Glass frame with group photoParade of Headquarters to commemorate Victory over Japan. Morotai August 1945

Robin Kelly was born Robin Vandersluys in Mary Street, Kew. As a child, she sang in backyard concerts run with her brother, Leslie. The family moved to Deepdene in 1949 and Robin joined church and school choirs. Later she was to study classical singing with Stella Power, modern singing with Jack White, TV Presentation with Natalie Raine of Crawford Productions and acting/singing with Jessie Matthews. Following her victory in a talent quest at the Orama Ballroom, she was invited to join the Orama Big Band with singers Harry Cox and Arlene Forrest. She also sang with the Kerm Jones Jazz Band at Power House and with Frank Johnson's Jazz Band at Jazz Junction. Robin became resident band vocalist at the historic Federal Hotel in Collins Street with the Rudi Laquer Trio. She also sang at The Savoy Plaza with the George Cadman Trio. A year later she became resident vocalist at the Ress Oriental Hotel with the Lennie Holmes Trio. Later, Robin married pianist Peter Jones, singing under the name 'Robin Vanser' in clubs in Sydney and regional New South Wales. She was booked for a Vietnam War tour and also sang in Tahiti. Returning to Melbourne, her agent booked her to appear in shows in Tasmania including West Point Casino and Melbourne country venues. Another agent, John Bishop, booked her to do floor shows in Melbourne, including Xmas Seasons at the Hampton Hotel where she entertained audiences with her comedy and audience participation routines. In 1971, Robin Kelly retired to run her Robin Hood Antiques business in Canterbury, during which time she was married to tenor Glenn Kelly. Later she joined Sing Australia Camberwell Choir, performing as a soloist at their Melbourne Town Hall Concert.The Vandersluys-Kelly Collection of photographs, costumes and musical performance memorabilia was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Robin Denise Kelly in 2018. The collection is an important record of stage and recorded performances in Australia in the second half of the 20th century. This new nationally-focused and artistically significant collection augments and contextualises the local performing arts materials in our collection. Audio recording of performances Egyptian Follies at the Melbourne Jazz Club, including the singer Robin Kellyl.robin kelly, performing arts - victoria - australia, melbourne jazz club

This file contains four items. 1/ An article in the Glen Eira News reporting on a new park with indigenous planting and an interpretive walk being developed to link Duncan McKinnon Reserve and Packer Park in Murrumbeena, dated September 2000. 2/ An article from the Glen Eira Leader on the converting of sports grounds from cool season to warm season grasses, as well as the installation of subsurface drip irrigation at Princes Park, Caulfield South, dated March 2012. 3/ An article from the Caulfield/Port Phillip leader reporting Caulfield RSL military historian Carl Johnson’s appeal to have a “lone pine” in Caulfield Park designated as a war memorial, dated 11/9/2012 4/ An article from the Glen Eira/Port Phillip Leader reporting on the Friends of Caulfield Park organising the first band stand concert in over twenty years with the City of Glen Eira Band, dated 6/11/2012glen eira council, hawthorn rd caulfield, glen eira rd caulfield, glen eira, caulfield, parks, reserves, leila rd caulfield, glen eira city council, landscaping, memorial park, kooyong rd caulfield north, caulfield recreation tennis club, murrumbeena rd caulfield, churchill green housing estate, north rd caulfield, boake street caulfield, exservices organisation, rsl clubs, sporting clubs, recreations, sportsgrounds, clubs, tennis clubs, associations, leisure, cultural events, cultural activities, sports establishments, recreations establishments, irrigation, water conservation, conservation of natural resources, water supply, ovals, playing fields, tennis courts, murrumbeena park, school concerts, musical activities, musical events, glen eira artists society, dimarco lisa, st. aloysius college, band rotundas, entertainment structures, musical ensembles, city of glen eira band, bands, the friends of caulfield park, gallipoli lone pine, princes park, packer park, duncan mckinnon reserve, king george reserve, caulfield park, glenhuntly park, glen huntly park, bentleigh reserve, victory park, schools, education establishments, recycling, water disposal, cultural structures, cultural establishments, caulfield rsl, johnson carl, war memorials, monuments, memorials, avenue of honour, “lone pine”, glen eira leader, glen eira news, caulfield/port phillip leader, glen eira leader