2023 Obit: Bob Bolton

20 Jun 15 - 02:26 AM (#3717642)
Subject: Where's Bob Bolton?
From: Haruo

He doesn't seem to have been active here for almost a year. Any suggestions on how to contact him?

---

20 Jun 15 - 04:42 AM (#3717654)
Subject: RE: Where's Bob Bolton?
From: maeve

Haruo- I'd send a PM to Sandra in Sydney who likely will know. I expect he is busy with music!

Maeve

---

20 Jun 15 - 10:41 AM (#3717743)
Subject: RE: Where's Bob Bolton?
From: Sandra in Sydney

Bob has retired & no longer has an email address (shakes head in amazement that a person can exist without email & internet!)

He is busy with the odd bit of music & lots of sorting out. I recently asked Pat how many bedrooms they allegedly have - 3 she said, but she just wanted one guest room.

So each week be brings amazing stuff into the Bush Music Club - records dating back to the earliest days, multiple copies of previous issues of our magazines - Singabout 1954-1966, Mulga Wire 1977 to date, other club's magazines, books, membership records from the 60s-70s which we thought they were all destroyed years ago ...

BMC's Library & Archives are interspersed with Bob & Pat's large library & they are gradually being separated.

I made 3 complete sets from the boxes of Singabouts - 2 for BMC & one for a folklorist/singer & we still have many spares. They are an amazing source of scholarship of the early days of the Australian folk revival.

Singabout Vol. 1, 1956

Singabout Vol. 2, 1957/58

Singabout Vol. 3, 19658/59

Singabout Viol. 4, 1960

articles on Vols. 5 & 7 are in draft & will be posted in the next few days

I look forward to your PM, Haruo

I also look forward to Bob's next load

sandra

---

20 Jun 15 - 01:13 PM (#3717778)
Subject: RE: Where's Bob Bolton?
From: Dave the Gnome

What a fabulous idea for retirement if you have spent years at keyboard. Good on yer, Bob:-)

I always thought I would start smoking a pipe and own a dog that farts when I retire but it's sort of not accepted anymore. I'll just have to give up email and fart more myself!

---

20 Jun 15 - 07:29 PM (#3717864)
Subject: RE: Where's Bob Bolton?
From: Bruce D

Bobs, on-line presence will be missed.

But sorting out that treasure troy he calls a library will benefit the whole Australian Music scene, it a wonder that he been able find the answers and references he provided this forum over the years.

I suspect his next project will be sorting out his photo collection.


Bruce D

---

13 Apr 23 - 09:53 PM (#4169862)
Subject: RE: Where's Bob Bolton?
From: GUEST

Just heard that Bob sadly passed away earlier today after a long battle with dementia. I'm hopeless with obits (read far too many of them of late) but I'm sure some one will be along shortly who can oblige (Sandra in Sydney perhaps???)
RIP old friend.

---

I turned this existing thread into the obit because it already has some helpful links to Bob's music. ---mudelf

---

13 Apr 23 - 11:40 PM (#4169866)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Joe Offer

Oh, such a shame. I had a wonderful correspondence with wim for many years, but I never met him in person. He had an amazing knowledge of Australian folk music, and he had lita of good stories to tell.
May he rest in peace.
Joe

---

14 Apr 23 - 02:32 AM (#4169871)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Dave the Gnome

I always enjoyed Bob's posts. Condolences to his family and loved ones.

---

14 Apr 23 - 04:14 AM (#4169877)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Sandra in Sydney

I came home to an email from another friend, & won't ring Pat as she is surrounded by friends & family.   

Bob has been in a Nursing home for several years & while the news was expected it's still a bit of a shock.

Bob Bolton is the 2017 recipient of the National Folk Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. This was the last folk festival he attended after attending every National (& many others) since mid 1970.

There are 99 articles about the Bob Bolton collection on the Bush Music Club blog & if you want to look at them type Bob Bolton collection site:blog.bushmusic.org.au into your favourite search engine. There are also 6 articles about "Bob Bolton"

4115 Mudcat posts by Bob

---

14 Apr 23 - 05:18 AM (#4169881)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: GUEST,Bruce D

Very Sad to hear about Bob's death today.

Bob and I have been friends since I first joined the Bush Music Club over fourty years ago.

Bruce Downes

---

14 Apr 23 - 06:13 AM (#4169884)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: GUEST,henryp

Farewell, Bob.

A name we will all miss.

---

14 Apr 23 - 06:27 AM (#4169885)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: JennieG

Bob will be missed - his knowledge of Ozzie music and lore was incredible.

Sending condolences to Pat, and to all Bob's family and friends.

---

14 Apr 23 - 07:05 AM (#4169891)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Sandra in Sydney

I got a call from Pat who is fine as she had been expecting his death.

He won't be having a funeral, just a Direct Cremation, with a memorial at the Bush Music Club sometime in the future.

sandra

---

14 Apr 23 - 07:12 AM (#4169892)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Bruce from Bathurst

Very sad to hear this news. Bob was a unique repository of knowledge when it came to Australian folk music as well as a myriad other esoteric stuff for so many years. I reckon he was a special kind of bloke. Regular Aussie Mudcatters "of old" would remember if there was a question on a topic about which Bob had knowledge, he was always happy to contribute ... with appropriate references, of course!

Bob's astounding collection of photographs provides a visual history of the Australian folk scene, with a strong emphasis on the revival of traditional Australian bush music. I know these photos are now being curated / digitised / collated / annotated slowly and carefully, and they will eventually become the important resource they deserve to be, hopefully in the National Library of Australia.

I'm sure Sandra in Sydney will be able to tell us more about Bob's long association with the (Sydney) Bush Music Club and his achievements as a musician and musical historian.

My condolences go to Pat, family and friends.

---

14 Apr 23 - 08:32 AM (#4169898)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Ernest

When I found the cat and posted my first question Bob answered it immediately, which I found very impressing. I always liked his posts.
My condolences to his fammily and friends
Ernest

---

14 Apr 23 - 10:31 AM (#4169903)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Stilly River Sage

Bob Bolton's logged on Mudcat posts

There were a few Bob Guest posts.

---

14 Apr 23 - 11:54 AM (#4169914)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Sandra in Sydney

Bruce mentioned Bob's photographic archive - Crowd sourcing identifications of people in Bob Bolton's photos of folk events in the 1970s

- see comments

---

14 Apr 23 - 04:33 PM (#4169931)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Helen

I had the pleasure of meeting Bob in person at a St Albans Folk Festival in 2006. I had already encountered his amazing knowledge and readiness to help with enquiries here on Mudcat for ten years.

Vale Bob. My condolences to his family and friends.

---

17 Apr 23 - 11:01 PM (#4170235)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Ian Hayden

When I first discovered the wealth of traditional music in my own backyard, Bob Bolton seemed to be at every folk festival and Bush Music Club event with his button accordion and camera in tow. He shared his knowledge of the music and musicians freely and his Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 was well deserved. Thank goodness he was documenting all those gatherings and now his photos will be a permanent record of many Aussie folk performers no longer with us.
RIP Bob

---

18 Apr 23 - 07:13 AM (#4170247)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Sandra in Sydney

Obit - Death of Bob Bolton 1945-2023 with links to other obits & this thread

more memories will be added to the blog as they are received

---

18 Apr 23 - 11:06 AM (#4170264)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Stilly River Sage

https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/02/bob-bolton-collection-list-of-bobs.html

Posted in 2020

Bob Bolton Collection - List of Bob's early 70's negative files that were given to the National Library in 2014

In 2014 Bob gave his Folk & Bush Music related negatives from 1970 to 2014 to the National Library. This blog relates to the earliest negatives, from 1970 to 1974.

After he retired all his photo albums and BMC Library and Archives came to the Hut.

All albums are labelled, and as Bob was a professional photographer, all negatives are date stamped YYMMDD. Members have been identifying people in the photos, and the albums will be handed over to the National Library where they will be invaluable in identifying participants when the negatives are digitised.

The earliest album covers the 1982 Bush Music Festival and the latest the 2007 Illawarra Folk Festival when he stopped printing his photos, some years after buying a digital camera.

The site has a long list of his photo information

---

18 Apr 23 - 11:23 AM (#4170265)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Stilly River Sage

Obit - Death of Bob Bolton, 1945-2023. (from the bushmusic.org site)

Bob was not a Baby Boomer. As he explained, his father was recovering from pneumonia so was not called up & subsequently spent the war years working in a Protected Industry, consequently Bob was born before the War ended. Bob could be pedantic!

[several links here that have been copied and pasted into Mudcat]

Bob was that rare phenomenon, a lifelong friend. The kind that become as close or even closer than family. In our very early days in the early 1950’s, we lived just a few suburban blocks apart and met as kids at a bush Sunday School in East Bankstown – now known as Greenacre – but it really was the sticks back in those days. We spent heaps of time together as we grew up, doing all those things friends do – hobbies, socialising, travelling, bushwalking, and generally helping each other out in so many ways. We were even modern day swaggies for a while. As adults we had shared interests way beyond the obvious musical ones. His valuable knowledge, advice and insight was respected widely – not the least by myself. He was so many things to so many people. Then he just faded away from us. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the idea that he’s no longer here.

Dale Dengate
I remember Bob as a young lad coming to BMC, with Ralph, still in their late teens. Bob’s older brother Eric was in the BMC Concert Party Bush band. Ralph and Bob took off to Tasmania for adventures so Ralph will be able to enlighten us as I think romance entered their lives.

Bob was ‘the brains of his family’ and became interested in every detail of Bush and traditional music. Bob met Pat, in Tasmania, and her 90 year old grandmother who shared lots of stories of past events. On his return, he had a job at Sydney County Council (now Energy Aust) in the photography department on George Street, Sydney. He would often walk from there past our Glebe house on his way to Leichhardt. Bob would invariably call in with a question about the latest song John had written or information he had just discovered and he took more photos of John performing than anyone. Bob was always generous with his photographic records and knowledge.

When I decided that ensuring Gay Scott’s book of Sally Sloane songs, collected by John Meredith would be an ideal project for BMC 50th, it was Bob who was able transform fragile foolscap pages of original copy into a format that could be printed like a Singabout Songster.

My last memory of Bob was at RPHA where Pat was accompanying him from an appointment as I was accompanying John to an appointment there, which was over a decade ago. Are there any photographs of Pat and Bob dancing? He took lovely ones of John and my dancing days; happier memories than those medical visits.

Raema Grieve

I would like to share some of my memories about Bob. It goes back to 1977, when Ray and I went to a BMC weekly meeting at Burwood Town Hall. Ray had an interest in music history and was keen to talk to someone about the subject. I remember us meeting Bob and his friends, Ralph and Dave and then Ray, eventually sat in on some music sessions with them.
I recall Ray saying that 'Bob has an unbelievable knowledge of Australian bush music history!'
And so, Tuesday nights became a night of playing and talking endlessly about the subject.
Bob eventually discovered that I had a background in art and graphic design and said We need someone to do some work for the "Mulga Wire" magazine. It meant that instead of sitting on the sidelines (and dancing a bit), I now had a lot of work to do over the following years. Living very close to Bob and Patricia meant that he would call into our place often and the kitchen table became a sort of workplace for the Mulga Wire. I had a small space to make coffee and Bob informed me about the difference in putting the milk in the cup before the coffee, instead of the other way round. (He knew everything on that subject too).

There are two projects that I remember well. The first was his request that I draw an illustration of his concertina for the "Mulga Wire" front cover and secondly, to draw examples of men and women's dress styles from the 1820s to the 1890s period, for the First Colonial Subscription Ball, leaflet and posters.

Bob had done significant research into the subject and I will always value our collaboration over that time. He will be sadly missed by Ray and myself, and his many friends.

Tony Romeo

My memories of Bob were of his very regular presence at most BMC and folk events in general - whether taking photos, joining in with music, song or verse, or helping out behind the scenes - he was always there supporting whatever was going on. He was, of course, an incredible font of knowledge, you never failed to learn something from a chat with Bob!! And he was very generous with his time and energy - whether it was background information to songs or tunes, photos needed for publicity projects or grant applications, or a supply of hand made bones from various materials.

Margaret Walters

Bob loomed large in my life from the time he introduced himself to me in the late 70s/early 80s at a Festival of Sydney concert in the Domain - I think coordinated by Warren Fahey. I was manning a desk for the Folk Federation of NSW and the redoubtable Bob told me about the Bush Music Club. I was pretty new to live folk music and my earlier influences had been pretty much confined to traditional English songs. However, singers like Declan Affley, Dave de Hugard and Trevor Shearston opened the world of Australian folk song and Bob Bolton drew my attention to The Penguin Book of Australian Folk Songs, Singabout and the Joy Durst Song Book and over the years he was an unfailing source of information and encouragement. I served on the BMC committee for a time; my interests were more in song and when the BMC theme nights moved to Tritton Hall, I became involved in running “Folkus” nights every month for about 6 years. Bob was a constant presence during those days.

I have fond memories of the Bush Music Festivals held in the grounds at Marrickville's Addison Road Community Centre in the 1980s and Bob's photographs - taken at clubs and festivals far and wide - played no mean role in getting known as a singer. He had a way of capturing a fleeting characterful moment that would make the image memorable. In a review of some event or other he described me as "a consummate singer of good songs of all pedigrees and persuasions" – a quote that I still treasure. Like many in the folk scene, I owe Bob a huge debt of gratitude.

Helen Romeo

We have been missing Bob’s presence for some time now but we always think of him when the BMC gather. The last time I saw Bob and Pat was at the National when Bob won his well deserved Lifetime Achievement Award. But the last time we spent some time together chatting about “everything” was at a Goulburn Gathering. It would have been about 2014 or 15. Tony and I and Bob had arrived early on Friday afternoon. We were settling into our accommodation and we invited Bob over to our cabin for a coffee. He brought with him some bones he was making and some files and pictures he had found. He was in fine form and we had a lovely afternoon.

I don’t remember when I first met Bob but I do remember he was always at every BMC gathering, Friday night session, Beer and Cheese Nights, Balls, Dances, Festivals and social get-togethers. He was leader of the Concert Party when I joined and was always supportive of new comers to the music.

Pretty soon I realised how important to the club and the genre of bush music he was. Not only as a player; concertina, box and mouthorgan but as a singer and reciter. He illustrated and produced Mulga Wire and was always happy to help with publicity material designing our Cooee Koala, our mascot for our festivals and help in making silk screens for stickers and t-shirts. He even drew letters for us when we didn’t have the correct Letraset for designing posters and handouts!!

Bob was the font of all knowledge bush music and folklore and was willing to impart that knowledge to anyone. Especially to new members, which assisted in keeping up the aims of the club. And then there were his photographs, which were numerous but all showing a canny artistic mind and captured over 5 decades. A huge legacy to not only the Bush Music Club but to the Australian national folk world.

Phyl Lobl

I met Bob Bolton when I moved from Melbourne to Sydney.
As Phyl Vinnicombe I had been singing at folk venues in Melbourne since the early sixties and was active in the 1967 Folk Festival well aware of the culture and sense of solidarity that drove the organisers of that Folk Festival.
After I married and moved to Sydney I performed as Phyl Lobl and it was no surprise to find a character like Bob Bolton in attendance at performances. Armed with his camera he was a fixture at almost all the folk venues and 'happenings.' His legacy of so many photos of so many performers is a GRAND UNIQUE LEGACY.

I am grateful to Bob for the photos he took of me and to Bob and his wife Pat for their allegiance to folk culture.

Click went his camera, click, click, click.
Bob’s trigger finger it was quick.
Then from the dark-room images galore
Celebrate performers of Australia’s Folklore. 18/04/2023

Patrick Harte

Bob was able to share songs and explain where they came from. Bob loved the songs of Australia. One of his legacies is all the information and lyrics he shared to the Mudcat folk data base. Thank you Bob Bolton

I will never forget your encouragement in my early days and I see you pumping that accordion in the Big Hall I hope to one day get too. God bless you Bob Bolton.

The bottom of the page has some memories already posted here on Mudcat. I didn't intend to post all of the memories but once I got started it seemed pretty interesting reading. There are photos on the page, so visit the link.

---

18 Apr 23 - 11:24 AM (#4170266)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Stilly River Sage

Here's the link to the Facebook obituary from the Fold Federation of NSW

---

05 May 23 - 05:09 PM (#4171575)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Sandra in Sydney

Bob's memorial - Sat 17th June @ Bush Music Club Hut, Marrickville. Please bring your stories, your instrument, a plate to share - tea/coffee and dark chocolate will be provided but no coconut please (Bob was allergic to coconut & could also just eat 1 square of chocolate! Not many people can do that ...) A BBQ will be available.

---

05 May 23 - 05:44 PM (#4171579)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: GerryM

Sandra, what time, please?

---

06 May 23 - 03:22 AM (#4171599)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Sandra in Sydney

oops -

"noon till late" - I think the gates close at 10, or maybe 10.30

---

06 May 23 - 03:26 AM (#4171601)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Sandra in Sydney

from the Addison Road Centre website ... gates close around 10 ...

bit vague, they used to have exact closing times - the caretaker would walk around checking!

---

10 May 23 - 08:18 AM (#4171924)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Sandra in Sydney

memories from occasional Mudcatter Dave Johnson have been added to the obit on BMC blog

Bob Bolton: a Retrospective

Bob was always there at the Beer and Cheese Nights at Burwood when I first went along with Anne in about 1973. Each month there was a topic for the songs that we sang from either the Penguin Folk Songs of Australia or the BMC’s Singabout Songster. It was a hugely refreshing, unashamedly Australian, eye and ear opening experience. Bob often presented a recitation and occasionally led a song but his main contribution musically was his mouth-organ playing. The band in a waistcoat pocket was his main instrument with tin whistle, usually a Clarke in the key of C of course, being pulled out where it fitted.

The first Bush Music Festival I attended was organised by Bob and held at the Sydney Technical College with a brilliant lineup of Australian folk exponents including Sally Sloane.

As I became more and more engaged with the Club, Bob was there as an enthusiastic supporter of the developments: Monthly music workshops at the Burwood Hall in between the B&C nights; the BMC Booking Agency; the move to our own premises at Marrickville; weekly workshops for songs and tunes; weekly dance workshops; an annual ball; the Heritage Ball; a social calendar of picnics, camps, boat trips, barbecues, etc. And at all these events Bob was there with his camera documenting the goings-on. I tried to make a point of turning Bob’s camera on him from time to time to make sure he appeared in the record he was creating. Who will photograph the photographer?

To describe Bob as a Bush Music Club stalwart doesn’t quite cover the extent of his involvement. The Mulga Wire was initiated by Ralph, Bob and I but it was Bob who put it together month after month and organised the printing - in time for a get-together to fold and bind and label and sort them for posting. The Concert Party went through many iterations over the years with Bob as a key player and leader at times. Whatever the function or innovation Bob was totally supportive. He contributed many hundreds of hours to the Club and was always able to tell you the background to a song or poem or scrap of Club history. For many people Bob was the face of the Bush Music Club with his encyclopaedic knowledge of its history and his willingness to share it.

The Rouseabouts began with Bob, John Poleson, Ray Grieve, Keith Snell and myself, then over time the line-up changed but Bob was there as a cornerstone of the group for many years. Backblocks was a group established to play collected dance tunes on historically appropriately instruments and Bob was a key player with both button accordion and mouth-organ. He became a regular player with the Heritage Ensemble at our Heritage Balls, recordings and at performances at the National Folk Festival.

The inevitable tyranny of distance that resulted from my family move to the Southern Highlands made it difficult to maintain the BMC connections closely and it was mainly at events I organised for Bush Traditions that I was able to catch up with old friends like Bob. Hearing of his illness was terribly saddening. Such a bright candle dimming slowly – it seemed so unfair. But we should celebrate the bright light that shone.

Vale Bob Bolton

---

10 May 23 - 09:12 AM (#4171928)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Lighter

But since that's most people, what choice did he have?

---

16 May 23 - 11:05 AM (#4172327)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Waddon Pete

Bob left a wonderful legacy behind him.. Thank you Bob for your enthusiasm for the music and all you did to help it survive.

My condolences go to all those who know and love him. I have added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread.

RIP Bob

---

21 May 23 - 09:57 AM (#4172732)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: InOBU

Dear Bob
Rest in peace and live in our memories
Lorcan, InOBU

---

22 May 23 - 08:47 PM (#4172865)
Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Bob Bolton
From: Charley Noble

Our favorite memory of Bob Bolton was meeting him on my first visit to Sydney. He was there at the home of my former graduate advisor who had been teaching at the University of Sydney for years and was resident in Glebe and we were planning to use their house as our base for exploring Australia. So there was Bob seated on the couch waiting for us to arrive, and happy to chat with everyone and then drag us off to the nearest pub for further arcane discussion.

He was a fine source of traditional Australian songs, an excellent photographer, and a good friend. I'm glad we had a chance to thank him for making so many friendly connections; I still remember that wonderful Sicilian dinner in his home neighborhood.

Cheerily,
Charlie Ipcar and Judy Barrows

---