Friday, June 22, 2012

DAPHNE MAWBEY, ROLLER SKATING CHAMPION

The art and sport of roller skating was very popular in Australia during World War I, and Daphne Mawbey was one of the local darlings of the rink.
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One of her first public performances, at age 14, was made at the Sydney Hospital centenary celebration held at the Exhibition Building in November 1911.
There she won the title of Best Waltzer.
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In July 1914, she was doing demonstrations of fancy skating at the Royal Roller Rink at the Agricultural Grounds in Sydney.
This rink was the largest in Australia with a 60,000 sq ft skating surface.
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In March 1917, Daphne Mawbey was demonstrating 'her power over the wheels' on opening night of the Centennial Rink in Perth.
An article in The Daily News, Perth on Friday 30 March 1917 said Daphne was the professional figure skating champion of Australia.
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In August 1917, she was featured in a large advertisement in the Western Mail newspaper in Perth for Hean's Essence, a treatment for coughs and colds.
The ad described her as 'Australia's Premier Lady Roller Skater'.
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Daphne Mawbey b.1897 was the second youngest of the seven children of George Mawbey (2), the younger brother of John Thomas Mawbey whose wife and three of their children were murdered by Aboriginals in 1900.