The APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Silver Scroll awards first launched in 1965, conceived and driven by that organisation’s Patricia Bell. From 1965 until 1972 the Scroll award was part of the Loxene Golden Disc Awards ceremony. Sadly, images from those early years seem to have been lost over time, however from 1973 onwards an increasing number of photographs of both the award ceremonies and the party that accompanied the shows have survived.
These images provide a fascinating time capsule of the way the awards have evolved over the years, from small gatherings in function centres, nightclubs and restaurants to the grand shows we now see every year. We have broken these down into decades.
Let's start with the 1970s. Photographs from the 1980s can be seen here, and the 1990s here.
1973
From 1973 until 1980 the APRA Silver Scrolls were held at Tamaki Yacht Club in Auckland.
Ray Columbus next to Patricia (or Pat as she was known) Bell, the founder of the Silver Scroll. Ray and Mike Harvey won that year with ‘Jangles, Spangles and Banners’.
1974
John Hanlon, whose ‘Lovely Lady’ won that year, with Pat Bell
Ray Columbus, right, was on the APRA board as the writers representative for over two decades. To his left is Lea Maalfrid and APRA Australia CEO John Sturman.
1975
John Hanlon won again in 1975 for his song ‘Windsongs’, one of two he had in the finals, the other being ‘I'll Be Back’. The remaining finalists were: M. Waaka with ‘All I Ever Want is You’, Graham Gash's ‘Castle Gates’, Greg Layton with ‘Farm Gates’, Jimmy Hill's ‘Good Time Feeling’ and David Marshall with ‘Ocean Neon Song’.
1976
Glyn Tucker and Carole Tucker
John Hanlon, left, with Pye and then WEA boss Tim Murdoch on the right
Wayne Senior, Bernie Allen and Phil Warren.
Mike and Jill Harvey
Mike Harvey and Pat Bell with the Silver Scroll for ‘All Gone Away’, as performed by Salty Dogg. On the left is Ashley Heenan, Writer-Director of APRA NZ from 1966 to 1980.
1977
John Rimmer, Ashley Heenan (New Zealand Writer-Director of APRA), Lea Maalfrid, Bob Hughes (Chairman of APRA) and Bernie Allen
Pat Bell with unknown friends
Pat Bell and Bernie Allen with his Silver Scroll Merit Award for ‘Hunter’s Gold’
Lea Maalfrid being interviewed
Lea Maalfrid and Pat Bell with the 1977 APRA Silver Scroll for ‘Lavender Mountain’
1978
Eldred Stebbing and Mr. Kaukau, father of the brothers who made up the core of Golden Harvest
Yvonne and Bernie Allen
Sharon O’Neill and Gaynor Crawford from CBS Records
Tim Murdoch and Mike Harvey
Steve Allen and Pat Bell with the 1978 APRA Silver Scroll for ‘Why Do They’
1979
Sharon O’Neill with the APRA Silver Scroll for ‘Face In A Rainbow’