Eisteddfod

Officials:

President:	Dr John Roulston AM
Vice- President:	Mrs Kathy Myatt
Secretary:	Mrs Margaret Buchanan
Assnt.Secretary:	Mrs Faye Wright
Treasurer:	Mrs Coral Myatt
Assnt. Treasurer	Mrs Barbara Holmes

Section Convenors

Piano & Instrumental:	Coral Myatt, Kathy Myatt. (Asst.) Lola Millward
Speech & Drama:	Merle Mensforth. (Asst.) Di Johnston, Chris Lloyd
Vocal:	Margaret Buchanan & Merle Mensforth
Catering:	Mrs R. Sorensen

Our Background

In 1926, the Silkstone Methodist Church appointed a small committee to look into the formation of an eisteddfod. Those first members were Mrs. T. Statham, Miss L. Smith, Mr. R. Owens, Mr. A. Smith and Mr. G. Jones. At the time there were other small eisteddfodau being held in Ipswich and perhaps this was to be one of many. Others did not continue, but with the help and dedication of many people over the years, we now celebrate more than 80 years of competition in our Eisteddfod.

That first “Grand Juvenile Eisteddfod” held in the Alpha Theatre in Station Road, Booval on Friday, 5th August 1927 gave encouragement not only to the competitors, but also to the committee of Mrs. Hicks, Misses L. Smith and S. Hedley, Messrs. G. Jones, R. Jenkins, E. Fortescue and J.C. Thomas to continue to foster this love of literature and music. Committee members changed and in 1929, Miss E. Morris was Secretary, Miss Nancy White became the official accompanist, Mr. G.B. Reason was the first Patron, followed by Mr. Tom Bird.

Of course, in 1977, when the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches joined to become the Uniting Church in Australia, the Silkstone and Newtown Methodists joined with St. John’s Presbyterians to form the Glebe Road Uniting Church, the parish which now presents this cultural experience.