Mavis Filmer arrived on the Peninsula in 1937 as the 16 year old daughter of a police sergeant who was transferred to Redcliffe.
She met Ken Filmer while working at the local telephone exchange and subsequently married Ken in 1943.
Ken's parents, Harold and Lillian Filmer had purchased the Palace Hotel freehold for 4000 pounds in 1926/27 after leasing the hotel for several years.
Ken, who ran an electrical business, and his wife Mavis then managed the Hotel from 1952 onwards.
The Bee Gees performed there in 1959. They each received a bottle of Coca Cola and their parents Hugh and Barbara enjoyed a beer for their efforts.
Ken died in 1961 and Lil leased the Hotel for three years before returning with Mavis as manager and Harold passing away that same year. The Filmer team of Lil and Mavis and Daisy (twin sister of Lil after Daisy's husband Arthur had died earlier) continued until Daisy and Lil passed away within months of each other in late 1974 and 1st January 1975. The licence had been transferred to Mavis in 1971. July 1977 marked the Golden Jubilee of family ownership of the Hotel. Mavis' only child, son Leigh, was in a fatal car accident in 1995 in Melbourne.
Mavis was an active member of a number of local community based clubs and the annual Mavis Filmer award given to Redcliffians for outstanding contributions to the preservation of local wildlife is named in her honour. The unique family connection stopped when Mavis retired in 2002 at the age of 81. For 80 years, it was known as Filmers Palace Hotel and the new owners reverted to the Palace Hotel. Mavis Jean Filmer passed away on Sunday 5th December 2004, aged 83 years 11 months.
For a complete history of the Great Western/Filmers Palace Hotel - click on the following link:
Mavis Filmer is listed on the wall of the Redcliffe Wall of Fame:
A collection of portrait and information honouring the achievements of individuals who have influenced and shaped Redcliffe. The collection is in the Jetty Arcade at 139-141 Redcliffe Parade.
For a complete list of people who appear on the wall click on the following blog post: