David Mickle has the following account of the formation of the Koo Wee Rup Brass band in his book, Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup - for young and old (1) -
April
1919: An Enthusiastic meeting in the Koo-Wee-Rup
Hall resolved to form a band. Mr G. F. Hopkins presided as Chairman. George
Wain was elected President, H.D Mills as Secretary and the following signified
that they would join the band - Vernon Mills, A. Purnell (the railway
stationmaster), W. Ellett, Billy Ellett, Jack Dalley (injured in the level
crossing smash later), D. Blackwood, H. Ellett, F. Boag (Frank or Fred they
had a boarding house in Rossiter’s road
near Keighery’s old store) Alf Jeremiah, H. Legge, L. Poole (either Lawson
Poole of Tooradin or his cousin Lawson Poole of Cranbourne)
Others who volunteered for the band
were A. C. Colvin (Froggie), Harris D. Mills, Tom Jack, W. Holt, W. Dyer
(probably the potato inspector) Ray Mills (Vern’s brother), E. and B.
Coates, Bill Petters and Jim Gardiner
(mentioned as the Scottish lamp lighter).
Patrons elected were Cr D.
MacGregor, Shire President at the time; J.T. O’Brien, a Councillor who lived at
Yallock; W. C Greaves, A. Cameron, E Simpson Hill, a Councillor from Tooradin way; D.J Bourke of
the great Bourke Brothers of Monomeith and
J. A Mickle, my uncle. Quite a
turn up of local enthusiasts to work and assist the band. (2)
Koo Wee Rup Brass Band 1919
Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society photograph
The band still was still in existence in 1923 (3), but must have disbanded soon after that as in August 1927, the Koo Wee Rup Sun reported that -
On Monday evening about a dozen young men attended a meeting, convened by Messrs J. Mortimer and H.J. Smith, at the Wattle Theatre, Kooweerup, with the object of endeavouring to form a brass band at Kooweerup. Mr Smith was voted to the chair. He explained that some years ago Kooweerup possessed a fine band, but owing to the difficulty of keeping members together the organisation became defunct. It was intended to get hold of young lads and train them. By adopting such a procedure the band would most likely be of a permanent character. He believed that when the old band went out of existence there was a credit balance at the bank. It was resolved that a Kooweerup and District Brass Band be formed and that another meeting be held at the Wattle Theatre next Friday night to elect officers and other incidental matters. It is desired that all interested, especially niavers [sic], should put in an appearance. Mr Mortimer expressed his willingness to lend the Wattle Theatre to the band for practice free of cost, for three months. (4)
I currently have no other information about this revived Brass Band, but Koo Wee Rup had other groups for the musically inclined, and perhaps it was no surprise as during the 1920s three talented women conducted classes in Koo Wee Rup - Miss W. Williams who taught singing, harmony, theory and pianoforte; Miss Jessie Johnson, who was a teacher of pianoforte and theory and Miss Isabelle Bredin, who taught the Italian school of singing. (5)
Musical tuition advertisements
Koo Wee Rup Sun, August 9, 1923, p. 6
In 1923, Mr Mickle also mentions the formation of the Koo Wee Rup and District Choral Society, with musical director Madame Isabella Bredin, and Larry Coates, the hard working President (6). Their first appearance was in October 1923, where they performed the operetta Pearl, the Fishermaiden. (7) In July in 1924 they performed the play Robin Hood, conducted by Madame Bredin. Dave Mickle recalled that at the full dress rehearsal he took his first flashlight photograph. The flashlight consisted of magnesium paper that was set alight by a match - the flash paper was on a metal tray and went off with a great flash. Dave was doubtful that the first flash worked so he decided to take a second photograph using two sheets of magnesium but many of the Choral Society were so frightened by the first experience they refused to take part a second time! (8)
He lists some of the members of the Choral Society - Jessie Johnson, Peter Garbellini, Vi Knowles, Clem Righetti, Agnes McCutcheon, Larry Coates, Evelyn Jeffers, George Walker, Geoff Howitt, Chris Walker, Dorrie Johnson, Ern Mallcott, Keith Jeffrey, Nellie Levey and Dick Jeffers. (9)
The first public appearance of the Koo Wee Rup and District Choral Society
Koo Wee Rup Sun, October 4, 1923, p. 1
In 1929, the Wattle Theatre Orchestra was formed with the following members - Miss Jessie Johnston on piano, and Harry Dineen, the Ellett Brothers and George Sluiter. (10) I was also interested to find that in 1932 Koo Wee Rup had a Mouth Organ band, with five performers and with Miss Mavis Colvin as pianist. (11)
Cranbourne had Brass Band, which was founded in May 1899 (12) and we have the Minutes book of another Cranbourne Brass Band which was established on March 24, 1928 - the Minutes book ends in 1934; I don’t know how long the band went on for after that. At the other end of the Swamp, the Iona Brass Band was formed in 1908 and disbanded in 1916 when half their members enlisted in the War. (13).
Cranbourne Brass Band
Image: The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson (F.W. Cheshire, 1968)
Footnotes
(1) Mickle, David Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup - for young and old (The Author, 1983)(2) Mickle, David Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup - for young and old, op. cit., p. 66.
(3) Mickle, David Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup - for young and old, op. cit., p.84.
(4) Koo Wee Rup Sun, August 25, 1927, p. 4
(5) Koo Wee Rup Sun, August 9, 1923, p. 6
(6) Mickle, David Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup - for young and old, op. cit., p.86
(7) Koo Wee Rup Sun, October 4, 1923, p. 1
(8) Mickle, David Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup - for young and old, op. cit., p.87.
(9) Mickle, David Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup - for young and old, op. cit., p.88
(10) Mickle, David More Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup (The Author, 1987), p. 26.
(11) Mickle, David More Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup, op cit., p. 71.
(12) Gunson, Niel The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (F.W. Cheshire, 1968), p. 190.
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