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Mrs Holmes was 82 when recorded.
Her grandfather came from Scotland and married Francis Cumberland McIntyre (born Sofala) and her grandfather “worked in the gold racket”. She was a well-established musical theatre star in the 1920s and 30s and on the tapes talks about show lifeand when she first heard Melba. Mrs Holmes also talks about:

• life in Bourke
• Aboriginal population at Bourke “they'd eat their dole cheque in one sitting”
• How she owned the Vice Regal Hotel at Sofala
• How she owned the museum at Hill End and paid $2 rent a week
• 'The Arcadians', Clark & Manbel, Mandel & Gunn Agency, 'Miss Gibbs”
• How her sister (Edith Neville) appeared in first production of Madam Butterfly
• 'doing the block' in Sydney
• the condition of early Sydney streets - “A ride in an early tram would deafen you!”
• old hoop back chairs stuffed with horsehair