Article from 'Women of Williamstown' re Ada Colton, wardrobe mistress and dress maker written by niece Norma Jamieson. Ada's father worked as a diver at Williamstown, her mother was a mid-wife. In the 1890's moved to Vermont, bought an orchard and the children attended Vermont Primary School at the beginning of the century. Some of Ada's costumes are held by the Performing Arts Museum. She died 1965 and is buried at Williamstown Cemetery. Also letter to Norma Jamieson from Performing Arts Museum. Photocopy of photo of James Colton 1900 - 1910. Copy of photo of family - Georgina with James and Ada.Article from 'Women of Williamstown' re Ada Colton, wardrobe mistress and dress maker written by niece Norma Jamieson. colton, ada, alma terrace newport, no 74, jamieson, norma, lucas, georgina elizabeth, bijou theatre, melbourne, princess theatre, melbourne, theatre royal, melbourne, performing arts museum, melbourne, colton, james

Princess Theatre, Bendigo. Bendigo Orchestral Society & YMCA Choir. Maritana, Souvenir Programme 6d. Mon. Tues. Wed. August 7, 8, 9. Opera Produced by Mr E A Parker. Musical Director, Mr Oscar Flight. Deputy Director, Mr Alfred Sayer. Leader of Orchestra Mrs McKinnon. Chorus trained by Mr Wilfred Taylor. Chairman of Committee, Mr W Spencer Lake. Business Manager, Mr C J Greenhill. Pictures of artists: Miss Paulyne Bindley, Mr E A Parker, Miss Gwen De Ravin, Mr Wilfred Taylor, Miss Alva Stewart, Mr H H Turner, Mr Oscar Flight. Group photo of Ballet dancers. Argument - Maritana, a handsome Gitana, whilst singing to a crowd of people in a square in Madrid, attracts the admiration of the King. Don Jose, and unscrupulous courtier, observing this, determines to satisfy the . . . Characters: Paulyne Bindley, Gwenneth De Ravin, E A Parker, Wilfred Taylor, Lyell Shepherd, J W Smith, H H Turner, Lindsay Wright. Court Ballet: Miss Mercia Wright. Solo Dancer: Miss Fay Drummond. Chorus of Soldiers, Gypsies, and Populace. Deputy Principals: Alva Stewart, Frieda Bertuch, H J Allen. Costumes: Madame Tettrazini, Miss Ada Colton, Mrs E A Parker. Orchestra. Violins: Mrs C Adams, Miss J Anderson, Mr R Bright, Mr O Flight (jnr), Mrs S A Grant Mrs H Hillman, Miss J Houston, Mr G Krost, Mrs S McKinnon, Miss A McKinnon, Miss A McNair, A Sayer, Mrs L Shepherd, A Swift, H Timms. Viola: Mr P Coope. 'Cellos: Miss R Giudice, Mr W S Lake. Bass: Mr J Ditchburn. Flute: Mr A E Sayer. Clarinets: Mr B Smith, Mr P Waterman. Harpiste: Miss Whitelock. Cornets: Mr W Norman, Mr P Smith Mr A Swift, Mr F Taylor. Horns: Mr W Green, Mr N McPherson. Trombones: Mr Les Bishop, Mr E J Meagher. Drums: Me J McLaughlin. Piano: Miss I Benson, Miss E Flight. Chorus. Sopranos: Miss D Broome, S Brown, Mrs R Burland, Miss Betty Cant, E Colclough, E Collins, Bessie Davis, P Dunn, G Farmont, M Heyes, D Hoking, B Harpin, M Kitto, D Kirkwood, E Parker, L Simpson, Ida Stephenson, M Stephenson, L Smalley, Mrs W Taylor, V Thorpe, Miss Myrtle Taylor, Annie Thomas, Mrs C Walk, Miss R Wallent. Contraltos: Miss F Bertuch, Mrs D Campbell, Miss I De Ravin, M Davis, P Elliot, Mrs J Greenhill, Mess N Irving, I James, J Seers, J Shepherd, G Stephens. Tenors: J Cotton, G English, D Finery, Alec Jones, E Jeffery, D Parker, J Sims. Basses: D Doran, J Finerty, J H Hardie, A B Kirkwood, W L Macauley, S C Powell, R Prigg, W Reed, Les Spencely, Cyril Taylor, Ken Taylor. Mr Ron Hovenden, Scenic Artist. Ballet: Misses Clarice Harry, Rita Lansell, Thelma McKenzie, Mena Bailey, Dorothy Roberts, Fay Drummond, Kath Dungey, Jean Wright. Dance Mistress Miss Mercia Wright. Photo of dance group on rear cover. Printed down right side: Mr W. Reed - With Compliments from ''Maritana'' Committee. Sep 5/33. Signed: W Spencer Lake. Very decorative cover. B/ Envelope addressed to Mr W Reed, Lily St, Bendigo. 2 pieces of white tape on left side one top and one at bottom, stamp gone post mark Bendigo.Reed & Co., Printers, Bendigotheatre, opera, bendigo orchestral society:ymca cho, princess theatre. bendigo orchestral society & ymca choir. maritana. august 7, 8, 9. opera by mr e a parker. musical director, mr oscar flight. deputy director, mr alfred sayer. leader of orchestra mrs mckinnon. chorus trained: mr wilfred taylor. chairman of committee, mr w spencer lake. business manager, mr c j greenhill. photos of: miss paulyne bindley, mr e a parker, miss gwen de ravin, mr wilfred taylor, miss alva stewart, mr h h turner, mr oscar flight. group photo of ballet dancers. argument - maritana, a handsome gitana, whilst singing to a crowd of people in a square in madrid, attracts. . . characters: paulyne bindley, gwenneth de ravin, e a parker, wilfred taylor, lyell shepherd, j w smith, h h turner, lindsay wright. court ballet: miss mercia wright. solo dancer: miss fay drummond. chorus of soldiers, gypsies, and populace. deputy principals: alva stewart, frieda bertuch, h j allen. costumes: madame tettrazini, miss ada colton, mrs e a parker. orchestra. violins: mrs c adams, miss j anderson, mr r bright, mr o flight (jnr), mrs s a grant mrs h hillman, miss j houston, mr g krost, mrs s mckinnon, miss a mckinnon, miss a mcnair, a sayer, mrs l shepherd, a swift, h timms. viola: mr p coope. 'cellos: miss r giudice, mr w s lake. bass: mr j ditchburn. flute: mr a e sayer. clarinets: mr b smith, mr p waterman. harpiste: miss whitelock. cornets: mr w norman, mr p smith mr a swift, mr f taylor. horns: mr w green, mr n mcpherson. trombones: mr les bishop, mr e j meagher. drums: me j mclaughlin. piano: miss i benson, miss e flight. chorus. sopranos: miss d broome, s brown, mrs r burland, miss betty cant, e colclough, e collins, bessie davis, p dunn, g farmont, m heyes, d hoking, b harpin, m kitto, d kirkwood, e parker, l simpson, ida stephenson, m stephenson, l smalley, mrs w taylor, v thorpe, miss myrtle taylor, annie thomas, mrs c walk, miss r wallent. contraltos: miss f bertuch, mrs d campbell, miss i de ravin, m davis, p elliot, mrs j greenhill, mess n irving, i james, j seers, j shepherd, g stephens. tenors: j cotton, g english, d finery, alec jones, e jeffery, d parker, j sims. basses: d doran, j finerty, j h hardie, a b kirkwood, w l macauley, s c powell, r prigg, w reed, les spencely, cyril taylor, ken taylor. mr ron hovenden, scenic artist. ballet: misses clarice harry, rita lansell, thelma mckenzie, mena bailey, dorothy roberts, fay drummond, kath dungey, jean wright. dance mistress miss mercia wright. photo of dance group.

"Miss Hook of Holland" is a musical comedy (described as a "Dutch Musical Incident") in two acts, with music and lyrics by Paul Rubens and book by Austen Hurgon and Rubens. It opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London, on 31 January 1907, and had a successful run of 462 performances. A synopsis of the plot can be found at https://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_m/miss_hook_holland.htm This was one of a number of productions of the Surrey Hills Amateur Operatic Society during the 1930s. The society formed in 1931 and its first production was "The Cingalee", followed in 1932 by "The Arcadians". Other productions were "Princess Ju-Ju", "The Quaker Girl", "The Hook of Holland" and "The Country Girl". Apart its cultural and social importance, the aim of the Society was to raise funds for charity. Mrs Constance Clucas was a driving force behind the productions. A comprehensive account of the society's activities is found in 'A history of Surrey Hills' Sporting clubs and Cultural Groups" by Ken James. This and other programs of the Surrey Hills Amateur Operatic Society provide insight into the cultural life of Surrey Hills in the 1930s.Cream-coloured stapled program printed in brown of a musical comedy in 2 acts. Includes a cast list and committee of the Surrey Hills Amateur Operatic Society, a synopsis of the play, a list of the musical items, photos of Mrs P D Clucas and Mr Norman Lee and a number of ads for local and city businesses."J Hall" signed on back in ink or biro; Norman Lee has signed his photo in ink.camberwell town hall, operetta, miss hook of holland, tanner and monckton, surrey hills amateur operatic society, j c williamson ltd, surrey hills baby health centre, alfred hospital, orthopaedic hospital, surrey hills orchestra, anne's pantry, surrey hall, entertainment, fundraising, musical events and activities, miss cook, mr j colquhoun, h e witchell, a h chenu, norman lee, jean gordon, wilfred darby, jeanette mcdowell, ronald isherwood, howard p denny, miss phyllis heitsch, una v blaikie, howard burnett, jack chapman, winifred broderick, gladys marshall, scyla cocking, harold g brett, harry cocking, aubrey pearce, william morrison, muriel middleton, barbara brigdon, jessie collins, ethel cerini, isabel callaghan, florrie doreian, violet ebbels, jessie fethers, margot gordon, jean robinson, gordon lavender, marjory gordon, grace linford, mollie middleton, eileen middleton, muriel marshall, gladys oliver, mary scragg, beryl scragg, nina sinclair, jean wearne, gladys roberts, rose pearse, jean douglass, jessie powys, mabel thomas, violet abery, roy brian, herbert darby, wilfred harley, robert rowse, jack walker, fred williams, george duncan, mrs g d clucas, mrs p d blaikie, miss w h duncan, mrs g d grover, mrs b collins, miss m harley, mr r cocking, mr h colton, ada walton, mrs c colquoun