Ashburton Borough Centenary/Music Tastes Fostered

The earliest reference in the Borough Council minutes is in March 17, 1902, when the Brass Band was granted a subsidy of £20 and contracted in return to give six open air concerts and two sixpenny concerts. Messrs Willis and Reid were appointed Council representatives on the Band’s Board of Managers. In June, a site to erect a room for practice was granted to them at the Council yard. In July, their first sixpenny concert was held and the Council attended. The first year’s balance sheet presented at the April Council meeting in 1903 was declared most satisfactory.

George Hosken had formed a private group, the “Allenton Temperance Band” and both bands were giving concerts at this early stage. Both competed at “B” grade contests in South Canterbury. By 1910 the Temperance Band was winning first awards and, in 1911, had successes in Palmerston North and Dunedin. Drum-Major W. R. Tucker won several gold medals. He was equally successful in France as a Sergeant-Major with the Second Riflle Brigade Band during the Great War. The bandsmen at home joined the Citizens’ Defence Band and then the 8th Mounted Rifles Band. During 1918-19, W. Armand managed the band so well that it was able to buy the first set of silver-plated instruments owned by a local band. When he left Ashburton in 1920, Lieutenant W. H. Osborne succeeded him. He had been Senior N.Z. Bandmaster in France and had attended a course at the Royal Military College of Music. In 1921, as a result of his efforts the Ashburton Band won the “B” Grade contest against 10 other bands. In the following three years the standard of playing was maintained and then players began to leave the area to find work. The Silver Band was helped for many years by Mr and Mrs H. J. Chapman.

In June, 1926, the Borough Council granted £100 to the Silver Band and also made a grant of £10 to the Pipe Band. H. J. Osborne was brought back to Ashburton and found work with the Domain Staff. The Silver Band after being raised to “A” grade status after its earlier successes, reverted to “B” grade, but still retained its popularity and crowds came to the Provincial Contest held here in 1931. Both the Silver and Salvation Army bands were able to purchase new instruments in the ​1930’s. H. J. T. Osborne, brother of H. J., became the next Bandmaster. In 1941 three radio broadcasts were given and the Band again was successful with its young players in 1946. The Silver Band has met with many succeses through the years, and in May, of this Centennial Year, won the “C” Grade Championship at the Silver Bands’ Contest in Dunedin.

Pipe Band Formed

The Ashburton County Scottish Society’s Pipe Band has also a long history. At the beginning of the present century a few Scots of the town and the county felt the necessity of preserving the traditions and customs of the land of their birth. Subsequently, on October 5th, 1904, the nucleus of the Ashburton County Scottish Society held its first meeting in Mr McDonald’s shop in Burnett Street.

The first Council of the Society was not long in operation when the desire for a pipe band made itself evident and at a meeting of the Council of the Society on February 8, 1905 it was resolved that Messrs C. Reid, W. Pearson, W. G. McDonald and R. Y. Ferguson be appointed a committee to go into the matter of forming a pipe band in conjunction with the Society.

Mr A. Campbell was appointed the first tutor and on June 9 in the same year 10 sets of Stark bagpipes were purchased from Messrs Chas. Begg and Co. Ltd., at a total cost of £93 12s.

The uniforms were locally made by McDonald and Co. in East Street, at a total cost of £182 1s 5d for 12 complete uniforms.

The first officers of the band were Pipe-Major W. Pearson, Drum-Major A. Wilkie, Pipe-Sergeant A. Lane and Corporal C. Lamb, and these men had the distinction of taking the band to its first contest in Christchurch in 1907. Mr Wilkie was required for the “big drum” and he held this position for a period of over 20 years.

The band’s next drum-major was Mr Sam Scott and he was succeeded by Mr “Jock” McKay, one of the band’s outstanding figures. During World War I., the Society went into recess but the band carried on with a few old stalwarts who held the band together. While the band was fortunate in having such enthusiasts as Messrs McKay and Wilkie the position of pipe-major saw many changes, recalling such names as G. McAllister, J. McIntyre, R. Harrison, D. Hay and “Davy” Wilson who took over the position in 1923 and held it for over 30 years.

​The Pipe Band has gone from strength to strength through the years. In 1949 it won the B Grade Championship at New Plymouth consequent on which it was promoted to A Grade status. In 1953, the band won the A Grade Championship at Dunedin. In 1949, under the leadership of Drum-Major Lindsay Aitken, the band won the drum-major’s display and repeated this success each year to 1953.

The Pipe Band, together with the Silver Band and the Salvation Army Band play a very real part in civic functions and give much enjoyment to the community.

There were two harmonica bands active in the 1930’s and they amalgamted in 1938, but are now disbanded.