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Post War
Years
Following the
War, the Band returned to the typical engagements of pre-war years.
Rehearsals appear to have moved to the Redfern Academy and
membership remained fairly constant. During this time, engagements
numbered between eighty and one hundred per year. A highlight during
this time, was the Queen's visit in 1954 when, besides playing in
Newcastle and Wollongong, the Band visited Broken Hill for four
days, accompanying the Queen. During 1954, the Band also broadcast
on Radio 2SM and performed their first Police Passing Out Parade.
The early fifties also saw the start of a learner's class for the
benefit of Police interested in joining the Band. If enough progress
was made, they become full members of the Band. This practice was
maintained for many years and was seen as essential in maintaining
the number of young Police recruits in the band.
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NSW Police Band - Photo taken approx. 1956 -
1957.
(click
to enlarge)
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FROM
REAR: Alec Coulter, Reg Edwards, Lofty Sharp, Angus Boras, Sid
Stubbs, Keith Mathews, Sid Hull,
Keith McIntosh, Bob Gunyon, Harry Rudd, Fred Gregory, Arthur
Wilson, John Maroney, Ron Webb, Percy Rath, Jack Williams, Ron
Morris, Harry Tucker, Col Smith, Bill Brown, Ken Mills, Bill
Halford, Dick Elphick, Bill Lewis, Jack Nicholson, Reg Meyer,
Carl Schutrumph, Eric Bower, Supt. Cec Jardine, George Kemp,
Bruce Braithwaite, Lloyd Turnbull.
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NSW Police Concert Band - 1995 |
LEFT
TO RIGHT (From Back)
4th Row: Special Constable Anthony Brahe, Ross McKinlay, John
Woodbury, Merv Knott, Drum Major
Sergeant Ian Keuning, Constable First Class Robert White,
David Hatch
3rd Row: John Simensen, Ron Davidson, Mal Pearce, Graham
Nichols, Robert Gillespie, Ray Bensted, Bob Harris, David
Llewellyn, Senior Constable Trevor Marsdem, Jim Nairn.
2nd Row: Paul Blankesteijn, Bill Stojcevski, Ted Bromfield,
Laurie Goodfellow, Ray Willis, Constable Rod Hunter-Brittain,
Mick Reid, Ken Dean, Martin Anderson, Ron Gillett.
1st Row: Mark Holland, John Saunders, Melissa Telford,
Director of Music, Sergeant Dennis Williams, Commander, Senior
Sergeant Barry Grove-Jones, Administration Officer, Senior
Constable Rob McMaster, Steve Nolan, Constable First Class
Michael Donohoe. Absent: Special Constable Peter Almond. |
The only non-policeman employed by the Band
throughout the thirties, forties and fifties, besides Bandmasters,
was Angus Boras who had, by 1954, become the first and only
"Special" Sergeant. His duties included: librarian,
learner's class teacher, police Boys Club Instructor and assistant
secretary. Only eight to ten hours per week were spent performing
with the Band.
The Band appears to have started their association
with Police Boys (Youth) Clubs during the 1950's. A Bandmaster's
class was started to coach Bandmasters in the role of Bandmaster for
the various Police Boys Club Bands. Time spent at Police Boys Clubs
was included in weekly duty for most Band members up until the
1980's.
In 1956, Mr. Summerton retired and, in 1957, Mr.
George Jackson became the eighth appointed Bandmaster. In 1960, Mr.
Mason Brockie became only the third Special Constable to join as a
playing member. He was an ex Sydney Symphony clarinettist and was
solo clarinet assisting Special Sergeant Angus Boras. The Police
Centenary was celebrated in 1962 and the Band released their first
LP recording to commemorate this event.
During the late fifties, and early sixties, the Band
was in quite a healthy state. Membership was around forty-two
playing members, with a learner's class and improvers class. George
Jackson had also introduced regular sectional rehearsals. Several
Town Hall concerts were performed with the ABC Radio broadcasting highlights.
Band members, however, appeared to be penalised by some members of
the Police Service for being Bandsmen and were restricted in the
performance of certain duties thus limiting their promotion
opportunities. The Band allowance, which was set in 1936 at sixpence
a day, was still the same in 1969. In 1967, the conditions in the
Band had deteriorated to the extent that the conductor, Mr. Jackson,
was prepared to go direct to the Commissioner. Band duties were only
a secondary consideration at stations and some new recruits to the
Service who had musical experience were known to not mention their
talents so as to "not be required to perform unattractive
duties with the Band". Band morale was low and membership was
down to thirty-four.
The Band was still heavily involved with Police Boys
Clubs, with members accruing many hours overtime. Rehearsals were
even held at Police Boys Clubs, mainly East Sydney, during the late
sixties and early seventies. Throughout this period, the Band was
busier than ever, regularly performing approximately 120 to 130
engagements per year. These still consisted of hospital and park
concerts, fetes, parades, Police and State functions, country shows
and even the Miss NSW Quest, live-to-air every year from 1967 to
1972 at the Sydney Trocadero Ballroom.
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NSW Police Band at Redfern Police Academy
- March 1966
(click
to enlarge) |
FRONT
ROW: L - R: Lindsay Chate, Fred Gregory, Ron Webb, Bill Brown,
George Jackson, Lofty Sharp, Arthur Wilson, Rex Waddington,
Bruce Constable.
2nd ROW L - R: Max Gruggen, Peter Williams, Harry Salter,
Graeme Bates, Bill Martin, Ken Mills, Bill Lewis, Barry
Grove-Jones, Max Hammond, Gordon Crompton, Rod Cawthray.
3rd ROW L - R: Ben Acton, Jack Nicholson, Darcy Hay, Jack
Williams, Mason Brockie, Neville Trevelyan, Alf Ewards, Dennis
Williams, Alan Hines, John Corbett, Ron Morris.
4th ROW L - R: Lloyd Turnbull, Les Lambert, Hugh Barnwell,
Alan Gallagher, Bill Halford, Bill Beaver. |
NSW Police Band -
The New Era
Page Design © Ian Hunter.
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