“ANOTHER BRIDGE TO BURN” – by Des Kelly
Yes, apart from burning bridges, as my title suggests, this story goes out to all e’Lankans, with the best compliments of two very good Lankan-Aussies mates who I am privileged to know, firstly, Roger Theideman, related to me by marriage (Theidemans’ being directly from my late wife’s side, as was my late Mother-in-Law, Ruth, and Roger’s late Dad, Annesley, whose care & love I treasured.
Secondly, Darrell De Silva, another superb guitarist, I had heard of, but not met, unfortunately, as he resides in Sydney. Thus, we never did get the chance to meet, in person.
The Bridge Hotel in Dandenong was in fact, the very first hotel in Oz., where I secured some extra weekend part-time ‘Showbiz’ work, leading my own small Band, after organising a talent quest that I called “Search for a Star”, running steadily every Thursday night. I was happy to land this part-time job because during the early 60’s, even regular full-time employment here hardly gave one enough money to live comfortably (unless you were a Politician),and when you were lucky enough to get the odd bit of extra overtime, in your regular job, you then paid 52 cents in the dollar, tax on all overtime monies you earned.
The Bridge helped with finances, but they were very careful with the money they had to pay their Bands and after 6 or 7 years of happily entertaining the folk of Dandenong & surrounding Suburbs, I got a bit sick of the pittance I was earning there, and decided to take my Band and ‘TalentQuest’ to the Stamford Hotel in Rowville, who welcomed me with better wages & conditions plus a Sunday Afternoon gig, as well, where I filled the Venue, there.
It’s got little to do with this other Bridge I had to burn, but the Stamford Hotel was only one of a group of FEDERAL HOTELS, and I ended up, working at a different Federal Hotel, every night of the week, as the Compere/Organiser of my Talent Quest, plus doing my own “Floorshow” at the same time.
Coming to Australia as a migrant was one thing, but to really get ANYWHERE here, I found that I had to work like a bloody slave, which I did. (Now, that’s enough, Kelly, let’s get down to the Bridge once more, shall we) ??.However, before we do,
I have to say (very proudly) that my “Search for a Star”, did become the BIGGEST TALENT QUEST IN OLD Melbourne Town, at the time, and many ‘Stars to be’ started there, with me.
Desmond Kelly.
(Editor-in-Chief) e’Lanka.
Bridge Hotel, Dandenong, possibly late 1970s/early 1980s.
Image source: Flickr
Bridge Hotel, later known as Old Dandy Inn, before becoming the Jim Dandy and now the Dandenong Hotel. Although the hotel does still stand, renovations have made most of its history obsolete to the history seeker.
Built in 1858, the Hotel has seen many name changes and renovations, More recently it has been called the Old Dandy Inn, Jim Dandy and Dandenong Hotel.
In 1858,Michael Hennesy had started to build the Bridge Hotel, but ran into financial difficulties and the building was completed by George Hughes and John Prevot. That same year the hotel provided one of its rooms for use by the Court of Petty Sessions. It was also used for meetings by the Dandenong Road District Board. The Bridge Hotel was the terminus and inter-change for a coach service to Grantville, Tooradin and Melbourne. George Usher, licensee of the hotel, initiated the Grantville coach service.
On 12 August 1864 the hotel was the meeting place where local citizens proposed that a market be established in Dandenong. In the early 1870s it was the town’s most substantial hotel. The hotel is a two-storey structure, built of bricks, which were made from a clay deposit at the rear of the property, and with a slate roof. The upper floor facade of the building is largely unaltered, except for the removal of the veranda and the conversion of French doors to windows in the early 1900s. Considerable changes were made to the ground floor in the 1930s.
