Phone 4342 2070 Fax 4342 2071

2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Washboard band recorded for archives

 

An audio and pictorial record of "Bev's Washboard Band in B#" will shortly be provided for the archives of the Australia's National Library.

This follows a special performance on Thursday, January 10, at the Woy Woy Meals on Wheels hall.

Rob Willis, a collector of folklore and social history, recorded the performance for the oral history section of the National Library of Australia in Canberra.

Prior to the performance, Roy and Bev Spence were interviewed about the history of the band.

The band performed before 80 invited guests from various organisations, clubs and associations.

Representatives attended from the Royal Blind Society, Woy Woy Peninsula Lions Club, Arthritis Society, Pensioners Association, Jazz League, community radio stations 2CCC, Radio 50 Plus and Radio Yesteryear, Central Coast Prospecting Club, Central Coast Lapidary Club, the Over-50s Outdoor Club, MOSAIC (Multi Organisational Serving Australia's International Community), Woy Woy Peninsula Lionesses Club, Woy Woy Little Theatre and Dancin' Mates.

Member for Peats, Ms Marie Andrews, represented other members of the Central Coast community.

Most of the regular members of Bev's Washboard Band in B# were present including Cecil Ash, Dave Halifax, Gail Parsons, Pauline Lovenfosse, Alma Kerr, Mervyn Longley, Brett Wilson, George and Lee Keeling, Peter Roosevelt, Ben Waters, Emily Waters, Roy Spence and Beverly Spence.

It was not usual for the full complement of the band to play at one time, according to Bev.

Generally a small contingent of five or six members would represent the band at nursing homes, retirement villages, parades or festivals.

The auxiliary team for the band of Margaret and Warren Storey, Pam Halifac and Michael Meier prepared the hall and catered refreshments.

Doll Mack and Teresa Marsh from Radio 50 Plus greeted guests and dispensed name tags at the reception table.

Door prizes were won by Dave Crawford, Warren Storey, Emily Waters, Rob Willis, Nancy Fensom, Doreen Bass, and Esther Sennett.

Members of Bev's Washboard Band in B# were congratulated for their efforts over the past seven years in entertaining many hundreds of residents in nursing homes and retirement villages.

Gosford Council's events organizer Ms Kathy Robinson had invited the band to participate in Christmas Parades, Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays Sydney 2000, the Federation Day parade, Australia Day Festivities, AMP Federation Journey, 2001 International Year of Volunteers and other community events.

When the editing is complete and the final version is accepted into the archives of the National Library, it is expected that copies will be available through local libraries.

Press release, January 23.