PRUDENCE JANE John Fleming - Australian Photographic

Prudence Jane
John Fleming
Photographers by their very nature tend also to be entrepreneurs, which goes a long way to explaining
why Dick Townley is best known for what he created, rather than by name alone, although he had
much in common with America’s Peter Gowland: photography, beautiful girls, and publicity. Born
Richard Gatward Townley on 28 April 1915 in Melbourne, he became interested in photography
whilst at school but started working
life as a clerk. In June 1940 he
enlisted in the Royal Australian
Navy, (Pic. 1.) during which time
he met Joan Mary Gibbons, a driver
also with the Navy. They
announced their engagement on 28
June 1941, the wedding later being
photographed by Athol Shmith.
(Pic. 2.)
When war ended, Dick Townley
was discharged from the Navy on
20th February 1946. He and Joan
now had an infant son (Richard,
Pic. 2. Joan and Dick
born 1945) and Dick attended
Pic. 1. Dick Townley in 1941.
on their wedding day.
Dookie
Agricultural
College
Photo by Athol Shmith.
whence he obtained a position with British United Dairies as a book keeper/accountant. Photography
had by then become a great passion and took up most of his spare time. The couple had their second
son, Roger, on 26 February 1947 and by now Dick was working part time taking photographs, all the
while becoming increasingly restless with the dairy office position. Joan had multiple skills and was
particularly expert with a sewing machine, making most of the children’s clothes as well as dresses,
etc. for herself and friends. Coming from a Western District pastoral background (her home town was
Dunkeld), she also loved driving and cars. On 6 December 1949 the Townleys had their third child,
a daughter.
With three children now, the
Townleys decided to seek a
larger house, maybe further
from the city. They resettled in
a wonderful 1920s property,
‘Calulu’, at Montrose in the
Dandenong ranges foothills,
built on several acres and
offering plenty of room for the
Pic. 4. Interior of ‘Calulu’.
family in
a
semi-rural Pic. 3. ‘Calulu’, Montrose, in 2014.
atmosphere. (Pics 3 & 4.) Model Lyn Gough remembers patting pet goats on their property! It also
allowed Dick to build a decent darkroom and Joan space for her increasingly active dressmaking,
now a part time business. Not long after settling into ‘Calulu’, Dick resigned from the dairy firm and
made his career as a full time professional photographer. He did the usual work: weddings, portraits,
child studies (after all he had three to practise on!) and commercial. A growing speciality was beach
girl or ‘glamour’ work, as there was a universal market for such work. Around 1952, one of his models
asked Joan Townley could she make, just from a photo out of an overseas magazine, a new type of
swim suit called a bikini. ‘Nonni’ (Joan’s nickname) could make anything and quickly had the
garment stitched on her treadle Singer machine. Dick’s photos were a sensation, and soon other girls
were enquiring, “Where do you buy these two piece garments?” Joan ran off a batch: all sold
immediately! That evening the couple decided that here was a business to help support their family,
Pic. 5. Dick Townley with Pacemaker Speed
Graphic and model Arlene Andrewartha.
as they obviously had a product with a growing demand
and Dick could promote the garments with his
photography. (Pic. 5.) A small advertisement placed in
Australasian Post magazine saw orders flood in, not
only from Australia, but South Africa, New Guinea,
even one from Glasgow in Scotland! (Pic. 6.) The new
range of swim and sportswear was named after their
daughter, Prudence Jane. They also advertised in
Australian Popular Photography to
cater for other photographers and
models seeking glamour and posing
wear. (Pic. 7.)
History was now being made as,
along with Paula Stafford in
Queensland, ‘Prudence Jane’
introduced and popularised the
Pic. 7. From
bikini in Australia. With business
Australian Popular
taking off, Joan had been able to Photography 1957.
buy a very stylish MG Y tourer and
soon became a familiar sight zooming around the hills
Pic. 6. Australasian Post magazine
delivering orders, picking up supplies and shopping.
during 1950s features ‘Calulu’ gates.
(Pics. 8 & 9.) The Townley MG was also entered in
several car club hill climbs at Rob Roy and Templestowe, and at one of these Joan snapped a rear
axle shaft!
From around 1956-57, the
‘Prudence Jane’ business grew
rapidly, branching out into
glamorous cocktail and evening
dresses. Ever the entrepreneur,
Dick had obtained as regular
clients many of the early female
stars of local television variety
Pic. 8. Candid of a happy
Pic. 9. All aboard!
shows including vocal group
Joan with MG Y.
A fun family car.
The Four Debs, a young Helen
Reddy, Dawn Dixon and Pilita, who was a recent arrival from the Philippines. She was a huge star
within months and famous for her slinky outfits, many made by ‘Prudence Jane’. (Pic. 10.) In the
then-new Melbourne suburb of Forest Hill they even named a street in her honour!
Dick’s photography was
mostly 5×4 format at this
stage, the first camera being
a
Pacemaker
Speed
Graphic. He used fill-in
flash to soften the shadows
and, like many pros of the
day, chose the excellent (but
heavy! just under 5 kg)
Blaupunkt Reporter. He and
Joan produced ‘in house’
brochures for their garments
Pic. 10. Pilita wears slinky ‘Prudence
Pic. 11. Brochure produced by the
(Pic. 11.) by 1957 gained
Jane’ gown. LP record cover 1959.
Townley’s for ‘Prudence Jane’.
more
publicity
by
organising bikini parades at outdoors events and exhibitions such as the Caravan Show, or to a crowd
of over 10,000 at the annual Ballarat Begonia Festival. A conservative priest condemned a proposed
parade in Mildura, claiming it
‘…a degrading, indecent and
un-Christian exhibition’. It
wasn’t until 1965 when English
model Jean Shrimpton (‘The
Shrimp’) appeared at the
Melbourne Cup in mini-skirt,
minus stockings and hat that
similar comments arose! As a
photographer
Dick
had
launched a number of girls’
careers, including Lyn Gough,
and many had subsequently
gone overseas to become top
international models. In early
1957 a young lass named
Pic. 13. Parade at Caravan Show,
Pic. 12. Arlene Andrewartha and
Arlene Andrewartha had done a
Arlene Andrewartha 1957.
‘Prudence Jane’ bikini, April 1957.
Photo by Dick Townley.
few small modelling jobs when
Ektachrome by Len Drummond.
Dick asked her to model
swimwear at the Ballarat Begonia festival. This was an enormous success for both ‘Prudence Jane’
and Arlene’s career. Famed Australasian Post photographer Len Drummond took 5×4 Ektachromes,
one of which featured on the magazine cover for 4 April 1957. (Pic. 12.) Arlene participated in the
annual Caravan Show parades too, Dick Townley always presenting the models with prints and a
‘thank you’ card. (Pic. 13.) The Speed Graphic had now been joined by a 5×4 Linhof Technika III
whilst the powerful Blaupunkt flash remained the best unit to fill shadows or bounce flash indoors.
(Pic. 14.)
By 1958 the business had totally outgrown the Townley ‘Calulu’ home,
and Dick found the old public dance hall called ‘The Glideaway’ was
available to rent. This was situated at a small road junction known as The
Basin, not far from the family home. Benches, sewing machines and the
like, were moved in and more staff sought. This gave employment to a
number of local women and young girls, many of whom went on to
become professional designers or dressmakers. In 1958 the ‘Glideaway’
building was owned by Harold and Ruby Bennett, so it wasn’t surprising
their daughters Shirley and Lynette started with ‘Prudence Jane’. Shirley,
now 77 and living in Queensland, cut and stitched glamorous outfits for
some of the TV stars, including Pilita and Helen Reddy. Typically, they
were figure-hugging designs, often with a frilly fishtail below. At the new,
enlarged premises, business continued to flourish and a new range of
Pic. 14. Backstage at a
children’s wear was being made and marketed through the exclusive
parade. Note the 5×4 Linhof
‘Banbury Cross’ shop at 47 Collins Street, Melbourne.
Technika III.
Models include Lyn Gough
The Townleys had always
& Arlene Andrewartha.
enjoyed the beach and sailing,
and often holidayed on the Victorian Bellarine Peninsular.
Dick knew a chemist at Apollo Bay, Len Wilson, and the
two men, utilising Len’s pharmaceutical knowledge,
concocted suntan oil called ‘Surf Club’. This was added
to the growing ‘Prudence Jane’ range and advertised along
with the swimwear. (Pic. 15.) Back home at ‘Calulu’,
Dick’s darkroom worked overtime, the only trouble being
it was between the only toilet in the house and the main
Pic. 15. The ‘Surf Club’ suntan oil was a
hall. Prue Townley recalls she and brothers Roger and
‘Prudence Jane’ exclusive.
Richard crossing their legs, knocking on the darkroom
door and pleading, ‘Dad, have you got the light on yet…we’re busting and have to go!’
In late 1958 it was announced the remarkable English starlet Sabrina was to tour Australia in a show
for the Tivoli theatre circuit. (Pic. 16.) A thoroughly charming and non-pretentious young lady (born
Norma Ann Sykes), Sabrina had been generously endowed, a fact that assisted her publicity no end.
(Pic. 17.) When she arrived in Melbourne the TV stations jostled to score interviews and appearances.
(The writer recalls being very disappointed that the very night she was scheduled to appear on Bert
Newton’s ‘Late Show’ it clashed with my annual end-of-year school concert. I wasn’t the only 14
year old schoolboy furious−it was the main topic of our conversation
backstage that evening!) Publicity for the Sabrina tour was amazing and
included Cheney Motors supplying a
specially-painted pink Vauxhall Cresta with
leopard skin patterned upholstery. Some
camera stores even advertised 8 mm
‘glamour’ films of her and the media had a
ball. (Pic. 18.) Dick Townley saw the
business possibilities and arranged to
supply swimsuits for Sabrina so she could
enjoy the Australian beaches whilst here.
This no doubt gave Joan an ‘engineering’
challenge in design, but hundreds of
photographers would have been thankful
Pic. 16. Late 1958 poster
for the opportunities opened up! (Pic. 19.)
advertising
Sabrina’s show.
When it was suggested Sabrina wear
‘Prudence Jane’, Joan requested a
fitting session.
Pic. 18. Camera store ad for
8mm ‘glamour’ film of
Sabrina, 1958.
It was early January 1959, and the
sleepy hollow of The Basin
shimmered in the summer heat, when Ted Harris, aged 13 and on
school holidays, glimpsed a vivid pink Vauxhall coming along the
Mountain Highway. As it drew closer, followed by several other
cars, someone shouted, ‘Hey, it’s Sabrina,’ and within a minute or
so kids and adults came out to look. They were right, the big pink
Vauxhall, with photographer Laurie Kimber driving, pulled up
outside the ‘Prudence Jane’ factory at the old dance hall.
Pandemonium erupted in the little village as word spread and
Pic. 17. Sabrina at home in England.
reached a young motor engineer, George Russell. He grabbed a
couple of his mates and they set off in his tray truck, others running along and jumping aboard as
word spread: ‘Sabrina’s at Prudence Jane!!’ Whilst there, she selected
several outfits including the white buttoned red bikini seen in Tom
Ramsey’s photograph. (Pic.19) The visit took place that day whilst the
entourage was on
their way to the
Healesville
Native
Animal Sanctuary for
a publicity photo
shoot. In charge of PR
was Freda Irving, a
former
Argus
journalist who could
out drink, out smoke
and out swear any
male colleague!
Pic. 19. Police escort at surf carnival for Sabrina.
Pic. 20. Photo Digest June
The Tivoli show
Ektachrome by Tom Ramsey.
1959. Did they sell any Bell &
‘Pleasures of Paris’
Howell’s though….?
toured Australia and, before Sabrina left, the photographic distributors
Sixteen Millimetre Australia Pty Ltd. had her do a Bell & Howell projector advertisement. It remains
one of the more memorable photographic promotions! (Pic. 20.)
Prue Townley says ‘Sabbie’ was in real life a wonderfully down-to-earth person and away from
showbiz enjoyed the simple pleasure of their company. Dick and Joan drove her down to the Geelong
surf carnival in the family station wagon, loaded with three kids, toys, and the lot. Sabbie enjoyed the
drive and the friendly atmosphere more than anything else. She married, divorced after 10 years, and
lives in retirement in Hollywood, USA.
Through 1960 to mid-1961 the Townley Empire continued to expand,
and Dick followed his passion of photography now also using 120
format and 35 mm Kodachrome. The year 1962, however, started on
a foreboding note: Australia had begun to experience a Credit
Squeeze, which would have repercussions right through the entire
financial and business sectors. Then a bombshell; a family relative
who was the primary financier of ‘Prudence Jane’ suffered business
difficulties and could no longer continue. At the same time, increasing
disharmony between Joan and Dick saw their marriage start to break
up. Sadly, just at the peak of their meteoric success, the Townleys and
their ‘Prudence Jane’ venture fell apart and the business was wound
up−gone completely by 1963.
Pic. 21. Lyn Gough, 1960s,
photo by Norman Ikin.
Most of those involved with the Townley business went on to have
successful careers. Arlene Andrewartha was chosen as ‘Model of the Year’ in 1958 by the Institute
Of Victorian Photographers. She later went on to do television and film work. Lyn Gough was a top
fashion model through the 1960’s and photographed by all the leading photographers. Pic. 21.
Pilita, after her Australian TV and recording career, returned to the Philippines to wide acclaim there
and owns a nightclub in Manila. The ‘Glideaway’ building at The Basin was demolished many years
ago and there was talk by local council only recently of naming the area ‘Sabrina Park’ to
commemorate that 1959 visit. The specially painted pink Vauxhall
with leopard skin upholstery (registered
number GXG-000) finished up in
Sydney mid-1959 and was sold at the
end of Sabrina’s Australian tour. The
rambling property of ‘Calulu’ remains,
sympathetically maintained by new
owners, although the main gates are
now unused due to changed traffic
conditions. What famous people would
have passed through here? Pic. 22.
The Townley’s second son, Roger,
followed his father’s photographic
Pic.22. ‘Calulu’ memories.
interests, becoming fascinated with Pic. 23. Prudence Jane Townley,
underwater work in particular. He had a camera and flash housing
photographed 2015.
custom made at the Lusca Engineering works (yes, they also made
enlargers) in North Rd, Huntingdale, Victoria. Roger used 35 mm
film, a Sunpak 4000 flash and a Zeiss Ikophot meter. He is also a keen yachtsman and, not
surprisingly, an enthusiastic MG B owner.
Dick Townley continued his lifelong photography interest in later years, despite the onset of
Parkinson’s disease, adopting the Olympus OM 35mm system, and continued to photograph beautiful
women. He died aged 84 on 17 July 1999. Joan Townley (‘Nonni’) passed away in 2005.
Today, this astonishingly successful photographic and fashion venture is all but forgotten except for
the photographs and memories, and most importantly, the ‘real’ Prudence Jane! (Pic. 23.)