The year 1994 was significant for many reasons. 

At the movies we were watching the Shawshank Redemption and Forrest Gump. As a country we were celebrating our first medal at a Winter Olympics, and in Parkes we were getting ready to celebrate the second Elvis Festival. 

But most significant for Parkes was a visit by HRH Prince Charles on 27th January. Quite the crowd had rallied to catch a glimpse of the Prince on Bushman’s Hill, the site of the first gold mine in Parkes. 

After a stirring rendition of the National Anthem by Angelique Symington, proceedings lent themselves to a potted history of Parkes. And what better way to re-tell this than through a skit. Members of the local Musical & Dramatic Society rose to the occasion with Warwick Tom being cast as Sir Henry Parkes himself, John Short as an inebriated miner and Jenny Hawke as his wife. The cast being ably directed by the late Lizzie Matthews. 

The skit was to be performed on a temporary stage with the players entering from stage left and leaving stage right. 

To add a little veracity to his role, John had purchased a small flask of brandy and poured a little over himself, carrying the remainder in the pocket of his waistcoated costume. He decided it simply wasn’t believable that he would enter the stage from the same side as his ‘wife’, so he ducked around the back of the stage to enter from the opposite side. 

And that is where everything turned to custard! 

The security detail were still a little anxious from the previous day when a would-be assassin had run on to the stage in Sydney with a fake pistol and waved it at the Prince before being rugby tackled to the ground by the then Premier, the late John Fahey. When met with John reeking of booze and being somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be they said: “And where do you think you are going Sunshine?” 

John responded that he was about to go onto stage to perform a skit, the two burley security detail responded with “Well no one told us about that” and with one either side of him the beleaguered actor was frog-marched up the hill to an awaiting Police van. 

Fortunately, a nearby local had caught sight of the entire episode and alerted Lizzie. 

In her signature style of utter fearlessness, she bolted up the hill in hot pursuit, calling for them to stop. She was able to explain the situation and John was returned. 

Meanwhile, John’s ‘leading lady’, Jenny Hawke, was working herself into quite a frenzy not knowing where John was. She went on without him making it up as she went along. Her relief when John finally stumbled onto the stage was palpable. 

The skit continued without further incident with the crowd knowing nothing of the incident until Lizzie later apologised for the delay, but that an attempt had been made to arrest John. There was a gentle ripple of mirth through the assembled crowd before, as they say the show went on. 

Later, when fortunate enough to speak with the Prince, he shared a joke with John commenting that he was indeed in good company as Sir Barry Humphries had been ‘arrested’ in a similar fashion during a performance for the Prince. 

The 27th of January 1994 will long remain in the memory of all involved. 

By Jenny Short 

Kristen’s Dance Studio in Forbes raised $350 during its Redtember dress up week to raise money for Ronald McDonald House charities.

The money will go directly to the Ronald McDonald House in Orange, which is a vitally important haven for families from Forbes and Parkes needing medical care.

Parkes tops the list of families using the facility in Orange with 195 families using 1,412 room nights. This equates to accommodation savings of $211,000 for families. Forbes is second with 91 families using 410 room nights, with accommodation savings of $62.800. Condo and Cowra both had 89 families using the facility, Dubbo 44 families, Mudgee 39, Grenfell 36, Cobar 21, Young 18 and Canowindra 17 families.

Redtember runs throughout September, supporting families who need to stay at RMHC Central West NSW. Any fundraising effort is welcomed.

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II last week has started many conversations and brought back plenty of memories for people who had seen the monarch during one of her many visits to Australia.

Mark Lyell, who volunteers at the Forbes & District Historical Museum, clearly remembers her infamous visit in 1954. “I was in primary school in Sydney and we lined Military Road as she came from Taronga Zoo. She drove past us in an open car.” It was her first visit to Australia as the Queen aged 27.

Forbes resident Greg Ridge said he was a young snapper living in Darwin in the early 70s when he saw the Queen. “We greeted her at the RAAF base airport.”

Another Forbes resident had the singular honour of opening a door for the Queen. Kenneth Wren was working in security at Parliament House in 1996. “I opened the main door to Parliament house for her Majesty.”

While the Queen never visited Forbes, many people will remember when the new Monarch King Charles III came to Forbes on 27th January 1994.

He planted a tree in Victoria Park, and the spade he used is on display at the Forbes & District Historical Museum, which forms part of a bigger display on the Queen. It contains a display cupboard filled with memorabilia.

The Queen visited Wagga Wagga in 1954, and Member for Riverina Michael McCormack recalled when he met her as editor of The Daily Advertiser in Sydney in 2000 and said where he was from, she immediately replied ‘Wagga Wagga a market town’.

“She remembered all those years ago visiting our city,” said Michael. “We then had a very convivial conversation about Wagga Wagga and the season. She recalled it in detail straight off the top of her head. I was amazed.”

 

 

A book of condolences has been placed at the Forbes Shire Council where residents can write down their messages for the Royal Family. Peter Harrop, who moved to Forbes a few months ago, took the opportunity on Monday to pay his respects to the Queen and for everything she had done for Australia. There is also a book of condolences in Parkes at the office of the Member for Riverina, Michael McCormack, available to the public to sign.