Lola Ralph was a gifted pianist and vocalist. Growing up in Taree, she caught the eye of the former Ella Caspers (Mrs Maloney)1, who helped develop her singing voice, while Miss Edie Bennett was her piano teacher.
In 1930 she won the highly competitive Pedley Scholarship for singing which provided two years tuition at the Royal College of Music, London.2 In December of that year, she departed for London, accompanied by her mother.
Her studies led to a successful career in England where she also obtained a pilot’s licence and joined the Civil Air Guard. When war broke out in 1939, she joined the ranks of ENSA which was formed to entertain Allied troops.3 As a member of “Happy Landings” concert party and “The Musketeers”, she travelled extensively across the theatres of war and was sometimes billed as “The Girl Friend from Australia”.4
In October 1942 she married Englishman, Flight Lieutenant John Charles Paish. The wedding took place in the All Saints’ Cathedral, Cairo.5
In late 1948, a smiling Lola was photographed with daughter Jennifer shortly before setting off to Hong Kong to join John who was now a pilot with Cathay Pacific. She was not to know that he would die in a plane crash near Kai Tak airport in February 1949.6
Lola died in Adelaide in 1989.7
Author: Penny Teerman
References:
1 www.midcoaststories.com – Alban Albury Maloney
2 Northern Champion Wednesday 8 October 1930 P2
3 British Government’s “Entertainment National Service Association”
4 Australian Women’s Weekly Saturday 17 April 1943 P12
5 Australian Women’s Weekly Saturday 17 April 1943 P12
6 Royal Air Force Officers 1939-1945 – https://www.unithistories.com/officers/RAF_officers_P01.html
7 Australian Cemeteries Index – https://www.austcemindex.com
