Saturday, July 3, 2021

MUSIC

GULGONG CORPS BAND (NSW)
Captain Hardwick , C.O.
G Farthing, B. M.
Corps opened in 1898; closed 1967.


Gulgong Brass Band 1899

Back Row: Harry Byfield, J. Kelly (Snr), Harry Brigden, Jack Tuxford, Barney Naughton, George Brooks.

Front Row: Lou Naughton, Harry Stahl, Ossie Cicognani, Hughie Curran, Bill Thompson.

[As identified by Harry Stahl at Gulgong 14.11.1977 for Alf Brigden.]

NEWS ITEMS

1884 - [ADVERTISEMENT]
TO BANDMASTERS.—An Efficient BANDMASTERrequired to teach and lead Union Band, Gulgong. Applications will be received up to OCTOBER 23,1884, with references and salary required at per year; full particulars. Apply F. W. SEATON, Hon. Sec. Union Band, Gulgong.

1902 - GULGONG BRASS BAND
Mr. E. R. Brigden, of the Prince of Wales Hotel, entertained the bandsmen in tip-top style on Saturday night. They played about twenty selections in front of his hotel, and Mr. Brigden was very lavish in the way he treated them. Like Messrs. Blunt and Egan, the new host is a believer in the Gulgong band, which the town cannot well do without.

The Gulgong brass band will lose a good secretary in the person of Mr. Thompson. During his term of office he has been most energetic in his endeavors to keep the bandsmen together, and has always been to the front in charitable movements. A few have tried hard to settle the band, but Mr. Thompson, backed up by Mr. Jack Tuxford and a few other earnest workers, overcame all difficulties, and now we see the members dressed in beautiful uniforms, the result of the strenuous actions of a painstaking and wide-awake secretary.
We deeply regret Mr. Thompson's departure, and trust he will be as popular in his new sphere of labor.

Gulgong Orchestra, 1910
Source: Jo Trengove

Back row: Harry Byfield, J H Stahl, Tom Upham, J Tuxford, Percy Upham, William Christian, Jack Murn

Front row: Charles Hawkins, Dominic Rognini, Kate McMaster, A J Simpson, _?_, Ian McCulloch, Ada Gerady, _?_.

Gulgong Orchestra, ca 1910
Source: Jo Trengove

Back row:  H Byfield, JH Stahl, T Upham, J Tuxford, Percy Upham,W Christian, Jack Murn or Herb Upham, 

Front row: Charles Hawkins, D Rognini, Kate McMaster, AJ Simpson B.M., Miss McCullock, Ada Gerady, Bob Lainge & Ian McCulloch 

Gulgong Brass Band, year unknown
Source: Jo Trengove

J H Stahl middle row 2nd from right.  Tom Upham back row 1st left & Percy Upham 2nd from left.

Gulgong Brass Band, year unknown
Source: Jo Trengove
JH Stahl in middle row, far right

Gulgong Band, 19 October 1912
Source: Jo Trengove

Pictured: Herb [aka Peter] Upham, Roy Wade, Tom Upham, Norman Bousfield, F Tomlinson, Bill Brooks, Herb Bowie, E Instone, JH Stahl, H Byfield, Dick Smyth, ---, Jack Smith 

Gulgong Band circa 1915.

Pictured: Raymond James Cross (Jim) young boy 3rd from left, and his father, James Cross Snr is the Band Master, far right.
Charles Raisin is in the middle row (first on the left) with his cornett. Charles was 14 years old at the time.

Gulgong Corps Band (NSW) - 1920
B/M Harry Gudgeon. Captain Beavis

Harry Gudgeon on left with some family members.
Robert James Campbell on right.
Source: Barbara Gurney

THE GLOOMCHASERS
When Reg Wright returned from the war and settled in Gulgong, he began playing with Ted Gibbons and his band "The Gloomchasers". Reg was on drums, with Ted at the piano, Jimmy Cross on trumpet and Keith Murray playing the violin. They played at dance halls in Gulgong, Coonabarabran, Binnaway, Dunedoo, Coolah, Mudgee, Wellington and all the outlying areas. 

The Saturday night hop was very popular in those days, while more dignified balls were held by other town organisations. Reg and his band members would travel by hired car, driven by Cec Keyssecker, often not getting back home until dawn. "In The Mood", "Lady In Blue" "Deep Purple " and "September In The Rain" were popular dance tunes.

Jimmy Cross enjoyed smoking and a story is told that the first blast on his trumpet produced wonderful smoke rings from the bell of his instrument. Jimmy also caused a commotion in Goolma one night, when in an effort to produce just the right amount of romantic lighting, Jimmy threw his coat over the existing light and caused a fire. 

The band was paid 10 pounds for a nights work from 8pm until midnight, including travel, but for a big ball which went on until 2am this amount was increased to forty pounds. Sometimes, sadly the organiser's could not raise the ten pounds, as happened once at a sparsely attended dance in Gulgong's Town Hall. It was suggested instead that they adjourn to Angie's Milk Bar and have a meat pie and coffee.
Source: History Talking (Gulgong Gossip), Helen McAnulty 1999.

 

The Gloomchasers
Reg Wright, Jim Cross, Keith Murray, Harry Dallimore and Teddy Gibbons. 1940-50

A later iteration of the Gloomchasers, 1950s

Harry Dallimore, Bass-baritone of Gulgong NSW
"The baritone, the composer and the Tea Man", 1950
Source: Libby Sills

Tommy Turner, Jack Goulding, Henry Albert "Happy" Byfield and Fred Newman

A 1960s band called The Gondoliers included George Vukovich, Wayne Jones and Bob Carpenter.

Musicians who played in Gulgong
(as remembered by Reg Wright):
Tommy Turner (saxophonist); Clive Bennett (drums); Fred Jones (piano); Les Wright (piano and sax); Jimmy Cross (trumpet); Jack Gaudry (piano); Jack Neely (drums); Keith Murray (violin); Doug Stahl (drums); Melda Naughton (piano); Ruby Byfield (drums); Happy Byfield (drums); Eric Perring (accordion); Hilton Roberts (sax).
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FOLK MUSIC
Australia Day Weekend January 1959. "Back to Gulgong Weekend" 
Under the verandah, corner of Mayne and Herbert Street.

Folk music event, outside Centennial Hotel, 1968
"Section of crowd, Gulgong Carnival 27/1/68, supplied by Lysle Lomax"

1980s

Folk musicians outside the Prince of Wales, Gulgong

Folk musicians outside the Prince of Wales, Gulgong

Home Rule Band
Sharon Frost on left