Frank Hatherley

Frank Hatherley (25 June 1890 - 17 April 1956), also known as 'Bobby Bluegum ' was an Australian radio personality, announcer and community singing leader. He was the first children's session presenter at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Early life Born Frank Hatherleigh Matters, on 26 June 1890, His elder siblings were Rosa and Gladys. A younger brother followed 11 years later, Arnold Hatherleigh Matters, the Australian operatic baritone and producer. of the 1861 book East Lynne, he began touring as a professional actor. During this time he elected to become known as Frank Hatherley, a contraction of his given middle name. By 1914, at 23, Hatherley was touring Australia as support actor and Assistant Stage Manager with Canadian stage actress Muriel Starr for J.C. Williamson's productions.

‘Story readers’ for child listeners were an important part of early radio and all the 3LO announcers adopted child-friendly aliases. Hatherley’s alter ego was Bobby Bluegum, a name that was to stick with him for the rest of his life. From 5pm to 6.30pm he was on the air at 3LO Melbourne in the 'Children's Session' with birthday calls, ‘singable songs and simple stories’. His broadcast sessions moved from the old Opera House (later renamed the Tivoli Theatre) to the cavernous Sydney Town Hall, and from once to twice a week.

For 2FC, he created The Sunshine Soldiers, The club, forerunner to The Argonauts (formed 1940), was a huge success.

Community Vaudeville

Frank and his wife Clarice, now Bobby and Betty Bluegum,

Frank returned to Sydney radio in 1936, first doing a stint with 2UW Frank and Clarice featured on the front cover of Wireless Weekly in October 1936. The publication Teleradio of 28 May 1938 reported: ‘When a Sydney radio journal conducted a competition to discover the most popular radio announcer in Australia, Frank Hatherley walked away with it.’

Return to 2UW Sydney

In 1942, Frank rejoined commercial station 2UW with whom he worked for the next 14 years, doing the afternoon announcing stint, writing and hosting the ‘Children’s Hour’ and conducting lunchtime community singing at the ‘2UW Theatrette’ in Market Street. For many years he also conducted Sydney's annual Carols by Candlelight concert in Hyde Park.

Personal life On 13 February 1912, he married Daisy Barton, a 23-year-old actress, in the Methodist Parsonage at Swan Hill, near Melbourne. They were divorced on 20 February 1930. Hatherley met 20-year-old pianist Clarice Kingsley (b 1904) in 1924. They married on 12 April 1930. Their first son, Robert Charles Hatherleigh Matters, was born on 19 August 1932. Their second son, also christened Frank Hatherleigh Matters, was born on 27 August 1941.

Final years Hatherley moved into daily rostered radio announcing on 2UW. He continued working in community singing. He died on 17 April 1956 at the age of 66.