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The most pleasing part of the day
was working with the house plumber
and the plumber’s mate. They always
had the projector ready to thread up.
Both were enthusiastic film fans and I
think they wished that they were
accredited projectionists. They made
great assistants.
As soon as the 2,000-foot spool ran
out, the three of us went to town: re-
carbon the arc, new spool poised to go
on top with some leader unwound, off
with the empty spool, on with the full
one, thread up, strike the arc, run the
leader off and open the dowser. Fingers
were darting everywhere, but because
both men knew the routine so well,
three on to one machine was not a
recipe for disaster. The show was
usually a newsreel and a feature.
After the show, afternoon tea was
always organized by the plumber. I
still remember the heavy-duty china
Image: Fred Page Collection
cup and servings of thick crusty bread
spread with plum jam. A Tuesday
Projecting Under Difficulties afternoon at Mount Royal in congenial
company was a pleasant interlude. H
THREE STORIES

1. Through a Glass Darkly
Mel Elliott
What is now The Royal Park
Campus of the Royal Melbourne
Hospital has a long history as an
extended care and rehabilitation centre
for the elderly.
When I was projectionist at the
Western, West Brunswick the centre
was known as Mount Royal. At this
time I was one of a group of
projectionists who had volunteered to
show films to the residents there on a
Tuesday afternoon. We set up a roster
and took turns to do the job.
Films were shown in a long room
called the Edward Wilson Sun Room,
also known as the Concert Hall. The
concerts were probably a later use for
this building, because it wasn’t fitted
out for entertainment in the usual way.
The Ladies Auxillary of Mount
Royal had raised sufficient funds to buy
one Raycophone projector. It was
mounted in a bio-box constructed on
the roof of the building next door. The Clockwise from top: Royal Park 1930.
image was projected through a The Concert hall was behind the main
highlight window of the Concert hall building. The cable tram ‘dummies’ were
on to a screen mounted above a big for outdoor seating. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
open fireplace. Usually an image is The Concert Hall decorated for Christmas. I wish to thank Ms. Jacqui McGory
projected along the long axis of a hall, One of the high windows became a of Corporate Affairs, Melbourne Health
but this one went across the room. I projection port. for providing photos of the Royal Park
have never seen such a smoked image. Plan of the projection layout. facility.

32 2005 CINEMARECORD