Colourful Parade of Floats & Vehicles
A SPECTACULAR parade was held at Lilydale on Saturday afternoon to mark the 150th Anniversary of the Foundation of Tasmania. It was the largest and most colourful yet held and was watched by a large gathering of about 1200 people. The parade commenced at the Railway Station, was led by a standard bearer carrying the Australian Flag.
Dresses, hats, equipment and tools of earlier days were featured and many well-known residents of the district could not be recognised.
Mr. E. D. Weston was marshall for the parade which reached the Recreation Ground, and circled round the judges who were standing on a lorry in the centre of the ground. A highlight of the parade was a gang of bushrangers from Lebrina, who were mounted on spirited horses, and carried rifles.
There was also a gang of convicts, complete with chains on their ankles.
The farmers decorated a float on which was an old-fashioned chaff-cutter which they operated, also scythes, sickles, and a sheep being shorn by hand. Their float was drawn by a tractor, which was driven by a 82-year-old Mr. Alex Garcia.
The Junior Farmers' float depicted present-day methods, and included a cow and a milking machine.
Other floats were entered by the Country Women's Association. the Catholic Women's League, the Tennis Club, a gang of aboriginies.
SPORTING EVENTS
During the afternoon, a women's football match was held between Lilydale and Lebrina, the match being won by Lilydale. Miss Lockhart, of Lebrina was awarded a prize for the most improved player, and Mrs. E. Franklin gained a prize for the roughest and toughest. The umpire (Mr. F. Arnold) was mobbed after the match. Councillor Allan Woodland, with the Warden (Mr. L. A. Procter, M.L.C.) as passenger, won the Council's wheelbarrow race, the second place being gained by Cr.F. R. Archer with Cr. K. C. Moore as passenger.
PRIZE WINNERS
Floats gaining prizes were: gang of Australian Aboriginies, Lilydale T.F.F. Branch, Lilydale Junior Farmers, Lilydale Tennis Club. Other prize winners were — Motor cycle, Mr. M. Lowe; bicycle, L. Brown; tricycle, Ian Kelp; pram, David Shepherd, Mrs. F. Sulzberger (aborigine woman), Mr. Alex.Garcia, Frances Turner, J. Simms, M. Hammersley and S. Shegog.
In the evening, a Ball was held in the Show Building, when there was a very large attendance.
Approximately 1200 people were present during the afternoon including many former residents of Lilydale from other parts of the State: Amongst those present were the Treasurer (Mr J. L Madden), Mr. H. C. Barnard. M.H.R., and Mrs. Barnard, and Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Spotswood, of Scottsdale.
The proceeds for the day are for the funds of the Lilydale Memorlal Hall, the gross takings being over Ł300; and several winners of cash prices have since handed the amounts back to the committee.
The success of the celebrations was mainly due to the organisation carried out by Sister M. Walsh and Messrs. E. D. Weston and A. E. Kerkham.
MEMORIAL HALL
Cr. V. C. Arnold is the driving force behind the move to erect a Memorial Mall, and he arranged for the timber needed to be cut by sawmills. All this work has been done free of cost, and practically all timber required is now ready.
On Saturday, Mrs. V. C. Arnold was in charge of the afternoon tea booth on the Recreation Ground.
Sesquicentenary Celebrations at Lilydale Colourful Parade of Floats & Vehicles (1953, October 20). North-Eastern Advertiser (Scottsdale, Tas. : 1909 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved September 6, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149500897
Photos of the women's football team at www.facebook.com/groups/467853263384639/permalink/736906036479359/
Frances and her mother Ada Turner (nee Connelly so nicknamed Con) in colonial attire for the sesquicentenary parade, 1953.