Bert Levy – Australia's first global Vaudeville star
The big wigs in Bendigo in 1900
Mayor Samuel Henry McGowan, sketched by Bert for the Bendigonian Supplement March 1900. McGowen was mayor for two terms 1899 and 1900. He was a Northern Irishmen, arriving in Bendigo in the 1870s. He got involved in Gold Mining as you’d expect and became rich. I think he can best be remembered as the Mayor who did the most to foster the Chinese community into the annual Easter celebrations and fund raising. Here is Mayor McGowan sitting in the front row, fourth from the left next to Chinese Community Leader, Dr James Lamsey. Each year, the Easter Fair Committee would go to the Chinese community at the Ironbark village and request their participation in the Easter Monday Procession. Photo 1900
Bert Levy 
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