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2006

JANUARY

Thursday, January 19, 2006.

Hogarth Club Luncheon.  Upstairs at Chesser Cellar, Chesser Street, Adelaide.
Diners:  Michael Jacobs, Tony Colebatch, Andrew Bishop, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Prof. Wilfred Prest, Tony Brooks, Wayne Anthoney, Malcolm Elliott, Leo Davis.


Andrew Bishop, waitress two, Robert Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Wilf Prest, Tony Colebatch (standing), Tony Brooks, Wayne Anthoney, Malcolm Elliott, Michael Jacobs.

After the usual antipasto spread we were served a recurring offering of a steak and kidney pie with two veg.  The waitresses poured our steak & kidney pies onto our plates.


Robert Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Wilf Prest, Tony Brooks with Lisa Rouse and waitress two standing.  Note the cooling system kindly provided.

Lloyd had brought a cutting from the editorial in today’s Australian which referred to an extended article, on the ‘History Wars’, that Wilf Prest had written and which was published in yesterday’s Australian.  There was much discussion that let it be known who had read which histories; all the way from Blainey, of course, across to New Britannia.

It became clear that some chaps read several papers daily, from the Advertiser to The Age to Financial Review and others in between, while others of us only skim though one or none.  There were lots of anecdotes about more recent Oz history that clearly had been told many times and most drew corrections and suggestions.   

Wayne Anthoney, Malcolm Elliott, Lisa Rouse, Michael Jacobs. Notebooks were still used in those days.


Tony Colebatch (with cigarette rolled at table), Andrew Bishop.

 

It wasn’t all History Wars seriousness; Wayne Anthoney and Malcolm Elliott.
 

FEBRUARY

Thursday, February 16, 2006.

Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar.
Diners: Ian Hamilton, Andrew Bishop, Robert “Red” Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Tony Colebatch, Michael Jacobs, Malcolm Elliott, Leo Davis, Don Riddell.

Andrew Bishop, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Tony Colebatch, Malcolm Elliott, Lisa Rouse, Don Riddell, Ian Hamilton.

The set menu, after the usual stand up antipasto platter start, included German sausages on mash.  When they arrived the two sausages were arranged not side by side but propped on one another and this led to two or three minutes of responses to the phallic suggestions.  Lots of hints about problems with erections ensued, but one chap’s crack was more along the lines of the difficulty of finding a place to insert the said symbol.

Michael Jacobs and Andrew Bishop.


Paul Lloyd and Don Riddell.

Jacobs had invited Don Riddell, a sometime attendee in earlier years, to join us because Paul Lloyd is about to retire from The Advertiser and was first employed by Riddell, then the Editor, almost exactly 30 years ago.  Lloyd was in the UK and looking for work in one of four places he’d identified, two Canadian cities, Hobart and Adelaide.  From Sydney he wrote a letter to the Editor of The Advertiser asking for a job, and was interviewed when Riddell came to Sydney and he got the job.  We heard that Riddell now writes for the Independent, a struggling local that he hopes keeps publishing. 

 

Michael Jacobs, Andrew Bishop, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Primo Caon, Paul Lloyd.

Lloyd is taking a snap of Primo serving coffee.  He and Primo are close friends and Primo comments, with regret, whenever Paul is not at table.

Don Riddell and Ian Hamilton.

Critical judgements of a seemingly respected member came as a surprise.  An historic serious accident of the sometime attendee was mentioned.  Lots of unsympathetic chortling followed about the 30⁺ year old policeman who appeared in his life, the result of a sexual encounter in Alice Springs he’d no idea had been fruitful.  And then he had at least one child with another woman and two children, recently, with a ‘younger woman’.  To one of the more judgemental this last was his most egregious of action.

Paul Lloyd at pudding time, with Michael Jacobs, Andrew Bishop and Robert Hodge at rear.

Paul Lloyd told of his last writing of an Advertiser editorial when, on August 16, 1992, he wrote a piece, opposing compulsory voting, that had each sentence start in a manner to spell out ELVIS LIVES, it being the anniversary of his death.

Tony Colebatch, Lisa Rouse (delivering glasses for Malcolm’s ‘sticky’), Malcolm Elliott.

Malcolm Elliott filled us in on some family history concerning bikes.  His family had manufactured and sold bikes for close to 100 years when they had to close the factory because tariff laws changes and cheap imports forced it upon them. The family still owns the factory site and rents it to Australia Post.

Tony Colebatch, Malcolm Elliott, Don Riddell, Ian Hamilton, Michael Jacobs, Andrew Bishop, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Paul Lloyd. 

Note two cigarette lighters and ash trays on table.  And in those days mobile phones were sometimes placed on table.

Leo Davis and Don Riddell.  (photo by Lloyd)

Table conversation revealed some surprising thinking, including unembarrassed anti Muslin views.      

Discussion occurred of recent behaviour, competence and entry into politics of Amanda Vandstone.

A diner told of overhearing an interjection in Parliament that highlighted internal party tensions some of us did not realise could be so open.  A Labor front bencher, farewelling a Liberal MP or maybe delivering an obituary, referred to his subject as ‘a decent Tory’ and John Hill (‘the best Premier we never had’ a Hogarthian quipped) interjected ‘Like you!’  Had the speaker responded the interjection would have gone into Hansard but he didn’t.  Our reporter later told Hill that he’d done him a favour by not using the anecdote in his writing.  Hill thanked him but said ‘But he is.’

 

MARCH

Thursday, March 16, 2006.

 

Hogarth Club Luncheon.  Upstairs at Chesser Cellar, Chesser Street, Adelaide.
Diners:  Wayne Anthoney, John McGowan, Don Riddell, Leo Davis, Bob Ellis, John Bannon, Ian Hamilton, Tony Brooks, Edmund Pegge, Michael Jacobs, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Richard Tonkin, Tony Colebatch, Malcolm Elliott, Paul Lloyd, Peter Tregilgas.

It was an interesting gathering with John Bannon back and Bob Ellis as a new guest.  With 16 diners it was close to our biggest gathering, Christmas excepted.


Tony Colebatch, Lisa Rouse, Paul Lloyd, Peter Tregilgas, Wayne Anthoney.

Bannon had handed in his Ph.D. thesis to his supervisor today (due on March 31), having started on it 9 years ago.  Michael Jacobs made an official (glass tapped for attention, etc.) announcement about it.


Malcolm Elliott, Tony Colebatch, Paul Lloyd (hidden), Peter Tregilgas.  Bob Ellis’ son at rear.

Ellis is in town, for a couple of months, with at least two projects.  He is working with Mike Rann on the election campaign (according to Ellis) and simultaneously making a movie with himself in a Michael Moore role (according to Ellis) based upon the Election Campaign, all this overlapping the Adelaide Festival, The Fringe, Womadelaide and the Car Race.  Ellis explained that he intends to enter the film in Sundance but hopes it has succeeded here before that.  He says that it will run in a cinema in Adelaide for 6 months.  His son came to the Hogarth Room, around 3.30, for about 20 minutes, with a digital movie camera.  It was clear that Ellis wanted footage for some purpose because he began making outrageous statements and other tablers clearly knew they were being filmed and acted up for the camera.  Ellis simply repeated some lines he’d already used, aiming to incite debate or response.  One was along the lines ‘The experiment about emancipation of women has demonstrably failed and should be discontinued at once.’

I asked Bob Ellis about the loss of his house to fire, close to 15 years ago, and he spoke very sadly about the loss of photos (especially of his kids when young) and of a tape of his father speaking.  He said it gave him some insight into the fate of refugees.  He went on to talk about the value of records and memory and gave the example of Bannon and others having attended Don Dunstan’s ‘Last Supper’ and ‘nobody had a tape-recorder!’ 

Bob Ellis makes a heartfelt point, John Bannon, Ian Hamilton.

Jacobs was very impressed by Mike Rann’s speech at the ALP launch last Sunday and implied that Ellis had written at least part of it.

When Ellis was out of his seat Bannon suggested that Rann keeps Ellis about because he tells good jokes and keeps his spirits up.  Bannon described him as The Court Jester.  He claimed that Rann writes all his own speeches.  Ellis claimed that he was to blame for Advance Australia Fair being the National Anthem.  He said he’d shown three songs to Gough Whitlam, including Advance Australia Fair, one by a well known poet (forget who of course) and his own.  Ellis claims Gough said those last two were so awful he could only choose Advance Australia Fair.  I was reminded a bit of Philip Adams always claiming to be at the centre of power and decisions quite apart from his reinventing film as an art form in Australia. 

Don Riddell spoke of earlier days in journalism and his use of shorthand (he thinks all journalists should still be using it) and the typewriter. He has forgotten most of his shorthand but still types ‘as fast as I can talk.’

Wayne Anthoney, John McGowan, Tony Brooks, Don Riddell.

Tony Brooks told a lovely clean joke (forgotten it of course; had a punch line along the lines ‘Nick nack Paddy, heck. Give the bod a loan……’  Some Bank loan yarn told in the style of those ‘My Word’ rambles) with his usual skill and style.  He even made the story of hitting his head on a tree, while driving a tractor, having 5 stitches, then going on to perform in the Fringe ‘Be Your Age’ Review, interesting and special.

Clockwise from front left: Wayne Anthoney, his guest, Bob Ellis, John Bannon, Ian Hamilton, Tony Brooks, Ed Pegge, Michael Jacobs, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Richard Tonkin, Malcolm Elliott.

Richard Tonkin’s (Lloyd’s guest) connection with the Governor Hindmarsh is that it’s his parents’ pub and they have another at Port Elliott, where he has been working lately.  We think of him as a fiddler but he started button accordion something like seven years ago and has recorded on something over 20 CDs/LPs with it.  

‘Little Britain’ was discussed in the context of the Australian Tourism advertisements using ‘Where the bloody hell are you?’ being banned.  I was surprised, shouldn’t have been of course, at how many at table found so many segments of the show offensive.  One objected to most sketches involving David Williams, including the mental patient who makes ‘Eh Eh’ sounds.  Tony Brooks raised the show ‘Shameless’ with approval possibly showing his greater flexibility, sympathy and ‘taste’.

Bob Ellis (reading from Vikram Sett), John Bannon, Ian Hamilton.

Wayne told a nice anecdote about the Indian writer, Vikram Seth, here for Writers’ Week.  He saw him drawing Bob Ellis, from a discrete distance.  Wayne offered to introduce him but was told that might induce bad Karma.  He simply moved up closer to do another sketch.  Later Wayne saw both of them lying on the lawn, on their backs, drunk.  Ellis had shown him his device for holding a napkin (see image above) and Vikram Seth was impressed.  Ellis read one of Seth’s English sonnets and said ‘That’s in his second language. The bastard!’  Seth gave Ellis a drawing.

Clockwise from front left: Wayne Anthoney, his guest Bob Ellis, John Bannon, Ian Hamilton, Tony Brooks, Ed Pegge, Michael Jacobs, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Richard Tonkin, Malcolm Elliott.

Edmund Pegge was pleased to show us an ‘Introduction’ that Judy Dench has written for a book on the teaching of poetry he hopes to publish in the UK.  It has already been published here.

In deference to his poetry expertise Pegge was called upon to read one of the Vikram Seth sonnets too.  It is never difficult to persuade Pegge to read, recite or perform.

Wayne Anthoney (telling, performing, an anecdote), Bob Ellis, John Bannon, Ian Hamilton, Richard Tonkin, Malcolm Elliott.

Malcolm Elliott, Tony Colebatch, Paul Lloyd.
 

APRIL

Thursday, April 20, 2006.

Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar.
Diners: Michael Jacobs, Tony Brooks, John Bannon, Paul Lloyd, Prof Wilf Prest, Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Leo Davis. Non dining visitor: Roger Moore. Apologies: Ian Hamilton (Canberra). Bob Ellis (death in family).

Brooks brought along the Pelican Seven Famous One Act Plays and read from it with impish delight. 

Tony Brooks, John Bannon.

Wayne spoke proudly of his daughter who is to direct the 2008 Fringe and, presumably the recently announced 2007 one.  Tony Brooks wondered about the Fringe shows that have few in their audience and why some shows that would get a good audience at any time are in the Fringe at all. 

Somebody expressed interest in going to The Auntie Jack Show when it is in town.  A chap mentioning having seen Graham Bond in Boys’ Own Macbeth, in Sydney, maybe 25 years ago had Brooks saying ‘Don’t talk to me about Boys’ Own Macbeth .’  We were reminded that he’d been involved in touring the show with it doing well in Adelaide, and possibly Melbourne, but losing $35,000 in Perth which, in 1980, was a lot of money.

Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Michael jacobs.

Wayne recommended a comedy improvisation show ‘Thank God You’re Here’ on Channel 10, 7.30, last night.  He spoke highly of the show and very generously of the comedians who performed in it.

Jacobs was dismissive of chaps who cling to Old Boys events and connections and said that sometimes when **** and **** get too drunk together they are pathetic with their Old School reminiscences.

Paul Lloyd, Lisa Rouse, Prof. Wilfred Prest, Wayne Anthoney, John Potter.   

Prof Wilf Prest got a little happily drunk and told at length about the subject of his research.  Typographical errors were discussed, mainly in reference to Bannon’s recently submitted thesis.  It was suggested that they go unnoticed more often in larger fonts, especially headlines.  Someone remembered the memorable ‘7^TH REGIMENT THRUST BOTTLES UP GERMANS’

After the laughter, ever accurate Jacobs pointed out that it was the 8^th.

Tony Brooks responded with an apocryphal French Spoonerism the detail of which is forgotten.  Something along the lines of a radio item about Population Excess in the Cape Province being read as “Le copulation excessive de Pape”.

John Bannon, Paul Lloyd, Wilf Prest, Wayne Anthoney, John Potter (obscured), Lisa Rouse.

Lisa Rouse, our lovely waitress seemed particularly attentive today.  We had a fixed menu of pork on fennel followed by fig and ginger pudding and she keen to hear how much we liked the food.  The tray of starters was great today, with more vegetable than usual. 

Roger Moore joined us for a while.  He’d just come from lunch, shouted by Cheong Liew.  Moore had been in China recently where he has been selling wine.  He buys wine in bulk, bottles it and sticks on shoddy labels that he produces on his home/office printer.  Recently the Pembroke VIII that he coached came second to David Bishop’s SPSC VIII, beating the PAC crew that had been winning all season.  He was at David Bishop’s home last night.

Somehow Roger raised Tony Baker’s name and the late Tony got a thorough, but admiring, pasting.  His excessive eating and, particularly, drinking were celebrated.  It was suggested that he never paid for a meal by the simple act of letting it seem that he was reviewing the restaurant he was robbing.  His ability to produce quality journalism, early in the day, in perhaps a two hour burst, and then get on with eating and drinking was admired.  Roger had visited him up until the last couple of days before he died.  ‘You’ve had enough of this’ he’d said to Tony, who agreed.  Tony’s daughter had easily been able to be with him at his death but his son had to come from the UK and arrived something like two hours before Tony died.  This conversation led into a discussion of different types of writers and journalists versus (implicitly it seemed the superior) academic writers.  Writers of fiction didn’t seem to rank.  Jacobs was asked whether he had any difficulty with all the writing he does and he said he writes less lately but has no problem finishing two different tasks in a day.

A couple of times the identity of Alistair C. the author of the Adelaide Review column ‘Notes on Adelaide from the long lunch in Hutt Street’ was queried.  Jacobs, who is a regular contributor to the Review, said that would be a secret forever, even if the paper died.  Michael himself is a contender and even Wayne Anthoney seemed a possibility when he used a common line from the column, in passing conversation, on an unrelated topic. Something about ‘first wives’.  Lance Campbell has to be on the list.

Tony Brooks, John Bannon, Paul Lloyd, Wilf Prest.

Brooks and Jacobs had to leave early to pick up a ‘portaloo’ because they are picking Tony’s Cabernet Sauvignon from 7:00 tomorrow morning.  When the lateness of the picking was noted Tony explained that he was planning to make an amorone style wine.

 

MAY

Thursday, May 18, 2006.

Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar, Chesser St.
Diners:  Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Leo Davis, Andrew Bishop, Ian Hamilton, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Tony Brooks. Apology: John Bannon. Short visit: Wilf Prest.

Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Primo Caon (proprietor, delivering duck shanks), Tony Brooks.

Ian Hamilton, Lisa Rouse, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Paul Lloyd.


Clockwise from front left:  Andrew Bishop, Ian Hamilton, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Paul Lloyd (obscured), Tony Brooks, Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Michael Jacobs.

Michael Jacobs proposed a toast (see above) to Jerry Wesley-Smith who has died, aged about 65.  Wayne said he ‘was a great jazz pianist and endless smoker who died from emphysemia; just after our first BYA show.’  Andrew Bishop noted how much anger he had inside.

In the current edition of The Adelaide Review there is an article by Michael Jacobs that does not include the opinion he passed a couple of time that a current independent is mad and in need of sick leave and/or treatment.


Andrew Bishop, Ian Hamilton, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge.


Clockwise from front left:  Paul Lloyd. Tony Brooks, Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge.

Wayne Anthoney told a wonderful sexist, misogynist, politically well beyond the pale joke that delighted all.  A chap wakes and feels SO good.  He goes downstairs and his wife says ‘What’s up? You look awful!’ Throughout the day, during which he feels wonderful, people say to him,  ‘What’s up? You look awful!’  He becomes concerned and goes to his doctor and explains ‘I feel wonderful but everyone says I look awful.’  The Doctor consults the compendium. ‘Looks awful; feels awful. No that’s not you.  Looks good; feels awful.  No. Looks awful feels awful.  No. Ah-uh! Here it is. Feels good; looks awful! You’re a  **!”  The joke is untellable unless in a certain male gathering.  It was so well received that it was told again and again, every few months, often delivered as a duet by Wayne and Potter.

 

Andrew Bishop, Ian Hamilton, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Michael Jacobs.

There was lot more smoking in those days, and much of that at table.

JUNE

Chesser Cellars

Leo was unfortunately not able to provide an attendance list or his fascinating notes of this gathering,

 which appears to have been quite a well attended one.

Wilf Prest, John Bannon, Leo, Michael Jacobs, Andy Bishop, Malcolm Elliott, Paul Lloyd

Peter Tregilgas, The Founder of Fasta Pasta, Andy Bishop

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Brooks, Jacobs, Wayne Anthoney, Wilf, Lloyd's head again, Malcolm's nose

Fasta Pasta, Andy. What on earth is going on?

Wayne, Wilf, Jacobs, Bannon

Tutti Ensemble.Lisa Rouse serving, Tony Colebatch at the right

Malcolm Elliott, Paul Lloyd in declamatory mode

JULY

Thursday, July 20, 2006.
Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar, Chesser St.
Diners:  Michael Jacobs, John Bannon, John Paisley, Paul Lloyd, Ewart Shaw, Edward  Neetzel, Tony Brooks, Wayne Anthoney, Leo Davis, Peter Tregilgas.

Wayne Anthoney, John Paisley, John Bannon, Tony Brooks.

Wayne Anthoney told us of a part he has in Rolf de Heer’s latest movie.  It includes a scene with Mike Rann fighting over the Premier’s office.

John Paisley taught at Enfield High in 1961 then went to Adelaide Teacher’s College to lecture in speech and drama.  He told us that he was in ‘Skippy’ all those years ago.  He has married a Chinese artist, inside the last year.  He acts in Chinese films, including the Taekwondo genre.  His repeating role is as the wicked occidental.  Today he came as John Bannon’s guest.

Bannon gave an impassioned defence or advertisement for the ‘liberal’ education at SPSC.  He claims it will turn out another Labor leader one day; soon?


Wayne Anthoney, John Paisley, John Bannon, Lida Rouse taking coffee orders, Tony Brooks.

Tony Brooks is always good at finding and performing readings.  He brought one today that I’d heard on Radio National, but it would not have occurred to me to bring it along.  Scott Rice, a professor of English at San Jose State University in California, started the annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest in 1982.  It challenges entrants to compose ‘the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels.’ 

‘Guigli's winning entry read: ‘Detective Bart Lasiter was in his office studying the light from his one small window falling on his super burrito when the door swung open to reveal a woman whose body said you've had your last burrito for a while, whose face said angels did exist, and whose eyes said she could make you dig your own grave and lick the shovel clean.’

The preamble is;
‘It was a dark and stormy night’ is a well known and well used line but few of us know the name of its author. In fact, it was the opening sentence of a novel written in 1830 by the seriously-monikered Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton.’

Tony Brooks is arranging a $200/head dinner for the 150^th Anniversary of the SA Museum’s Waterhouse Club. He is looking for a singer with a particular voice in the manner of Peter Dawson.  He took advice from Ewart Shaw, who says that he knows all the singers. 

Peter Tregilgas, Ewert Shaw, Paul Lloyd, Edward Neetzal, Michael Jacobs.

Edward Neetzel, Paul’s guest, lives near Paul and does watercolour and gauche of the Port and of beaches.  He was ‘discovered’ by Russell Starkey.  His work will be exhibited at Lombard Gallery, opening on September 25.  He is married to Annabelle Powrie.  She was an English teacher, at Gepps Cross Girls High School, when I taught there.  Years later I was saddened to hear that she now suffers with Multiple Sclerosis.    

It was agreed that the arrival in court this week, by ambulance, of Rick Marshal, was his ‘greatest performance’.


Peter Tregilgas, Lisa Rouse, Ewert Shaw, Paul Lloyd, Edward Neetzal, Michael Jacobs, Tony Brooks (just visible).

Ewart Shaw, who studied Drama at Flinders, with Noni Hazelhurst, is now The Advertiser (occasional?) Opera Critic. He sang as a bass or baritone in various choirs, and musical groups.  He told of first meeting Paul Lloyd 30 years ago at a party at Parkside. ‘I was in love with Paul and Paul was in love with Paul.’  

Paul Lloyd, John Paisley, Michael Jacobs.

Jacobs went downstairs to get the current Adelaide Review to show Bannon what he’d written, about the Rann wedding.  Bannon spoke with awe and admiration of Gough Whitlam at 90.  He said that as long as he reads his speeches he is a great public speaker but that he has been an embarrassment when he has been asked to give a 10 minute speech and does so without notes and goes on for 30 minutes about how his government was right pre 1975.

AUGUST
 

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar.
Diners:  Michael Jacobs, Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Leo Davis, Andrew Bishop, Ian Hamilton, Roger Moore, Malcolm Elliott, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Prof Wilf Prest.

Wilf Prest read, very fast, a book review (see image, below), in something like the Times Literary Supplement, written by Clive James. It was cruel and funny. The book was a biography of someone like A.D. Hope, by a woman who must have cried and cried when she read the review.

Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Lisa Rouse, Andrew Bishop, Robert Hodge (obscured), Wilf’s hands.

Clockwise from front left: Wayne Anthoney (left arm), John Potter, Ian Hamilton, Roger Moore, Malcolm Elliott, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Prof. Wilfred Prest, Michael Jacobs.

The two images above show that we had lamb shanks for main course; with mashed potato and something that looks like sauerkraut.  And side plates of carrot, brussel sprouts and boiled potatoes.

Wilf said that Cathy Speck’s Art History program was one of two good things to have happened in the Department (Arts?) in recent times. The other was a course on gastronomy!! I assume that’s run by Tony Brooks’ partner, Barbara Santich.

Ian asked, and ‘yes’, Wilf does know Alan Frost.  In discussing Alan, and expressing surprise that he was still working,  (Written Dec 2019: Ian was aware of Frost from his days, Ian’s, as Director of the Mildura Arts Complex and Latrobe had an Art School in Mildura, directed by Neil Fettling.  I mistakenly thought Frost was an artist (there is an Alan Frost Australian artist) and that Ian was asking Wilf as chairman of the Board of the Art Gallery of South Australia between 1978 and 1985.  But he was asking historian Wilf.  Currently Frost is Emeritus Prof of History at Latrobe.  He started there in the English Dept.  He retired around 2010, lives in Bundoora and is still writing/researching books on the history of the Colonial settlement of Australia.  Wiki says: Frost's ‘arguments radically challenge those expressed by prominent historians Manning Clark and Robert Hughes’).

Wilf lives in Strathalbyn and comes to town a couple of days a week to his office, now in the Law Building.  That suits because his research topic is 18^th century English jurist Sir William Blackstone SL KC

Roger Moore, Ian Hamilton, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Michael Jacobs, John Potter.

Ian read his report of the day trip we two had taken to install some of his art work for the Palmer Biennial Art Show, on Greg Johns’ Art installation property outside Palmer.

In March 2012 a party including several Hogarthians (Ghil’ad, Wilf, John, Ian seen above) visited Greg’s property.  The group is gathering around a sculpture installed there by John Hayward (red shirt) and Ian Hamilton (front right).

Roger Moore, Malcolm Elliott.

Roger Moore filled us in on the wine export trade.  He spoke of meeting with Des Ryan who also went to school in Geelong; but higher up the hill, at the Catholic College.  Des was in town, from Tasmania, where he is editing a regional newspaper, for the 40^th birthday of his partner Megan Lloyd (Editor-in-Chief of Messenger Community Newspapers, later editor Sunday Mail). 

Roger Moore, Malcolm Elliott, Lisa Rouse, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Prof. Wilfred Prest.

I noted my surprise at Michael Jacobs having written about wine, Tempranillo in particular, in the latest Adelaide Review.  He’d already covered law, politics and  sport, so I guess he can tackle anything.  Somebody, Michael I think, had brought along a Spanish Tempranillo and I had a Cascabel Tempranillo for comparison. The Cascabel was the wine of the day (centre of table below).   

Michael Jacobs, Wayne Anthoney, John Potter. 

Michael had been pruning again yesterday which must be hard given some arthritis, a bad back and gout (though he has tablets are keeping that in order).  Andrew and Michael discussed arthritic hands which led to Andrew displaying his wicket keeper’s battered hands.  He showed a particularly bent digit and recalled a doctor (was he the State Cricket Team doctor?) beaming as he advised Andrew ‘You know what that needs? A hair poultice.’  Guffaws all round. 

Michael Jacobs, Edmund Pegge, Wayne Anthoney.  Note two packets of cigarettes on the table and Pegge smoking a pipe.

Edmund Pegge arrived at about 4.00, fairly much fresh from the plane from London.

Andrew Bishop told me he is to play, with one of his bands, ‘The Haggards’, in late September, at a birthday party that Ian Hamilton and I are invited to. It’s the 100^th birthday of the Pekina Community Hall, that Melbourne based artist, Malcolm McKinnon, has turned into a holiday house.  The whole local district is invited to an old style country dance.  I called in at Pekina, briefly, in about September 2004, to a FAB petanque gathering arranged by Lance Campbell.  I was on the way back from a trip to Blinman with sometime Hogarthians, Milton Wordley, Philip White and others.  Pekina, south of Orroroo, is not far from Mannanarie where Dad taught in the now long closed one room school, from about May 1954 to perhaps late 1956. 

SEPTEMBER

Thursday, September 21, 2006
Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar.
Diners:  John Bannon, Paul Lloyd, Tony Colebatch, Leo Davis.

John Bannon, Paul Lloyd, Lisa Rouse, Tony Colebatch.

Lloyd mentioned that a PM had once said the greatest threat to the planet was environmental, an invitation for Bannon to expand.  He met Margaret Thatcher, for a second time, in about 1991. They talked about Unions for a while, till she said ‘This is a waste of time; you won’t convince me and I won’t convince you.  Let’s talk about something else.  Do you know that in 15 years the Maldives will be 3 feet under water?’

Main course was beef cheek and the usual seasonal vegetables; broccoli, pumpkin & boiled spuds.



Perhaps it was the smaller group that allowed Tony Colebatch to be more vocal than usual because he dominated conversation through most of lunch.  Not being from any of the Old Schools, he is sometimes not treated as a real member.


Paul Lloyd is one of the best photographers to attend Hogarth, pipped probably by Milton Wordley.

There was a long discussion about the possible fate of the Cheltenham Race Course.

Lots of talk about Muslim religion had Lloyd, Bannon and Colebatch, in that order of enthusiasm, all speaking well of the religion and its role historically.

Bannon referred to a photographic supplement in The Advertiser, today, that included a shot of him and Angela with Prince Charles and Lady Dianna and one of a young Lyn Arnold, long before becoming Premier of SA, in an anti Vietnam war demonstration.

John Bannon, Paul Lloyd, Tony Colebatch (smoking at table). 

Three bottles of wine were drunk by three of us (one having less than half a bottle) while Tony drank his usual Coopers.  The others started the afternoon, as per usual, with a Coopers or two from the mini fridge.  I forget how payment was made for those beers each month.  Honour system?

We discussed archaeology, the Aboriginal settlement of Australia, linked to rising and falling sea levels, ideas about primitive sections of society being relegated to undesirable parts of the landscape, the possibility of fruitful existence on the Adelaide Plains, pre European invasion. Public Art in Adelaide was discussed.  Bannon is very keen, as am I, on the civic statuary.

OCTOBER

Thursday, October 19, 2006.

Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar.

Diners:  Michael Jacobs, John Potter, Angus Redford, Tony Colebatch, Robert “Red” Hodge, Paul Lloyd, Tony Brooks, Wayne Anthoney, Peter Tregilgas, Peter Dunn, Leo Davis.  Apologies: Prof. Wilfred Prest.

Antipasto was too meaty for me, today.  Usually there is a nice range of vegetables, including marinated mushrooms, eggplant, olives, etc.  Today almost everything was high in animal protein.  Pickled artichoke was the only exclusively vegetable component.  Next best was tomato and  bocconcino slices.


Peter Tregilgas, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Lisa Rouse, Tony Brooks (note the Loxodontine tie)

Main was, as last month, beef cheek, served today with roast potato and green peas; and the usual side plates of vegetables; broccoli, pumpkin & boiled spuds.  Pudding was a sticky cake, with ice cream, and a nice sauce.

Michael Jacobs was pleased to tell Angus Redford (Gus) about an article he’d written, for The Adelaide Review; on the streets tomorrow.  It speaks well of Ian Evans.  Clearly Gus was not so positive. He claimed credit for much of the content of the speech, saying he’d told Evans that, after 5 (or so) months, nobody had any idea who he is.  He’d advised Evans to talk about himself, the very material Jacobs has (he says) praised him for in his page 3 article.  Gus then went on, with prompting from Tony Brooks, to tell about the acquittal of an elder relative. Many feel he was clearly guilty of the rape he was charged with. The lawyer got him off, we were told, by getting the jury to laugh at the idea that a short, fat, unfit chap could possibly have done what he was accused of.  Ever after, it is said, he refused to talk to the lawyer.  An insider claimed staffers in Parliament House refused to ride in the lift with the elder, so notorious was his sexual pestering in lifts.


Angus’s guest, Peter Dunn, Angus Redford, Michael Jacobs.

I was told I’d missed some good performances from Gus on TV on election night.  Kerry O’Brien asked him why he was not elected. ‘I didn’t get enough votes.’  He has gone back to Law and has two clients at the moment.

Discussion about energy policy showed up clear political differences. One ‘Market forces’ person slipped up, claiming that natural gas produces no greenhouse gases.  Wayne Anthoney picked him up quickly.  Colebatch tended to support his friend.  Wayne was insistent in abusing Howard and his various policies and is very keen on energy saving procedures (solar panels, houses that don’t need air conditioning, turning down water heater thermostats, etc.) and pressed Angus on his ‘right wing positions.’  It was useful to watch from the outside how irrational people, even highly intelligent can be, are, in supporting their views and passions.  Useful to be reminded whenever I think I am near to knowing the truth or thinking I am thinking, acting, speaking rationally.  One chap seemed particularly wonky in his science based thinking while being absolutely sure he was right. Used to being listened to, uninterrupted, too.  He proposed, with conviction, that if people were forced to have a meter in their house that tells them how much water, gas, electricity, whatever, they’ve used that they would make a rational decision to curb their consumption.  I held up a cigarette packet, clearly labelled with the consequences of smoking, as my rebuttal.  He was not amused and said ‘There’s always one, isn’t there!’  


Peter Dunn, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Tony Colebatch, Peter Tregilgas, Wayne Anthoney.
 
One lad, good man, noted Colebatch calling somebody a ‘prick’ and remarked to Wayne, ‘He must be a Latin scholar’ which he later explained was a way of calling him ‘common.’

This morning Potter had a meeting at the Royal Adelaide on the dental problems associated with AIDS.  Quite tummy churning, he reported.  He talked of someone on the gay beat in the parklands spreading syphilis; many cases have turned up at the RAH lately.

Tony Brooks was telling a story about Roger Vincent, Catherine’s current partner, and his earlier affair with Leslie Carron.  I surprised Brooks by telling him that Catherine is legally still my wife. 


Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Tony Brooks, Paul Lloyd.

Prostitution came up as a topic because Stormy Summers and bikie husband were charged, during the week, with possession of firearms.  Tony Brooks told of his days as a young reporter with This Day Tonight being sent out to do a story on a brothel in Whitmore Square; next to the pub there.  It offered ‘pensioner specials’ one day a week and he was sent to interview prostitutes and old chaps queuing up in the waiting room.  They were appreciative of the service given and the girls found the old men much less of a problem than the youngsters and they could get through a larger number in an hour so did well even on the reduced prices.  


Wayne Anthoney, Lisa Rouse, John Potter, Peter Dunn..


Peter Tregilgas, Lisa Rouse, Robert ‘Red’ Hodge, Tony Brooks, Paul Lloyd, Tony Colebatch.

Peter Tregilgas brought a bottle of Barossa Valley moscato to drink with our pudding and to use it as an excuse to announce it was his birthday. He told us, with relish, of being flown to Canberra, last week, to a table with 10 places (tried unsuccessfully to get local MPs, such as Chris Pyne, to join the five flown over) for a dinner in a tent on the lawns of the National Gallery, in the company of John Howard, for the Small Business Awards.  His unit (SA Arts??) was one of three finalists in a category.  Richard Tonkin, sometime tabler, was in his group.

Tony Colebatch, Lisa Rouse (serving Peter Tregilgas’ birthday drink), Wayne Anthoney (what was he thinking?)
 

NOVEMBER

Thursday, November 16, 2006.

Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar.
Diners:   John Bannon, Tony Colebatch, Paul Lloyd, Wayne Anthoney, Leo Davis.  Apologies: Michael Jacobs, Prof. Wilfred Prest.


Wayne Anthoney,  Leo Davis, Paul Lloyd, Lisa Rouse, John Bannon, Tony Colebatch.

The poorly focussed self portrait (camera on time release sitting on dresser) may show that we had a steak today.  Pudding, in the other two images looks like apple or similar pie with cream and ice cream.

Paul Lloyd, John Bannon, Tony Colebatch, Lisa Rouse, Wayne Anthoney.

We discussed Global Warming and Religious Belief, British Humour (Wayne does a Fawlty Towers routine at pub dining rooms near Christmas) and the genetic basis of racial characteristics.  In discussing religious belief I referred to a New Scientist article I’d just read that pointed out that acupuncture works for headaches, wherever the needles are applied and however they are twiddled and that acupuncture does not work for young children who, presumably, have no expectations. Bad move; not well received!  One believer has had much relief and another’s son is a healer who applies acupuncture, successfully, after one short course.

There was a little diversion to discuss The Fringe (because Wayne’s daughter is the Director) and the Southern Vales or Fleurieu Peninsular Art Show (because Wayne’s partner, Meredith Bowman, directs that or part of it).

I wonder if Meredith is related to the Adelaide Mary Bowman who died childless in 1952 and in her will established the one off three year boarding scholarship that took me to PAC.  I met her sister in 1954, in Jack Dunning’s apartment.  Wayne spent year 12 at PAC, I recently discovered.

Bannon said he has found ‘comfort’ in a return to Anglicanism.

Lovely (she really is) Lisa was in a happy flitty mood, running up stairs and singing as she did.

Paul Lloyd, Lisa Rouse, John Bannon, Tony Colebatch.

One chap looks after his drinking needs very well.  He had two half glasses of wine in front of him when he checked the four bottles and found only my Mountadam Merlot had any left in it.  He poured a third full glass for himself, leaving no wine for the remaining drinkers.

DECEMBER

Thursday, December 21, 2006.

Monthly Hogarth Luncheon; Hogarth Room, upstairs at Chesser Cellar.
Diners:   Richard Tonkin, Ian Hamilton, Tony Brooks, Ian “Bones” Owens, John Bannon, Edmund Pegge, Paul Lloyd, Michael Jacobs, Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Malcolm Elliott, Leo Davis, Michael Prest, Wilfred Prest, Peter Tregilgas, Tony Colebatch.  Apologies: Andrew Bishop, “Red” Hodge.

As I entered Chesser Cellar I said a brief ‘hello’ to a very chubby faced Legh Davis who I saw standing with a group at the Bar.  I think I’d spoken with him, briefly, just once since I last saw him as a fellow class member in ‘Argus’ Dennis’ VIA, in 1957.

Paul Lloyd (rolling a cigarette), Wayne Anthoney, John Potter, Lisa Rouse, Malcolm Elliott.

Chesser Cellars was so busy that we did not sit down to lunch till past 2 pm. That meant a lot of drinking had already taken place, so the crowd was rowdy earlier on than usual.

 

Tony Brooks, John Bannon, Edmund Pegge.

Richard Tonkin, Paul Lloyd.

Colebatch joked that Richard Tonkin would be BORING if the matter of Halibrand was raised.   

Edmund Pegge, Lisa Rouse, Richard Tonkin (fiddle), Ian ‘Bones’ Owens, Paul Lloyd (flute).


Edmund Pegge, Paul Lloyd, Ian ‘Bones’ Owens. 

Note Ed Pegge with pipe and a pack of rolling tobacco by Lloyd’s left hand..

Ian ‘Bones’ Owens, lives in London, working with a kids circus that tours to the Continent. He occasionally turns up at Xmas Hogarth (2002, 2003) when he visits friends/family in Adelaide.

Ian ‘Bones’ Owens, Michael Jacobs, Paul Lloyd (rolling a cigarette), Wayne Anthoney.


Tony Brooks, John Bannon, Edmund Pegge.

My usual end of year malaise had me grumpy and intolerant today.  I almost argued nastily with a good friend when he sided with Bannon in opposing a Christmas collection for Lisa, on the grounds that tipping was ideologically incorrect and encouraging of low wages.  I can agree with that argument against tipping, in general, especially as applied overseas, but I suspect some meanness might have been involved.  It was only a once a year gesture and Lisa has coddled and indulged the group tirelessly for years.  Further to my grumpiness, when a renowned imbiber asked me to pass my bottle of a very nice Pinot Noir I reminded him that he’d already drunk two glasses of it. 

Bannon sang some lewd songs powerfully.  His annual Hitler speech went down less happily than in previous years and Wilfred Prest loudly and repeatedly said ‘Not funny.’

Prof. Wilfred Prest, Peter Tregilgas, Tony Colebatch, Lisa Rouse, Ian Hamilton.

Lisa Rouse was persuaded to sit with us and sing Carols.

Michael Prest, his cousin Prof. Wilfred Prest, Peter Tregilgas.

Michael Prest is Wilfred’s cousin. He flew in, via Singapore, from London, yesterday. He lives in London but his and Wilf’s Dads were from Yorkshire.  Wilf’s Dad, who was a member of the Melbourne Club, retained his strong Yorkshire accent.  Michael works as a freelance journalist in economics.  He was once with The Independent. (UK version).  At some stage he was ‘headhunted’ by The World Bank and he has also worked as a consultant &/or journalist in mining and minerals.