The Julia Wallace Music Club is Ray Gilmore (left), Robyn Penellum, Christine Booth and Tony Penellum.
The Julia Wallace Music Club is Ray Gilmore (left), Robyn Penellum, Christine Booth and Tony Penellum.
When John Dymond realised he had competition for the affections of his work colleague he decided he needed to make a move.
"I've got tickets to Oklahoma and you better not stand me up," he told fellow Bank of New South Wales employee Gail.
They were working in the Christchurchbank and would have lunch each day with a group of workmates beside the Avon River.
John's approach must have worked as they married and are still together more than 65 years later. Gail Dymond shared the story at Julia Wallace Music Club's monthly jam session on Sunday to explain her request for a song from Oklahoma. The band played Oh What a Beautiful Morning.
May's jam coincided with Mother's Day so there were several songs about mothers.
The music club is Ray Gilmore on acoustic guitar, Robyn Penellum on keyboard, her husband Tony on rhythm guitar and ukelele player Christine Booth. Ray's wife Ngaire Gilmore is the floor manager, ensuring guest acts have everything they need.
The jam sessions are opportunities for residents to sing as well and some have not sung for years, Ngaire says.
Woodville's last mayor, Ralph Mountfort, entertained with a favourite song of his mother's. Note the jungle-themed accessories.
Ralph Mountfort sang After the Ball Was Over while playing the piano. His mother liked the song and he would play it for her while his four sisters danced with chairs for partners.
Mountfort was the last mayor of Woodville Borough Council and the first mayor of the newly formed Woodville District Council from 1986 to 1989.
Another guest singer was 90-year-old Don Irvine.
Ray and Tony interspersed the musical acts with jokes. Tony said he had a friend who went bald at 20 but always carried a comb with him. "He couldn't part with it."
There was also the opportunity for an audience singalong.
Nelson Speirs as Tarzan and Christine Booth as Jane. Note the Blu Tack on top of Speirs' "spear".
The reason for the toy African animals dotted around the main lounge at the Milson village became clear when Booth appeared as Jane and Nelson Speirs as Tarzan for a jam-ending skit.
The music club started in September 2019 and while Covid-19 curtailed the members' desire to entertain, they gave concerts around the village on sunny days with social distancing.
