OUR beautiful ‘Belles of the court’ photograph (CN, 6 April, page 4) is drawing lots of comment and feedback from our readers – including two of the belles, themselves!

The women pictured in the photograph are Patricia Holden (nee O’Connell), Pauline Durbidge (nee O’Connell), Merlie Kellett (nee Munro), Frances Joseph (nee Upton), Rita Hilton (nee Davidson), Maree Murphy (nee O’Connell) and Shirley Foster (nee Donehue).

Mrs Durbidge – who popped in to see us and brought her original blazer, worn in the photograph – said its publication had sparked great memories for quite a few locals.

“I can’t walk the street or even shop right now without people asking about ‘that photo’,” she said.

“Rita, Pauline and Merlie are all over 80 years old now and other ladies are not far from their ‘OBEs’; five out of seven of us are still living in the Casterton district,” she said.

“I played tennis until I was 45 and then played golf for 30 years.”

She said the smart attire depicted in the photograph was standard for its time and included the emerald green blazers, pleated white skirts and ‘frilly briefs’ worn underneath.

The woollen blazers were made by family company ‘Ashmans’ of Bendigo and proudly bear the slogan on the label:  ‘The home of better suits.’

“We noticed the change in tennis attire in the early 80s, with colour tops and shirts coming in,” Mrs Durbidge said.

Mrs Foster also got in touch via email, after seeing the photo, taken in the centre of dance floor of the then new, Wando Vale Memorial Hall, which had opened in 1954.

She also revealed the original source of the photograph, pinpointing the time it was taken, in 1964.

“It brings back lots of good memories when communities all had sports teams and very social and happy times,” Mrs Foster wrote.

“Attached is where the photo came from … back then the Weekly Times went around to all the districts taking photos. “We knew weeks ahead they were coming, so all organised to be at our best for the photos.”