Beth McMeeken

Beth McMeeken & Roy Chaplin

Born 1939 & 1941 respectively

Jerilderie NSW

……. “Work worth doing is worth doing well!”-Beth

Beth and her partner Roy have an incredible home together in the main street of Jerilderie. Having both been previously married the pair have combined their collections of art and furniture. As I entered their home I was transported to a previous time together, they have curated a space worthy of a museum collection. Both Beth and Roy are incredibly proud of what they have created, so much so that they open their home by appointment to show off the rooms which reflect a time long gone, even the modern-day television was tucked away inside a piano. The warmth of this gorgeous, happy couple and their amazing home was incredible, with so much love & care put into carefully and artfully combining their lives and possessions. Roy told me that the most memorable time of his life was finding this house. Antiques are his real love, he explained that when getting a ‘fix’ it was all about “making sure it was collectable and old-I love finding something different”. Then there is the safe…. there is a safe in the house that legend tells ‘Ned Kelly’ once robbed deeds and money from.

Beth has 5 daughters and has dedicated herself to her children, “I lived for the girls”. Beth is a lover of music, in fact she really can find the beauty in anything and has a heartfelt appreciation of art in all forms. If she could have her time over again she would love to have been trained in voice or piano and remembers a time when she wanted to be a ballerina. Beth’s secret to a full life ties perfectly into her love of art and she went on to tell me “I like to feel I can accomplish something everyday of my life, may it be art, gardening, photography or playing piano”.

Roy hailed from a family of 9, he was born at The Rock and lived at Tootool. He recalled the time when at 17 he had saved enough money to pay cash for a car. Hindsight is a funny thing as Roy exclaimed, “Now I wish I had bought a horse or a property rather than a car”. Roy spent his early days as a ballroom dancing teacher and judge and now says that his gardening is the one thing he couldn’t live without.

When I spoke with Beth and Roy about their philosophy on life, Roy’s response was “Not to drink or smoke” and Beth thinks a life well lived is all about “Putting your best foot forward on everything”. I loved the quote Beth gave me of “Work while you work, play while you play and be happy and gay”. Beth recalls her parents taught her to be herself & to be honest. With art in their veins I was intrigued to find out whom both Beth and Roy considered to be the biggest cultural influences of their time. For Beth it was Beatrix Potter and May Gibbs-Snuggle Pot and Cuddle pie. As she was gleefully telling me this I was transported back to my childhood and I could visualise the incredible illustrations and beautiful stories. For Roy it was all about Slim Dusty, he proudly let me know that he even had an old Slim Dusty record that had never actually been released.

Was such a treat to experience the amazing home that Beth and Roy have created, a slice of history well preserved by this very cute couple.

Note all images are now for purchase for family and friends, priceless images.

Get in touch via my contact page found at this website, for expression of interest to see all images taken of each person.