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9. GLOBE THEATRE - WINCHELSEA by Garry Saunders

The Globe Theatre was built in 1926 by William Lawrence and Sons and had a capacity of 400 seats. William
Lawrence was the father of Marjorie Lawrence and rum our has it that he built the theatre so his daughter could
sing in it.

After winning the 1928 Sun Aria competition, Marjorie Lawrence left her home town of Winchelsea to begin her
studies in Paris, and made her debut in 1932 at the opening of the Monte Carlo Opera.

After a successful career in Europe, and as a dramatic soprano of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York,
Marjorie retimed to Australia. On Saturday 17th of June, 1939, Marjorie fulfilled her promise of eleven years
earlier, and made the first concert appearance of her homecoming tour at the Winchelsea Globe Theatre.
Applications for seats were received from as far away as Launceston at six shillings a seat. Over 500 people
attended the concert, some having to be positioned on the stage, behind and at either side of the artist.

"A tremendous ovation, culminating in three rousing cheers, greeted the singer as she appeared on the platform
for her first item, a bracket of Schubert songs. From the opening of the accompaniment, played by Felix Wolfes,
Miss Lawrence's own accompanist, the audience grew still, listening to the magnificent voice of one ofthe world's
greatest dramatic sopranos. At the conclusion of each number in the bracket the applause would not allow the
artist to continue for some time, and bouquets were presented with each burst of applause. Miss Lawrence's
outstanding item was Brunnhilde's final scene from Gotterdammerung. As she sang the reason for her success
in opera was opera was obvious, for she completely forgot her audience and lived the part she was singing. As
an encore she sang Danny Boy".

In 1946 the Shire Council purchased the theatre from the Lawrence family for the sum of £1 ,500. The theatre
was also used for dances, balls, private and public functions.

In 1948 the first movies were shown in the theatre, but when television arrived the service waned, and finally
discontinued in 1958.

By 1990 the Globe was handed over to the Winchelsea Lions Club, who have restored the building to a good
working condition.