CITY OF CHURCHES AND ALL THAT JAZZ

 

A page  from a circa 1925 cocktail recipe book  compiled by Arthur Verney, barman  in the Oriental Hotel ,Adelaide , during the jazz era , listed for  sale at $950 by   Douglas  Stewart  Fine  Books , Melbourne .

There are  more  than  150 recipes  and  some occasional splashes   of  cocktail  ingredients on the pages . It is interesting to note that  most drinks  only  cost  one  shilling and  threepence and  one shilling and sixpence.

The cocktails  had  interesting  names  such  as  April Sunshine, Aviation, Bloodhound,  Blues, Caruso  and Cat's Eye.

Over the years , the hotel   had a  number of names,   changed  from the Hamburg Hotel to the Oriental in 1915 because of  war sentiment against Germany.

The bookshop wondered if  Verney spent too much time  behind the  bar  because the Adelaide News of  September 9, 1936,  ran the following notice .

Orders Nisi granted in Divorce Claims: Arthur Verney, of Gilbert Street ,Adelaide, against Beulah Lillian Kathleen Verney, of Wakefield  Street, Kent Town  ,on the ground of her misconduct with William Darcy Collett, of  Pickering  Place, Fullarton.

A BLAZE OF COLOUR / SMOKE / HEART

 One of the  many  splendid  Desert   Roses  on   Magnetic Island  . Along   with  Singapore Temple Trees, Illawarra Flame Trees ,  Poinciana , Frangipanis ,  Bougainvilleas   and  Mussaenda  out  in  full colour  it  presents  a   pleasant  scene , the blossoms  attracting  many birds and  insects .

 While  the  island  is  dry , smoke  has  been seen rising   on  the  mainland .

FOOTNOTE : Not far from the above Desert Rose  a man  sold  his late wife's clothing  to   finance   a  public  defibrillator  on  site.     

TALENTED ACTIVIST STARS IN SINGAPORE

 One of  the  Lion City's  numerous   attractions  is  the Raffles  Hotel  and its  famous  Singapore  Gin Sling  created  by  Ngiam Tong Boon in 1915.

To add to the many   places of  interest , Little Darwin  seriously suggests  a   plaque should  be  placed  in the  Changi airport  commemorating the fact that   Darwin   agronomist  , Robert Wesley-Smith , aka  Rural  Rebel  Rob ,  gave a  command  performance   there  long ago ,   which was like something out of  the memorable  movie  Casablanca in  which  Humphrey Bogart instructed  Sam  to  play  a tune  one more time   on  a  piano .    

Flying in from the Philippines  , Wesley-Smith  spent about a  day and a half waiting  for  a connecting flight  to  Darwin .

 He stuck his nose  inside  Raffles Hotel , just to  be able to say he had been there . But he  did not  down a  Singapore  Sling  or  two   because he  was   a clean-  living   teetotaler  at   the  time . 

In the   airport  lounge  a  pianist entertained  passengers. Wesley-Smith recognised a tune , and  being  a member of  a  prominent musical family ,  which  helped  Kamahl    early  in  his  career ,  started  to  sing .

The  pianist-name unknown- immediately  stopped playing  , called   Wes up  to perform  . The  name of  the  song cannot be   remembered  . There   apparently  was  no  spontaneous  applause  after  he  performed  his  Singapore  sing along.

While mixing with the crusading editor of  the  Northern Territory  News , "Big Jim " Bowditch,  and other  reporters, Wes  eventually  sampled demon grog.

Now he can be tempted with a  drop  of wine while attending the influential Friday  Club  in   Darwin's Noodle House . It is not known if he has ever serenaded  the  Friday Club  .

Just  this   week,  Little  Darwin  over indulged,  snaffled three books on the Raffles Hotel. In one, headed Secrets of  a Grand Old Lady, by Austrian  writer  Andreas   Augustin, it stated  Raffles  is the largest consumer of gin in the  world-20,160 bottles a year. 

INCOMING CLOUD

Magnetic Island. Vallis. 

MERMAID'S SECRETS REVEALED

 Intrepid Shipping  Reporter  dives into  Davy  Jones's  Locker, surfaces  with   Cosmic   Scoop .

Magnetic Island's mysterious  mutilated mermaid  is a  refugee from  Victoria , according to  our scuba diving   waterfront   roundsman. 

He says the  fibreglass   mermaid was   bought  from  a  shop  in  Geelong for  about  fifty  bucks by  a  man  who   lives   in  Victoria  ,but also  has  a Magnetic Island  pad  to  which  he retreats   during   southern  winters . 

But  why place a mermaid  on Townsville's so called   Jewel in the Crown ,  Magnetic Island ? He  explained   the  monotonous   bare rocks   at  the  entrance  to  the  island  needed   jazzing  up . 

How  the   mermaid  was  transported to the island is  worthy  of  a  television  special.

She was strapped next to   him as he set out to drive  from  Victoria to Townsville  and  then  across  in  the barge to  Magneic Island .

But there was a looming   massive hurdle - the Covid outbreak   and states closing  borders.

 Arriving at a  border in a Victorian   car  with  a fibreglass mermaid sitting next to you is bound to attract attention , raise eyebrows . Police  gaped  when  they   saw  this  bloke  with a  mermaid !!!!! sitting next  to  him .     

 Proving  he  resided on the  island, the driver  was allowed  to  drive on , with  his  exotic  passenger.. 

In all  her  glory, brandishing   a  trident,  the   mermaid was  placed  on  rocks  near the   entrance  to the safe  harbour.

Over the  months, however,  the mermaid was repeatedly  vandalised  -like the famous  Little  Mermaid in Copenhagen which was taken to with a chainsaw  on one occasion-.  The unfortunate  island  mermaid had  her  head and arms  torn off , the trident broken, a replacement one removed   ; gradually  reduced   to   just  part of  her  torso  from  the   navel  down . 

In one  terrible  episode , the above ghastly cut  out   cardboard head that  resembled    the   hydra-headed  Prime  Minister, Scott  Morrison ,  beheaded at the last election, was  placed  atop  her  decapitated  body. The sleepy mainland   media   gave  her   outrageous treatment  scant coverage , not  this  blog. 

 The Shipping Reporter   says the  man  who brought the    mermaid  to the island   is  appalled by the treatment she  has  received .

He  backs  the call  for an annual  mermaid festival   on the island, first raised in this blog by a  Darwin artist ,  and   has  even drawn up  a  plan for  surgery on  the  mermaid , named  Isla , by some islanders  who  are   outraged   by  her  mutilations.

His proposed  major body  makeover  includes  a  wig from a  Townsville  hairdresser  and  arming her  with  a  high -tech  trident  programmed to impale  anyone  attempting  to  do  her an injury  in  the future .  So mermaid maulers   beware .

Be assured that the Shipping Reporter  will  keep us informed of developments .  

EARLY XMAS PRESENT FOR DUMP DUCK

Magnetic Island . Vallis. 

 

BREAKING NEWS : ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S TERRIFYING GREAT BARRIER REEF HORROR MOVIE FOUND IN DARK SHED

Tucked away in a secret  North Queensland  tip shop , Little   Darwin  discovered  parts of the  long  lost  Hitchcock   movie  about     Coral  Sea  seashells , mutated  by  global warming and pollution,  which   love  human  flesh  and  are more dangerous than white  pointer  sharks .  

In the spine - tingling  , hair -raising  movie,  there are terrible scenes of nude, screaming people  being  torn  to  pieces  in  bathrooms across the nation  by  voracious    seashells   which   decorate   arty   souvenir   mirrors.

The blood and  gore  contained within  made  Hitchcock's  bathroom murder   scenes  in  Psycho  tame by  comparison . 

In the exclusive  photograph  at the top of  this  story , taken by famous American photographer  Sandford Roth, who was driving behind movie star  James Dean the day he was killed  in a  crash ,  Hitchcock  is shown  hiding  from the  maneating  seashells  surrounding   a  nearby  munched   bathroom   mirror.

A scribbled   note   says  the  movie  , banned by the  horrified Queensland Tourist Bureau , was   10  times worse   than the  l963  Hitchcock  horror thriller,  The  Birds,  which   featured   violent   bird   attacks  on  people .  

(Spoof, Hitchcock , Queensland)

DEATH OF PROMINENT TERRITORIAN WITH A " SKINNY DIPPING " NEIGHBOUR

 Tom Pauling AO , KC,  a former Northern Territory  Solicitor- General and  Administrator ,   who   featured  briefly   in  the long - running   Lindy  Chamberlain  case  , has  died  in  Darwin  at  the age  of  76.

This  blog mentioned Pauling in November 2012 in a post about Darwin ABC journalist and  nudist , the  late  Dick Muddimer, who  died that year  , aged  83. He   had   lived in  Philip  Street , Fannie  Bay , next  to Tessa  and  Tom  Pauling.

Dick's   house contained  souvenirs from  Indonesia  , he  said to be  a fan of that country, and  an  item which may have  been  used  to   attract  the  attention  of  diners  in  an  establishment  run  by  his  mother in  England.

Muddimer campaigned stronghly for a free beach in Darwin . His property  became  increasingly valuable and he was offered  large  amounts  of  money   by   developers   to   sell.

He rejected all offers and said he had   been  branded   anti- progressive , but he did not want to see the street . which he regarded with affection, being jammed up  with  units. ( The writer of  this post  had lived  in the same street  , before    Dick  , and  also   has  fond  memories  of  the   time  there) .   

Upon  Dick's  death  , the  Paulings  held  a  wake  for  him ,his ashes scatttered  in  the water   at  Fannie  Bay .

The  property ,  auctioned  by  the  Public Trustee , was bought by the Paulings , slightly renovated , rented out , eventully sold to the Chief Justice. 

From a dark storage shed in the rural area , decades ago , Little Darwin found the above  painting of  Muddimer in a  pose like an Aztec sun worshipper , with  his  pet dog . It was in the possession of a  woman who regarded  Dick with  affection . Truth be  told , Dick   did  not  like  the  painting. 

When  Darwin finally got its free beach , Muddimer rejoiced  and  cavorted about at the opening  ceremony... his false teeth popped  out into the sea .  Fellow nudists  gathered  around , bent down , and  groped  in  the sand  for  the   stray  fangs . Unfortunately,  nobody  took  a  group  photo.    

During his time  with the ABC  Muddimer  broke the first news to the outside world   about  Darwin  being  destroyed  by  Cyclone Tracy   in  l974. 

AUSTRALIAN ART SHOCK / LONDON

The  cover of the Spring 1982 edition of  the Art Network  magazine featured an  Ansett  airline  hostess  serving  up  a  Ford  sedan on a  tray, used  to promote  a  Sydney  art  exhibition. 

 

Served  up  inside were  some   grand   articles,  including  one  with  the  startling  Redback Graphix  illustration  , below, at the start of an extensive, disparaging  piece  about art on display in London's  Commonwealth  Institute, some of  it  Australian . 

Art critic  Stuart  Morgan  set  the  tone  early by  declaring  that  no self-respecting tourist with time to kill in London on the rainiest of  rainy  days  should  waste  time  going to the Commonwealth Institute , which  he  said  contained  an  anthology  of  insults  to  the  countries  it  represented.Most English people, he wrote, knew or cared less about  Australian  culture .After the Sydney Opera  House ,Picnic at Hanging Rock and Rolf Harris , it was an  uphill struggle . Even the culture vultures  could  not  do much better than Patrick White and Sidney Nolan . No big exhibition of Australian art had taken place in Britain since   the early l960s. However , in l982, there was some  Aussie art  on  display at the  Institute . Did  it  work , or was it another  dull display , he asked .The general   standard of  the  Commonwealth   exhibits , consisting of much  rubber  , plastic and  creaky soundtracks, were  branded  offensive.

The Australian section, wedged between  Japan and India , was emotively entitled   Eureka! 

Best of all ,it contained  Morgan's   favourite bad display , an artificial man    dubbed  Bruce , a  scratchy film from the neck up , standing akimbo  on a mound of plastic earth, surrounded by  schoolchildren , delivering a lecture  on  the future of Australia.  

Strange looking  Australians 

On close  examination , Bruce was found to have no  nose . Flies seen buzzing about him  were  actually scratches in  the  film , causing the art critic to laugh  a  lot. 

When   English schoolkids listened to Bruce  and went away to write essays  on  Captain Cook and the Great Barrier Reef, would they conclude all Australians were odd  looking  as  Bruce ? 

The  Australian  display also included   an amazing Sixty Ways to Confuse a  Trout-  seemingly a  live performance  by  Kevin  Mortensen , in waders and wearing  a  bird mask, who  climbed into a metal boat , and with the help of a tape recorder  played  fragments  of  news !!!! 

There was strong competition from other  countries -including "The Antarctic " , which displayed  an oversized , sloppily-iced  fibreglass wedding cake with holes  for  stuffed  penguins.

Kenya was  represented  by a stuffed giraffe  head  from the neck up  placed on a table .

The magazine  appears to have once belonged to the late  art historian  Margaret  Vine , mentiond in  this  blog, who once lived on Magnetic Island . 

An article about the  Sydney Biennale  since its inception supported by Transfield  in 1973  contains  underlining and margin notes  typical  of  Margaret .   

CAPRICORNIA REVISITED

The  above steam train fire box  cover was found during a memorable trip  down the track from Darwin calling  at places which had influenced  and inspired  the prize-winning author  and short story writer Xavier Herbert . 

By Peter Simon 

Xavier , a pharmacist,  had   worked as a  railway  fettler   at  Adelaide River  ,where  he  came  in contact with Tom Flynn,  Tom    the  Ganger   in Capricornia, Herbert's l938 Sesqui-Centenary Award  winning novel , based on the   Northern Territory .   Flynn's wife,  Nellie, who died at the age of 101, also  figured  in  the  novel.

As  Xavier  walked  about  Adelaide River recalling  his  time   there  in the l920s , the  cover was   found  on  the  ground, which delighted him ,causing colourful  comment .  A  nearby old railway siding  impressed   Xavier,   who  said  he  had  in mind  writing about an   Aboriginal  Ned  Kelly, hiding   in  a  place like that, making  occasional  raids on the surrounding country .

We  visited  the  old Zapapan  mine   about  which  Xavier  wrote . Thoughout our trip  he  supplied me  with  fabulous background  information ,  numerous  anecdotes .

During  his  time in the Territory he  ran  Darwin's  Kahlin Compound , worked at  the  hospital ,  was a wharfie , closely associated  with  the  Chinese  and   Japanese   communities. He also gathered ideas for his  extensive   writing   while  working  as  a  dispenser in  the Solomons .

The illegitimate son of a  railway  man , railways  and  railway men often featured in Herbert's literary  output. It  was  said  that when he  wanted to get rid of a character in a story , he  had  them run down by a  train . He  lived  near  the  Redlynch  railway  station , Cairns , with  his  wife , Sadie .   

MYSTERY MEDICAL EVACUATIONS

Two in one day from Magnetic Island , no media mention.   

 

FLOGGED AND PLONKED DOWN IN A DISTANT PENAL COLONY

 

From Little Darwin's  large  Dead Marine  Collection  comes  this   bottle  which contained  a  fine drop  of  2013 shiraz  by  Bailey's  of  Glen Rowan ,  a  Victorian  outpost with  a  fine  bushranger  history.

The brew   highlights the fact that  beginning in 1788   there  were  19 crimes which  could see  you  transported   from   Britain  to Victoria  , instead of being  sentenced  to  death . Our  Shipping Reporter noted that  a  number of  the  "lawless " died   during  the   voyage  to  Orstralia . 

EMPIRES COME AND GO , WARS MULTIPLY

In 1916  an  Australian schoolgirl  who  was  a  pupil at  Walloway  Public School  , South Australia ,  received  the  above  certificate  on  Empire  Day  for  having  helped  send  " comfort  and  happiness " to  the  brave  fighting   soldiers  and  sailors   in  the  Great  War .

TWIGGY FORREST MISSES GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AKUBRA BUY OF THE CENTURY

 The day after it was announced   WA  billionaire  Twiggy Forrest  and his wife had bought the famous  Australian  Akubra   hat  making business  , Little  Darwin  snapped up  a  bizarre   Akubra  relic  which  surely  deserves  to  be  in  a  chapeaux   museum , or swapped  for at  least   half  share  in  a  major  iron ore  deposit .  

It  is  in the form   of a   framed, under glass ,  dead  imitation   Akubra  hat , inserted  in  a  decorated  tombstone , somehow linked  to  a   mining disaster , possibly the  Mount Mulligan  coal mine explosion of l921 which killed  75   miners , and  even  the  American  Civil  War . 

The  rare  object  was   found in  the Magnetic Island  tip shop, often frequented  by   Little Darwin  inmates , including  our  Shipping Reporter.

In small , faded  writing on the back  was   Murray Hill, 38 Chisholm Trail, Oak Valley, Queensland ,  a telephone number , and  $75, plus another  mention of the  Mining  Disaster . 

Australia's biggest  shooting  competition , the 24th Chisholm Trail  , which included  the  Duel Downunder, was  held  between September 25 to October  1, at Millmerran ,Queensland, organised  by  the  Sporting Shooters Associaion  of  Australia .

The Chisholm Trail derives its name from the one used in the  post- Civil War era  to drive cattle overland from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads. 

1915 TEAPOT , PORT ADELAIDE

Little  Darwin Tea  Lady  Collection.

ISLAND NATURE NOTES

Lorikeets  busy feasting on   palms , above , on Magnetic Island , while Agile Wallabies  have been   reported as   digging up  and nibbling   the   roots of  banana  trees  .  Scrub Turkeys  also  digging  around  .

A  wildlife  carer   says  a  considerable number of possums   have died. 

Koalas  have  been  spotted   on   many  properties   leading to  speculation  that  they  are   thriving  . Several Curlew chicks  have  been taken by  midnight  predators .

 A  close  watch  is  being  kept  on   some  vulnerable    Plover chicks.

      

    

 

GRAND ROAD RUNNER

 1938 DeSoto , Magnetic  Island  . Vallis .

THE LAND DOWN UNDER ; AN IRISH VIEW

 

SPECIAL NAVY SHIP IN PORT

 The  Royal Australian Navy's Pacific  support  vessel ,  Reliant ,  capable of carrying out humanitarian tasks ,  docked  in Townsville . Built in Norway , based in Brisbane , It has a helicopter pad and can produce thousands of  litres of  freshwater  a  day .  

BREAKWATER ENTRANCE DREDGING

Townsville , Magnetic Island in background. Cruise  ships  coming .

 

MERMAID , STINGRAY WATCH

Magnetic Island's mysterious mutilated mermaid   has just about   been reduced to the bare   essentials - from the navel  down . However, our Shipping Reporter  is working on   what  he says will be  an exclusive   ripper of a yarn  about  the  poor  , mistreated   sea  creature .  

Meanwhile , stingrays  are  currently  active  in   Magnetic  Island  waters  . Several  have  been   sighted  in  the   shallows   at   Nelly Bay  .   It was intended to  include a  photograph  of  the   rays sent to us by a  beach  stroller  from Darwin   , but  the computer  went   on  strike .  While on the subject of  stingrays, Steve  Irwin , a  stingray  victim , has just been  mentioned  online .

UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPHS 1860- 1920S

 

Included in the  60  portrait  photographs being offered by  Douglas Stewart Fine Books, Melbourne,   spanning  seven decades of Australian history ,  is the   above  rare   l882 carte  de visite  of a woman dressed  as   a blind  fortune teller  in the  studio  of  Richard Yeoman , a photographer and miniature portrait painter, at 139 Clarendon Street,  Emerald  Hills, South  Melbourne , 

The bookshop  describes  the reserved offering as one of the more remarkable  colonial  studio  portraits  it has had the privilege of handling. The sitter is  either  in  fancy dress (for a ball, perhaps), a theatrical costume.

It is from an Australian carte de visite album that belonged to Claude Thomas Harper (1858-1954). Harper was an accountant who commenced his career in Melbourne before becoming branch manager of the London Chartered Bank in Ipswich, Queensland and later in Wilcannia, New South Wales.

His album contained cartes collected in Melbourne in the 1860s by his parents, Henry Harper and Eliza Downes Harper (Prout), as well as other family portraits of  later dates up to 1900.

There is a  great  1878 shot of  the American  acrobat  Hadj Hamo, known as   "The Arab Wonder ,"  and his protege, Cassim the contortionist , "The   Boneless   Wonder."

A  circa  1920  photo  is  of   Larrakia  children posing  on  a dead  tree  in Port  Darwin.   

GHOST FLEET ACTION

 Arrivals  and  departures  Townsville  

Winner  , registered  in  Madeira ,  entering  port, late for Melbourne Cup. A Tulip  also  floated  in  and  the  oil tanker  Torm  Venture .

Shipping  Reporter  pix.

DO NOT SWALLOW

Magnetic  Island  . Vallis 

 

A TALE OF TWO CHARLIE BROWNS

 From the depths of  another   box in the    Little Darwin   whopper    cull    surfaced  STAIRWAY   TO  HEAVEN   ,  an unused   Charlie Brown   Barbie pink covered   notebook , bumped  about  the  edges .   It is not clear if this  was the Charlie out of  the  popular  comic strip, Peanuts.   Where  it  came from , only  the   top  man  in  Heaven   would  know.    Perhaps  a  garage  sale ? 

Then  it  was remembered  that  an interesting   pile  of  another    Charlie   Brown personal  papers    had  recently  been  sighted   when  this  writer  called  into  the  Special  Collections   reading room at the Eddie  Koiki Mabo  Library, James  Cook University ,Townsville . 

A miner, Brown  had   toiled  underground  at  Mount Isa ,Queensland,  in the  l920s and  30s . His lungs having been "leaded" , he  returned  to  his parental  home   at  58  Sailors  Bay  Road,  Northbridge , Sydney, married  .

When  well ernough, he got contracts  to  do  tunnelling  under many towns   in the Blue Mountains  and  in  other districts  for  sewerage  systems,  men  paid   as  little  as  nine pence  a  day  in  the  Depression . 

The installation of   Charlie Cecil  Brown  in a masonic lodge at Blackheath, in  the  Blue  Mountains . 

A LAND OF MILK , JAM AND BUNNY

                                                 

A selection of food labels from the Ephemera Collection , Alexander Turnbull Library ,National  Library  of  New  Zealand .

Sara  snaps.

A YANKEE IN AUSTRALIA'S DODGE CITY

 A Mark Twain imitation  tribute to  American  journalist,  environmentalist  , activist  and  author   Barbara  James  . 

Barbara   using  reflected  Sun's  rays  to   cook.

 Born in Nebraska  in  l943,  Barbara (nee ) Johnson,  graduated with a  degree in Arts, majoring in  English and  Education , a minor in Journalism  and  History.  Never in her  wildest  dreams  could  she  have  imagined  waking  up   in  a  far away    place   like  Darwin.

 However, she   came  to  Australia  in  1965  and lobbed in  Darwin   during  a   tour  the   next  year . Fate and car  trouble   led  to   her   marrying  Darwin   lawyer  Geoffrey  James  who  came  to   her  assistance . 

Prolific Writer

Over the   years ,  she  worked as a reporter  on the  Murdoch Northern Territory News with  the crusading editor " Big Jim" Bowditch , was a special writer  on the independent  Darwin Star  , did extensive  research  for  the  NT Dictionary of  Biography  , contributed to the Australian Women's  Diary and 200 Australian Women a Redress anthology , was  associated  with  an  early  solar village, campaigned  against  demolition  of  the  old   Hotel  Darwin.

For a time she  worked  at the ABC , represented  the National  Trust and was  also  involved  with   the  CSIRO.    

She also kept an eye on American politics and  was deeply involved in Territory politics - press secretary  and adviser to the ALP  Leader of the Opposition ,Bob Collins,   later  a Territory Senator . She  also spent  time   as  an adviser  to  the  Northern Territory  Chief  Minister, Clare  Martin .

The writer of  this  post  had  frequent contact with   her  over  the years and was   given  a  bulky   file  containing many of the  NT  oral history  features  she wrote for The Star, one  headed DARWIN WAS' DODGE CITY' , about  wild   demonstrations  during  the  Depression . 

Camel  Accident  

In l981  she was thrown from a camel in Alice Springs and was bedridden for almost  a  year .

A book she wrote, No Man's Land : Women in the Northern Territory, was made  into a  play.

This blog's files include emails from  Barbara   James seeking help from us in  her  research  in  several  projects  ,one involving   two women who  may  have  been  involved  in  production of  an  embroidered  Federation  cloth  in the Darwin Museum .

In turn,  she  carried  out  inteviews for  us   which  provided information about the   time    author  Xavier  Herbert , who wrote  the   novels  Capricornia and Poor Fellow My Country, was in the Top End. 

In an  email  dated  November 30 , 2000, Barbara wrote that "my world's  turned topsy turvey " as she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. In the short term, she was  hopeful  of  doing  research in  Adelaide  archives.

Barbara  underwent  chemo ; elated over a   Clare Martin election victory , she  threw  her  wig  into  the  air .  She  died  March 31,  2003 , aged  59.

Her valuable support  and outstanding contribution to the status of NT  women  was  highlighted  in public  death notices.  Barbara James House ,accommodation for cancer sufferers , near  the  Royal  Darwin  Hospital , was  named   after  her.    

.               

WATERFRONT WORKHORSE

Shipping  Reporter. 

 

INSIDE THE TIN BANK

 

Flashback to  the hot  metal  days  in  the hot and  leaky in the Wet     early   former  bank  building  in which the  Northern Territory News , Smith  Street , Darwin, was  produced, Jim  Bowditch  one  of  its  editors. 

Seated at the linotype machine on the right  is  the late Arthur Wright  , who came  to the Territory in 1920  and  had   vast   knowledge   about   Darwin's  lively   union  past  and  its  many  colourful  characters.

Others visible in the factory  and at the stone  could  include  Brian McKnight, Bobby Wills, Kevin Kelly , David  McDonald .   

There was a  time  when  Darwin  had  two banks -one  made from solid stone,  the  other  a  prefabricated  corrugated iron  structure , thus  called  the Tin Bank.   The above framed  photograph of the building is from the  Vern O'Brien  Collection in the Northern Territory  Genealogical  Society .