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It was about 1964 when Keith was working at the Kimberley Research Station (not far from Kununurra in the East Kimberly by the banks of the Ord River) when one of the workers managed to obtain a square dance record, which taught a few very simple dances.

It was great fun, but unfortunately lacked sufficient females to make up a set except when they had visitors. It didn't matter, the words of the dance stuck in his head. In 1970 at a party at his home "Ups'n'Downs" at Armadale he taught and Called one of the dances from that record accompanying himself with a few chords on his guitar.

About once a month there was a social gathering at the O'Neils' place in Bedfordale and Keith used to play music and sing a song or two for them. They decided to have some Square Dancing and hired Steve Turner one month, and. Kevin Kelly on another. That was about 1976.

As the group wasn't looking at learning on a regular basis, they asked Keith to Call for them once a month and he did. To avoid any friction with the Callers' Association  Steve arranged for him to become a Trainee Caller.

The nearest club was Circulate, at East Cannington in a little scout hall. Alan Eades was the Caller and he agreed to sponsor him if he would turn up and learn to dance. Within a few months Alan announced that he was leaving ~ and asked Keith and another Trainee, Giulio Massarotto if they would like to take over. They did and this was 1977.

Giulio only turned up once so Keith explained that he would continue until the end of the year, after which he would try to start a club closer to home. Circulate only danced 1 or 2 sets with half living closer to Armadale (including his 3 older children).

Keith, offered another reason for not wishing to continue at Circulate, "they were burdened by an "absentee" committee, who rarely turned up to dance, but laid down many laws. I determined to keep away from committees in the future."

On the first Thursday in February 1978 Keith started his new club, Colonials, at the Buffs' Hall, Armadale. Two years later they moved to John Dunn Hall. It was a Caller-run club and after much coercion from the Society he agreed to turn it over to a committee 6 months later. That went smoothly and he never regretted the change until 1989.

In 1980 while Vice-President of the Callers' Association of W.A. he went to look at Square Dancing in the Eastern States and in California. He studied hard and learned from some great Callers, including Barry Wonson at Wollongong and Ernie Kinney in Fresno (California). The Americans treated him like a king so he not only enjoyed his holiday, he learned plenty.

About 1982, with another Caller they tried to revive the old Friendly Squares which had previously danced at South Perth. The combination of 2 Callers was a dead loss and they gave it away before coming to blows.
 

In 1983 Keith was transferred to Geraldton by his employer and in 1984 started a club. He said "as we had the old Friendly Squares banner on hand, I used that temporarily. When I asked the dancers for a name for the new club they said 'what's wrong with Friendly Squares?' and I couldn't think of anything, so the name stuck."

In mid 1987 he returned to Armadale, leaving Friendly Squares in the hands of Dave Gibson and Ron Mead.
Colonials made an approach for him to take over as their Caller, Ross Henley was leaving. Keith happily accepted.

During the time he had been away in Geraldton the various committees had made many changes and he never felt relaxed or comfortable under the new regime. As his new job made Thursday night difficult for him and his children, he felt that Friday or Saturday night would be best. He resigned from Colonials in 1989 after giving 3 months notice.

In March 1990 he started a new club "Ups'n'Downers", the same name as his home. Keith enjoys this Saturday night venture as he enjoys good crowds and plenty of variety, including a bush band which specialises in "old time" dancing and Clogging.

Keith explains that the direction of "Ups'.n’Downers" is to encourage interaction between the different age groups, including families, to break down the generation gap. They also try to bring out those hidden skills that people have hidden away, an idea based on Keith's Kimberley experience in the early 60's, when everyone was expected to contribute to a good shindig.
In the backyard of the Lethbridge home there is the "Bicentennial Shed, (The Shed) which is designed to cater for square dancing and entertainment. It's suitable for parties, clogging lessons, round dancing and small learner groups of square dancers (comfortably dances 3 sets).

The annual "Bang Tail Muster" complete with the "Golden Leaf Award  and the “Silver Spoon Award” for the best leaf and spoon player is considered a real beaut shindig and is held in the "Shed".

Keith used to be known as "The Wild Colonial Boy”, but due to maturity is now "The Mild Colonial Boy” although he is sometimes called "Cobber" from the skits of  “Digger and Cobber”. Keith plays the part of "Cobber" who is one of two swaggies.

With all this talk of the Kimberleys, shindigs, cobbers, and Keith's ability to get some sort of a tune from a mouth organ, bones, gum leaf, didgeridoo, lager-phone and bush bass, you would expect him to be an Aussie bushy, but, in fact he was born in Kent in England.

As music is his hobby he can also play the clarinet, guitar and piano, with a yen to learn the saw.
Keith has served the Callers' Association as Training Officer and has taught some pretty good Callers including Ken Pike, Dave Gibson, Ron Mead and "Taffy" Jones (assistant at "Ups'n'downers")..

As a Caller he has a good grasp of choreography (including unsymmetrical) - some say he is the best in Australia. He can yodel and harmonise and likes to use a lot of rhyming patter, which isn't common in Australia, but quite popular in some parts of America.
As a Clogger, he learned from Gina Zaragoza in 1983 prior to moving to Geraldton. He claims to be the only one who can clog while playing the mouth organ but admits he doesn't know anyone else who wants to.

Keith's other claims to fame are the book he has written on Calling, -"Call up a Storm” and  his books of bush poetry , "Rough Rhymes For Rough Times", “The Legend of Mother McQ and Other Bush Verse” , “Wild Camel Stew and Even Worse Verse” and “Damper & Tea”.  He is currently writing his fifth book of rhymes  due for release in 2003.

Keith is also a proficient “yarnspinner”  and has won awards at the ‘WA Poets and Yarnspinners’  held each year at Wireless Hill.

Keith is a Project Officer with the State Government and he and his family are currently living at Halls Creek in the far North of WA.