The Bush Music Club

Tuesday, 26 September 2023

From the Archives - Bob Bolton Collection - A selection of photographs of Declan Affley from the Bolton Files

Click images for larger size.

all photos © Bob Bolton

Over the years Bob took a series of photos at local folk clubs, including The Town Crier

1. A selection of Photographs of Declan Affley from the Bolton Files

2. Declan Affley - Town Crier Folk Club, photo by Bob Bolton

3. Prints laid out for photographing

4. E:\Declan Print\7202-183 Town Crier\Sepia (February 1972)

5. E:\Declan Scans\Declan - T&N (used for an article in Trad & Now)

6. E:\Declan Scans

7. National Folk Festival Melbourne 1973

8. 7304 - Declan on pipes, 1973 National Folk Festival?

9. 74 - Declan Eliz (Elizabeth Folk Club??)

10. Town Crier Folk Club, Balmain,1972

11. P.A.C.T Folk Club, Sydney 1971

Wednesday, 13 September 2023

John & Dale Dengate Parody Competition, Illawarra Folk Festival, 2023

Click images for larger size.

(Photos © Sandra Nixon)

The News Bureau Song by Cameron Ritchard, January 2023, to the sea shanty that Birdseye used for it's fish fingers advertisements

I'll sing you a song, a song of the news,
Red berries or blue ones,
And try to explain why it gives you the blues,
Red berries or blue ones.

When we were still apes, at home on the range,
Red berries or blue ones,
Had to learn what to eat and from what to refrain,
Red berries or blue ones.

Our parents they taught us the best that they could,
Red berries or blue ones,
Which berries were bad and which berries were good,
Red berries or blue ones.

Eat the right ones and your fam'ly will thrive,
Red berries or blue ones,
Eat the wrong ones and you may not survive,
Red berries or blue ones.

News bureau psychologists know this is true,
Red berries or blue ones,
And they know it's the best way to get through to you,
Red berries or blue ones.

So they tell us which pollies and which businessman,
Red berries or blue ones,
Has the best programme or sells the best plan for
Red berries or blue ones.

Which insurance is dodgy, which banks rip us off,
Red berries or blue ones,
And which slimming programme makes weight fall off,
Red berries or blue ones.

Which highways to use and which roads to ignore,
Red berries or blue ones,
So they show all the crashes and all of the gore,
Red berries or blue ones.

Bit it's mostly 'bout berries that should not be bit,
Red berries or blue ones,
So it's mostly bad news and it gives you the shits,
Red berries or blue ones.

But you'll tune in tomorrow to find out which ones,
Red berries or blue ones,
Should go in your mouths and then come out your bums,
Red berries or blue ones!

1. MC Big Russ

2. Entrants

3. Alan Wright

4. Judges

5. Peter Willey

6. Cameron

7. Michael Fine

8. Audience

9. Robyn Sykes

10. Big Russ

11. Robyn Sykes

12. Big Russ & Judges

13. Judges

14. Cameron

15. Cameron with Parody Mug

16. MC Big Russ, Cameron & Judges

17. Cameron with inscribed mug

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cameron performing The News Bureau Song
at The Loaded Dog, April 2023

Monday, 11 September 2023

Compilation - Articles about our 60th Anniversary

Click images for larger size.

From the Archives - Winners of 60th Anniversary Dance Competition
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/09/from-archives-winners-of-60th.html

Bush Music Club’s 60th Anniversary Song, Tune & Verse Writing Competition
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2013/07/bush-music-clubs-60th-anniversary-song.html

Song, Verse & Tune Diamond Jubilee Competition winners
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2014/05/song-verse-tune-diamond-jubilee.html

60th Anniversary Dance Competition
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2013/04/60th-anniversary-dance-competition.html

2012 National Folk Festival Themed Workshop on BMC's First 10 years.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/2012-national-folk-festival-themed.html

Report on our 60th Anniversary concert
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/report-on-our-60th-anniversary-party.html

60th Anniversary Heritage Ball - the Masked Ball & Picnic at Australian Pioneer Village
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/60th-anniversary-heritage-ball-masked.html

BMC Anniversaries - 60th Anniversary Member's Dinner, Ermington Community Centre March 2014
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/60th-anniversary-members-dinner.html

BMC Anniversaries - 60th Anniversary slide show from The Diamond Jubilee Concert, Saturday 30th August 2014 -3rd article.
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/bmc-anniversaries-60th-anniversary_31.html

BMC Anniversaries - 60th Anniversary slide show from The Diamond Jubilee Concert, Saturday 30th August 2014 - 2nd article.
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/bmc-anniversaries-60th-anniversary_30.html

BMC Anniversaries - 60th Anniversary slide show from The Diamond Jubilee Concert, Saturday 30th August 2014 -1st article.
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/bmc-anniversaries-60th-anniversary.html

BMC @ Bush Traditions, Goulburn 2014 - Ball & dance fashions
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/bmc-bush-traditions-goulburn-2014-ball.html

Report on BMC @ Bush Traditions Gathering, October 2014
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/10/report-on-bmc-bush-traditions-gathering.html

BMC @ Turning Wave Festival of Irish & Australian Music, September 2014
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/bmc-turning-wave-festival-of-irish.html

Report on BMC & member's gigs, Illawarra Folk Festival 2014
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/report-on-bmc-members-gigs-illawarra.html

BMC at Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, 2014
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/bmc-at-kangaroo-valley-folk-festival.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Individual Talks from BMC's 2012 National Folk Festival Themed Workshop on BMC's First 10 years.

Memories of early days at the Bush Music Club by R. Dale Dengate
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/talks-from-bmcs-2012-national-folk_04.html

The First Few Years by Jamie Carlin.
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/talks-from-bmcs-2012-national-folk_03.html

A few comments on John Meredith by Chris Woodland
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/talks-from-bmcs-2012-national-folk_02.html

Memories of Reedy River & The Bush Music Club by Silvia Salisbury
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/talks-from-bmcs-2012-national-folk.html

Early Bush Music Club Days by Frank Maher
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/early-bush-music-clubdays-by-frank.html

Bill Scott's talk about his parents Alan & Gay Scott
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/from-bmcs-2012-national-folk-festival.html

Alex Hood's reminiscences of the Bushwhackers, at the National Folk Festival 2012 http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/alex-hoods-reminiscences-of.html

.
~~

Compilation - Articles about Anniversaries

Click images for larger size.

1st - From the Archives - Bush Music Club Newsletter - 1950s
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-bush-music-club_29.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

2nd

Bush Music Clubs 2nd anniversary, 1956 - Fran Shaw's songsheets Part 2
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2019/01/anniversaries-bush-music-clubs-2nd.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

5th

BMC's Anniversaries - 5th 1959
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/02/bmc-anniversaries-5th-1959.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

7th

BMC's Anniversaries - 7th Anniversary, 1961
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/06/bmc-anniversaries-7th-anniversary-1961.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

10th

From the Archives - Minutes of General Meetings, from 26th June 1957 to August 1970 - Part 2 , 1963 - 1964
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2021/07/from-archives-minutes-of-general.html

Singabout - Journal of Australian Folksong, Volume 5(3), July 1965
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/singabout-journal-of-australian_30.html

Singabout - Journal of Australian Folksong, Volume 5(2), December 1964
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/singabout-journal-of-australian_9.html

From the Archives - Bush Music Club Newsletter - 1964 to1965 30/5/20
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-bush-music-club_25.html

BMC Anniversaries - 10th, 1964
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/09/bmc-anniversaries-10th-1964.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

15th

Elaine Thornhill Collection
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/07/elaine-wood-collection.html

From the Archives - Bush Music Club Newsletter - 1968 to1969
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-bush-music-club_31.html

BMC Anniversaries - 15th, October 1969
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/12/bmc-anniversaries-15th-october-1969.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

25th

From the Archives - BMC Balls - 2nd Colonial Subscription Ball, 1979
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-bmc-balls-2nd-colonial.html

From the Archives - BMC Balls - 1979 Fancy Dress Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-bmc-balls-1979-fancy.html

From the Archives - 1979 Bush Music Festival, program, posters & other ephemera
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-1979-bush-music-festival.html

BMC Anniversaries - Silver Jubilee 25th held 28th Sept to 1st Oct 1979
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/12/bmc-anniversaries-silver-jubilee-25th.html

25th Anniversary - Australian Fancy Dress Ball at the Burland Community Hall, Newtown, 1979 Bush Music Festival
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/25th-anniversary-australian-fancy-dress.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

30th

BMC Anniversaries - 30th 1984
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2022/04/bmc-anniversaries-30th-1984.html

Bob Bolton collection - A selection of photos from the 30th Anniversary Subscription Ball, 19th August 1984 displayed at the 2018 Heritage Ball
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2018/05/bob-bolton-collection-selection-of_13.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

39th

From the Archives - BMC's 39th Birthday
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2022/02/from-archives-bmcs-39th-birthday.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

40th

From the Archives - 1994 Bush Music Festival & 40th Anniversary
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-1994-bush-music-festival.html

BMC Anniversaries - 40th 1994
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com/2018/12/bmc-anniversaries-40th-1994.html

Noel May Collection - 40th Anniversary Bush Musicfest, Australiana Pioneer Village, Wilberforce 1994
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/10/noel-may-collection-40th-anniversary.html

Pete & Sue McMahon Collection - Part 1
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/06/pete-sue-mcmahon-collection.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

50th

From the Archives - A Swag of Memories - our 50th Anniversary Community Radio Program
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2021/09/from-archives-swag-of-memories-our-50th.html

From the Archives - 50th Anniversary, Golden Jubilee, 2004
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2021/03/from-archives-50th-anniversary-golden.html

From the Archives - Display Boards of historical photos, Part 2.
ttps://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/03/from-archives-display-boards-of_28.html

Members photos - Beth Cambridge
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/bmcs-artists-raema-grieve-1970s.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

55th

BMC Anniversaries - 55th 2009
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com/2020/02/bmc-anniversaries-55th-2009.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

60th

see separate list - Compilation - Articles about our 60th Anniversary

~~~~~~~~~~~~

65th

65 Songs for 65 years - A History in Songs. Songs of the Bush Music Club, Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Bush Music Club
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2019/11/65-songs-for-65-years-history-in-songs.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

70th

Saturday, 9 September 2023

From the Archives - Winners of 60th Anniversary Dance Competition

Click images for larger size.

Category A - General Bush Dance - The Bimsey Flyer, written by John Short, September 2013.

Category B - Dancer's Dance - Harbour Bridge Quadrille by Keith Woods

Category C - Multi Figure Quadrille - The Mulga Quadrille

Highly Commended, Category B - Dancer's Dance Duke's Jig by John Short .

Sunday, 3 September 2023

From the Archives - Bob Bolton’s (Very Preliminary) Timeline - Bush Music Revival 1950 - 1970

Click images for larger size.

undated document

Notes -
VBMC - Victorian Bush Music Club, renamed Victorian Folk Music Club in 1963
FLSV - Folklore Society of Victoria

Monday, 28 August 2023

From the Archives - The Petrov Affair - what was in Document J?

Click images for larger size.

~~~~~~~~~

Mulga Wire no. 44, August 1984, p.15.
Come along to John Meredith's workshop at the Bush Music Festival
and find out! In his workshop titled LOOKING BACK, John will
survey the results of 32 years - half a lifetime - of collecting,
and playing a selection of most intersesting items he has recorded.
For instance, What was in Document J? the answer lies in a song
written by one of the clubs earliest members, Joe Fernside.

Document J was a prominent item in the Petrov Affair. It was written by an Australian journalist, Rupert Lockwood who was a member of the Communist Party, & was one of the papers brought out of the embassy by Petrov when he defected in 1954. The day it was declared secret by the Royal Commission, the Communist party printed copies of what Lockwood said was his original document, not the fake referred to in the Royal Commission! John Meredith was one of the members who sold copies for a shilling. Document J was of great interest to the Commission & the public, including Communist Party members so Joe Fernside, a bean farmer in Terrigal who was a party member, wrote a song about it, & sent the words to John Meredith. (paraphrased from Keith McKenry's biography of John Meredith, pp126-128)

Alex Hood & Chris Kempster were friends of Joe, & Alex attended the Petrov enquiry in the Court House in Taylor Square on the day of a large demo by wharfies. Evertt was cross-examining Petrov & asked him about payments to informers - Petrov said he paid using £25 notes! Alex laughed, & the police glared at him. Alex was sitting next a huge wharfie who told him not to worry. He left in the middle of a crowd of wharfies & they walked past the waiting police.

(Conversation with Alex, July 2021)

Wharfies demonstration at Taylor Square, reported in Tribune - Wed 19 Jan 1955, page 1 & page 10

National library Public List (36 items) Research Question: In what ways was the Petrov Affair used as propaganda by various interests in Australia from 1954 to 1956?

WHAT IS IN DOCUMENT J? by Joe Fernside(sic) 1954
(FEARNSIDE according to his daughter)

audio - Joe singing it in the John Meredith Collection, NLA Oral History collection

Oh, what is this Document J?
That's what we ask today.
There's no-one knowin', says Justice Owen,
What's in Document J?

Oh, there is a dirty big spy,
He's got a big Yankee eye.
He's a workers' snob, his name is Bob,
Would that be in Document J?

They're selling us out to the yanks,
The marbled millionaire cranks;
They control our oil, our uranium spoil,
Would that be in Document J?

They sympathize with the Japs.
They're saying they're very good chaps.
For war they'll train, they'll addle the brain
Would that be in Document J?

The poor are all born to be slaves,
They work them to their graves.
Let us unite, defend our right,
Would that be in Document J?

Oh, we love our own native land,
But we don't like the rich robbers' hand.
We will cleave to the poor, for evermore,
Would that be in Document J?

~~~~~~~~

Typescript of an article entitled "What is in Document J", published in the Bulletin, ca. 1979 held in the National Library

comment by Sharon Fearnside, Joe's daughter

~~

Saturday, 26 August 2023

Reedy River - The Songs, adapted for the Sydney Folk Festival 2023 by David Johnson

Click images for larger size.

Joe Cashmere, traditional fiddler was collected & photographed by John Meredith AM in 1955. In 1985 Mike Martin created this picture with his permission, & it was turned into banners for the Folk Federation in 2023 by Sandra Nixon.

BMC members in the reading included Dave, Emma Sputnik (narrator), Karen Fong, Mariamma Mitchell, Matthew Black, Chris Maltby, Don Brian, Chloe & Jason Roweth.