subs. (Australian).—A rough; cf. ARAB, CABBAGE-TREE MOB, HOODLUM, etc. [For probable derivation see quot. 1884; and for further details, Notes and Queries, 7, S. VII. 344.]
1872. The Age (Melbourne), 15 July. The accused was at the head of a gang of LARRIKINS, who on the previous night paid a visit to Hill’s Hotel, Clarendon-street.
1884. G. A. SALA, ‘Echoes of the Week,’ in Illustrated London News, 4 April. ‘It was in a Sydney newspaper that I read about LARRIKINS, but the term would appear to have spread throughout Australia. ‘H. de S.’ tells me that LARRIKIN was originally Melbourne slang, applied to rowdy youngsters, who, in the early days of the gold fever, gave much trouble to the police. ‘An Australian Born’ spells the word LARAKIN.… Finally, Archibald Forbes tells me: ‘A LARRIKIN is a cross between the street Arab and the hoodlum, with a dash of the rough thrown in to improve the mixture. It was thus the term had its origin. A Sydney policeman of the Irish persuasion brought up a rowdy youngster before the local beak. Asked to describe the conduct of the misdemeanant, he said, ‘Av if it plase yer honnor, the blaggard wor a LARRAKIN’ (larking) all over the place.’ The expression was taken hold of and applied.’
1888. Bulletin, 24 Nov. Sergeant Jem Dalton, whose rich brogue originated the term LARRIKIN passed out of Melbourne history last week. Dalton was a born policeman, and after his friends had persuaded him to send in his resignation he turned gently over on his sick bed and died forthwith. He had nothing else to live for.
1892. Pall Mall Gazette, 29 Feb., p. 2, col. 2. That is to say, the disturbance was caused not by the meeting but by the police and LARRIKINS.
1892. HUME NISBET, The Bushranger’s Sweetheart, 30. He was a LARIKIN of the LARIKINS, this tiny Stringy Bark, who haunted my thoughts, waking and sleeping.
Adj. (Australian).—Rowdy.
1883. The Saturday Review, 10 Nov., p. 614. ‘In Melbourne the LARRIKIN element is becoming a danger and a nuisance to decent people.’
