image – Bushwhackers at Mudgee, Henry Lawson’s birthplace, Sept 7-8 1956
On Sunday 27th October we will be celebrating with a Special Luncheon and Dance at Petersham Town Hall – bookings essential –
In the years after the Second World War people across Australia who were fed up with the increasing Americanisation of our culture went looking for the songs & tunes they remembered from earlier days. In 1952 three men in Sydney formed the first Bush Band – The Heathcote Bushwhackers – and started performing. In 1953 they joined the cast of Reedy River at the New Theatre, gathered a few more members & became The Bushwhackers.
In October 1954 they formed the first club to teach their many fans who wanted to join the band. BMC’s first Minute book covers meetings between October 1954 & March 1955, & refers to bands – Spraggers (Lithgow) Rousers/Rouseabouts (Sydney), Drovers, Overlanders (Leichhardt), Ringers (Arncliff) – & plans for unnamed bands at a number of locations.
There is a lot more information on the Bush Music Club blog
BMC is the 2nd oldest folk club in the English speaking world, & our younger sibling, the Victorian Folk Music Club (est. 1959 as the Bush Music Club of Victoria) is the 8th oldest!
Long lived folk clubs 60 yrs, 70 yrs?
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=136900&messages=153&page=1
San Francisco Folk Music Club (US) – founded 1948
Bush Music Club (Aus) – founded 1954
Topic in Bradford (UK) – founded 1956
Bridge Folk Club Newcastle (UK) – 1958
Edinburgh University Folk Society (UK) – April 1958
Vancouver Folk Song Society (Can) – July 1959
The Folksong Society of Greater Boston (US) – 1959
Victorian Folk Music Club (Aus) – est. 1959 as Bush Music Club of Victoria, name changed 1963
Swindon Folk Club (UK) – Jan 1960
enquiries – Sandra Nixon, Librarian, Archivist & Blogger
Thanks Sandra for your tireless contribution to the Folk Scene, as were the early pioneers and where the 1950 Aussies got their start of exposing the settlers Folk material, played, sung and spoken of decades later.
Just been scrolling through Cornstalk articles. Love that photo. Are you able to quote the source and name those in the photo? I think I recognise a few but not all.
The Bushwhackers trip to Mudgee for the first annual Henry Lawson celebrations, 7th-8th September, 1956
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/09/the-bushwhackers-trip-to-mudgeefor.html – the photo was probably taken by a photographer from The Mudgee Guardian, or perhaps The Mudgee Mail as both newspapers are quoted in the article.
Brian Loughlin (lagerphone), Harry Kay (harmonica), Cec Grievas (bones, behind Harry), Alan Scott (whistle), John Meredith (accordion), Jack Barrie (bush bass), Chris Kempster (guitar)
Alex Hood missed the gig as he was in Perth.