FORTY YEARS DOORKEEPER

Evening Star, Issue 24288, 1 September 1942, Page 2

FORTY YEARS DOORKEEPER

COMPETITIONS ASSISTANT'S RECORD Marching side by side with the Dunedin Competitions Society's,unbroken record of 41 years of festivals is the record of 40 consecutive years of doorkeeping held by Mr W. M. (“ Watty ”) Thompson. Mr Thompson was not on duty at that first festival away back in 1902, but he was there in 1903, and be has been there ever since, doorkeeping and ushering, and sometimes giving other assistance as and when needed. In the last few years Mr Thompson lias been on the door at Victoria Hall, and his genial personality has earned him many friends. Asked by the ‘Star’ how he liked being doorkeeper all those years, ho said: “It’s like having my breakfast; it’s become a habit.” ' Changes there may have been in fashion and in habits over 40 years, but in the general atmosphere of the competitions lie has seen little change. That excellent spirit shown by competitors, “ We’ll do our best, and if wo win we win and if we lose we lose,” has been uppermost over that long period. The festivals themselves have been conducted on much the same lines for many years; there have been changes, but these have come about gradually, and, looking back, Mr Thompson said he found it hard to say just when and where they had been introduced. Not always did things go smoothly in the very early days. There was a certain public apathy to be countered, halls were cold and not so well lit, and there were occasions when the prize came first and arguments resulted. But the energetic original committee, on which there were men like Mr A. C. Hanlon, Mr Saul Solomon, Mr Mark ' Cohen, and other enthusiasts highranking in the business and professional world, set the society on its feet—to such effect that it is still walking strongly after 41 years. Mr Thompson has been friendly with thousands of competitors; he has known many of the judges and members of the successive executives very well, and has in several cases been present when the last rites were performed over them. He has watched with -iiiterest the transition of the entrants from nervous youngsters to public performers. He has seen bis “ fancies ” win and lose. He has seen the registration of untold delight as a first award has been announced, and the not-always-disguised great disappointment when not even a “ mention ” has come from the judge. Having been doorkeeper and not stage manager, Mr Thompson has come-into contact more with that section of the public comprising the audiences than with competitors, although at Victoria Hall 'both public and competitors pass under bis eye. Doorkeeping is rather more prosaic than perhaps any other activity connected with the competitions, and Mr Thompson remarked that over the years few really amusing or out-of-the-way incidents befell him. He has had his share of arguments over seating, admission tickets, and the price of programmes which so many people seemed to think should bo given them, but these things were only part of the day’s work. Ho thought the most amusing happening of all—and it occurred every year—was the way people criticised the judges. Year after year as they came out of_ the hall persons comprising the audience “ slated ” the judge for all they were worth, condemning his or her selection because it was contrary to that hoped for. He often had a laugh as he heard the freely-expressed opinions, and wondered whether it was the disappointed parent speaking or merely the anger of someone who had picked the wrong horse coming uppermost. “ Whichever it was,” he laughed, “ the judge got it, and many of them must have had to cool their ears.”

Mr Thompson hopes to got in at least his 50 years on the doors. “ That would ho something to talk about then,” ho said. In the meantime the girl who, making her fourth consecutive j-early visit to Victoria Hall, asked, “Are you a fixture here?” may not bo so very far out.