Judith Lawrence came to Canada from Australia in 1956, intending to get experience in children’s television, as a puppeteer. In those days Australians had to have overseas experience in order to get noticed in the performing arts. It took her a while to get into TV and in the meantime she taught kindergarten, and also worked as an in-house editor for Thomas Nelson and Sons. Then one day she was invited to be the puppeteer on a new children’s program on CBC. The program was to become Mister Dressup, and she did all the puppets on it for 27 years!
In 1961 Judith joined Voice of Women, and was active first in the peace movement, and then in the women’s movement. As a member of the Broadside collective she remembers that one of her roles was to come up with money, as she was one of the few with a well-paid job! She moved to Hornby Island with partner Thea Jensen in 1990. Thea was writing a book, but developed Alzheimers Disease, and eventually had to move to a care home. She died two and a half years ago.
Judith is very active with community affairs on the island, and grows lots of vegetables, and keeps chickens. There are many environmental issues to deal with there: proposals for coal mines, pipe lines, tankers, unaffordable housing, there’s plenty to occupy the mind.