The Queen of King Street
Stories of a life in country radio spanning two incredible decades
By Peter Fish
December 18, 2019
Beth Thomas has been a much-loved character in Scottsdale since she arrived in the town in 1966, particularly with Radio 7SD where she became the uncrowned "Queen of King Street."
She took up the position as "maitre d" or office manager at 7SD in 1986, and in that role became involved in everything that occurred in the North‑East community before retiring in 2008.
Beth was born Elizabeth Sally Chapman in 1947.
She was a "Valley Girl" from Fingal, before moving to the Abbotts Cordial factory in Launceston as an office girl where she took the eye of truck driver Don Thomas.
They married and moved to Scottsdale in 1966.
Don began a long career at the vegetable factory under various owners. Beth began work at McDougall's Hardware before eventually taking up the job at 7SD in 1986.
The couple had two children, Annette and Michael, and still reside in Scottsdale.
And what a story Beth has to tell!
"Oh, I have some wonderful memories of my time at 7SD," Beth said as we shared a glass of red wine.
Celebrating a football premiership in King Street was always one of 7SD's assignments, and Beth was there when Scottsdale's reserves and seniors won in 1989.
"I had this massive reel-to-reel tape recorder which I'd dragged up to the balcony of Lethborg's flats and was secretly recording the speeches when I suddenly realised the tape had run out," Beth recalled.
"What was I to do?"
Never backward in coming forward, Beth tugged on the trousers of senior coach Danny Hall and whispered whether he could just delay proceedings while she replaced the tape.
Danny obliged but told the crowd that proceedings would have to cease for a little while while Beth " … got her act into gear."
Beth and on-air announcer Susan Salier were good friends.
Susan used to broadcast 'Country Connections', full of local news and music direct from the Scottsdale office.
One memorable day, Sue put on the Hollies' famous track ‘Long Tall Woman in a Black Dress’ and the pair began to dance and play air guitar as the song boomed out on the radio.
“We were two menopausal, middle-aged women who had lost the plot,” Beth said.
Suddenly the phone interrupted the friends' private disco moment.
“Good morning, this is Beth from 7SD,” was the response from the perspiring office manager.
“Can anyone join your party?” was the question.
It was the late Michael Lethborg from across the road at the office of Lethborg's Funerals!
No one knew the contents of the record library at 7SD like Beth and Sue and their personal preferences included ACDC, Annie Lennox and of course Abba.
It was fitting that at Sue Salier's funeral earlier this year, that "Dancing Queen" was played.
Beth also recalls the annual Ambulance appeals that used to run on the radio.
“We organised on-air auctions, and in one particular year there were a pair of muscovy ducks (dressed) that sold for $80, and a rather tiny bunch of violets that went for $20.
“That was a lot of money in those days and guess who bought them - me!
“Don was not amused!”
The 7SD building was always open, and Beth remembers that in the late 80s a student from the high school visited regularly and asked whether the station could play more modern music.
Beth advised him to organise a petition and she would send it into the station's owners.
“The station agreed and an 'After Dark' segment was introduced.
“And guess who that student was? It was Darren Probert, now the co-licensee of Kendalls' Hotel.”
7SD used to do regular reports during Beth's time at the station.
“We had sport results from the high school, the local ministers would come in and talk about what the churches were up to, and Sergeant Neil Van Veldhuizen would come in with a police report, and sometimes he would be accompanied by young constables in their leather gear.
“I love leather,” Beth said.
“And sometimes I would ask Neil if I could just stroke their uniforms!”
Beth admits there were times that 7SD would go "off air."
“The station's transmitter was on Trevor Burrows' property at North Scottsdale and when we went off air, I would ring Trevor and he would go outside and use his agricultural handyman expertise to fiddle and tinker the necessary part and just like magic we'd be back on.
Trevor even taught his son Andrew what to do.
“That's the beauty of a dedicated community,” she said.
The North-Eastern Advertiser and 7SD have always had a close relationship, both being in the same industry.
So in 2005 when the Premier Paul Lennon arrived in town to officially open the first stage of the King Street streetscape, Beth and I walked down the street to observe proceedings.
As we strolled towards the ceremonial site Beth remarked, "I don't know why the Premier is here to open this - I could do the job just as well!"
Soon after as I chatted to the Premier I happened to mention that the lady from 7SD reckoned she could do the job equally as well.
When the moment to cut the ribbon arrived, the Premier looked around.
“Ah Beth, I believe you would like to be involved in this. Come and help me!”
An embarrassed but quickly composed Beth accepted the offer with words the Premier probably still recalls.
“I'll hold - you snip!” she said.
Only a Beth Thomas could have got away with that!
While 7SD no longer transmits from King Street, Beth still does, working for a day a week at Norma Petterwood's North-East Jewellers shop.
“My job is to polish the diamonds, and I really enjoy my time there.”
Beth remains a very organised woman and the rest of the week is carefully timetabled.
“Tuesday, I go to exercise class, Wednesday is recovering from that activity, Thursday is housework and shopping, and Friday? Well I just nip up to King Street and generally harass people!”
Fierce loyalty to the local storeowners has been a characteristic of Beth's since she arrived in the town in 1966, and she still encourages people to shop locally.
“Use the great services Dorset has to offer, support your community and in turn it will support you.”
Beth Thomas is known by everyone, and her bubbly personality has been based around a simple philosophy summed up in a poem (author unknown) that Beth embraces.
"Treasure every moment that you have,
Share it with people you value,
And remember that time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
And Today is a gift,
That's why it's called the present."
