Photo of the Protestant Hall at St Marys taken by photographer Charles Kerry.

By Lyn Forde – President/Research Officer of St Marys & District Historical Society Inc.

September 1916. It is freely admitted that the people of St Marys through their civic and social leaders possess the facility of organization in a large degree and are likewise gifted in a remarkable manner with the genius of co-operation, especially in regard to patriotic and charitable undertakings. Those laudable predispositions were never more worthily applied than on the occasion of the recent social in aid of augmenting the funds of the Nepean District Cottage Hospital, a function so to speak that comprised “two editions,’’ the adults’ dance and the juvenile social. The splendid success achieved by the dual event attests conclusively to the assiduous, tactful and business-like methods and the endeavours of the ladies’ committee aided by Mayor Alderman Frank Brell President and Treasurer and Mr Harry Dollin Honorary Secretary and others of the sterner sex and to the social instincts and benevolent feeling of the good citizens of St Marys and district who always respond to the cry of need, either national or local and loyal to their greater or smaller obligations. At Friday night’s social, around 80 couples attended, some of whom had come from long distances and the ballroom (the Protestant Hall), was filled by the gay and merry assemblage whirling around to the waltz or in the somewhat different evolutions of the quadrille etc presented truly a most animated and inspiriting spectacle. The music supplied by that very efficient and popular body the Penrith Orchestra under the baton of Doctor F C Higgins was of the brightest and most glee inspiring character. The orchestra was relieved after ten o’clock by willing accessories of Misses May Thompson, J Brell, G White, B Carpenter and Mr Joe Brell. Messrs G Adams and James Brell were M.C’s. The hospital staff was represented by Nurses Greentree, Bassetti and Scahill. An excellent supper up to best metropolitan standard was provided, the ladies being most assiduous in providing for the gastronomical requirements of patrons and as there were three sittings at suppertime, it will be readily understood the indomitable ladies’ committee had a heroic task supervising the culinary etc. The ladies’ costumes were invariably of the latest fashion, but as the social was more in the way of an enjoyable benevolent function than a regular orthodox ball a list of the dresses was not taken. The personnel of the ladies’ committee was as follows: (husband’s names), Mesdames F Brell (Mayoress), G Turner senior, W Hackett senior, C Adams, W Sims, J J Walsh, Mrs Fehrenbach, J Barrett, P Barrett, P Woodland, Mrs Viney and F Elgood, (Maiden Names) Misses M Hope, E Brell and J Guild. Others who rendered appreciable assistance included Mrs Mummery, Misses G Lamming, M Schmidt and Hildred (Burwood), E Moore and J Bridgefoot. Under the genial and tactful leadership of the Mayoress everything conspired to achieve the sought-for success. The gentlemen assisting were the Mayor Ald Brell, Ald H Dollin, Ald R Beacroft, (doorkeepers) Messrs W Sims, G Dollin and H Pye and Mr C Hales who attended to the “hot-water boiling department,’’ etc. The children’s social was held on the Saturday night and was, in point of attendance and brilliancy, as great a success as that of the previous evening. There was a delightful throng of fully 250 children present and about the same number of adult spectators and beyond doubt the largest assemblage ever known at a social dancing carnival at St Marys. Many of the juveniles wore fancy costumes, amongst the number being representatives of all the gala dresses of the Allied nations, historical and topical characters and a couple of “poster’’ costumes having reference to local advertising matter. The children came from all parts of the district and a very large contingent of course hailing from St Marys town exhibiting wonderful aplomb and facility in the dances hugely enjoying the occasion. Adult representatives of the Nepean Cottage Hospital were also present. A dainty supper was provided for the juveniles who no doubt will recall the 1916 social at St Marys as one of the most memorable of the social achievements of childhood. The music was supplied in first-class style by Miss M Thompson (piano) and Mr J Brell (violin), extras being contributed by several other willing and capable instrumentalists. At the conclusion of the children’s session the adult devotees of the light fantastic “religion’’ invaded the arena and “kept the ball’’ rolling in merriest until midnight’s mystic hour encroached upon the joyous scene. We believe over £30 was taken at the doors and it is expected that the receipts including tickets sold, collections etc including a sum of £1/15s for bouquets sold by Miss Mitchell will eventually reach close to £50, a relatively magnificent result and St Marys deserves the warmest congratulations of all friends of the hospital. We feel the event will be a social beacon light to others and a standard of achievement that will be no doubt emulated as closely as possible by those loyal-hearted supporters of the hospital, the people of St Marys and district. The unprecedented success of the dual social (adults and juveniles) has made it plain that St Marys has a full mortgage on the admirable faculty of “rising to the occasion,’’ and has shown that despite the insistent calls of the war and the general disruption of affairs it has a practical and praiseworthy manner of extending and applying the saving principles of that Charity which begins at home and which is the real genesis of religion and human fraternity. It is said that it’s a way they have at St Marys, the way of doing things unitedly for the best advantage of the local or general interest. We are informed that probably the returns of the social will aggregate between £50 and £60. 

Sources: Nepean Times Saturday 9 September 1916, Trove.