Historical information
Photographer notations on slide: "Naval tattoo Girl dancers with sailors and naval mascot 1934"
Description: A group of eleven dancers dressed in diaphanous gowns surround Cerberus mascot, Bruce of Woodside, and his sailor handler. Also visible is a large commemorative bell inscribed thus: "Bell presented HMAS Melbourne by the Chairman & Court of Directors of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company in commemoration of the invaluable services rendered by the SS "TAFF", St Lucia April 1916"
Research by project volunteer, Fiona Collyer:
The Naval Pageant, held at the Melbourne Show Ground, 31 October - 3 November 1934, was arranged as part of the Navy's contribution to the Victorian Centenary Celebrations. It was produced and acted by officers and men from the Navy Office, Flinders Naval Depot, H.M.A.S. Squadron, R.A.N.R. Depot, Williamstown, and R.A.N.R. Depot, Port Melbourne. Included were songs and marches, episodes from the life of Captain Cook, drill in honour of Nelson, Drake, Neptune's Court, and episodes from 1914. This was essentially family entertainment - advertisements in the souvenir programme are for ice creams, chocolates and engagement rings. A note about the episode in Cook's life in Tahiti reads 'The dresses worn by Tahitian dancing girls at this period were not considered suitable for the pageant, and historical accuracy has been sacrificed for attractiveness in choosing the raffia skirts of Hawaii.'
The names of the sea nymphs: Miss Maisie Cooper, Miss Lorna Dawson, Mrs W. Catanach, Mrs Wallace Smith, Misses Valerie Wallace Smith, Beth Paxton, Elizabeth Darling, Barbara and Joyce Hayden Smith, Alison Mein, Valerie Pratt, Shirley Pratt, Brenda Payne, Elaine Knox-Knight, Betty Matear, Joan Ramsay, Ann Outhwaite [daughter of artist Ida Rentoul Outhwaite], Iris Connolly, Carmen Burridge, Dora Tait.
References:
Cerberus Shipmates (2002, December 5). Royal Australian Navy News (National : 1958 - 2021), p. 16. Retrieved July 10, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article267342311
NAVAL PAGEANT (1934, June 25). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 13. Retrieved September 15, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243171504
BRUCE WILL PARADE NO MORE (1935, July 29). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved January 23, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244930224
Souvenir Programme, 'Victorian Centenary Celebrations Naval Pageant', Ramsay Publishing, Melbourne, 1934. Source: Museums Victoria https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/264023
Physical description
Glass plate negative
Inscriptions & markings
Photographer notations on slide: "Naval tattoo Girl dancers with sailors and naval mascot 1934"
