Meet Joycelyn Munro, a film buff who once worked at cinemas in her youth. On 31 March 2022, she turned 100 and became the newest member of the Carinity 100 Club at Carinity Wishart Gardens.
Born in West End to parents Diana and Percy Garrick, Joycelyn Munro sang in the choir, along with her sisters Ruby and Audrey, at West End Methodist Church where the family regularly attended services and activities.
Joycelyn enjoyed Scottish dancing, photography, knitting, crocheting, learning the Esperanto language, going out for coffee, and completing a history of her father’s side of the family. But if there is one activity that she loved the most doing, that would be going to the movies.
Photo Credit: Aged Care Online
“She loved going to movies right up to when she moved to Carinity Wishart Gardens,” said Joycelyn’s daughter, Elsa Green, who described her as “a marvellous role model for the family.”
Joycelyn loved movies and knew all the actors’ names, but she particularly liked American film actor Randolph Scott. She helped at two Garricks Entertainment cinemas in West End, the Rialto Picture Theatre and Lyric Picture Palace, which also happened to be owned and operated by her grandfather.
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Joycelyn recalls that she and her sisters would walk to the Lyric theatre from their home to work as ticket sellers or usherettes for evening and Saturday matinee shows.
A boy, she said, would transport the film spools between Lyric and Rialto by bicycle as these theatres share the films for their two-movie program.
After a four-year engagement, Joycelyn and Navy officer Ken Munro married in January 1945. That’s two months earlier than what they originally planned due to Ken’s leave having been changed at the last minute.
The couple was blessed with three children, six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren, with the eldest being 17 years old and the youngest, two years old.
Her daughter Elsa said that her mum has been looking forward to her 100th birthday since moving into Wishart Gardens 10 years ago.
“Mum led a full life and had many friends, she valued family life and always loved family gatherings,” Elsa said.
“Like any centenarian, she has witnessed tremendous changes in the world but through all these changes our mum has remained the same kind, loving, generous, hospitable and generally thoughtful person to everyone.”
Joycelyn celebrated her 100th birthday at Carinity Wishart Gardens attended by friends and family members including her daughter Diana, who is now based in New Zealand. A specially arranged Scottish piper played at her birthday celebration.