THE message was simple but the memories were vivid – the letter, simply addressed to ‘A Moment with Marg’, arrived on April 12 in a white foolscap envelope with no name and address on the back.
The letter’s contents pointed to the writer being someone in the vicinity of my own age group. It was simply signed ‘Maggie’, and here is her wonderful letter in full. Perhaps it will trigger a few memories for you!
Dear Marg,
In the 1940s I lived in Dandy and grew up there with my family.
I started school at Dandenong West Primary School and have lots of wonderful memories.
On a Sunday afternoon at the town hall we would attend the ‘community singing’ where we would all sit and read the words to songs on a big screen. During the community singing we would be entertained by two comedians, Willy Fernell (unsure of spelling) and Mo McCackie (Roy Rene).
The Saturday matinee at the Boomerang Theatre was great at a cost of 6d (sixpence) to get in and 3d (threepence) to spend!
The Saturday night dance in the 1950s at the Town Hall was a lot of fun with singers Ernie Sigley, Frank Davidson and Heather Horwood just to name a few!
I followed the football at Dandenong (Redlegs) and enjoyed going to the away matches in the back of a furniture truck.
I have good memories of ‘Dandy’! Regards, Maggie
Maggie, I too have fond and lasting memories of Dandenong and still think of the new Greater City as my home town also.
My mother and I moved to Dandenong from our farm Ryecroft at Lyndhurst after my father’s death when I was 17½.
I too can recall singing sessions in the then Dandenong Town Hall, as well as the ‘Lolly Girls’ and Saturday night dances, and the Boomerang Theatre matinees. Can you also recall when the wartime Guadalcanal Americans came to Rowville and the Provost were out in full force and the town hall was packed to overflowing?
Maybe other Dandenong and district old timers can add to the list of memories.
Bird talk
They say ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ and a paragraph in the Dandenong Journal’s 120th anniversary issue headed ‘Bookie’s Bird’ certainly proved the truth of the old adage.
The paragraph reads: “Punters were wary of bookmaker George Dunbar when the bookie offered liberal odds about ‘favourites’ at his Dandenong stand on the races being held that day at Baxter’s Flat in February 1879.
“They knew George owned homing pigeons which could be used to bring race results to their owner within minutes of a race being run. George apparently had a bird for every race.”
Do you have a milestone, memory or question for Marg? Email easteditorial@mmpgroup.com.au or post submissions to A Moment with Marg, c/o The Dandenong Journal, PO Box 318, Dandenong 3175.
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