Wally’s Topper

The History Of Wally’s Topper

nlw P I M ’ last November, that when they buried me % t ’ n Daru > Western Papua, in September, they found among his effects a somewhat battered but still serviceable silk topper, of the kind worn proudly by our cold-country grandfathers 50 years ago. But how did the thing get to Daru, “PIM” asked. Old timer John Nixonwestwood, who was a Government official in Daru a long time ago, and who now lives in retirement in the South ol England—now supplies the answer.

Mrs. Wally Maidment

was in Sydney in late 1913, and some of her friends, farewelling her before she sailed on the Taiyuan, gave her the topper, as a present for Wally.

Mrs. Wally was very pleased with the hat. She was sure that Wally would wear it with dis tinction in Daru, on formal occasions.

But its appearance in Daru provoked some violent reactions.

The chief official there at the time regarded himself as being “out of the top drawer”, and he strongly opposed the idea that common people should wear a topper, or bring into ridicule this badge of the superior person.

Wally himself resented the topper, with considerable bitter ness; but when he saw how much its appearance hurt the Top Brass, he thought a little more kindly of the folk who had played a joke upon Mrs. Wally.

All Had a Shot I think everyone in Daru had a shot at wearing the topper.

Especially, I remember occasions when Hughie Beach, Celestine Diot, Teddy McNulty, Jack Summers, and a remittance man who had a shack near the moutn of the Fly, appeared in public, with the hat more or less in the correct position.

Jack Summers—an ex-Sydney Grammar School boy— christened

it Jerry, and apparently used it accordingly; and Mrs. Maidment was most indignant — she still liked the idea of Wally using it as formal attire.

Harold P. Reynolds somehow got possession, and induced a long, lanky Kiwi boy to parade the Beach Road, wearing it at a cocky angle.

Then the Rev. Baxter Riley— who took life very, very seriously —came onto the scene, and spoke scathingly of the deplorable antics of Europeans in front of natives; but I remember that Miss Riley saw the funny side, and laughed and laughed.

Kicked Under the Bed

The last time I saw that topper was just after we had said fare well to Mrs. Maidment, on her next trip south. Wally, returning to the bungalow, got his eye on it, and kicked it with great energy under a stretcher bed.

Hughie Beach’s father-in-law, a Philippines man, and Wilfred Norman Beaver, the RM, were delighted spectators.

One of my cherished memories of Daru is the silk hat which Mrs. Maidment brought to her unappreciative husband. It is amazing to think that it survived that climate for more than 40 years.