Part Six "PERFORMANCE"

Wikipedia article Cairns

Between the ages of 10 and 15 [1933 – 1937] Ron Grainer began seriously studying music theory and interpretation under the tutoring of well respected Cairns teacher Veni Parker. Aside from some quite impressive academic achievements the highlight of this period would surely have been an invitation to perform at the opening broadcast of Far North Queensland’s first commercial radio station 4CA. Ron also seemed to have kept a healthy balance between his artistic and practical skills by participating in various scouting activities.

1933

Ron and his sister Margaret were both enrolled in the Edge Hill State School Cairns at the start of the first school term in 1933.  [3] There appear to be no public performances by Ron Grainer during this year but he did well in the November North Queensland music examinations held by the University of Queensland. Ron [age 11] achieved the highest pass, 94 with honors, for Grade Four violin. [04]

1934

Ron's appearance at the April 1934 Cairns Eisteddfod was quite intense. Although only 11 years of age he entered four sections Violin Solo under 14 "Rando Caprise" [Carse] second place score of 83 only losing to the winner by one point, Violin Solo under 16 “Romance” by Collie, 4th place with a score of 79, Violin Solo under 18 "Chanson Polonise", 83 points equal third place with Sam Zammit from Charters Towers but Ron's triumph for this competition was winning with 75 points, the Violin Playing at Sight section [presumably open to all ages] where the judge Dr Jarman commended Ron's winning performance by someone who was still only "a very young Cairns boy" and, like the other competitors, did well with a composition none had seen previously as it was a Dr Jarman's original only recently published by Novello of London. [05]

In his November Australian Music Examination, Ron came first in Queensland for Pianoforte Grade VI and won the Queensland Music Trader Exhibition prize for Grade Three Violin. The January 1935 newspaper write up of this success included the flattering description “Ronald Grainer ... is only 12, [but his] intellectual and sound performance bears the mark of the child genius ” This comment was illustrated with a, rare for the time period, newspaper photo of Ron alongside another high achieving local musician, Leonard Williams [age 14]. [6a]

1935

In 1935 Ron enrolled at the Cairns State High School. [6b]

In his February and December 1940 applications for WW2 military service Ron gave two versions of the period of time he spent at the Cairns High School 1935 - 1936 and 1935 - 1937.  [6b]

Ron's first application was rejected in Feb 1940 because he was not of an eligible age, by December 1940 he had turned 18 so was accepted. [6c]

On 4th April 1935 the Cairns Competitive Choir had a fund raising concert at the Hibernian Hall. Two items highlighted in the pre-publicity were the violin solo by Ron of “Brindisi Valse” and a sextet with Ron as a member playing “Barcorole” from “Tales Of Hoffman” [07]

At the Cairns Coral and Orchestral Society Performers concert held May 17 at the Hibernian Hall Cairns, Ron was scheduled to play a violin solo "Pale Moon" [Logan arranged Kreisler]. [08]

Ron [age 12] was listed as a member of the Fifth Cairns Alligator patrol scout group in a write up of various inter patrol competitions held during the month of July 1935. The other patrols were the Lions and the Kookaburras. [09]

In the September 1935 Queensland University music examinations Ron achieved 89 points with honours for Grade Five piano and 81 points with credit for Violin II. [10]

Ron was not the only Grainer family member with music talent. In the same results Ron's sister Marjorie achieved a score of 90 with honours for Grade Five piano.

On 20th September 1935 Ron played violin at his Edge Hill School's flower show fete and concert. Unlike his more prestigious local appearances, for this event he was treated as just another one of the performing pupils, appearing at the end of the program after a humorous recitation and followed by a group hornpipe. A preview perhaps of the humiliating cabaret years he was to experience in England in the 1950s. [11]

On 4th October Ron's father, Ron Albert Grainer, was noted as "presiding over the festive board" of a third anniversary reunion concert and banquet for the Fifth Cairns scout troop. During one speech it was mentioned that four of the Fifth Cairns troop had been the only local representatives at a recent scout jamboree. Given the involvement of his father at the function, Ron is very likely to have performed during the opening half hours entertainment but his contribution is not described in the newspaper article.[12]

Towards the end of 1935 Ron and a number of members of the Fifth Cairns Scout group sat for the St Johns Ambulance Certificate. Ron achieved the highest results for the Junior section. [13]

1936

1936 could be seen as Ron's Cairns year of triumph. His music talents received recognition with invitations to play at some significant public functions, his performances were given praise in newspaper reviews and success was predicted for his future.

The year did not start well. In January the local press reported 50 pounds worth of tobacco stock had been stolen from the Grainer family store, a crime, though unnerving, was most likely symptomatic of the ongoing hard times of the 1930s. [14]

Fifth Cairns Troop Ron Grainer [age 14] top row first left

On the 2nd March 1936 Fifth Cairns won the Darnell Cup for the Queensland Scout troop with the best record for first aid work throughout the previous 12 months. [15] Although the previous years winner, Rockhampton, was the only other troop competing, the fact Cairns managed to take the cup away from them showed a level of dedication by the local participants, Ron included, to learning practical skills of benefit to the community far beyond the scouting movement.

On 25th April 1936 an Anzac Day dawn service was held in Cairns for the first time. After various functions and church services throughout the day a public meeting and concert was to be held at the Tropical Theatre the event planned to commence at 7.40 pm. The program was to be opened with the 31st Batttalion Band playing the Australian National Anthem followed, with the assistance of the Cairns Coral Society, by the hymn "Nearer My God To Thee". After an opening address by the deputy. Mayor W R Muchinson, Ron was to perform a violin solo which would be then followed by the reading of the names of local departed soldiers and sailors and the evening concluding with a number of music items. [16]

On 5th May 1936 Ron gave a violin solo as part of the Cairns Coral Society's first 1936 series of concerts. "A feature was the predominance of youth who came through with flying colours. Master Ron Grainer, an aspiring and progressive violinist. measured up in the full degree to the perfection needed to fit in with the recital. His solo Saltagella [Guido Papini] was a gem". [17]

On the 16th May 1936 Cairns first commercial radio station, 4CA, officially opened with a special ceremony broadcast from the Cairns City Council chambers. Following the opening speeches once again Ron's violin was heard, this time as part of what was described, by the Cairns Post, as a "high class musical program". [18]

On 12th December 1936 local classical music teacher Miss Vene Parker held a recital, featuring her music pupils, at the Oddfellows Hall. The Cairns Post write up was especially enthusiastic about Ron. "Master Ronald Grainer appeared but once to render the third Movement of the Concerto by Rode Opus 9 and as his encore "Moto Perpectuo" [Bohm].with his joyous confidence Cairns is lucky to possess such a youngster".[19]

1937

Ron's Junior results for 1936 were a curious mix of A and C passes. It appears if Ron was attracted to a subject he studied it diligently to an "A" level and if it didn't have any real appeal for him he was content just to scrape through with a "C" no in between "B" level effort considered. First class "A" level passes were achieved by Ron in French [maybe his outstanding success with the "Maigret" theme 23 years later wasn't an accident], Latin, English History, Geography, Algebra and Geometry. English, Arithmetic and Physics only rated third class "C" results. Ron's overall score, however, was more then sufficient for him to secure an educational scholarship for the next two years and it appears the family decided to move to Brisbane to take advantage of the higher standard of education available there. [20]

In early October 1937 a notice appeared in the Cairns Post. "I hereby notify the public that I am disposing of my business, situated at the corner of Aplin and Sherdian Streets, CAIRNS, as at OCTOBER 11 and wish to express my appreciation for the generous support accorded me and trust that my successor will enjoy the continued patronage of my many customers. R A Grainer." [21a]

Ron apparently moved ahead of his family to Brisbane and enrolled as a boarder his later R.A.A.F application form stating that he attended St Josephs College Nudgee Brisbane in the years 1937 and 1938. [21b]

On the 12th October a number of applications for mining leases on the recently discovered Mulgrave [south of Cairns] Bartle Frere gold field was published. Heading the list was Ron's father Ron Albert with his partners William Lushcombe, and James Starr. It is not known if their 10 acre application, although recommended, was ever officially approved and what financial involvement RA may have had in working the lease. [22]

In Cairns on the 30th October 1937 the Grainers were given a farewell tennis afternoon by the North Cairns Tennis Club. Mrs Grainer was given a beautiful handbag and eulogistic speeches were also made by representative members of several other tennis clubs". [23]

Two newspaper items from 1938 and 1939 indicate it was decided to keep the business "in the family" for an unknown number of years.

On the 14 June 1938 the Cairns Hospital Board accepted the Grainers Store quote for the supply of groceries to the Cairns Base Hospital, 53 items were deemed cheaper then other tenderers [24].

On the 21 March 1939 thieves unsuccessfully attempted to gelignite "a double locked safe containing books and records" in the Grainer store. [25]

Ron and violin photo from Ron Grainer. org web site

5th Cairns Scout troop and Darnell Cup photo CHS P03190

References

01 Cairns Post 04.05.36 p3

02 cp 14.12. 36 p3

03 Cairns North State School 75th Jubilee Register of Admissions
04 cp 17 11. 33 p9,4

05 cp 02.04.34 p7,10

6a cp 6.12 34 p59 / cp 02,01.35 p3
6b R.A.A.F  application forms Ron Erle Grainer 7.2.40 / 30.12.40
6c Australian National Archives Ron Grainer military records

07 cp 4.04.35 p3

08 preview cp 11.5.35 p14

09 cp 07 .08. 35 p9.

10 cp 17.09. 35 p6

11 cp 23.09.35 p8

12 cp .5.10.35 p6.

13 cp 17.01.36 p130

14 cp 25.01.36 p60

15 cp .3.03.36]

16 preview cp 24.04.36 p6.

17 cp 05 .05. 36 p3

18 cp 18.05.36 p6,8

19 cp 14.1236 p3

20 cp 21.01.37 p 6, 8 cp 04.02.37 p6

21a cp 07.10. 37 p 2
21b 6b R.A.A.F  application forms Ron Erle Grainer 7.2.40 / 30.12.40

22 cp 12.10.37 p6

23 cp 02.11.37 p3

24 cp 15.06.38 p3

25 cp 23 .03.39 p6