Rowlands Ragtime Band

Penguin News, September 2003

Were you in the Town Hall thirty years ago this week for the dance that launched Rowlands Ragtime Bane?  Robert Rowlands speaking of the anniversary said, "It all happened by chance all that time ago when I overheard some older people leaving a dance very dissatisfied and reminiscing about when they played 'music' at dances.  Within a couple of weeks an 'old time dance' was advertised with the music to be provided by well known recording artists from the past combined with other local ones."

The band consisted of Jim Peck Betts and Owen McPhee from the 'Pebble Island school of music' playing the violin and piano accordion.  Carpenter, ships radio officer and schoolmaster FT (Jim) Lellman played violin, backed up by brothers Jimmy and Harry Ford on drums and devil's fiddle.  Myriam Booth helped out by playing records.

Robert said, "That first dance was a great success with over three hundred people attending.  A licensed bar run by Ken Summers and his helpers was located in the hall for on the spot refreshments, this saved thirsty dancers from having to venture outside (where it was traditional to hide drinks under the peat stack).  Stanley had more of a western frontier town atmosphere than the sophisticated choices of entertainment enjoyed today.  The band continued to play with great popularity in the Parish and Town Hall at dances, weddings and May Balls throughout the 1970s and on special occasions were invited to play at Government House.  Travel was undertaken by Beaver floatplane and MV Forrest to play at Camp events."

Robert explained that another first for the band took place after he read an advert in the 1975 edition of an Exchange & Mart magazine.  It said, 'Make your own L.P. record.'  A recording session was organised with technician Mike Peake at the Broadcasting Station studio and a tape was made.

Robert said, "... with the lively atmosphere of the dance hall missing, an emergency supply of Scottish tonic had to be obtained to help complete the performance.  Five hundred records arrived and no doubt there are still some copies of 'A Falkland Choice' surviving here and scattered around the world today in homes of Islanders that emigrated.  I'm sure that on occasions they are still listened to and used at dances."

The last performance by three members of Rowlands Ragtime Band was in 1994.  Surviving members, Owen McPhee (84) and Harry Ford (77) still reside in Stanley.

First published in the Penguin News on 26 September 2003 and reproduced with the kind permission of the Editor

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