Ted Pethebridge

Interviewed by Sandra Blamey on 6 March 2001
Subject: Mosman Musical Society, Mavis Sykes Ballet School

Sandra Blamey. You mentioned the Musical Society.

Ted Pethebridge. They were a great society. They put on beautiful shows over at Mosman there, and to see one of their shows you had to book in early to make sure you got a seat. They used to have it in the Mosman Town Hall, and also down at Cremorne where the Cremorne Theatre is, there was a big hall on top of there, and they had some of their shows there as well. A lady named Mavis Sykes was the lady who taught the girls how to dance and all that, and arrangements, and another person helped her with the arranging of the shows they put on. They were beautiful shows, they were terrific, and so popular you had to book in to see them.

Sandra Blamey. During what years would this have been?

Ted Pethebridge. Way back, well before the war, during the Depression years. Some of those chaps who used to sunbake at Wyargine Point and built the rock pool were very athletic. They used to do a lot of this dajet (sp) dancing for the Mosman Youth Society where they balanced these girls in some of the shows. I couldn’t tell you the exact day but well before the war years.

Sandra Blamey. Are there any shows you particularly remember?

Ted Pethebridge. They used to put on lots of good shows. I can’t remember them all, but there were musical comedies and musicals. They had some good singers, and the girls were very good dancers. One of one of the very good things of the Musical Society was that during the war they used to go round to the various units or services and entertain them. I don’t know how far they traveled I think they used to go right up not to the northern parts of Australia. I don’t know if they went overseas, but they were very popular, and that was all voluntary.

Sandra Blamey. How much did it cost to go?

Ted Pethebridge. It wasn’t a lot of money, in those days, to see these shows, but they never got paid, it was voluntary, and very professionally done. They were very good Mavis Sykes was the main person and would go down as part of the history of Mosman.