Tom Walsh
Tom Walsh (1927-2018) was a potato farmer and fiddler who lived his life on Railway Farm, Trentham, Victoria. Tom's musical genes came from an Irish ancestry that immigrated to Australia in the 1850s and 1860s. They took up land in the on the rich red soils near Trentham, in the hills to the north and west of Melbourne. Tom lived in the house built by his grandfather and made a living by growing spuds.
Tom's musical inspiration came primarily from his mother's side, learning tunes from his maternal grandfather. He learned fiddle from the local nuns. Family and those local musicians who took an interest in him, helped develop his skill and ability through playing at house concerts and the like. These associations turned into bands that played for community balls, dances, socials, birthday parties and kitchen teas. Tom preferred to learn by ear and his influences led him towards the jigs, reels and set tunes from Ireland and Scotland and England, although he was quite happy to pick up tunes from the radio.
Music took a back seat through the middle years while Tom and his wife Mary raised nine children but the muse swept him up again in the mid 1980s. Softly spoken with a warm and gentle nature Tom always took a personal interest in those he met. For the last several decades of his life Tom convened and led sessions and music nights in various public places around Trentham. Always well attended these nights were memorable for their warm welcome, inclusive ethos and spirit of encouragement.
- John Meredith and Rob Willis in December 1993, [1],
- Alan Musgrove in June 1996, [2] "Tom Walsh talks about his mother who played piano and the tunes she played; joining a band; his family history; players, instruments and the old dance band; bow strokes and techniques of play; Jack Hedley; Peter Ellis; dances done at he time, Alberts, Lancers and the Fitzroy's; Les Burn; playing at dances; how the dances were played; the demise of dances and the causes; a violin costing 25 pounds; others recordings of him in his home; step dancing; Celtic/Irish music; his grandfather; popular jigs played; playing Sets at dances; familiar tunes they played in the house; his wife mary and her background and youth; taking up the fiddle aged 8 years of age; button accordions."
- Alan Musgrove in June 1997, [3], "Tom Walsh talks about his mother playing tunes on piano and singing popular old time songs; learning tunes at home before joining a band; the family history; bow strokes for fiddle; techniques and style of play; Jack Hedney; being taught how to tune by his mother; Peter Ellis; players and instruments in band; dances done at that time, Alberts, Lancers and the Fitzroy's; song tunes; Les Burn; playing at dances; how dances were played; the demise of dances and the reasons; people leaving for Melbourne to work; payment received for playing; his violin costing 25 Pounds; Len Deal; being interviewed several times and being recorded him at his home; his sisters, step dancing; Celtic/Irish music being played; same tunes are still being played, names have varied; his grandfathers history; mother's history and introduction of music to the family; familiar tunes they played in the house; Mary (his wife) talks on her background and youth. Walsh speaks about taking fiddle lessons from the age of 8 until he was 16; sisters playing classical music; speaks about the tunes being passed down from parents; recognizing tunes: "Play tunes as if you are singing it, that's how we were taught"; Button accordions"
- Rob Willis in April 2003 [4],
