Doctor Doctor (Give me the News)

Latest acquisition to the Crackajack stable is a 1925 Mouth Organ Cover (envelope). Recently on sale primarily for philatelists as the King George stamp has a white flaw on top of the large number one in the right value shield.

Thankfully a reduced offer was accepted by the seller as I wasn’t overly interested at the initial asking price – sometimes you get lucky.

My next task was to identify Dr. Connelly and research his family background.

Doctor Connelly

Arthur Waldo Connelly was born March 10, 1870 in Sandhurst, Victoria. Bendigo was known as Sandhurst from 1854 to 1891. His father was Thomas James Connelly who was born in New York in 1828 to Irish immigrant parents. He emigrated to Australia in the 1850’s and operated an Ironmongery store in Forest Street Bendigo (see photograph above).

Waldo’s older brother Thomas Jefferson Connelly (born in 1858), when aged twenty nine, became Mayor of Bendigo and I believe he is still the youngest ever.

Waldo (as he was known) was educated at Bendigo Grammar and studied medicine at Melbourne University graduating in 1894. He would first apply his trade as house surgeon at Bendigo Hospital where he gained valuable experience treating miners. Waldo displayed talent in Australian rules football representing University and playing seconds for the Melbourne Football Club.

Soon after gold had been discovered in Western Australia Waldo enterprisingly set off across the Nullarbor to practice on the gold fields.

Paddy Hannan discovered a rich deposit of gold on 14 June 1893 that triggered a major rush in the area now identified as Kalgoorlie – Boulder in Western Australia. The resulting goldfield has been mined ever since and is known as The Golden Mile, the richest square mile in the world. The modern open-cut mine is enormous and so named the Super Pit.

Waldo would find love in Boulder and wed Marion Way. In WWI he joined the troops as a medical officer holding the title of Captain. In 1921 he returned to Victoria and bought a residence in Upper Hawthorn. Waldo and Marion had three daughters Joan Way eldest, Margaret and Betty (Elizabeth Marion) youngest.

Waldo passed this mortal coil at his then residence (675 Burke Rd, Upper Hawthorn) and practice on the 27th July, 1946.

The recipient of the letter, care of Dr. Connelly is a bit of a mystery. None of their daughters have the initial ‘D’, but it appears the surname is slightly different to Connelly – Miss D Comley. I believe the address was both residence and practice and perhaps the recipient worked there. I had never come across the suburb of Upper Hawthorn before and this address is now located in the town of Camberwell.

No Bowel Movement Doc!

A guy walks into the doctor's and says, "Doc, I haven't had a bowel movement in a week!" The doctor gives him a prescription for a mild laxative and tells him, "If it doesn't work, let me know." 
A week later the guy is back: "Doc, still no movement!" The doctor says, "Hmm, guess you need something stronger," and prescribes a powerful laxative. 
Still another week later the poor guy is back: "Doc, STILL nothing!" The doctor, worried, says, "We'd better get some more information about you to try to figure out what's going on. What do you do for a living?" "I'm a musician, I play the harmonica." The doctor looks up and says, "Well, that's it! Here's $10.00. Go get something to eat!" 

Oz Trademarks

You may remember back to my last review Dawg Blawg, Kangaroo Hop while investigating the Kangaroo Mouth Organ, I stumbled across (as often is the case) a couple of interesting trademarks. Firstly, The Bushman by W H Paling in 1900 which we (Pat Missin) had already established that F A Rauner in Germany was the manufacturer for the Australian market.

F A Rauner was also the manufacturer of the Crackajack brand down under for Allan & Co (Allan’s) and with their new range in 1926 the Crackajack Tivoli was applied for its own TM.

Y’all Got Your Ears On

I know I know I’m the saddest of souls and love ain’t always blind, but this time I’ll be shaping up this time we’ll be making up, this time I’ll say you never left my mind. (Ally Row)

First cab off the rank is a posthumous album release by the legendary Jim Keays. Caledonia is an album that Jim had been working on back before cocky was an egg. In fact in 2001 he ventured into Woodstock, Joe Camilleri’s studios in St.Kilda, to record the album. In the Northern Star (February 2, 2009), Jim informed us that the still to be released album, “has Celtic melodies, which I love, and a variety of rock songs and ballads in the Jim Keays style.” Nice to see Jim’s album finally come to fruition and it’s a really good chilled listen.

Highlights include; the creative remake of the most excellent Waiting For The Big One, a fabulous cover of of one of his favourite Steve Winwood (Blind Faith) tunes Can’t Find My Way Home and then there’s a cracker, the one with (harmonica – don’t be fooled by the album credits), a co-write by Jim with good friend Nick Smith Love in a Drugstore. This has a different feel from the rest of the album with bluesier overtones and elements of Tom Waits. The harp definitely sounds like Jim, who liked to throw a bit of the blues burger on a song or two. Do yourself a service and purchase the CD from JB Hi Fi.

Next up is a wee little punchy ditty by Gippsland duo Ally Row titled This Time. The duo’s moniker is a clever derivative of their first names Alice Fitzgerald and Rowan Sizer. Sweet heartfelt vocal and harmonies, melodic harmonica and strumming banjo feature in this release. Recorded/mixed/produced by Spud Thompson at Elusive Creative Studios and mastered by Nick Franklin, This Time is out now on all streaming platforms and Bandcamp. Well worth a listen.

Victorian State Concert Orchestra

One little excursion last month, as part of Senior Citizens Week (yes I qualify) and a birthday celebration, to our local theatre. To a near packed house, the fifty strong Victorian State Concert Orchestra played to an appreciative audience. So much so, that for the first time ever, they had an encore. Highlight for the author was their interpretation of The Pirates Of Caribbean and a medley of music from the Broadway play My Fair Lady. No harmonica, but I did love the brass. We were even captured in print – next row back from those lit. See if you can see what I see.

Expat harpman Mitch Grainger has updated his unique invention the Dyna-Mic with the release of the Nighthawk. Rather than having to cup a bullet microphone, you can basically use your normal grip and achieve a mighty amplified resonation. This condenser microphone also has an inbuilt pre amp. The Nighthawk arrives with numerous new design features that include fingertip control of the overdrive and an infrared sensor that allows hand wah wahs. Check out Mitch’s video for more and a demonstration of the Nighthawk edition.

Benoit & Ol’ Shep – I thought that I would always have it all (Live at Selby) Bandcamp

I’ve just landed a third single over on Bandcamp alongside my solo instrumentals Locomotive Weave and Ruffled Feathers. Five years after my first appearance with Benoit on his seminal Blue Bird album, I can offer a previously unreleased live version of I thought I would always have it all, which is the album’s Bill Lawry.

I’ve gotta say no pharmaceutical product could ever equal the rush you get when the band hits that groove, the people are dancin’, and shoutin’, and swayin’, and the house is rockin’.

Here’s a list of all the tunes I’ve recorded with Benoit;

Blue Bird (2019) – I thought I would always have it all

Valley (2021) – Think I might grab my things and go & Someday I’ll find my way

Mountain (2023) – I’ve been stranded out on my own, Sometimes words, they’re not even needed , I’m the boy who cried by the riverside & What if we made a new road to take?

Live at Selby Folk Club (2024) – I’ve been stranded out on my own

Waldo & Max

I had a couple of feature articles brewing for some time now and I felt it was time to pour them into the cyber world. This month we discharged Waldo The Magnificent, where the life and times of Waldo Burgoyne was positioned under the microscope. There were all his triumphs and tragedies too! Next month will see Max Braybrook’s jailhouse harmonica fill the vessel (with the pestle).

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