Saturday 29 February 2020

BMC Families - the Poleson collection

Click on pictures for full-screen image

Photo © John & Lynne Poleson unless elsewhere stated

Lynne & John Poleson Collection - Concert Party events

Some Poleson musical history by John Poleson (member no. 189)

I was lucky to be born into a musical family, my paternal grandfather was a seaman and a Shetland singer and fiddler, my maternal grandfather played the mandolin and both my parents played music and sang. My kids were born into a similar situation and they are all musical.

At age fourteen I went to the Sydney domain for the Henry Lawson birthday celebrations.

The Bushwhackers were performing and I was an immediate captive to their music. I used to save up my pennies and go down to the Communist bookshop in Market Street to buy their latest gramophone records.


Bushwhackers @ Lawson celebration, undated, 1954-1957 (BMC archives)
I started learning the guitar and got involved with the infant folk music scene in the late 1950’s. Somewhere in the early 1970’s I joined the BMC. I was also involved in brass band music, that interest started at school where I was a member of the bugle band. I still belong to a concert band.


John, 1966

I married Lynne and we moved to Jenolan Caves where I worked as a Guide/ Ranger, we lived there for six years and two of our children were born in Oberon hospital. There were a number of folkies working there and we formed a bush Band Jock Strap and His Elastic Band, we used to get a bit of work around Bathurst, Oberon and Tarana. I transferred to New England National Park which was half way between Armidale and Dorrigo and I joined the local brass band and also became interested in the University Folk Club. We formed a bush band Ockers Bush Band and we played for dances around the district. Members of Ockers later formed a well known group Mulga Bills Bicycle Band and toured Australia.

I again transferred to Kosciusko National Park where I became the parks Interpretive Officer in charge of all of the holiday programmes. Camp fire singalongs were introduced and were very popular. I was also invited by Ulick O'Boyle to help resurrect the defunct Settlers Band, I went to a few practices but dropped out fairly early.

Again I transferred and we moved to Captain Cook's Landing Place Kurnell where I became involved with BMC's Concert Group. Shortly after I had a promotion to Senior Ranger Sydney Harbour National Park and we were moved to a cottage in Nielsen Park Vaucluse. Around that time Lynne was able to become more involved in Trade Union politics and eventually became State Secretary of the Finance Union. The three kids were also involved in the concert group which later became the Rouseabouts. Lynne and I made sure that they were always involved in music. Mark and Chris joined a rock group Pacific Sounds, Mark learned the drums and Chris the guitar. Steph started to learn keyboard and they all joined various rock and pop groups. Chris became more interested in Folk Music and later joined the BMC. In later years Steph, Mark and her partner Ross formed a commercial jazz pop combo which is still going called Blonde Baggage.

The Rouseabouts became very popular and we were always busy with paid work but around 1982 the band agreed to break up.



Rouseabouts, 1979

About twenty years ago the concert group had fallen on hard times and there only two regular members at the Friday night meetings, Bob Bolton and a lady called Jennie. Mark, Chris, Stephanie and myself decided to try and resurrect it. The four of us together with Bob put a number of tunes together and started to upgrade things. Before long we had a number of new members and the group increased to where it is today. The night was changed to Monday by popular request and I am very proud of our part in this wonderful musical session that has evolved through the BMC.


Concert Party, Gulgong 2002/2003

Mark, Chris and myself are still active participants, Steph is more interested in Jazz and pop singing with Blonde Baggage.

Chris's daughter Emily & Mark's son Jack are also musicians.

**************************


1. Pat Brighton


2. John, Wallaby Hall, Jenolan Caves, Christmas 1966


3. Joyce, Neilson Park, The Zone 1981


4. Frank Trumble, busker


5. Chris busking with Frank Trumble


6. Chris busking with Frank Trumble


7. Chris with harmonica, Jenolan Caves


8. Stephanie


9. Stephanie, with keyboard, Neilson Park


10. John, Stephanie & Chris


11. Ockers Bush Band, Armidale


12. Ockers Bush Band, Armidale


13. Ockers Bush Band, Armidale


14. Ockers Bush Band, Armidale


15. Ockers Bush band, Armidale


16. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971 (Warren Targett photo)


17. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971 (Warren Targett photo)


18. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971 (Warren Targett photo)


19. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971  (Warren Targett photo)


20. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971  (Warren Targett photo)


21. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971  (Warren Targett photo)


22. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971  (Warren Targett photo)


23. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971  (Warren Targett photo)


24. Caves House -Smoke concert 1971  (Warren Targett photo)

25. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971  (Warren Targett photo)


26. Caves House-Smoke concert 1971  (Warren Targett photo)

26. Chris & Stephanie busking in Martin Place, May 1982

27. Music for Balmain Watch House Art Exhibition - Sept 99

28. Music for Balmain Watch House Art Exhibition - Sept 99

29. Music for Balmain Watch House Art Exhibition - Sept 99

30. Christmas Day at home, 1999

31. Christmas Day at home, 1999

32. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-1

33. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-2

34. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-3

35. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-4

36. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-5

37. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-6

38. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-7

39. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-8

40. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-9

41. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-10

42. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-11

43. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-12

44. Concert party members - Starlight Room, Kids hospital-13

45. Mark

46. Chris

47.

48. Brass band, c.2010

49.

50. Emily

51. Dance at Suttons, Mark, Chris, John

52. undated poster

53 - 56. 1972 Jenolan Caves concert program




~~