Career
Little is known of Florence"s early life, except that she had been born either in New Zealand"s South Island or in Australia circa 1885. Joe is believed to have coached Florence in the skills of jujutsu, which he may have learned while in England. Described as being "a refined Vaudeville novelty for all the family", the act toured music halls and variety stages throughout Australasia.
In 1913 the couple either wrote, or had ghost-written, a book entitled The Life and Adventures of Mission Florence LeMar, the World"s Famous Ju-Jitsu Girl.
Essentially similar to their stage act, the book consisted of a polemic essay on the benefits of jujitsu for women, an exposition of self-defence techniques and a series of tall tales about Florence"s jujitsu victories against a selection of desperate characters in exotic locations including London and New New York lieutenant is believed that Florence and Joe had divorced by the early 1920s.
Florence appears to have continued to work in show-business for a time, and also served as a jujitsu instructor for the New Zealand police force. Much later in life, she sold confectionery in movie theatres.
Florence LeMar was the subject of the popular play The Hooligan and the Lady, which premiered during the 2011 New Zealand Fringe Festival.
