In this video Maryborough residents recollect Wal Richard’s ubiquitous presence at local weddings and reflect on the value of his legacy.

For almost fifty years, Wal Richards was a compulsive photographer of weddings in Maryborough and the surrounding district. People accepted Wal as an unusual but likeable character, although many thought that his photographs were merely a fantasy. In fact, he took over 20,000 images providing us with a remarkable social history collection.

The collection is held by the Maryborough-Midlands Historical Society, which is located in the Worsley Cottage Complex.

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TRANSCRIPT

Betty Osborn: Wal Richards was an unusual man.

He could not read or write. But he was desperately interested in weddings. And so, over the years, he would get on his bike, take his box Brownie, and later a newer camera, and pedal around to every wedding practically, that was on in Maryborough, and maybe Avoca or Dunolly.

Wal was a very unorthodox photographer. He could take you getting out of the car, getting into the car, signing the register, standing before the priest at the altar. He didn't know any bounds really,and so people got used to Wal, and most people didn't object to him taking photographs at their weddings.

Lorna Eyers I was Lorna Morse and I got married on 11 August 1962, down at the Church of England. And Wal came to our wedding and took the photos. We didn't think they'd come out because he used to shake, and... sometimes we wondered if he had film in the camera. But he did.

Bill Dial, my father's friend, was supposed to come to the wedding, and he ended up in the hospital. So after we got married, we went up to see him, and Wal followed us and took our photo.

He used to be everywhere. Even get in the car, you know, when we were going to drive off, he'd get in the front seat and take our photo.

Margaret Severino: Ray and I were married in St Augustine's Church, Maryborough, on 14 June 1969 at 2:30. We didn't know when Wal would come, but the photographers were always very lenient, and if they gave him a chance to take some photos, he wouldn't get in their way anymore.

Ray Severino: We got so used to it, seeing him at every wedding, that you didn't take too much notice of what he was doing.

When Wal would take a photo, you wouldn't pose for it.You wouldn't know when he was going to pop up and snap. You might even be talking or you might be doing something else. You were very relaxed.

Margaret: Well, he used to 'mile, mile'. He couldn't say 'smile'. It was 'mile'.

Ray: (Chuckles) He was part of the scenery actually. Well and truly part of the scenery.

[music]

♪ Ooh, he's been taking photographs

♪ 50 years of wedding days in this small country town

♪ Ooh, he's been taking photographs

♪ A treasured history of other people's special day. ♪

Betty: This is a most unusual gift that Wal has left us. How many people would go around for 50 years photographing everyone's wedding?

Why he did it, we're not sure, but he was mesmerised by the beauty, I think, of the brides themselves. But he's left a wonderful legacy for us.

[music]

♪ Wal Richards

He had something going on

♪ A private collection Bizarre and beautiful

♪ Kept secret from all the locals

♪ Maybe no-one was interested at all

♪ Ooh, he's been taking photographs... ♪

Copyright
Malcolm McKinnon and Maryborough-Midlands Historical Society