af 1958

Keen to atone for having to cancel the 1955 Festival, Bridgetown formed a committee under the chairmanship of W.G. Jones with Secretary-Organizer, Don Russ, with the intention of putting on the best festival yet. Bridgetown' s Queen was Maureen Sutton nominated by the Bridgetown Repertory Club; and the other contestant was Rose Partridge, nominated by the local Junior Farmers. Donnybrook had three contestants: Clare Russell, nominated by the Donnybrook Parents and Friends Association; Jennifer Frost who was the elder daughter of festival originator Allan Frost and was nominated by the Donnybrook Festival Committee; and the Donnybrook Queen, Tess Browning nominated by the Donnybrook Hospital Board. Manjimup had two contestants: Beryl Wheeler, nominated by the Manjimup Repertory Club; and their Queen, Jill Wootton representing the Slow Learning Children's Group.

On Friday evening the Reso train arrived and a sacred film was shown in the Town Hall. A cabaret started at midnight at the same location and went on to the early hours of the morning. Soon after sunrise the Ball Game Band announced the start of a pushball game in Hamilton Street with two teams from the cabaret using a six-foot (just under 2 metre) wide rubber ball. The goals were the Freemason and Scotts Hotels. Later about 4,000 to 5,000 people jammed Bridgetown streets to cheer on the Mardi Gras procession. The highlight of the morning's festivities was Lady Godiva, a powerful bather clad man with along flowing blond wig astride a white horse. Two Ancient English soldiers armed with yo-yos escorted him. "She" was preceded by the Ball Game Band, a hotchpotch of "musical" instruments including a homemade trombone, cow horn and a rude wind instrument. Moderate cloudy weather failed to dampen the crowd' s spirits and roars of delight greeted every event. (Courtesy of Doug Henderson's book "Apple Queens & Festivals")

Float Parade: Mick Fry with fork-lift which heralded the start of bulk handling for the apple industry. Photo courtesy of Doug Henderson's book "Apple Queens & Festivals"	Float parade with Donnybrook Festival Queen, Tess Browning (centre), Jennifer Frost (left) & Clare Russell (right). Photo courtesy of Doug Henderson's book "Apple Queens & Festivals"

We invite people to provide us with photos of previous apple festival queens and floats. Anyone who has photos can drop them into "Crendon Machinery", all photos will be returned.

The Donnybrook Apple Festival 1958

The next Donnybrook Apple Festival is in Easter 2010