Bush Music Club participation in Fellowship of Australian Writers Henry Lawson celebrations, 1954 to at least 1969

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                                 to be continued as information is found


Lawson statue, Botanic Gardens, 2014
(Photo - Sandra Nixon)
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Bushwhackers in an undated photo, taken between 1954 & 1957 when they broke up


Brian Laughlin (lagerphone) Chris Kempster (guitar), Alan Scott (tin whistle), Alex Hood (bones), John Meredith (squeeze box), Jack Barrie (tea chest bass) (BMC archives)
Alex thinks it was a warm up at the Henry Lawson Statue, we couldn't see Harry Kay, maybe he was hidden. Alex thinks it was 1954 (not absolutely certain of the date. (email from Alex & Annette Hood)
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1954
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1955

Sept 1955 - The Bushwhackers at Henry Lawson Statue, Sydney Domain,
Alan Scott (whistle), Chris Kempster (guitar), John Meredith (accordion), Jack Barrie (bush bass), Ces Grivas (lagerphone), Harry Kay (harmonica), Alex Hood (bones), (BMC archives)

In 1955 14-year old John Poleson heard The Bushwhackers singing at this event. In the early/mid 60's John joined BMC (conversation May 2024)  

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1956
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1957
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1958
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1959
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1960

Barbara Lisyak to the right, (BMC archives)
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1961
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1962
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1963
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1964
extract from BMCs November 1964 Newsletter

Ruth Lindsay appeared with Concert Party at the Lawson pilgrimage before returning to Darwin.

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1965
Extract from BMC's October 1965 newsletter 

Sunday 10th October - Concert Party will supply the usual traditional background of music for the yearly gathering by Fellowship of Australian Writers at the Lawson Statue in Domain. Since it's inception eleven years ago the Club has not missed this function.
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1966 - 6th October - Photos from Chris Woodland collection

(BMC archives)

Eric Bolton (banjo), Jamie Carlin (whistle), Chris (mouthorgan), John Dengate (guitar) (BMC archives)

Eric Bolton (banjo), John Dengate (guitar), Jamie Carlin (whistle)  (BMC archives)

Gordon Bryant MP   (BMC archives)

Jamie Carlin (whistle), John Dengate (guitar)  (BMC archives)

Madeline Kempster, mother of Chris Kempster  (BMC archives)

Roland Robinson   (BMC archives) An article, Aboriginal Songs by Roland Robinson was published in Singabout 3(3), Winter/Spring 1959

Professor Mikio Hiramatsu, Director of Australian-Japan Society in Tokyo, & studying Lawson at Sydney University,  (BMC archives)

(BMC archives)
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1966 or 1967

Singabout 6(2), page 7, 1967 -  date of toast is not given, nor month of publication
(BMC archives)
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1967 - Centenary of Henry Lawson's birth

Singabout 6(2), 1967, page 3 & 4






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1969

Wilma Bolton (lagerphone), Jamie Carlin (English concertina), John Dengate (guitar), Eric Bolton (banjo)    (photo Graeme Bolton, BMC archives)
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