CARMEN POWELL is a life member of the Dandenong and District Historical Society. She grew up in Dandenong with three sisters. In the 1950s late spring was marked by the glitz and glamour of the Belle of Belles Ball.
There was a period of time in the late 1940s and early 1950s when each spring the Belle of the Ball competitions were held.
Various balls were held around the broader districts such as the Hallam Younger Set Ball, the Hampton Park and Lyndhurst Rural Fire Brigade Ball, the RSL Ball, the Hospital Ball, the Stockman’s Ball and many others.
The final Belle of Belles Ball was held in the Dandenong Town Hall in November each year. It was a grand affair. Winners would be featured in the local newspapers.
The hall was hung with streamers and balloons and a single row of chairs was set out around its perimeter.
A wide central staircase leading up to the stage would be built for the occasion.
The stage itself was transformed by archways, columns, or Palladian niches and decorated with flowers and potted plants.
Anyone was eligible to enter but only about 15 girls would be selected from the entire hall of beauties. These would be escorted onto the stage by two little flower girls from where those chosen, with their partners, would be displayed for all to see and one by one each entrant would be questioned by a panel of judges.
The belles would be led back down into the main hall by the tiny flower girls to be introduced to the mayor, mayoress and the judges brought in from Melbourne. The couples would then compete in ballroom dancing.
One girl would be chosen as the belle of the ball. In November 1948 my sister Pam was seven and other sister Joyce was six when they were chosen to lead the Belles, with their partners, down the steps off the stage and into the main hall and present them to the judges.
They both wore pretty long dresses, carried baskets of flowers and each wore a garland of flowers in their long curled hair.
Mrs Len Godfrey was, no doubt, responsible for their selection. Merle Godfrey was one of Gwen’s closest friends and her father, Len Godfrey, was on the committee that organised the balls to raise money for the Dandenong and District Hospital.
Over the years that committee organised many elaborate and beautiful stage settings. In the professional photograph taken that night it shows the stage decorated in the centre with an enormous silver bell through which the belles emerged. The bell is flanked on either side with tall potted plants.
On page 12 The Journal newspaper recorded ‘Little Joyce and Pam Cruickshank, in lovely pink frocks, and carrying fragrant baskets of roses, made dainty little flower girls, whom compere Maurie Callard of 3DB described as “future belle of belles”.’ Despite the inclement weather Miss Vera Hartin was acclaimed as Belle of Belles in front of a crowd of 500.
The following year Pam and Joyce were again chosen and new long dresses were made. Gwen began studying at McCabes Academy of Dressmaking at the beginning of 1948 so no doubt she made their dresses for both years.
The Journal recorded ‘On stage, with a lush background of greenery, was ‘Belles Cottage’ with two lovely little flower girls in pink, Pam and Joyce Cruickshank waiting at the gate to open it for each couple. The latticework of the front fence was entwined with roses and the name ‘Belles Cottage’ appeared on the gate. When the first of the escorts arrived, he approached the front door, rang the bell, and waited expectantly. The door opened, and the first of the belles emerged to join her partner.’
In 1949, 16-year-old Gwen began going out with Charlie Masters, a boy she had met at the Saturday night town hall dances.
That year Charlie partnered Gwen in the Belle of the Belles competition. One Sunday – with Mum’s approval, of course, – Gwen had invited him to tea. This was the first of what became a special occasion. Gwen now slept in the sleep-out off the back porch and the walk-through bedroom had been transformed back into the walk-through lounge/dining room.
The best cloth was opened out over the best table and the best cutlery was removed from its box and placed alongside the best dinner set.
A roast was cooked with crispy potatoes, pumpkin, carrot, parsnips and greens and all topped with tasty gravy from the pan juices.
For desert something like a lemon meringue pie with home-made ice-cream and cream was served, followed by iced cakes or cream butterflies.
Joyce, who is nine years younger than Gwen, asked if she could have another cake and when told “no you’ve had enough!” replied “well, what about Charlie, he’s had five, you count his papers”.
A red-faced Charlie Masters sat to attention. A red-faced Gwen chastised her.
