Hear the Baulch Brothers singing Shearing

THE BUSH ENTERTAINERS (cont.)

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Arthur, Les (Digger) and Lloyd Baulch's first appearance on stage was at a school concert held in the Bradvale church in 1925, their respective ages were 12, 10 and 6 years. They were taught to harmonise at an early age by their mother Jessie who was a talented musician and singer. Old music hall songs were learnt from older friends and relations particularly their uncle Bob Simpkin who was known as 'Brother Sunshine'. The boys father Arthur Spendlow Baulch also sang and played fiddle and accordion. Arthur (junior) learnt the ukulele to accompany the others.

Over the years the Baulch's continued to entertain at various functions including the 'Minstrel” shows held in local halls. They appeared in 'blackface' and sang the songs of the era. Sexist, Chinese and Negro (Coon) songs were all featured.
They were songs of this era and no one appeared offended.
Let's have a look at some examples.

The Chinaman's song.
We Celestials come from China
Land of pigtail lank and long
Where the ladies feet are tiny
And they smoke the opium strong.

The Laughing Song
There was a little nigger, he's laughing all the day
And you can see him any time if you come out our way
His name was He's such a laughing jolly, oh he's such a laughing clown
And the children they all love him and they call him Ginger Brown

You can't change it (third verse)
Well I got married recently, like a lot of foolish men
I found the girl and bought the ring, got married there and then.
But when the job was over I got taken down a peg.
Her hair, her eyes and teeth were false, and she had a wooden leg.

Well I can't change it, I can't change it
It was a great surprise to me, half a woman, half a tree
Well I can't change it and I don't intend to try,
And I'll chop her up for firewood, in the sweet bye and bye.

Hymns were not sacred

To the hymn Holy Holy Holy
Shearing, Shearing, Shearing, Always jolly well shearing
Shearing in the morning
Shearing all the day

I asked the wives of the brothers if they were ever offended by the words and they answered no and looked surprised that I had asked the question. They were the songs of that era.

We took the Baulch's to the National Folk Festival in the early 1990's as part of the National Library's program to reintroduce these older performers to a later generation.

Country singer John Williamson was on the same concert and he had known the Baulch's when he was a small boy and lived in their area. “They were old blokes when I was a boy” said Williamson and then borrowed Arthur's ukulele and sang a song. Williamson had fond memories of those Bush Entertainers. It cost me a fortune supplying the brothers with whisky before they went on stage and I only found out in later years that my mate musician Stewart Simms had also being buying a similar number of drinks – no wonder they sang well. The vision of these three men from the bush wowing a large folk festival audience in the major venue still remains. No one minded the content of the songs they just enjoyed the infectious music and humour of these lads from “Bugger Castle” (their property name) at Mystic Park in Victoria.

The Baulch Brothers have all died, but I reckon there is a Music Hall going on somewhere and that Arthur plays his Uke in preference to a harp.