Local History: Mr Sin’s Bondi Boyhood

By Kimberly O'Sullivan-Steward on April 6, 2011 in Other

Bondi might be best known for it’s beautiful beach but in the past it’s been home to some of Australia’s most infamous criminals. Few were more feared than Abe Saffron.

Abe Saffron was one of the principal characters in organised crime in Australia, earning him the titles ‘Mr Sin’ and ‘Mr Big’ by the tabloid press. His empire covered illegal gambling, prostitution, insurance fraud, blackmail, high level tax avoidance schemes, illegal arms trafficking, murder and the drug trade. Saffron denied it all, always maintaining he was simply a ‘company director’ in the hotel and entertainment industry.

It is frequently said that his corrupt empire reached to the top of the judiciary, the police and the political system, which is why he was able to repeatedly beat the charges brought against him.

Abraham Gilbert Saffron (1919-2006) was also a Bondi boy. In the 1930s, a young Saffron lived with his parents and siblings in an apartment at 16 Lamrock Avenue, and later they bought a house at 27 Boonara Avenue, where they lived from 1941 to 1955.

In the early 1960s Saffron was looking to convert a large amount of cash into real estate and purchased two adjacent apartment buildings at 126-128 Ramsgate Avenue. He named these the Raffles Hotel and Apartments and moved his family into the top floor of the apartments, which had a magnificent view of the beach.

The fact that his Raffles complex was a short walk from the disreputable nightclub The Lido at North Bondi was convenient for Saffron. American servicemen did not have to travel far with their newly acquired ‘girlfriends’ to find accommodation for the night. The Raffles was also home to a well-known local brothel.

Ironically, given his connection to Bondi Beach and his obvious affection for the area, Abe Saffron couldn’t swim. He frequently went to the beach but never into the water.

To learn more about the colourful history of the Eastern Beaches area you can contact Waverley Council Local Studies Librarian Kimberly O’Sullivan Steward on 9386 7744 or send her an email at kimberlyo@waverley.nsw.gov.au.