Kindly scanned from Ringwood Branch archival collectionTranscript (kindly completed by Ken Briscoe using ChatGPT) RINGWOOD BRANCH COUNTRY WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION INC. February 13, 1946 in the Ringwood Town Hall, the Mayoress, Mrs. H.E. Parker, called the meeting and Ringwood Branch Country Women's Association was formed, and would be in the Yarra Valley Group. Speaker for the day was Mrs. Wray, Group President, Yarra Valley Group. Office bearers elected were: • Mrs. Greenshields (President) • Mrs. Shields (Secretary) • Mrs. Roberts (Treasurer) At the inaugural meeting, 93 ladies joined, and the first general meeting of the Ringwood Branch was held March 7, 1946, and by the end of August the membership grew to 160. In 1946 the joining fee was 4/- and you never attended a meeting unless you wore hat and gloves. The first year, meetings were held in the main Town Hall, then they were transferred to the small hall, which had a creche next door, at the baby health centre, where mothers could leave their little ones, while mum enjoyed the meetings, demonstrations or entertainment. The Branch had a very good Choir, conducted by Mrs. Dorrie Davidson, also a very talented theatrical group. Each birthday they put on excellent stage shows, some beautiful costumes being hired from well-known Melbourne theatrical company. The 1956 Olympic stage show had some well-trained, but out of form, athletes. Highlight of the year was the Annual Ball and two Debutante Balls. New branches were formed in the district, Everard, East Ringwood, Heathmont, South Warrandyte. There was also, Ringwood Younger set, a night branch (later years was renamed Marana). It was then that our membership dropped. As more and more branches were started in the district, Ringwood was then allocated to the newly formed Maroondah Highway Group. Craft classes and demonstrations were of a high standard, with some interesting things being made such as millinery, dressmaking, pottery, etc. In 1960 when Ringwood was made a City, a C.W.A. float was entered in the procession, this was a mammoth task, as hundreds of flowers were made and wired to the float, which was in green and gold C.W.A. colours. The time came when the Town Hall was to be demolished, and we moved to the Church of England Hall, Civic Place, but after a short time, this hall was also demolished. Meetings were then held at Ringwood Library until the library was no longer available. Our last move was to our present meeting room at Lionswood. Today you dress as you wish and membership is $12.00. The Ringwood Branch in 1995 has 2 life members and 21 members. Alice Milner March 15, 1995 As a matter of interest, of those 160 members who joined in the first year, only one active member is left with the Branch

4 page A4 printed document. Achievements of Peter Ellis (for consideration for the Order of Australia) Peter is regarded as one of the leading collectors and presenters of traditional dance tunes, dances and musical instruments in Australia. At the 2005 National Folk Festival it was announced by Robyn Holmes that he has the largest selection of dance related material collected in the National Library Archives in Canberra. Peter has been collecting for many years and has collected with the late John Meredith (AM), Shirley Andrews (AM), Rob Willis and Dave Di Santi amongst others. Peter has literally travelled Australia collecting over the past thirty years. He has extensive field recordings from Western Australia and Tasmania in addition to his Victorian collection, for example. Most of his recording has been in North Western and Central Victoria. Peter collected a lot of his material from Harry McQueen ( Castlemaine), which led to a double CD of Harry's music. Harry had played in dance bands for over sixty years in Central Victoria. Harry had a number of tunes from Bill McGlashan who had taken Harry under his wing as a young man. Through Peter's efforts much valuable material and knowledge from almost a century ago was saved for posterity. Founder, Charter member and life member of the Bush Dance and Music Club of Bendigo. Life Member of the Victorian Folk Music Club. Recipient of the Graham Squance award (for the person who has done the most to promote folk dance and music in Victoria)) from the Folk Song and Dance Society of Victoria. Member of the famous Wedderburn Old Timers Band for over twenty-eight years (two platinum and several gold recordings in that time). Founder and leader of the Emu Creek Bush Band (twenty-nine years old in 2010) Emu Creek has made many CDs of dance music as listed. Friday Night at the Spring Gully Hop, Three double CDs called 'Quadrille Mania' which contain many rare dances and tunes which have been learnt and recorded, under Peter's guidance, so they would not be lost to posterity. A triple CD called 'Take Me Back To Bendigo' with heritage songs and music from the Gold Rush to Federation (solely organised and financed by Peter) These CDs show the multicultural heritage in Bendigo and include music and groups from the Koorie, Chinese, Cornish, German, Irish, Italian, Scots, English and Welsh communities of Bendigo and district. Upon his recovery of costs Peter has handed over copyright to the Bendigo Community so future profits go back into the community. Three double CDs called 'The Merry Country Dance' with dances and tunes going back to the time of Governor Lachlan Macquarie's Ball in 1804. Most of the tracks are performed by Emu Creek Following much practice under Peter's tutelage. For further authenticity Peter liaised with other musicians to record some tracks which were revived from almost two hundred years ago and have now been recorded using the instruments of the time. A three volume set of Bush Concert recordings (Vol 1 Goornong (launched Australia Day 2006 with any profits going to the Soldier's Memorial Hall Committee), Vol 2 Heywood and Vol 3 Maldon/Sutton Grange, already recorded and to be released as money from other projects becomes available. NOTE: None of these CDs have led to any profit. All money raised is put back into the community and further heritage recordings, books and videos through the Bush Dance and Music Club of Bendigo Inc. In 2009 a full collection of all Peter's book and CDs was donated to the John Gorton Library as part of the recognition of the fifty year career of the Gay Charmers Dance Band from Lake Charm. 'Music of the Diggings' (4 tracks by Peter or Emu Creek). In addition the Emu Creek Band, under Peter's leadership, has appeared on a CD backing Bruce Watson on his song, 'The Old Bush Dance'. Emu Creek has performed at National Folk Festivals in four states and several times at the National Folk Festival in Canberra. They have also been mainstays of the Maldon Folk Festival for over twenty years as well as doing dance programs for the Port Fairy Folk Festival on two occasions. Peter has written and published many books related to traditional music and dance. These include Three volumes of 'Collectors Choice' which is musical notation for bush dances coupled with much dance history which would have been lost without Peter's efforts. 'Two Hundred Dancing Years - How to run a Colonial Ball: (co-authored with Shirley Andrews (A.M.), 'Music Makes Me Smile - The Music of the Nariel Valley' (co-authored with Harry Gardner). The Merry Country Dance' (292 pages) a companion to the three double CDs. He has also been a contributor to Verandah Music' authors Rob Willis and Graham Seal and 'The Oxford Companion to Australia Folklore' Ed Graham Seal. Peter is also a regular contributor to 'Trad and Now' Magazine. His latest completed book is titled 'The Merry Country Dance' and is over three hundred pages of social history, recipes and dance instructions. It was completed with the assistance of a Victorian Government Heritage Grant. The first edition sold out in only a few weeks. Peter has taught many children about old time musicianship through the junior bands which have functioned over the years with many children joining Emu Creek and then going on to follow their own musical inclinations. He has trained several young concertina and button accordion players over the years. Peter has been a regular tutor with Continuing Education in tin whistle, harmonica and old time dancing for many years. Peter has conducted workshops in music dance at National Folk Festivals in Perth, Alice Springs, Maleny, Melbourne, Adelaide, Kuranda and more recently at several Canberra National folk Festivals. He has also done this at Maldon for many years, Port Fairy, Glen Innes, Jamberoo and Kiama Festivals. For over thirty years Peter has been a guest player and MC for the dances at the Nariel Folk Festival (Australia's oldest continuing Folk Festival) Peter is very well known in the Corryong area as a collector and the co-author of the book, Music Makes Me Smile, about the Klippel/Simpson dynasty in the Nariel Creek Band. This book is currently being revised for re-issue as more material has come to light since the original publication. For many years Peter trained Debutante Sets in the Bendigo District. Peter was an instigator of the annual Dinki Di Ball held each September in Eaglehawk for the past thirteen years. At this ball three bands play for a quarter of the night and then join together for the final part of the evening. The bands are Emu Creek, The Wedderburn Old Timers and the Gay Charmers. Up to four hundred dancers, many in heritage costumes have attended this dance. The ball also pays tribute to, and involves, the old MC's. Through this example their skills have been passed down to a younger generation of MC's. All profits are returned to the Dance Club to foster our musical heritage. Each Ball includes presentations designed to promote social dancing in Australia. Over the years several young musicians have been presented with musical instruments at the Ball, libraries have been given copies of Peter's books and CDs and one year a keen young dancer was presented a pair of dancing shoes. Peter is a trained ballroom dancer and has gained gold medal status in this field. Peter is an accomplished musician and is one of Australia's foremost button accordion players. He is also highly accomplished on the tin whistle, bones and harmonica. He is the only exponent of the Swanee whistle that I have seen. Peter also plays the piano and ukulele. Thirty six years membership of the Bendigo Field Naturalists Club, Secretary in the 1970s and actively involved in campaigns to save Lake Pedder and establish the Whipstick and Kamarooka State Parks (now part of the Bendigo National Park). Peter was also extremely active in the establishment of the Salomon's Gully and Jackass Flat Flora Reserves in Bendigo which have now been saved for posterity. Peter has also been involved in efforts to save One Tree Hill and this area has now been included in the Greater Bendigo National Park. He has discovered and named new plant species in the Whipstick Forest and propagates Australian plants. Peter takes regular guided tours of interested people through the Whipstick each Spring on wild flower educational tours. He is a keen and gifted photographer of local plant species. Life member of the Bendigo Field Naturalists. Peter contributed text and photographs to their publication 'Wildflowers of Bendigo'. When the Victorian State Parliament had its first historical sitting outside Melbourne Emu Creek played during lunch for the guests and public. They have also played at functions such as the Centenaries of Federation, the Bendigo Post Office, the Shamrock Hotel and the opening of the new Melbourne Museum and the Federation Museum in Bendigo. The band regularly plays for Seniors week and at homes for the aged such as Bethlehem, Mirridong, Bignold Park, Bendigo Village and others. Peter has been instrumental in getting the band to play for fundraisers such as schools, scouts and environmental groups. The band plays many charitable 'gigs'. The band supports the Bendigo Easter Fair and the Eaglehawk Fair when able and has appeared in several parades over the years. The above list shows the invaluable contribution that Peter Ellis has made towards the collecting and distributing of Australia's musical and dance heritage. No one has done more than Peter in this area. He has also been active locally and nationally in his endeavours towads saving the natural environment. He has put many years of time and energy into both area's and has many on going projects in mind for the years ahead. The awarding of an honour from Australia would be just reward for a man who has preserved so much of our musical and dance heritage for future generations. Knowing Peter I have no doubt he would treasure such an honour as he has given so much to preserve Australia's music and dance heritage over most of his sixty plus years. Compiled by John Williams. Handwritten notes at bottom of last page reads: Referees Jacinta Allan MLA Steve Gibbons MHR Willie Carney ex Mayor of Bendigo Supporting letter Mary Smith Sec. Bush Dance + Music Club.person, individual, peter ellis oam

Estimated to be taken in the early 1900s, this photograph was likely taken in the federal Hall, Loch Street, Beechworth at a ball-like event. Depicted are 89 attendees dressed in formal evening wear, positioned in tiers and in front of the stage. This photograph provides insight into the lives and activities of residents of Beechworth during the early 1900s. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matt photographic paper, mounted on card. Obverse: Frazer & Vallance PHOTOGRAPHERS Melbourne Reverse: A02487 / 1997.2952 entertainment album, beechworth, burke museum, regency house, ball, debutante ball, black and white photography

Congues and Mowlam families Images of two families who lived in Cruikshank Street from the 1930s to 1950s. .14 - St Joseph's debutants 1947 Left to right from rear (little girls not included) Shirley Payne, Pat Mowlam, ??, Mary Dawson, Carmel Mills, ??, Norma Davis, Pat Ryan, ??, Shirley Mallet, Joan Bath, ??, Lorraine Murphyfamilies, congues family, mowlam family, barbara gardiner nee hegarty, pat frisby nee mowlam, joan bath, lorraine murphy, shirley mallet, pat ryan, mary dawson, shirley payne, norma davis, religion - roman catholic church (st josephs)

(deaccessioned to CoPP June 2015)mounted sepia photograph

This is stage in the Sunbury Memorial Hall decorated for the Presidential Ball held on the 21 May 1965. The Shire president, Cr. John Joseph McMahon and his wife Margaret, along with Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe and Lady Delacombe were among the official guests.A black and white photograph of a decorated stage.debutante balls, memorial hall, dancing, fashions, presidential balls, councillors, shire of bulla, mcmahon, john .j., margaret, o'leary, jack, nolan, clem, delacombe, rohan. (sir), george evans collection

This is a photograph of the stage in the Memorial hall that had been decorated for the Presidential Ball.A coloured photograph of a decorated stage.debutante balls, presidential balls, fashions, councillors, shire of bulla, memorial hall, george evans collection

This is a photograph of the stage setting for the 1971 Presidential Ball at the Memorial Hall.A coloured photograph of a stage setting.presidential balls, debutante balls, fashions, dancing, shire of bulla, councillors, mcmahon, john, mcmahon, margaret, memorial hall, george evans collection

A photograph of a crowded dance floor at the Presidential Ball held on the 11 May 1973.A black and white photograph of people dancing.presidential balls, debutante balls, fashions, dances, shire of bulla, councillors, sorrighan, w.j, memorial hall, george evans collection

Copy from Mrs Jessie William's scrapbook of newspaper article July 1940 about Nunawading's first civic ball, including photograph.newspaper article July 1940 about Nunawading's first civic ball,debutantes, debutante ball, carruthers, elizabeth, beinke, maty, rouget, connie, o'neil, vido, harris, joan, jenner, isobel, french, olive, fankhauser, painton, shirley, audrey, moore, marion, sheldrick, norma, huston, grace, jelly, barbara, williams, jessie, armstrong, nellie