described as "a drag kibbutz".

One of the Sydney gay scene's most loved theatre artists died peacefully early on Thursday morning (21st July 21, 2011) at St Vincent's Hospice. Perhaps best known as the star performer at Capriccios, the first gay club to open in Oxford St in the early 1970s, Rose's career as both a costumier and entertainer boasted many highlights.

Born Barry Jackson on 11th September 1935 at Paddington Women's Hospital, Rose said she knew "from the minute she was born" that a male body was not right for her.

An athletic young man, Barry loved to swim and for a short period was even a Bondi lifesaver. But it was "too butch". Soon, gay men were introducing Barry to a secret Sydney world of parties, fine dining and fashion; and he began going out in public as a woman. He took the name Rose, after Marilyn Monroe's character in Niagara, Rose Loomis.

By the age of eighteen, Barry was working as a window dresser at David Jones. His design talent was noticed and he soon accepted a position as display manager for Curzons, where he coordinated around 300 fashion parades as well as designing and supervising the seasonal window displays. At twenty-four, Barry went to Europe and, after time in London and Paris, worked as a display manager for a leading chain of department stores in Sweden.

By the time Barry returned to Sydney five years later, in 1964, his home city had changed. Walking home one night to his apartment in Kings Cross, he discovered a club called the Jewel Box, where not only were there drag performances but some of the boys were taking hormone therapy.

By the late 1960s, Barry was living fully as a woman in Paddington. Making costumes for Sydney's leading theatre company, the Old Tote, by day, he performed at the Purple Onion club at night. It is the Purple Onion — on the site of the current Ken's at Kensington — that can claim to have pushed Rose's costume design skills to the fore, as well as introducing her to regular performing. Rose and the other cast members lived above the premises in what she described as "a drag kibbutz".

In 1969, Dawn O'Donnell opened Capriccios, to offer drinks, a dance floor, and a fully costumed drag show. It wasn't long before Rose was the undisputed star, with a persona that highlighted an elegant femininity.

In 1983 David Mitchell and David Penfold created a show for Rose based on her life and career called Rose's Turn. It played at Kinselas and was a huge success. She then opened her own club, Rose's, on Goulburn St.

There Rose performed with stars including Judi Connelli and Tony Sheldon. Sheldon has said his interpretation of Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, currently playing in New York, is based on Rose Jackson.

Rose Jackson

In 1990 Rose Jackson was entered into the Drag Industry Variety Awards (DIVA) Hall of Fame, one of the most prestigious awards presented on their annual night of nights. The eligibility for this award is simple, however the contribution of the individual is great. Each individual must have made a significant impact and/or long-term involvement in entertainment. This You Tube video shows Rose presenting an award later that evening.

Polare Magazine is published quarterly in Australia by The Gender Centre Inc. which is funded by the Department of Family & Community Services under the S.A.A.P. program and supported by the N.S.W. Health Department through the AIDS and Infectious Diseases Branch. Polare provides a forum for discussion and debate on gender issues. Unsolicited contributions are welcome, the editor reserves the right to edit such contributions without notification. Any submission which appears in Polare may be published on our internet site. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, The Gender Centre Inc., the Department of Family & Community Services or the N.S.W. Department of Health.

The Gender Centre is committed to developing and providing services and activities, which enhance the ability of people with gender issues to make informed choices. We offer a wide range of services to people with gender issues, their partners, family members and friends in New South Wales. We are an accommodation service and also act as an education, support, training and referral resource centre to other organisations and service providers. The Gender Centre is committed to educating the public and service providers about the needs of people with gender issues. We specifically aim to provide a high quality service, which acknowledges human rights and ensures respect and confidentiality.

Would You Like to Advertise Here?

Reach Thousands of People! Promote Your Community Service Organisation!

The Gender Centre website receives thousands of hits each week from transgender, gender diverse and gender questioning people, their families and friends, students, medical professionals and other service providers, media outlets, political organisations and lobby groups from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and around the world.

Negotiable rates for appropriate Community Services Organisations. Contact the Gender Centre today on (02) 9569 2366 or send us an email!

The Gender Centre Inc. - Serving the Gender Diverse Community!