Meet the LADIES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 18, 27 October 1939, Page 52

Meet the LADIES

MARINA, at 1ZB, charming announcer of the Shopping Reporter’s Session- Mrs. Jocelyn Parr in private life -- was born of a French father and an English mother, in Pau, south of France. She is a direct descendant of the Brittany branch of the House of Bourbon, and she was christened Jocelyn Ursula de Jocelyn. She always wears a beautiful amethyst ring set in a band of wrought silver. This ring, a family heirloom, was actually on its way to the Bastille when it was slipped off and hidden. It has since been blessed and worn by a Bishop. Marina’s early life was spent in many of the countries of Europe-in France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Germany and England. She studied music seriously ‘for a time, hoping to take it up for a career. She studied singing under the famous Madame Albani, the teacher of Melba and most of the great women singers of that generation, But Marina did not become a great singer. The war came, and in 1915 she went to England from Switzerland, and against family wishes, began nursing in the British Red Cross. She says that while attached to Water-on-Thames Military Hospital she nursed more Australians and New Zealanders than any others. She went to Australia after the war as the wife of a young Australian soldier, and later returned to Europe; then back to Australia again, where she joined the staff of the Sydney Hospital. In Sydney she began radio work over 2UW, particularly in the "Mother and Son" session, and in Fashion Parades. Coming to New Zealand she did work on 1YA before joining 1ZB. She took the nom de plume "Marina" because of her admiration for Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent, ~ Marina’s present radio work deals with various sessions Of particular interest to women — talks on books, diet, famous women, fashions, and child psychology; she also broadcasts in the Shopping Reporter’s ‘session from 11.30 to 12 each week-day morning, and in various other feature sessions.