Levin Silver Band - 1932

Description

No further activity is known until November 1923 when the band gave its second public display for Gala Week and more displays given through the week.

By 1924 the band committee had been organised with Mayor Thomas Hobson as president, town clerk H.L.Jenkins as treasurer, as he was until 1961.

Two other Borough Councillors were on the committee, Crs Frank Parker and Clarry Keedwell.

Mr George Lester was conductor with Mr C. Hinkley deputy conductor, Mr D.Weaver Band Sergeant, Mr S. Harvey Band Corporal and Mr G. Hesp Band Lance-Corporal. The honorarium for the conductor was increased to £25. Quotes for new uniforms were to be procured.

In January 1925 the band was playing regularly in the gardens every Sunday night. In October £111 had been raised toward the cost of £600 for new instruments.

£140 had been spent on new instruments in the past two years. In January 1926, a full set of Besson’s silver plated Class A instruments had arrived from Charles Begg and Co. Wellington with £45 allowed on the old instruments and discount, the cost was £521. The band was now properly equipped and the instruments all had compensating pistons. One bandsman said “now you get the note you play”.

The list of instruments each bandsman played was Soprano cornet, B flat solo G. Fox, ditto G.Lester, B flat first cornet C.Hinkley, B flat 2nd cornet T. Locke (junior). B flat 2nd cornet L. Leger (junior), Flugal horn L. Wishart (junior), second tenor horn J. Roberts (junior) ditto J. Dunlop (junior), first tenor horn C.Sklenars, solo tenor horn W.H. Roberts, second baritone G. Jackson, first baritone H.L. Waters and G. Hesp, euphonium K. Burt, second trombone D. Weaver, first trombone R. Pollock, Brass trombone E. Knight, ditto G. Truman, B B Bass R.Barr, side drum L. Williamson, bass drum J. Hesp.

There was a £313 shortfall to pay for the instruments. The Borough Council said it was not in their power to guarantee a bank loan. Six local residents went guarantors. The B.B. bass cost £73-12-6 and the cornets £20.

In February 1926 tenders were called for building a band room by the Borough Council and it was built on the S.E. corner of the then Chamberlain and Bath St (the west end of the library). The cost was largely funded by the sale of the old borough office in Oxford Street North (Young’s Gift Store is now on the site). In 1928 the band was affiliated to the NZ Brass Bands Association for a cost of £2.12.0d.

Mr Jack Hayfield was appointed deputy bandmaster in 1928. Mr J.R.Hesp had been drum major since 1927. Mr Lester resigned in 1929 after seven years as conductor. Mr Jack Hayfield was appointed conductor but Mr Lester was back as conductor in 1930. The band became known as the Levin Silver Band in 1931.

In April 1932 the band room was used for an unusual purpose. Meat was distributed there to the unemployed. Mutton was supplied by the Palmerston North Hospital Board supplemented by beef obtained under Mr Harry Channing’s (Borough Overseer) scheme. The unemployed paid 6d a week. Cattle were bought, slaughtered free by the abattoir contractor and stored free by Carter Bros. butchers. The meat was laid out on tables and covered with large cloths. The men indicated which piece they wanted by touching the cloth covered piece and that was their’s whether it was sirloin or shinbone.

The Regent Theatre put on a benefit of half pictures half items in November 1932, in aid of uniform fund and competition costs. Items were played by the band under the baton of Mr C. Pike, Palmerston North Garrison Band.

Photo at left shows the band in 1934.

As the Levin Municipal Silver Band, the band competed at Masterton on November 20 1932. Bands from Wellington, Manawatu and Hawkes Bay competed. C.Grade only had two entries. Levin was first with a quickstep ‘Starlit Doll’ and test selection first with ‘Knight Errant’. Levin won £5 and a £5 shield. Woodville was second in C. Grade.

Councillor Keedwell said at the borough council meeting success spoke volumes for practice put in at Bath St. Residents could vouch for that. He lived practically opposite the Band Room. There were houses from the Salvation Army Thrift Shop then. Conductor Mr C. Pike had been of great assistance while the band was practising for the contest. The band room was enlarged in 1932.

A Citizens Committee was formed in 1935 to assist the band and its finances. In 1934 the band was playing regularly in the gardens. Various functions were attended always, such as race meetings and A and P shows etc. It was noted in 1937 that membership had fallen badly and apparently was barely functioning. There must have been no band available to play for the Coronation Parade for ceremony of celebrating the Coronation of King George 6th in May 1937 as two pipers were called on to head the parade. Quests for experienced players were not successful. The band had some good young players, but not enough players who could play solo. After several meetings to encourage more membership being unsuccessful, the band committee decided in February 1938 that the band go into recess.

In January 1940, the NZ Air Force Band asked the Borough Council for the loan of the instruments and the loan was granted. The band music was given to the band of 2nd Echelon of the NZ Army serving overseas. The stands were sold to the NZ Patriotic Board.

EARLY CUTTINGS HELPFUL

The late Mr H.L. (Len) Jenkins, a former town clerk of Levin, had a very early association with the Levin band and it is said he was its treasurer over a period of 42½ years.

He was a very methodical collector of press cuttings which were painstakingly pasted into scrapbooks. These have been invaluable in researching material from the early days of the band, Mr Corrie Swanwick has found.

The band itself has some minute books but very little seems to be in existence today of such historical material on which to trace the band’s long history.

Several very interesting photographs and documents have been coming to light both from the band room and private persons and these have made up an interesting display which Mr Swanwick arranged in the Levin Public Library where they have created considerable public interest.

There is a pictorial record of the late Mr Jenkins handing over a drum-major’s mace he presented to the band. Also one of Mr Ritchie Hayfield chatting with a former Governor General at the opening of Woodlands Home, Waikanae.

With a 75 year milestone about to be celebrated by Levin Municipal Band, an historic parchment has come to light confirming the formal creation of a brass band in the town as early as 1900 – 88 years ago.

The Levin Municipal Band’s celebration is taking place over the weekend of July 15, 16 and 17 and the date of what was the beginning of the present band has been settled as being 1913.

But evidence revealed in research by Levin historian, Mr. F.C. (Corrie) Swanwick indicates efforts to get a brass band activated in 1911 and he also notes a play-out in public in 1912.

He discovered references in early records to that band of 1900, confirmed by the parchment containing the rules of what was styled the Levin Brass Band. It appeared not to have survived as Mr Swanwick points out.

It is also likely that it was not officially registered at the time.

While it was realised that other musical combinations were in existence in the early years of settlement, the Levin Municipal Band as it is known today, has survived the longest, although there have been periods of temporary recess brought about by World War 11 and other factors.

The firm evidence of even earlier brass band links with the present band has greatly excited today’s generation of players as it was suspected that such documentary evidence had been lost over the years.

These documents and early photographs will be viewed with considerable interest when present and former players and supporters gather to mark the current celebrations.

The historic occasion might well have gone unacknowledged but for the astuteness of Levin historian, Mr Swanwick, who came across evidence during other research which pointed to its significance to the present day band.

An enthusiastic and hard working jubilee committee of Levin Municipal Band has planned a weekend of activity which will revive many memories and friendships and also bring to public attention the contribution made by past and present members of the band to the town and district.

The Chronicle is pleased to place on record, it is believed for the first time, the saga of Levin Municipal Band.

Gratefully acknowledged is the painstaking and time consuming research by Levin historian Corrie Swanwick.

Also acknowledged are early photographs preserved for posterity by a number of interested persons, and made available by the band.

Interviews have also been conducted on behalf of The Chronicle by Mr Bob Malcolmson, which are based on the personal memories of the older bandsmen.

Mr Swanwick’s research also embraces other brass bands or combinations which have, over the years contributed to brass bands in Levin.

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