By Helen Mann
One hundred years ago country towns in Victoria relied mainly on visiting concert artists and circuses troupes for entertainment, but they also organised their own.
On Friday 21 April 1924, a typical concert, presented by Yarra Glen Presbyterian Sunday School, was held in the Victoria Hall. This large community hall was located on the southern side of the current United Service station.
The night was fine and there was a large attendance.
Miss Smedley, the superintendent of the Sunday school coached the children and Ms. J. Ellis, was the accompanist.
Many of the children listed below stayed in the district, most married and their children and grandchildren may still live locally or visit from time to time.
The programme was as follows:
song, The Seasons, Marjorie Allen (leader) Spring, Rosie Jell Summer, Freda MacKenzie Autumn, Reg. Nicholas Winter;
recitation, At the Party, Mary Brudenell; song, The Grocer’s Young Man, junior boys (Albert Jell, Jack Cooper, Percy Ah Yet, Tom and Andrew Bell);
recitation, Biddy’s Chicks, Mary Walker; song, Ten Little Dicky-Birds, junior girls, (Agnes Ah Yet, Eileen Le Kong, Myrtle Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Jean White, Marjorie White, Ivy Jell, Dorothy, Mary and Alma Walker); dialogue, The Mission of The Flowers, Mona Smith (student of Nature), Ora Lawrey (the Rose), Dorothy Ellis (the Lily), Joy Brudenell (Snowdrop), Jean Jewson (Forget-me-not); song, The Three Grey Geese, Mona Smith, Eileen Le Kong, Dorothy Ellis; dialogue, Senna’s Dream, junior boys and girls; recitation, Grandma’s Letter, Dorothy Walker; song, At the Farmer’s Gate, the boys of the school; song, Six Little Marks from School, Dorothy Walker, Ede Ellis, Mary Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Agnes Ah Yet, Gwen Nicholas; dialogue, Keeping House, Jack Lithgow, Les Weller, Roy Mills, Eric Mills, Reg. Nicholas, Albert Jell, Tom Bell, Jack Cooper;
duet, Hear Us We Pray, Ede Ellis and Gwen Nicholas; recitation, Fifty-Four, Ora Lawrey; song, Joe the Railway Porter, senior boys;
dialogue, The Rainbow, junior girls, Mona Smith, Dorothy Walker, Dorothy Ellis, Mary Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Joy Brudenell, Winnie Jell, Ede Ellis;
monologue, The Golden Rule, Mona Smith, Marjorie Allan, Freda MacKenzie, Rosie Jell, Joy Brudenell; song, The United Kingdom, by the Sunday school, Mona Smith and Les. Weller (England), Gwen Nicholas and Roy Mills (Ireland), Dorothy Ellis and Jack Lithgow (Scotland), Joy Brudenell and Reg Nicholas (Wales) Alma Walker (Australia), Winnie Jell (Brittania).
