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
I don’t know how long this band went for - they were still going in 1923. In 1923, Mr Mickle also mentions the Koo Wee Rup Choral Society, under Madame Isabella Bredin, and Larry Coates who was the hard working President (3). 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! (4)
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. (5)
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. (6)
Cranbourne had Brass Band, which was founded in May 1899 (7) 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 about 1916 when half their members enlisted in the War. (8).
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, op. cit., p. 66.
(3) Ibid, p.86.
(4) Ibid, p.87.
(5) Ibid, p.88.
(6) Mickle, David More Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup (The Author, 1987), p. 71.
(7) Gunson, Niel The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (F.W. Cheshire, 1968), p. 190.
