Lulu Benstead – ‘The Westralian Warbler’

Lulu Benstead (Standing) with her music teacher Mrs Jack Wilson- Photo Australian Women’s Register

Lulu (Lucelle) Stuart Benstead was born in Alice Springs, in the Northern Territory on the 5th February 1891. The daughter of goldfields pioneer, Bill (William) Benstead and Triphenia Lucelle Willesee nee RAINS. She travelled to Coolgardie with her family, arriving in about 1895. Lulu is believed to be the first white child to be born in Alice Springs. The town was then called ‘Stuart’ and Lucille’s middle name was Stuart in recognition of this. She studied with Mrs. Jack Wilson in Coolgardie and performed regularly in the Goldfields. Indeed, the Western Mail newspaper described Coolgardie as the

The musical centre of the Goldfields

Lulu also toured Australia, performing in Sydney and in country areas with the Lulu Benstead Company. The ‘Coolgardie Lulu Benstead Continental Musical Education Fund Committee’ was set up in 1907 to raise money for Lulu’s further musical education. In 1911 she travelled to Paris and Berlin with the assistance of money raised from benefit concerts in Western Australia and donations from her Western Australian supporters.

Sunday Times – Perth – 19 Nov 1909

A report of one benefit concert in 1909 described her performance thus: ‘a brilliant display of her beautiful soprano voice, and another laurel to her luxuriant wreath of success’. A successful entertainer, Lulu performed in the USA, Canada, and England singing vaudeville, comedy, comic opera, burlesque, and review. She retired from the stage in 1933 and married Englishman, William W Stelling, and lived in Fulham, London. She gave singing lessons in London right up to her death. She never returned to Australia and died in London on the 7th January 1983 aged 92yrs.

Lulu Benstead June 1910

Ancestry.com – AWM

c1916 First World War – Miss Lucelle ‘Lulu’ Benstead, an Australian soprano, with some wounded AIF soldiers, at a party she gave for them and their friends. From the left, they are Lieutenant W.C. Godfrey MC (NSW), Gunner Hitchman (Qld), Miss Benstead, Private McKay (Qld), and Private Cline (WA). The location of the party is not known. Donor G. Henderson.

Western Mail 12 November 1925, 1925 Lulu- singer touring Canada and USA .

Ref:
The Australian Womens Register
TROVE
AWM

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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