Bouquet recalled 1948 visit to Suva
THE mention of the name Gladys Moncrieff may not ring a bell among Fijians today but she was once a famous Australian musical comedy star during the colonial years.
An article on her appeared on the front page of The Fiji Times on March 5, 1962, where she talked about the time she spent with the Scott family of Suva.
“On a grey wet day in 1948, the famous Australian musical comedy star Gladys Moncrieff at Suva on her way round the world spent some hours with the Scott family and took back to the ship a beautiful bouquet of orchids, the gift of Lady Scott,” The Fiji Times noted.
This was her first visit to Fiji. After she related this event to The Fiji Times in 1962, two hours later, history repeated itself.
While she was Sir Henry Scott’s guest in the 1940s, she became Sir Henry’s son, (Mr Maurice Scott) guest too in the 1960s. Ms Moncrieff also returned to the ship with a bouquet of orchids given by Mrs Maurice Scott.
Miss Moncrieff spoke to The Fiji Times reporter in an airconditional stateroom of the ship Monterey where she enthusiastically
— shanelle.prasad@fijitimes.com.fj spoke of her last visit to Suva (1948).
Ms Moncrieff first met with Sir Henry and Lady Scott through a mutual friend and later dined with the Scotts.
“There was a lovely table centre of pink begonias illuminated by concealed lighting,” she said.
“The meal was beautiful, and everyone was charming.
“They took us off for a lovely drive but the loveliest happening of all was just before I left them to return to the ship.
“Lady Scott gave me a wonderful bouquet of orchids and when I got back to the ship, I was the envy of everyone on board.”
The article stated that Moncrieff and Elsie Wilson, her travelling companion of more than 30 years left the Monterey for another look at Suva.
Maurice, who was a young boy during Moncrieff’s first visit recalled that she was thrilled on on her last visit and therefore arranged the surprise.
The 1962 trip was Moncrieff’s fourth world trip to celebrate her retirement from the musical comedy stage.
March 5, 1962 THE tour leader of the Fiji group who flew with Air India’s tour of India, Mr Sheo Prasad Sharma of Lautoka, came back minus one of his treasures, a bottle of water from the River Gangas. They were visiting Rishikesh at the head of the Gangas when four of them were attacked by monkeys. No blood was spilt only water, when Mr Sharma aimed his bottle of Gangas water at the monkeys and missed.