Many thanks for this profile of an artiste of yesteryear . regards John Shirley wrote: > Hi List, > > Marjorie Lawrence, was born on 17th February, 1907 at Deans Marsh, the 5th > of 6 children. Her parents were William Lawrence and Elizabeth Smith, who > are both buried at Bambra, Vic. cemetery. The family moved to Winchelsea > when Marjorie was about 14. Marjorie's mother died when she was 2 years > old. > > In 1928, Marjorie was sent to Paris to study singing. She made some > visits back to Australia in other years. She contracted polio in 1941 and > was almost crippled in both legs, but continued to perform using a wheel > chair placed on stage. She married Dr. Thomas King on 29th March, 1941 in > New York. A film, called Interrupted Melody, is about her autobiography. > Marjorie continued to perform until 1952, after which she taught at Tulane, > Southern Illinois and Arkansas universitites. > > Marjorie entertained troops in Australia and Europe, in World War 2 and > was awarded the cross of the Legion d'Honneur (1946) by the French > Government. She also entertained troops in Vietnam in 1966. On 31st > December, 1976, Marjorie was appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE) > for her services to the performing arts. > > Marjorie Lawrence passed away on 13th January, 1979 at Little Rock, > Arkansas, USA and is buried in Greenwood cemetery. A memorial service was > held at Deans Marsh, Victoria on 17th February, 1980 (her birthday), when a > large crowd witnessed the unveiling of a photograph of Marjorie, in St. > Paul's Parish Hall. The Winchelsea to Deans Marsh Road was later renamed > the "Marjorie Lawrence Drive" in her honour. A plaque commemorating her > birthplace, is present at the former Lawrence residence, situated on the > Birregurra Road at Deans Marsh. > > The Globe Theatre in Winchelsea was built in 1926 by the family of > Marjorie Lawrence. > > Last Sunday, a church service was held at St. Paul's Church of England, > Deans Marsh (where Marjorie and her family used to attend church and sing), > followed by entertainment in the Deans Marsh Hall. I think a similar thing > is happening tomorrow at Winchelsea. > > Celebrations for Marjorie's 100th birthday are also being acknowledged at > this time, overseas - so shows what impact she had on the world with her > opera singing, having died 28 years ago > > Marjorie leaves many people in the Deans Marsh/Winchelsea area and > elsewhere, who can lay claim to have been related to her or her family, even > if only vaguely. What a great ambassador for a little place called Deans > Marsh. > > Regards, > Shirley. > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > For on-line indexes and information on Geelong and District > http://www.zades.com.au > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > -- John Whitehand Melbourne Australia ~ a Linux (Ubuntu "Edgy") Desktop ~ http://home.vicnet.net.au/~whitehaj/index.html