Singer/dancer Brian started his singing career as a boy attending St Augustine’s College, Cairns. Then – Brother Oswin, a Marist Brothers teacher entered my life. I guess I would have been about 10 or 11 years old. He formed a boys’ choir … The choir had a team of six soloists and I was the lead soloist. Brother Oswin and I had a sweet deal going between us. On many occasions, he would be asked to have me sing at weddings with him as my accompanist. “Of course, Mrs So-and-So, the boy’s fee is £20.0.0” After the engagement, we’d split this fee.
Another time, the choir had to perform in grounds of the Cairns City Council’s Chambers for a welcome to the Governor General of Australia and his wife, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The Duke was King George VI’s brother. After the choir sang, I did a solo. Then the message came. The Duke and Duchess wanted me up on the stage with them. The Duchess was so charming and I was immediately sat down between them. The Duke’s breath nearly floored me. He was already half tanked but the Duchess obviously missed her own children and I was completely at ease with her. She chatted to me for nearly an hour while all the speeches were made. It was almost surreal.
Brian sang for many years around Australia and New Zealand. The highlight of his singing career was when he was one of only two non-British members of the Black and White Minstrel Show when they toured Australia and New Zealand for two years.
Sports: At school, Brian boxed, played cricket and rugby league and was involved in athletics. As a teen in Cairns, Brian played hockey, cycling and sailed 16’ skiffs. He was goalie for Brother’s A Grade hockey team and was selected to play for Cairns. He preferred road racing to track cycling and was selected to ride for North Queensland.
Reference: EARL, Brian, I’ve Crossed A Few Dry Gullies Mate!, Mindart Press, Hervey Bay, 2006.
Both photographs are from the above book. Brian is standing to the left of the Black and White Minstrel photograph.
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