#FearlessFemales - Day 17 - Social Groups

OK, after  few days off due to work and other things, I'm back for a catch up.

The next challenge on the Fearless Females list is:

March 17 — Social Butterfly? What social organizations or groups did your mother or grandmother belong to? Sewing circle, church group, fraternal benefit society or lodge? Describe her role in the group.

Over the years Mum was a member of a number different groups. She was especially proud of being a full member of the Returned Services League (RSL) (as was Dad) and a long time member of Rooty Hill RSL club.

photo source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rooty_Hill_RSL.JPG

But the one group whose influence showed through her whole life was Rowe Street Musicals. Here is one of her programmes and some of her photos from that time:

She was introduced to the Musical Society by her friend Valda after she came out of the army as a way make some new friends. Valda was the Society's pianist. Mum was a member of the chorus and loved it.

Rowe Street was in the Sydney CBD area - right across the street from the Sydney GPO building - today there is only a remnant of the street left, but the spirit of Rowe Street Musicals continues on in the Ashfield Musical Society.

How did being part of this group influence her life?

Mum loved the theatre - and especially musicals. She loved going to see the professional productions when they came to Sydney - my sister and I grew up going to musicals and watching them on TV (our brother wasn't interested).

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was one of our favourites.

One thing Mum did that I "inherited" was song-word association - where a word heard in a conversation would trigger a burst of song, usually from a musical. It certainly showed her joy of life.

Also as part of this "inheritance", as a teenager I too was in a few musicals such as The Pajama Game, Oklahoma and Bye Bye Birdie