Memorable Order of Tin Hats
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTH or M.O.T.H.) is an organisation that has been helping fellow ex-servicemen and women in need since 1927.
Contents
The MOTH organization
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats or the MOTH as it is more popularly known is an ex-servicemen and women organisation that was founded in Durban, South Africa, on May 1927 by a remarkable man Charles Alfred Evenden by name. He was born in London on the 1st October 1894 and as a young man emigrated to Australia and served with the Australian forces at Gallipoli during World War I where he was wounded and evacuated to England. After convalescence, he returned to Australia, and was discharged from the army.
Witnessing the annual ANZAC parades, Charles Evenden turned his thoughts to the formation of an association of front line soldiers to perpetuate the comradeship gained from front line service. Later, he settled in South Africa where he worked as a cartoonist on the staff of the Mercury, a morning paper in Durban, under the pseudonym of “EVO” by which name he soon became popularly known to most people.
In 1927 he saw a war film that included an impressive scene of marching troops wearing steel helmets (commonly called tin hats), and muddy uniforms, all carrying trench equipment. Looking at the scene, it made him wonder what had become of his comrades in the army; where they were and what they were doing. This line of thought inspired a cartoon illustrating Forgetfulness of comradeship that had apparently ceased to exist. From this one idea other ideas came to the fore, then discussions with colleagues and friends and, eventually, the founding on the 7th May 1927 of an ex-service organisation known as the Memorable Order of Tin Hats or simply MOTH.
The Order is based on concord and harmony and operates independently of race, religion or politics in the same way as front line service, but with full democracy.
MOTH Halls as performance venues
MOTH Halls were built around South Africa. These have been used as venues for live entertainment.
MOTH Hall, Bergvliet
Used by the Bergvliet Dramatic Society from 1953 to 19** for their productions.
Also used by Imps Drama Workshop for their productions.
Productions
Productions staged here include:
1974: Babes in the Wood (Bergvliet Dramatic Society)
1978: The Coral King (Imps Drama Workshop and Bergvliet Dramatic Society)
1981: Hopetown (Imps Drama Workshop)
1982: There's Always Spring (Imps Drama Workshop), A Special Gift (Imps Drama Workshop), The Hobbit (Imps Drama Workshop)
1985: The Genesis Roadshow (Imps Drama Workshop), A Little Magic (Imps Drama Workshop)
1986: Tall Tales (Imps Drama Workshop)
Sources
Greyvenstein, Walter 1988. The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.
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