Hamilton Brass celebrates it's 130th Anniversary in 2003!

 

 

Dale - Simon - Frank

 

 

Founded in 1873 by the then police magistrate of the district, Mr J P Hamilton, the band was originally termed the Hamilton Fire Brigade Band. Practices were held in Collins' timber yard (on the site now occupied by Permewan Wright's store in Cox Street), and later moved to Sloan's cordial factory, also in Cox Street (this site was later home to Brebner's blacksmith & coachbuilding business). The band is also said to have been housed in a rotunda in the Gardens (near where the present bird cage is) at around this time.

 

The name of the band was later changed to Hamilton Brass Band, and in 1928 when Hamilton was proclaimed a town the name was changed again to Hamilton Town Band.

 
The Hamilton Town Band - early 1900s

 

In 1902 the committee approached the local council for permission to build a rotunda in Market Square, which is now Melville Oval. Permission was granted and the members built the rotunda with voluntary labour and £128 saved from successes at band contests. This rotunda was built in the form of a performance stage with removable walls and a storage area underneath. Among the conditions imposed by the town council were "practice will extend no later than 10pm" and "sacred music only will be played on Sundays".

On Thursday November 24th, 1949, Hamilton was declared a City, and the band became Hamilton City Band.

Bandmasters until this date included: J P Hamilton, J Cooke, G Austin, W L Thorpe,
F C Hughes (who directed the band for a total of 30 years), W A Draper, G Weir, J Hughes, J C Hughes, E H L Colhoun, M L King, J Cartasso, Ern Luxford.

The band competed in many competitions in the early 1900s, in such places as Ararat, Hamilton, Stawell, Casterton, Portland, Echuca, Bendigo, Coleraine, Port Fairy, Edenhope, Terang, Warracknabeal, Colac, & the Royal South Street Competitions in Ballarat.

 

 

 

Hamilton City Band 1971

 

During the 1800s and early 1900s female membership of bands was unthinkable. From the 1970s however, the band had attracted a number of girls as members and by the late 1980s the number was quite significant. Due to the increasing size of the band the committee and members approached the city council for assistance and received a grant of money to supply materials for a new bandroom. Permission was given for members to build the band's new home on the end of the Red Shield Hut in the Hamilton Showgrounds.

 

 

 

Hamilton City Band 1984

Photo donated by Lorna & Murray Beaton

 

The old band rotunda was restored and named the Jack Cartasso Memorial Rotunda in honour of one of the band's many loyal and committed bandmasters. It was then relocated to the Hamilton Botanic Gardens in the 1980s. Hamilton Brass still performs in the rotunda every Christmas for Hamilton's Carols By Candlelight.

 


Opening of the Jack Cartasso Memorial Rotunda in the Hamilton Botanical Gardens

 

 

Hamilton City Band - early 1990s

 

With the amalgamation of councils in the late 1990s, the band, then under the direction of Mr David Brown, decided to change it's name to Hamilton Brass in 1998.

With the new name came a new attitude and a fresh new look, with the band purchasing new uniforms which more accurately reflect the members and music played by the band. You will notice through some of these photos that previous band uniforms have been very traditional, and some must have been quite uncomfortable. You will also notice that the Hamilton Town Band consisted entirely of male members, and they played at very formal civic functions and marches. By the late 1990s, we felt that Hamilton Brass required more modern uniforms which would be comfortable in all sorts of conditions, inside and outside, hot and cold weather, and needed to suit both males and females ranging in age from around 10 to 70+.

In 1968 the committee made an application to the city for assistance to buy some new instruments. Probably due to the band president being the current Mayor, the council purchased a complete set of Boosey & Hawkes Imperial instruments. The instruments deteriorated considerably over the following 30 years, and after considerable publicity in 1998 the band attracted a very generous donation from Geoff and Helen Handbury, which allowed Hamilton Brass to purchase a number of new Besson Sovereign instruments. The sound quality of the band improved immediately, as did the band's faith in the community and the members' enthusiasm, and we will always be grateful for the Handbury's kindness and generosity.

The new instruments and uniforms will enable Hamilton Brass to continue performing for the community well into the coming century.

 

 

HAMILTON BRASS - 1999

 

 

Many thanks to Frank Marcollo for his help with the research and writing of this report.
Historical information also sourced from the 1st City Edition of the Hamilton Spectator,
Thursday November 24, 1949 (Hamilton History Centre).