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“The History of the Numurkah Town Band.” Revisited.
In around the year 1983 Cindy Miller, a local girl, embarked on a project in her senior year of High School in Numurkah and wrote a splendid and detailed work, which she named “History Of The Numurkah Town Band”. It was a mammoth task considering, that she did not enjoy the technological benefits of digital processing that we have today. It was also a great credit to her, that a person so young was to provide this manuscript and her name remains in the annals of Numurkah history for all time.
Her document clearly exposes the details of this unique institution that belongs to the people of Numurkah. It also reveals that it was youngsters like herself, that brought the Numurkah Town Band to be an institution that has endured through the great depression of the 30’s, two world wars and many other difficulties, to remain the well regarded community icon that it is today.
I have the honour of being the web author of its new web page at www.numurkahtownband.com (no doubt if you are reading this on line this will not be news to you) and the duty of rewriting the history into a format for others to enjoy. I have also been able to link so far, to one other band on the other side of the planet to their web page, so that people logging on to ours, can see a large contingent of young and old enjoying music together. This inspires me to encourage young people in this community to do the same and others of any age with a love of music, to enjoy making some with the rest of us.
In consideration of the research taken so far and what I see is to be required to write the recent history from 1984 until the present day it makes me appreciate the efforts of this young lady.
The first task to face, is the rewriting of Cindy’s document. It is difficult to read in places because of being over the years, a copy of a copy …etcetera and many of the photos are most unpleasing to the eye. The intention is not to plagiarise Cindy’s work or condemn it in any way but to make it more readable and enjoyable. The original content will be untouched apart from some very minor corrections to grammar and spelling and where possible pages of her the manuscript, are included. The “Acknowledgements” page in the rewrite for instance, is a copy of hers, so as it contains her signature. The copies of the photographs are in very poor condition and I will endeavour to find originals rather than copy them yet again; however, if this is done the copying will be digital and thus no more detail will be lost, also it will be possible to “photo-shop” them as has been done with the “Acknowledgements” page and the cover logo, to improve the images. This will be done at every opportunity to preserve Cindy’s work. The copy of original that we have of Cindy’s manuscript will be held in the Numurkah Town Band Archives. I see no reason to include that here as it would be an unnecessary exercise.
When this is done I will write what I will title, “The Recent History Of The Numurkah Town Band.” Please write to me if you have any information relating to our town band’s activities or membership since 1984.
What you will read for the time being below, will be the rough copy and it will be a series until it is complete. It is being written this way so as it may be read and enjoyed by those interested as it progresses. Eventually, the document will be in pdf or HTML format and available with a linked indexes so that will mean that page numbers will be added later to the “Table Of Contents.” Page.
Readers will likely identify with family and friends names and others well known in this community. LC
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INTRODUCTION
1984 saw the centenary of Banding in Numurkah. It was intended to be the centenary of Numurkah Town Band. “With this in mind an application was made to the Numurkah Shire Council for a grant to mark the centenary of the band, which according to records, was first formed in 1814.”
Disagreements over the exact age of the Numurkah Town band forced organizers to compromise and simply celebrate one hundred years of banding in Numurkah.
The compromise came about after an article appeared in the Numurkah Leader and read as follows:
“The Numurkah Town band may not be as old as it thinks. Launching an appeal for funds to buy new uniforms recently, band officials said 1984 was the band’s centenary year. However, this magic figure may not be reached until 2004. True, there were brass bands in Numurkah as early as 1882, playing under a variety of names. However it was not until 1904 that mention of a Numurkah Town Band surfaced.”
In answer to this article’ the late Col McPherson, the Bandmaster of the Numurkah Town Band, made the point “What’s in a name?”
He continued by adding “that there were two Bands in Numurkah in 1883 is clearly stated, whether they were the Numurkah Brass Band or the Numurkah Town Band is immaterial.”
In view of this slight difference of opinion, it is my intention, to investigate the formation of the Numurkah Town Band, as to when and why it was formed. It is also my intention, because Bands seemed to be very popular in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, to analyse the function of the band -- more specifically, the function the function of the Numurkah Town Band from 1904.
THE FORMATION OF THE NUMURKAH TOWN BAND.
The band known as the Numurkah Town Band has been in existence since 1904, however, there had been a band in Numurkah prior to this. The first recognized band was in existence 1883: pre-dating the existence of such institutions as the Fire Brigade and the Football Club. “The inauguration of the first band in 1883 was due to MR Harry Pocknee, when he came from Melbourne to commence the tailoring firm of Pocknee and Little.”
Pocknee was supported by Mr. Jack Webb, who came from Echuca to start a fancy goods business in a shop next to the Commercial Bank Of Australia Limited. Mr. Pocknee and Mr. Little were both good cornet players, and the music played by them inspired the desire to have a town band, Pocknee became leader of the Numurkah Brass Band but “the spirit of disputation so prevalent in Numurkah during the period (Late 1885) now pointed its disruptive finger at the band.” The trouble started when The Numurkah Brass Band accepted a fee for playing. “This widely criticised act was judged to be illegal by some of the trustees who had supplied the instruments.”
The Numurkah Imperial Private Brass Band was formed in June of 1886 and: “in July the Numurkah Brass handed its instruments to the trustees of The Mechanics Institute with the request that they from a band in connection with the Institute.”
The trustees were not to be outdone “who saw in their new acquisition (instruments) an opportunity to make capital. They imposed a condition that each member of any band that used the instruments should first become a member of the Institute for £1per annum.”
The Imperial Band ushered in the New Year of 1887.
The fourth of May 1888 saw another private band come into being. Immediately, the Mechanics Institute trustees offered the members the use of its nine instruments at a nominal rental of a penny per month per instrument.”
In 1890 Mr. P. Gyatt “convened of persons desirous of forming a brass band in Numurkah. Of the fifteen people attended most were members of the old Numurkah Brass band.” Mr. Sheeny became Bandmaster and practices then held in Mr. Aikman’s storeroom. Eighteen months later the Band was “entertained at a dinner held by Mr. W. G. Smith in appreciation of their services to the community.”
In 1890 Mr. Berres’s String Band also made its first public appearance at a benefit concert for the Mollison family.
Phillip Meichel became Bandmaster of the Numurkah Brass Band (2nd). He was also bandmaster of the Tallygaroopna Band. Mr. C.H. Bowles became bandmaster in 1892. He had been associated with the famous Coldstream Guards Band in London. Bowles was the Bandmaster of the Numurkah Brass Band for three years when in 1895 Mr. J. Buzza took over until “the Band quietly died, to be resuscitated in April 1898 by Mr. Edward Nightingale.”
Mr. Nightingale departed for the western District in 1901, his last public performance as Bandmaster was on a Saturday night in February 1901 when the Band “paraded the main street playing the Dead March at the exact time when the Queens’s funeral was taking place in England.
The band had begun to decline under the leadership of Mr. J. Duncan in 1903, when John Thomas Treacy arrived in Numurkah. Treacy was a piano and organ tuner as well as a teacher of piano, violin and cornet.
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Prior to his coming to Numurkah, Treacy had been the conductor of the Rushworth Band. On his arrival in Numurkah in 1904 “a group of gentlemen waited upon him, to urge him to form another Band.” What the gentlemen didn’t bargain for was Treacy’s unexpected stipulation that “the members should be schoolboys, with the exception of one or two seasoned players.”
This unexpected stipulation caused discontentment amongst the old Bandsmen whom Treacy had discarded.
Treacy welded his schoolboys into “the most accomplished Band Numurkah had seen.” The Band was known as The Numurkah Town band. Their first public appearance was on the 18th of May, 1904 at a dance held by the band in the Mechanic’s Hall. This dance was only the first in a series which extended from May to September, 1904. The dances were held once a month. During the September of 1904 the Band played at the opening of the new Post Office and could often be heard on a Saturday evening playing from the balcony of the telegraph Hotel.
During December a meeting for “reorganising the Band “ took place. The result of this meeting’s deliberations was the formation of the Numurkah Federal band – the Bandsmen being whom Treacy had discarded, The Federal Band’s first public appearance was advertised in the Numurkah Leader.
The Federal Band disbanded at the end of 1906 because “Treacy’s boys were too good …and the Federal Band could not compete.” The members were to later join the Town Band.
From 1906 onwards, the Numurkah Town band has “enjoyed a long and relatively stable , if less interesting, existence.”
Meanwhile, the Numurkah Town Band had the pleasure of welcoming in the New Year, 1905.
THE FUNCTION OF THE NUMURKAH TOWN BAND IN THE COMMUNITY
As the 20th Century has progressed, so has the function of the Band. There had to have been a purpose for a Band to have been warranted. What was the function of the Numurkah Town band in the community?
In an attempt to answer the question I was forced to look into the types of appearances that he Band made. From this I was able to come up with several functions.
There are four main functions of the Numurkah Town Band. They were:
1.Entertainment;
2.An opportunity for local residents too use and express their musical talents;
3.To put Numurkah on the map as a musical centre; and
4.To stir up patriotism.
As can be seen, these functions are not totally applicable in today’s standards, although they were important earlier this century.
ENTERTAINMENT
In the early half of this century, before the event of modern technology such as television, the Band’s main function was entertainment. Technology and private entertainment has gradually changed this function which now serves only a minor role in this community.
From the poem, it can be seen just how important this function was.
A deep gloom has fallen o’er us,
For our bandsmen won’t play for us,
Though we’ve done our best to make
the music go
And our subs have all been taken
Yet they’re not enough to waken
From their slumbers those whose duty
‘tis to blow,
We’ve appointed a committee
They have met, but-more’s the pity-
Still those sleepy souls are not inclined
to motion.
Though we’ve used our best endeavours
Both with help, and threats and favours,
The result’s the same – no music-not a
notion.
Oh: our hearts are sad and weary,
Waiting for the strains so cheery,
To rise from those whose duty ‘tis to
toot:
And unless they give us music
That won’t make both me and you sick,
T’will be needful to invest them with
the boot.
Now the edict has been shouted,
“Play at once or you’ll be outed
And we’ll do without a city band at all
You must make those tones loud and lusty,
Rise: o’er though you’ve got so rusty,
Else we’ll spend your money on a new town hall.”
That will prove a tonic
To those ones whose strains harmonic
Should arise to charm our weariness
away.
Hark-the answer-quick and cheerful
Calm at once your mood so fearful
We intend once more to make the
echoes hum.
And you needn’t worry
‘Bout the band that will not hurry,
For Glenny’s going to beat the big
bass drum.
Numurkah leader August 29 1913
The band, it seemed, was a very important asset to the community. To give an example of how important in one yea, 1090, the Band made 106 appearances. That is one every three days.
Since 1904, the band has played at dances/socials, fetes concerts, sports meetings and carnivals, Agricultural Shows and the most obvious engagements, Christmas Eve and New year’s Eve.The band also played in Melville Street, in the same place all the time, until 1915 when the Bans=d committee decided that the band should play on alternate corners of Melville and Quinn Streets and the corner of Melville and Saxon Streets.
It was because of this function, entertainment, that the rotunda was built in 1908. “A rotundas seemed both necessary and desirable in a town which had boasted at least one Band and sometimes two for a quarter of a century.”
The Band always seemed to be in financial difficulties. They were never able to pay their bandmasters, nor many of the other expenses incurred through the year. The annual meeting of 1914 was the first meeting that the matter of raising enough money to keep the Band going was not raised. During the early years of the Band (1904-1907) the Band had the added burden of previous bands debts and were forced to hold open air concerts so that the previous bandmaster could be paid.
Numurkah Leader Feb. 22, 1906
A series of open-air concerts were again held later in the year because the Band was again in debt. (1906)
Hospital Sunday appeals were another activity that the Band involved itself with. This extended into the latter part of the century also.
Many other functions were held that the Band put in an appearance. They are too numerous to mention.
The Band entertained the public with their music greatly in the early years of its existence. It has only been in the latter years of this century that this function has been diminished somewhat. In the same way that Drive-ins are disappearing through lack of support as a result of the video, the Bands function as entertainment has disappeared as a result of the television, Video and Drive-in.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS TO USE AND EXPRESS THEIR MUSICAL TALENTS
This function would have been appropriate for those Bandsmen such a Bob McCaskill and Will Stratton.
Will Stratton started under Bandmaster Treacy. He was to become one of the few French horn players in Australia and was also a one-time member of the J. C. Williamson’s orchestra.
He was also associated with the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a playing member.
Bob McCaskill was later to be Bandmaster of the Shepparton Band and he became bandmaster of two Bands in Bendigo (He was the Bandmaster of these two Bands at the same time).
He was also Bandmaster of the Southern Command Band during the course of the Great War.
These are just two examples of Bandsman whom, through the Numurkah Town Band, moved onto bigger and better things in the musical world.
TO PUT NUMURKAH ON THE MAP AS MUSICAL CENTRE
This function ties in very closely with the previous function, an opportunity for local residents to use and express their musical talents. Through using and expressing musical talent the Numurkah Town Band was able to put Numurkah on the map – this was perhaps more applicable in the 1950’s and 60’s, however in a small way it was applicable in the earlier decades.
The Numurkah Town band was not the only musical organisation to put Numurkah on the map. Other organisations such as The Numurkah Choral Musicale, gave Numurkah the title of the ‘Singing Town.’
The Numurkah Town Band attended many musical competitions – one being the Musical and Elocutionary competitions that were held in Shepparton. In 1905 Bandmaster Treacy took, “four of the lads to the Shepparton competitions and there one golden opinions, both because of the manner in which they played and also for the reason that they had the thoughtfulness to play before the afternoon and evening sessions in front of the Star Theatre.”
The four boys won second place in the Brass Quartet and had made a good impression on the Judge; also if this extract of a letter written by the judge is anything to go by:
“I heartily congratulate you on the abilities displayed by your boys. Several of them are possessed of rare powers and will repay you for your labours.”
The Shepparton Musical and Literary Competitions of 1906 were quite successful in putting Numurkah on the map for: “the Numurkah Town Band was particularly successful, winning the Brass Quartet with 86 points, Kybram being next with 70.” Following this the wind instrument solo section of the competition, were these results:”C. Treacy with 86 points, followed by W. Stratton 73 and W. Needham 68, all being members of the Numurkah Town Band.
The Musical and Elocutionary Competitions of 1907 were also a success, although not as good as 1906.
The competitors in the Brass Quartet section of the competition were all members of the Band. The McCaskill family quartet won the section, with the Town Band quartet coming second and last. The cornet solo, the same situation occurred with both members being members of the Band.
Other competitions had to be held during the period extending from 1907 to 1950, but what they were has not yet been found.
During the 1950’s and 60’s the Numurkah band were to put Numurkah on the map, during this time the Band was to win ten trophies.
Nineteen Fifty saw the first of the trophies to be won. The first trophy was won at the Deniliquin Massed Bands festival. The band won the trophy in the Street March section of the Festival. The second trophy was won at the Rushworth Massed Bands Festival, again for the Street march.
In 1951 the band attended the Murray valley Championships held at Finley in October. The band was victorious in bringing home four trophies.
The four trophies were won for: inspection, the Diagram March, the selection played by the Band, the fourth trophy was simply inscribed:
The competition was won by the Numurkah Town band against Bands from: Cobram, Deniliquin, Echuca, Finley, hay, Shepparton, Wagga, Wangaratta and Yarrawonga.
The other four trophies were won at: Euroa in 1955, Shepparton for the Street March in 1956, Wangaratta for the Street March in 1958 and in Numurkah at the Rose Festival in 1964. It was won for the hymn the band played.
Enter image of “Afternoon program here. Pages 14 and 15
It was at Massed bands festivals that the majority of trophies were won.
Since these trophies the Band has not really participated in such functions but these must has surely been enough to put Numurkah on the map.
TO STIR UP PATRIOTISM
The stirring up of patriotism was a minor factor of the Band. This function held more importance in the earlier part of the century.
In their efforts to stir up patriotism the Band, each year played on Empire Day. The normal procedure was to head a procession to the State School grounds or to the evening concert.
“In the evening a concert was held, prior to which the Band and the Fire Brigade formed a torchlight procession.”
Empire Day was held to celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday on March the 24th. It was celebrated throughout the British Empire.
The Numurkah Town Band’s role of stirring up patriotism is more prominent during the First World War than it was at any other time than in its history.
“It became custom for the Town Band to play for farewells (to soldiers) at the railway station.”
So great was the thirst for patriotism that the band Committee did not charge a fee for playing farewells at the station.
By August 1915 the Band had played at the station thirty one times.
“In 1914 a ladies Committee was formed to back up the Banb’s activities and in May 1918 Cr. W. A. Campbell, who was again Shire President, entertained the band to dinner at Mrs. Eddy’s Farmer’s Arms Hotel to mark his appreciation of the Bands services in patriotic efforts.”
In an effort to boost their patriotic endeavours , the Band granted permission to members of the Town Band who were also in a Cadet Band, to use their instruments whilst on parade.
Also, “when the time came the Band was at the station again to welcome those of the heroes who returned home.”
The patriotic efforts continued after the war, with the event of ANZAC Day. The band played then, as it does today, on ANZAC without fail.
The Numurkah Town Band was not able to contribute in the same way during the Second World War. It went into recess in 1939.
The band also played at the unveiling of the Soldiers’ Memorial on 16 November, 1929.
“A thousand people came to see Major General H. E. Elliot unveil the Soldiers’ Memorial on 16th November 1929.
Flags flew from every pole in Numurkah and the celebrated visitor was met at the station by Cr. R. Gordon (representing the Shire), Mr. A. Stringer (Shire Secretary), the councillors, Mr. J. E Harper (president of the Memorial Committee), eighty returned soldiers, and, of course The Numurkah Town Band.”
In later years the band kept in stirring up patriotism by celebrating the Queen’s Coronation and by holding an annual sports carnival on King’s Birthday.
The Band still palys on ANZAC Day but there is no longer such importance placed on patriotism as there was in the first half of this century.
CONCLUSION
The formation of the Numurkah Town Band, in name only, occurred in 1904, however, as seen, the foundation stone of the Band had been laid long before then – back in 1883 when Mr. Pocknee became the first bandmaster. Whilst several different bands may have been formed, the members were mainly the same as those in the previous band that had been disbanded. The members that Treacy had discarded were to later join the Numurkah town Band, therefore creating the illusion that there had been only one Band in Numurkah.
As to why the Band was formed, there had to have been a reason or a function in the community that warranted the formation of a Band. There evidently was as we find the function of the Band was to entertain, to provide an opportunity for local residents to use and express their musical talents, to put Numurkah on the map, and to stir up patriotism as the need arose. All of these functions have been proved.
Three of these functions are applicable only in a small way today – we have other forms of entertainment, and patriotism is not important today as it was in earlier times, also the township of Numurkah has been recognised somewhat for its musical talents already and therefore this function has already been achieved.
The only function is that of the local residents having an opportunity to express their musical talents. Bandsmen are able to do this by getting together and playing for enjoyment and by being recognised in the township for the work put into learning musical instruments and for the public appearances, how few and far between they may be!
Perhaps in the future we may see the resurrection of the Band. In both number of players and in the public interest in the Band, and with that hope we look to the future.
BANDMASTERS
Throughout the history of the Numurkah Town Band, many Bandmasters have come and gone. Often it was the case of the Band not being able to afford to pay a Bandmaster and at other times it was the case of the Bandmaster finding a better position. Anyway, the Bandmasters didn’t like to stay around long. The average amount of years the Band has kept a bandmaster is four years!
The following is a list of the Bandmasters and the time that they stayed in position:
No From To Bandmaster
1 Mar 1904 Jan 1910 J. T. Treacy
2 Feb 1910 Dec 1910 S. Stainsby (No official bandmaster) (A. McPherson acting)
3 1913 1914 R. J. Beaman
4 Dec 1914 Jan 1915 H. Samuel
5 Jan 1915 Apr 1923 J. Hickey
6 Apr 1923 Aug 1923 A. E. Morris (acting)
7 Aug 1923 ? Mr. Lee
8 ? May 1914 L. McHaught
9 May 1924 Apr 1925 F.King
10 June 1925 Mar 1926 E.R.Jones
11 Mar 1926 May 1926 Mr. Nightingale (acting)
12 May 1926 Jan 1929 J. Lewis
13 Jan 1929 Mar 1929 Band in recess
14 Apr 1929 1939 J. Hickey
15 1939 1945 Band in recess (War)
16 1942 1947 F. Young (He began teaching boys)
17 1947 ? George Patterson
18 Fred Wedd
19 Ron Rooth
20 G. Patterson
21 1973 Jan 1985 C. McPherson (acting)
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