TWIN CINEMA: 4 Devils and a Woman in Red
Lily Hibberd 2014
Artist Lily Hibberd’s TWIN CINEMA: 4 Devils and a Woman in Red is an art and community theatre project centred on cinema memories in Yarram. It was produced in 2014, for THE CINEMAS PROJECT curated by Bridget Crone and commissioned by the National Exhibitions Touring Scheme (NETS) Victoria. During a year-long residency, Lily Hibberd collected the Regent’s memories, from local stories, historical photos and documents. As Bridget Crone noted in THE CINEMAS PROJECT publication, the “woman in red”; of the title is Margaret or “Ma” Thompson who built the Regent, while the “4 Devils” refers to F. W. Murnau’s 4 Devils, the first film screened at The Regent’s opening night in 1930. This webpage section gathers the key works created from this project. It is dedicated to Bridget Crone (1973-2023), fondly remembered.
4 DEVILS: Hell, and High Water
a six-act play by Lily Hibberd, directed by Darren McCubbin, performed at the Regent Theatre by an all-star Yarram cast on 24 April 2014.
4 DEVILS: Hell, and High Water revives the forgotten tale of Margaret or “Ma” Thompson, the once-notorious founder of the Regent Theatre, Yarram’s famous cinema. In a one-night live show performed in 2014 by Yarram residents, some of the key characters behind the picture theatre came back from the past to revive the lost film and the ghosts of the Regent Theatre.
Written by Lily Hibberd for the community of Yarram, this play chronicles Ma Thompson. Ma’s story is restaged through another tale retold, that of the “4 Devils”, the first movie to be screened on the opening night of the Regent Theatre on 18 June 1930. The “4 Devils” has its own story, as this 1929 F. W. Murnau film is famous today because it all prints were lost in a fire.
The complete script for the 4 DEVILS was included in THE CINEMAS PROJECT book, edited by Bridget Crone and published by NETS Victoria in 2015. Please download here
The story of Ma Thompson’s portrait
Margaret Adelia Thompson, known as “Ma”, was a female pioneer, and infamous Regent Theatre founder, who built and ran two picture theatres and two hotels in Yarram. Yet, in the early stages of her research, Lily Hibberd discovered that no-one was certain what Ma looked like. There were rumours of a portrait. Lily made it her mission to track this down through distant nephews named the Twomey’s living in Western Australia. Thanks to the Twomey’s, a reproduction of the photograph was installed in the foyer of The Regent. Pictured here are Lance and Margaret Twomey unveiling the portrait at the opening night of the 4 DEVILS play in April 2014.
4 Devils – Hell and High Water
A 12-minute silent video made in 2014 in collaboration with Yarram community members, with performances by Margery Missen and Holly Johnson. Shot and produced in Yarram, this film perpetuates the myths and tales of its cinema, and of fire and flood in the small town. It centres on the story of “Ma” Thompson, the woman who built The Regent.
Credits
Curated by Bridget Crone from April to August 2014, “The Cinemas Project: Exploring the
Spectral Spaces of Cinema in Regional Victoria”, was commissioned by NETS Victoria and
supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Contributors and thanks
Lily Hibberd acknowledges the generous support and collaboration of Bridget Crone and Sam Nightingale, alongside Susan McMillan and Bruce Miller of The Regent and the many wonderful contributors and performers of Yarram who made the project possible, as follows.
4 DEVILS: Hell and High Water director Darren McCubbin and the cast and crew.
Yarram historical sources: Margery Missen, Elsie Cunningham, Jack Collins, Laurie Wood, William James Pearson, Geoff and Joan McDonald, Norma Coomba, Peter Boadle, John O’Callaghan, Spencer Sandilands, Peter and Judy Ricketts, Ray and Nancy Foat, Cheryl Howie and Ann Richards. Kate Remfry, Jim Key, Cheryl Howie and Elizabeth Wynn from the Yarram Historical Society, and Gwen O’Callaghan and Esme Rash from the Yarram Geneological Society.
Film production: Ma Thompson played by Margery Missen; The Devil played by Holly Jonson; Assistant director Wyatt Kilgower.
The Strand and Regent Theatre histories, compiled by Lily Hibberd for THE CINEMAS PROJECT Memory Day 24 January 2014
The Strand History The Strand was built by Margaret Adelia and Arthur James Thompson, at an estimated cost of £2500. Opened 18 September 1914, in the second month of the First World War.
A very solid form of rectangular proportions, located right on the corner of James and Commercial Streets.
From Yarram News, “Obituary, The Strand in affectionate memory”, 1963.
“Built largely of local bricks, brought by horse and dray from the brickyards of Mr William Wigg, a few hundred yards on the Yarram side of railway s-bend. They cost £2 /13/- for a thousand…” In 1963, the “wreckers found that some bricks used at the rear were Hoffman bricks from Melbourne.” Mr Wigg (jnr) claimed that they were also busy making bricks for the Catholic Church – another 50,000.1
The hall was known for years as Thompson’s Hall and was primarily built as a picture theatre. Its interior wall, originally whitewashed, were later decorated with murals by the late Mr. Joseph Brosche. Although not a commercial painter, Mr Brosche had wide renown for this kind of work and there was great demand for his services… He never used a copy and his landscape pictures were all painted from memory.
Whether he painted the wisteria and flamingos on the proscenium walls is open to doubt. Some sources of information say that he did, but his son, Mr. Ted Brosche, of Port Albert, does not think so. The murals were done in 1928 or ’29 but the stage decorations are believed to have been there for years before that time.
Strand Pictures
(from Yarram News, “Obituary, The Strand in affectionate memory”)
“Locally known as Thompson’s Hall, the first pictures –silents, of course– were shown by Mr. George Holland, a travelling operator, and later by a Sale man whose name escapes our informant.
Around 1919 Mr. Ernie Cochrane leased the hall and ran pictures for several years during which time he had his own orchestra-himself at the piano (and older residents will tell you what a wonderful musician he was, making up all the music to fit the theme and mood of the film as it unrolled), a Mr. Quinn with the cornet, and Bill Pensom, a clerk at the post office on the fiddle.”
The enterprise was called Strand Pictures, although some (wrongly) claim the name was adopted at the Regent’s opening.
“Operator of around that time was Ross Etherington, known to everyone as “Quickness” Etherington (for the reverse reason!).
Mr. Harold Raisbeck, a relative by marriage of Mr. Cochrane, after a falling-out with Mrs Thompson [one can only imagine!], set up an opposition picture show in the Mechanics, the late Paddy McGauran, taking over the Strand Pictures meanwhile.
Some recall that a pianola was used for incidental music for some time, the player forgetting to pedal as the film became too tense, suddenly remembering where she was and renewing pedalling like mad!”
For a time the Strand Hall operated under the name of “Globe Pictures, run by Dennis McGauran and his mother.”2
“From these Beginning: History of the Shire of Alberton”, John Adams, 1990, Alberton Shire Council.
“Travelling pictures continued to use Thompson’s Hall at Yarram after world war I. In June 1921 F. Dennis McGauran and his mother took over the lease of the hall to run the ‘Globe Pictures’. The opening was celebrated in great style with the films “Blind Youth” and “Flapper”. In the 1922 the McGaurans sold out to the rival ‘Strand’ Pictures run by E. Cochrane who married Mrs. Ethel O’Connor of the Commercial Hotel. The Mechanics Hall still provided an alternative when in 1923 Paramount Pictures held shows there. In September of that year George Davis and J. Head purchased the rights to the Strand Pictures. Arthus Davis was the first to have a radio in Yarram – people would gather to hear some of the first broadcasts from it. 1927 George Davis was travelling around with movies to show in local halls and he also leased the Mechanics Hall in 1928 and moved the old ‘Strand’ plant there.
Arthur Thompson took over the Strand Hall at the time and provided new equipment and a kitchen and supper room for the use of dance parties. His first show was “For the Term of his Natural Life”. In May “Ben Hur” was featured. By July there were mid-week movies as well as the two shows on Saturday.
George Davis moved back to the hall in August and installed a ‘Centurion’, electrically run and highly improved machine for producing vocal and instrumental music”. During the next few years Yarram people enjoyed “On Our Selection”, De Mille’s “King of Kings”, and in late 1929 the “Jazz Singer”, the silent version. The first ‘talkie’ was “Flight”, shown on 3031 March 1930, and a full house was experienced each night. (GS, 9 March 1928).”
Later years
Around 1928 Mr. George Davis purchased the freehold and with his son, Mr. Arthur Davis, showed the first talking picture in Yarram, said to be “The Singing Fool”. At one stage the late A. E. Head was a partner with Mr. Davis.3
“In 1930 Mrs Thompson built the Regent Theatre and soon the Strand was forced to close its doors as a picture house.” 4 However, Yarram Standard archives reveal that Strand Pictures continued to operate for at least another two years after the Regent’s opening, to late 1932, when local advertisements seem to cease.
“It was not until nine or ten years later, that Mrs. Thompson bought back the Strand and it was in the intervening years that it was used for the functions which most of us remember it for – the balls, concerts, dinners, displays.
The craze for roller skating was at its peak and it was this which was blamed for the ruination of the floor, a condition which further weakened (’tis said) by the basketball played there, and which ultimately led to the decision last year to sell the hall rather than spend some thousands on replacing the floor, among other repairs.”
Memorable Shows
“For some years Mrs. Herb Price, then Miss Lyla Head, taught dancing at the Strand and had displays and pantomimes there, and it was then, around 1938, that her father, the late Mr. Bert Head, made the wonderful scenery –the Dutch mill, for one– and the snow-making machine.”5
The Last Days
In its last 20 years of life, some of the Strand’s carnivals, live shows and balls “just about brought the house down. Not, in point of fact, that the Strand could be “brought down”.
It was anything but a “push-over”, as its wreckers found. The walls, it came to dismantling, were as solid as the days they were built. Wreckers found that some bricks used at the rear were Hoffman bricks from Melbourne! Mr Wigg (jnr) says that they were also busy making bricks for the Catholic Church – another 50,000.
After MA’s death in 1953, the two theatres passed over to the Twomey brothers in Perth, who had no interest in keeping them.
The decision of the Public Hall Association (who bought it and the Regent in a “parcel” for £35,000 in 1956) to sell because too much would have to be spent on it to make it a viable prospect.”
After almost a decade of wrangling and attempts at salvation, the Strand was finally sold to BP in 1963. In the last week of January 1963, the sound of falling masonry signalled the death-knell of the landmark, in its 49th year of distinguished service. “There are many who regret its passing, as much for the sentimental memories it evokes as for the gap it leaves as a venue for social activities, yet to be refilled adequately… There’s hardly one of us living here now who can’t remember some occasion in the old place when we had the time of our lives!”6
The Regent Theatre beginnings
Built by Margaret Thompson, opening June 1930.
“In 1927 a syndicate purchased property next to the Commercial Hotel, and Thompson went ahead two years later to plan a modern cinema and three shops. His wife laid the first brick on the foundations in November, and the opening of what was to be called the Regent Theatre, took place with the film “Exploits of Emden” on 21 June 1930. A.L. Kerr took over the lease of the cinema. In August the Vitaphone Talkies System was installed as a permanent feature. Davis now really had competition.”
“She was said to have had an affection for a young builder of the town, so to keep him occupied, she had him build the Regent Theatre…” Email found online from Linda Barraclough, a grand-niece: MA was her mother’s Aunt.
Opening night, 18 September 1930: “4 Devils” was screened, a part-talkie, part silent movie. This movie was lost in the 1940s (see the panels on “4 Devils”).
Cinema Record Issue 77
Originally, the Regent screened on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and the venue was used for dances and other entertainments on the other nights. The screening frequency declined with the introduction of television (from 1956). Screenings were reduced until they were suspended in 1984.
“Mrs. Margaret Adelaide Thompson was the “front person” and was one of Yarram’s colourful characters at the time; she possessed considerable entrepreneurial skills.”
“Better known as Ma Thompson she built the Dukes Hotel (once later known as the Department of Conservation and Environment office), on the site of a wine shanty.”
A.L. Kerr went on to secure Raycophone Talkie equipment for the Strand Theatre and showed his first “talkie” in may 1931 as “All Quiet on the Western Front”. The Regent also took up Raycophone. Arthur Davis took over the Strand in February 1932 [LH notes that all local advertisements cease mid-1932 for the Strand]. R.A. Glover of Sale had a mobile picture theatre unit at this time travelling round showing films in local halls [Elsie says that the travelling pictures came from the other direction…] – he lost the lot in a fire in November 1932. (Y.N. 30 Jan 1963).
“From these Beginnings: History of the Shire of Alberton”, John Adams, 1990, Alberton Shire Council, pp. 233-234 “During 1971 various major works were completed including the extension of the stage into the auditorium, removal of the incline on the stage, installation of new, gold coloured stage curtains”.
Hell and High Water Gippsland Times (Vic.: 1861 – 1954), Thursday 6 November 1930, page 7
Theatre Sensation at Yarram! Fire in Bio Room!
Performance discontinued…
“1000 feet of film were destroyed when a fire broke out in the bio room of the new Regent Theatre at Yarram on Saturday evening. The performance was unable to be continued. No panic occurred when the fire was announced shortly after the beginning of the performance. The fire demonstrated the complete proof against fire of the bio-room which is constructed against fire on modern lines.
At about 8.15 p.m. residents were disturbed by the ringing of the fire-bell. The local brigade promptly answered the call and a hose was taken into the theatre and run into the bio-room from which the smoke was issuing.
Although the film has been alight for some minutes it was considered unnecessary to inform the large audience immediately. When the fire was announced, those present walked quietly out, the majority receiving pass out tickets.
The film smouldered for a considerable time but only 1900 feet of gazette were destroyed. The talkie films were secure in tin boxes and were quickly carried out. The value of tickets was returned to the audience. The loss is covered by insurance.”
The Flood at Yarram Yarram
Gippsland Guardian, 8 Feb 1861
“About 5am on Friday the creek filled almost suddenly, which was immediately followed by a complete wall of water sweeping over the whole of Yarram Yarram… carrying with it everything that offered any obstruction to its progress.
The inmates [of houses] in the utmost consternation had at once to seek the most exalted position at hand, first on the tables, thence on the tie beams or on the roofs. Ponderous trees, horses and cattle, all seemed on the move together; even the snakes appeared to experience an equal amount of discomfort, for large numbers were seen carried down by the torrent.”
The Scammell years
From pages kept in Regent files in Historical Society, Yarram
“George Scammell remembered one of many social functions at the Regent and the use of special effects:
The Mirridong Deb Ball was noted for its special stage props and effects. This time we excelled ourselves with a hanging basket lowered from the ceiling of the theatre when the debs came down to dance. The basket was to come down for the debs to place their bouquets in it, it was to go back up to the ceiling, they would dance and the basket would come down again for them to get their bouquets.
The problem was Ray Stafford, the lowerer-down, was to be in contact with us by radio and at the last minute something went wrong and we couldn’t contact him. A crisp NOW rang out from the back, as I replaced the radio and all went like clockwork.
So, from the seaweed ceiling down to the floor came our beautiful basket, to instant applause from the audience…”
4 Devils
1929, by F. W. Murnau
‘4 Devils’ tells the story of four orphans who join a circus and become famous for a daring trapeze act, The Leap of Death. It was based on the story “Die Fire Djaevle: excentrisk novella” published in 1895 and written by Herman Joachim Bang. An earlier film version appears to have been made in Denmark by Alfred Lind in 1911.
Of the two brothers and sisters, the elder orphan circus girl Aimee falls in love with her acrobatic partner Fritz, only to have him seduced by a rich vamp, The Lady. The girl-devil Aimee transforms into a version of The Lady, deciding that her lover must die rather than be with the other woman. In the power struggle where her sexual powers fail against the vamp the innocent Aimee deploys her trapeze. In their final circus act, instead of sending the trapeze bar, Aimee swings out to catch her man and then lets go so that the pair fall to their deaths.
Marion learns of the affair and becomes distracted; working without a net for a dangerous finale, she falls. Marion is not killed, however, and Charles is brought to his senses by the near tragedy.
It was decided in early 1929 that approximately the last 2 reels of “4 Devils” should be re-shot with talking sequences to cash in on the sound revolution that was starting to take over the industry. The part talkie version was premiered on June 10th, 1929 in Los Angeles.
So what happened to “4 Devils”? In 1937, a fire destroyed nearly all the pre-1935 camera negatives held at the Fox Film archive in Little Ferry, New Jersey and “4 Devils” was probably one of them. Seeing as the film was released in both a silent and sound version you would think that it may have survived in some version, but that does not seem to be the case. The most substantial rumour is that star Mary Duncan had a print that she watched much later and was so upset with her perceived poor performance that she threw the film in the Pacific Ocean. While that story may sound far fetched, Martin Koerber (noted for being the restoration director on the 2001 re-issue of Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis”) wrote on the Association of Moving Image Archivists email list:
“I think that Mary Duncan had the studio print since 1948 or 1949 is a fact, as this is documented in the Fox files. So part one of this story is not an urban legend. However part two seems to be one. The story has variants including her throwing the film into her pool, or sticking a match to it. All quite unbelievable, considering that anyone working in the industry in the 1920s knew the films were nitrate and could be dangerous if not handled correctly.”
Cited from Blog entry http://www.elbrendel.com/2008/11/4-devils-1928.html
MA’s Story
HART, Margaret, “Maggie” Ann/Adelia “Ma”.
Born c1866, daughter of Thady HART(E) and Mary (nee O’MALLEY/ O’MEARA). 7
Variously described as “Colourful, a landmark, an entrepreneur, a strong woman and difficult”. Others recall that, “if you wanted something done, you’d ask MA Thompson.” Vague recollections of her appearance include: short, always in black, in a long coat, a stout woman, Irish.”
Margaret Adelia HART came from Country Clare to Port Albert c1887, probably at the age of 17. Her three sisters, Gladys, Mary and Elsie, also immigrated to the area at some point (date unknown).
She took work as a maid in the house of Mr and Mrs Duke.
Thomas Duke had arrived in Van Dieman’s Land around 1846, where he married Sarah Hart. They both received a ticket of leave and moved to Melbourne 1849, where Thomas worked in the iron trade. Both then moved to Port Albert in 1858.
In 1858, the Dukes were running a store in Yarram, and by 1867 owned a hotel (Ostlers Hotel) in the town.
Margaret was a ‘cousin’ (or some relation) to Mrs Sarah Duke, nee Hart. It seems, however, that their blood ties were incompatible. While Margaret was engaged as a helper to Sarah (no date), it is clear that MA paid more attention to the husband.
At any rate, Mrs Duke was clearly unimpressed…
“At Yarram Petty Sessions, Sarah DUKES v Thomas DUKES re maintenance, he having left with her niece, Maggie HART, “without whom he could not live”, without providing for wife. Thomas DUKES had not left Australia as reported [YC, 1 Nov 1889].”8
John Adams writes in the book, “From these Beginnings: History of the Shire of Alberton”, 1990, Alberton Shire Council, p.159:
“In 1893, after his wife died, Thomas Duke married Margaret Hart who took over the license for the newly rebuilt Yarram Hotel in 1893. Duke died in March 1899 and his wife leased the hotel to J. A. Pruden of Sale. A new two-storey hotel was completed in 1901. Margaret Duke had married Arthur James Thompson who took over the license in 1910 and had James Graham completely rebuild and extend the hotel at a cost of 2000 pounds, providing electric light and a telephone.”
In conversation with the grandson and granddaughter of Thomas Twomey –Margaret and Lance– it emerged that Margaret Hart had been called Bridget Harte but had changed her name, they were not sure when. Margaret went to work for the Dukes. She was on “holiday with Mr Duke” before his wife had passed. She was married to Mr Duke for five years, from the age of 24. Sarah Duke died in late 1893, and Mr Duke married Margaret (or the other way around) within three months, 24th of January 1894. Thomas is 84 years old, 63 years older than his second wife.
They had a daughter Margaret Adelia Dukes in 16 March 1894 (3 months later). at Yarram. The girl ‘Margaret Adelia Dukes’ only lived for five hours and was buried at the old Yarram cemetery. Mr Duke died five years their marriage, on 23 Mar 1899. He is buried at Greenmount Roman Catholic Cemetery, plot#1.
Similar accounts are provided in a long letter from Ivy Gilmore (a descendent of Mrs Sarah Duke) to Lance and Margaret Twomey in 2008.
Four weeks after the death of Sarah, Thomas at the laid age of 74 years married again, his bride was Margaret Adelia Harte, a relation of Sarah residing with the Dukes as a companion and help to Sarah. Margaret was 24 years old. The marriage was at St Luke’s Church of England, Alberton on the 24th of January 1894. The same year, on the 16th of March, Margaret gave birth to a daughter. Named Margaret Adelia, after her mother, the child loved for 5 hours. She died on the 17th of March, was buried the same day at the Yarram Cemetery.
Margaret Dukes took over running the hotel [previous page states that the couple, Sarah and Thomas had retired and passed on management to others some years prior]. On Friday 24th March 1899 Thomas Dukes died. The information given on the death certificate given by Margaret state his age as 86 years old, and senile. [Gippsland Times clipping, 2 Feb 1887, states that “Mr Dukes, the late {NB not dead just retired] landlord of the Yarram Yarram hotel, intends commencing a private residence almost immediately…]
Margaret later married again, Arthur Thompson. He died in 1942. After his death Margaret retired, to the building which had originally been the Bank of Australasia. She died on the 25th of September 1953 aged 83 years. She is interred in the same grave as her second husband Arthur James Thompson.
On the reading of her will, 22 December 1953, she left assets valued at Seventy five thousand three hundred and nineteen pounds. The main beneficiaries were her nephews and nieces, children of her late sisters, Mary, Gladys and Elsie.
ps Margaret’s parents were Timothy Harte – Mary o’Marra/ O’Murra.
Ma’s Business
Margaret and Lance Twomey said that Margaret was a strong woman and became a good businesswoman. After Mr Duke’s death, Skinner and Hart lawyers advised her not to sell her properties but to buy the stockyards and move them into town, so that the stockmen would drink at her hotel. She went to Melbourne to take out a loan with ANZ bank for this purpose (the records of which are in the archives left to the Twomeys).
After Mr Duke’s death, MA stepped into her husband’s shoes very quickly, she had already taken over management of his Yarram Hotel upon their marriage but with his passing she wasted no time, in making the “Transfer of victualler’s licence of “Yarram Hotel” from Thomas DUKES to wife, Margaret Adelia DUKES [GS, 8 Mar 1899].
Contract let to John CASBOLT to build 5-roomed brick residence in Yarram for Mrs DUKES, next to Geo RUBY & Co. [GS, 30 Jun 1899]
Detailed report of new “Yarram Hotel” being built for Mrs DUKES [GS, 20 Jul 1900]
In 1907 MA married Arthur James Thompson. She therefore ran the Yarram Hotel on her own for a number of years. This was prior to the construction of her second establishment, Duke’s Hotel, which opened in 1910, with signage of the proprietor’s name of Mrs Thompson.
By 1914 she had raised funds to build The Strand Hall, also making an application in the same year to build a picture palace, later to be the The Regent but decided against it because the she had not been able to secure the land she was hoping for.
In 1930 she paid £20,000 to build The Regent. See that display for more.
Scenes in the pub
“Down the Street: Yarram Yarram” 1893-1993”
‘Another reference to Mr Dukes mentioned that he had to call the police to his Yarram Hotel when a lady customer commenced to tear the wallpaper off the walls. Later in the Yarram Court, Constable Brennan charged the lady with violent conduct in a public place, and offence to her Majesty the Queen, but Mr Hill, barrister, said Her Majesty the Queen did not own the hotel – Mr Dukes did, so, the charge was withdrawn… Mr Dukes said, “Let’s be modern. It’s 1887, you know”.’
MA’s complaints: “Letter published re drunks loafing around her hotel on Sunday [GS, 21 Jun 1899]”.9
MA was close to her sisters and their children
Mary HART is mentioned in a number of early local court reports (see below). She married Mr Twomey had eight children and eventually settled in Perth. Her two sons, Othello and Thomas, inherited The Regent and The Strand on MA’s death. They were also executors of the estate.
“At Yarram Court of Petty Sessions, cases of assault between Winifred (HART) LYNCH, Margaret (HART) DUKES and Mary HART (sister of Margaret DUKES). [GS, 32 Jul 1894].” 10
The Argus, Friday 20 July 1894
“At the police court to-day, before Mr Bartrop, P.M. Winifred Lynch, about 70 years old, charged Margaret Duke, wife of the licensee of the Yarram Hotel, and Mary Hart, with unlawful assault. The complainant entered the hotel a month ago, and commenced to quarrel. The defendant’s young women attacked her, one of them being armed with a broom-handle. She was knocked down, breaking her left arm, besides being bruised about the body. The defendants were each fined £2 with 2 guinea costs.” (Lily: Winifred was elderly, and probably on Sarah Duke’s side of the Hart family).
Gladys married a McGauran (first name unknown). She passed in 1935 and is buried at Yarram New cemetery, in the plot in front of MA’s Irish cross.
Obituary – 1953 – clipping from unknown source
MRS M. A. THOMPSON
Yarram lost a real landmark at the week-end with the death of Mrs Margaret Thompson, a very old woman of the town. Born in County Clare, Ireland, she was a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Hart, and came to Australia 66 years ago, landing at Port Albert. She married Mr T. Duke of the Yarram Hotel, and upon his death conducted the hotel by herself for many years. Later she married Mr A. J. Thompson and with his assistance built the Regent Theatre in Yarram. She also owned the Strand Hall and several houses and shops in the town. Her husband pre-deceased her eleven years ago, and she then leased the Regent Theatre and hotel and lived in retirement…
Notes from M. A. Thompson’s will
MA left the Regent and the Strand to her two sons, Othello and Thomas Twomey in Perth (Mary was dead), and a sum of money to Mary’s daughter, Margaret.
The Yarram Hotel was left to Mary’s other two daughters.
Other properties were left to the children of her late niece, Eileen Scott.
Margaret buried her sister-in-law Gladys McGauran at Yarram cemetery in 1936.
She left houses and property to Gladys’ children as well.
Correspondence between Twomey brothers (as executors) and M. J. Pearson, MA’s funeral director. His reply, dates 23, October 1954
Messers T.A. & O.J. Twomey
In my 10 years in Yarram I consider that I have built up a good reputation, and it upsets me to hear that you are not happy with the way I have treated you. In the first place I will admit that the my price was not low, but I ask you to bear with me, while I explain my dealings with you late Aunt.
Mrs. Thompson first approached me about a Vault over her Husbands grave, for which she was prepared to spend 1000 pounds, but at that time about 1948, it was almost an impossibility to get such work done, and so she decided to have a Granite Memorial with a Celtic Cross, she insisted that the Cross had to be the highest in the Cemetery. I had this work done at a cost of £285:0:0, present day price for same is £550:0:0.
She asked me to take her to the Cemetery when the work was finished and she was very pleased with it. I will always remember her saying to me while she was looking at it “Yes you are as good as your word; it is the highest in the Cemetery.”
The day she paid me, she reminded me that when she passed on, she was to go in with her husband, A. J. Thompson, and that the ledger was to be permanently sealed, and for her inscription to go on the same. It was then that she told me to be sure and give her a funeral in keeping with the monument, “the best money could buy.”
This I did to the best of my ability, I had the best of figured timber for the casket and many hours were put into making and polishing same, the fittings and Inner trimmings and Habit were the best that could be bought. I’m sure Mrs Hamilton will agree that I did all that I could for the relatives on the day of the funeral and the three days that lapsed (by Mrs. Thompson’s own pre-expressed wish) between her death and her burial.
For this service I felt that I was entitled to a good price, but before I rendered my account checked the Melbourne price for such a funeral and I was advised that 150 guineas would near the mark. My price of £150:0:0 pays me well for my efforts, and in this case I though I was justified in asking a decent reward for a job done, according to an expressed wish.
I also admit I was very disappointed when I found so few at the Church and the service at the grave, after I had put so much into the arrangements, of one who was one of Yarram’s most notable citizens.
MEMORIES OF MA THOMPSON
Margery Missen recalls her father telling a story about MA.
One very hot day he’d just driven his cattle into town and was taking a cooling ale at the hotel. A young boy was playing with a coin in the bar when he swallowed it and turned blue. In a split-second, MA had the boy by the leg and shook him in the air. The coin popped out and she went back to her business. She also mentioned that one of the local butcher’s kids remembers MA buying her a big ice cream.
References
1 “Obituary, The Strand in affectionate memory”, Wed 30th January 1963, The Yarram News.
2 Yarram Trail pamphlet.
3 “Obituary, The Strand in affectionate memory”, ibid.
4 op. cit.
5 “Obituary, The Strand in affectionate memory”, ibid.
6 Obituary, The Strand in affectionate memory”, ibid
7 “Clonmel to Federation: Guide to people in the Port Albert area 1841-1901”, compiled by Gwen O’Callaghan
8 Clonmel to Federation, under DUKE, ibid.
9 Clonmel to Federation, under DUKE/HART, ibid.
10 Clonmel to Federation, under HART, ibid.
___________________________________________________
St Lukes Church Alberton
MA Married to T Duke here YDHS
The Regent interior pre-reno c1998
The Regent interior pre-reno c1998
The_RegentTheatre_1930s_courtsey_JackGloria_Collins_nee_Bunn
The Strand - 1953
The Strand c1960s
Laurie Wood
The Strand c1960s
Laurie Wood
The Strand c1963
Laurie Wood
The Strand Theatre Play The Wedding c1920s
Courtesy: Jack & Gloria Collinsnee Bunn
Commercial_Road_View_of_Regent_Y+DHS (1)
Commercial_st_carnival_parade_c1929-32_Laurie_Wood_Slide
Regent_interior_from_Twomey_archives_c1940-50s
Regent_interior_from_Twomey_archives_c1940-50s_detail_1
St_Lukes_Church_Alberton_interior_MA_thompson_married_T_Duke_here
St_Lukes_Church_Alberton_MA_MarriedtoT_Duke_here_Y+DHS
The_Regent_1930s_Y+DHS
The_Regent_1932_roof_blown_off_Y+DHS
The_Regent_Aerial_view_rear_1937_Laurie_Wood_Slide_detail
The_Regent_Aerial_view_rear_1937_Laurie_Wood_Slide
The_Regent_ext_1930_YHS
The_Regent_ext_night_YHS
The_Regent_interior_pre-reno_c1998_2
The_Regent_interior_pre-reno_c1998
The_Regent_Queen_Carnival_c1932_courtesy_M_MIssen
The_RegentTheatre_1930s_courtsey_Jack+Gloria_Collins_(nee_Bunn)
The_Strand_1953
The_Strand_c1960s_Laurie_Wood_2_slide
