THE WOOLSTON BRASS BAND -50 YEARS OLD

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 130, 19 December 1941, Page 14

THE WOOLSTON BRASS BAND -50 YEARS OLD

NE of:New Zealand’s fore-, most brass bands, the Woolston Band, will celebrate its golden jubilee next week, and there will be a special programme from 3YA on Monday, December 22. Since 1900, when

the band began playing in contests, it has won 10 firsts, seven seconds, three thirds, and two fourth places. Since 1928, regular broadcasts have "been given at 3YA, amounting to well over 200. The present conductor is R. J. Estall, who has had command since ys) Sera In 1891 the band was known as the "Perseverance Lodge Band," and it was not until 1894 that it became the "*Joolston Brass Band." George Bonnington was the first conductor, In

1901 the late Alec Lithgow, composer of some well known New Zealand marches, was appointed"conductor, and a few years after this, a well-wisher gave a section of land, on which a hall was built. Two foundation members, W. E. Morris and E. J. Cooksley, are still living in Christchurch. The band’s first contest success was in 1905 at Oamaru, when, under the baton of W. S. Siddall, it secured first prize in the Selection, the Waltz, and the Quickstep. In 1909, under the same conductor, the band won the Invercargill contest. On the resignation of Mr. Siddall in 1912, the present conductor, R. J. Estall, took: command, and at his first contest won the Championship at Christchurch in 1915. For the next five years no contests were held in New Zealand. In 1921, the band again won the aggregate at Nelson, and repeated the performance at New Plymouth in 1923 and at Christchurch in 1924. In 1926 it gained first prize at Dunedin. The next major success) was at Dunedin in 1930, where it won the Championship and the Hymn Test. Two years later at Wellington the band was first in the Selections and the following year at Dunedin carried off Championship honours again; 1934 was a big year for the band, which competed at the Victorian Centenary and against the cream of Australian bands, gained first prize in the first Selection and first in music for the Quickstep. In Christchurch, in 1939, the band once again carried off the Championship.