Lillian Armfield: pioneering policewoman

The year was 1928. Crouched low in an alleyway, looking out at Terry Street in Sydney’s Surry Hills, policewoman Lillian Armfield was ready to bring down notorious Sydney cocaine dealer May ‘Botany May’ Smith, who was stashing cocaine in her terrace. In an instant, Botany May was in her backyard, grabbing cocaine packages from the wall of the outhouse. Lillian hurried around to May’s front door. May answered the door, Lillian made the allegations, and May bolted to the back of the house. She came back screaming at Lillian, brandishing a flaming hot iron. Lillian lifted her skirts and took