Green’s Dictionary of Slang

the social élite and their lifestyle and manners, used ironically; in prison use, a prisoner with influence and status.

1821		Stamford Mercury 14 Sept. 4/3: Never can common sense or English ears be reconciled to the horrid jargon of the ‘ayd-de-caung, sang-froy, bong-tong’ [...] and such-like trash.
1872		Dly Phoenix (Columbia, SC) 5 Oct. 1/1: The Grand Duke Alexis has reached Hong Kong, but has not yet become acquainted with any of the ‘bong tong’ of Celestical society.
1877		Chields Dly Gaz. 30 Dec. 4/2: The room wasn’t at all the thing, for a gentleman like ’im [...] with a mohter a markueesy as proud as Punch and quite disdainful with them beneath’er, as is the way with the bong tong.
1884		Bismarck Trib. (ND) 25 Jan. The lady might move in the best circles [...] and be regarded as a very queen of the bong tong: .
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 1 Aug. 12/3: ‘I can’t accommodate them all the same night,’ she went on majestically, ‘but on Monday I’ll entertain the bong-tong.’ ‘And on Tuesday!’ ventured the inquisitive sailor. ‘On the Tuesday,’ she replied with winning grace, ‘I shall entertain the demi-monde.’ Tableau!
1890		E. Field ‘The Conversazzhyony’ Little Bk of Western Verse 154: The bong tong deckolett ’nd regaly bein’ there.
1898		Herald (Los Angeles) 19 June 22/1: He may have won the favor of the bong-tong but he has not yet succeeded in winning my favor.
1902		Bulletin (Sydney) 27 Sept. 13/2: The sister takes the unexpected family wealth much more seriously than her brother does; and when she heard about the waitress there was a cry of horror. Such a ‘mesalliance’ would nip the family’s bong-tong in the bud.
1914		C.J. Dennis ‘The Play’ in Bulletin (Sydney) 16 July 47/1: Doreen an’ me, we bin to see a show – / The swell twodollar touch. Bong tong, yeh know.
1918		Cheltenham Looker-On 30 Nov. 9/1: There are titles galore. It is very bong tong, and, naturally, the dresses are delightful.
1926		Cheltenham Chron. 12 June 4/2: It was delightful to be thus extinguished among so many of the bong-tong.