1961 Fairbridge Boy Scout Troup bugler tries out CCB tuba at fete at Government House

October seems to be the month for fetes in Canberra. 

Looking over our CCB archives, as well as Canberra Times historical articles, we see that October can be a busy time for the band. The weather is usually conducive to an outside gig (fingers crossed) and many community groups and schools organise their fetes for an October weekend.

We are reminded of this as one of our long term members (who is also the Deputy Principal of Charnwood-Dunlop School) Julia, has invited the band to perform at the school’s 50th Birthday Open Day Fete. (For those interested, it is on October 18 2025, at the Charnwood-Dunlop School, Bettington Circuit.) Our ensemble, John Agnew Band will be performing on this occasion.

When we looked back at our archives, we found that “On This Day" 13 Oct 1956, the recently formed ‘Learners Band’ of the CCB made their debut appearance at the Girls' Grammar School fete. We can see that the Canberra City Band also performed at the Fete a few times over the years (for example in October 1953). 

In addition, while the below quote was regarding a fete which occurred in November, this article piqued our fancy: 

Tue 30 Oct 1956 (Canberra Times page 5)

“The first annual birthday fete of the Rutherford Crescent Play Centre will be opened by Mr. Alan Fraser on Saturday at 2.45p.m. Mr. R. Hughes from 2CA will act as master of ceremonies. The Canberra City Band will be in attendance and there will be an exhibition of Scottish and Polish dancing. A dolls' house made by Mr. and Mrs. L. Bartou has been donated and will be raffled during the afternoon. A popular doll competition for girls under 12 will also be held. A 'fortune-telling" stall is included among the attractions. The fete will be held at the centre grounds.”

Canberra Times, 9 Oct 1956

BAND LEARNERS TO PLAY

The members of the learners class of the Canberra City Band conducted by the bandmaster, Mr. W, Hoffman, during the winter, will make their first appearance with the band at the Girls' Grammar School fete on Saturday. These seven players will bring the active membership to 36.

The band is preparing to attend the Band Festival to be held at Crookwell on November 4.

CANBERRA CITY BAND - BURN’S V. CANBERRA

On the 10th of September in 1926, the Canberra Times excitedly announced the upcoming soccer match between the Burn’s and the Canberra Clubs. These small articles in the newspaper give us a bit of an idea of what was happening in Canberra at the time.

Canberrans seem to go to extraordinary lengths to see a sporting game (ever got caught on the GDE on a Saturday afternoon as the traffic banks up at the GIO Stadium offramp??) and there is nothing they like more than a marching or pep band to increase excitement.

Canberra City Band has always played a role in providing this entertainment, whether for this game in 1926 or more recently for the Brumbies games.

Small groups such as this can cover many types of instrumentalisation, but when you speak with the brass you definitely see their eyes light up!

Do you remember playing any of the major sporting venues? What were your favourite, or do you have a funny story to tell? Let us know here or send an email to ccbmember100th@canberracityband.com we would love to hear from you!

CANBERRA’S FIRST BAND

On this day 20 August in 1925, the Queanbeyan - Canberra Advocate mentioned that there had been some general development of ‘welfare activities’ in Canberra. The need for these welfare activities are outlined in our history book, Mr Chifley’s Baby: The Canberra City Band, 2013, written by William Hoffman OAM and John Sharpe. 

The story, told on page two was that “The first federal government minister responsible for the Australian Capital Territory, a flamboyant, eccentric temperance advocate named King O’Malley, persuaded the rest of the cabinet that the new city of Canberra should be ‘dry’. This meant that those living there were forced to travel to Queanbeyan, 15km west of the new capital, if they wanted any liquor. Thus there was a nightly exodus from Canberra to the hotels just across the border.”

“The ban on liquor led to problems in the camps where most of the workmen lived, and the Chief Commissioner was keen to give the men something to do in their spare time besides going to Queanbeyan to drink.” 

While the newspaper notes that there is yet to be a time and place advertised for the band rehearsals, a number of instruments had been sourced and that Canberra looked forward to being “brightened by the strains of good band music”.

We have attached the newspaper column for you to see, however those that can’t read the newprint, we have included the text here for you as well!

20 August 1925 Queanbeyan - Canberra Advocate

CANBERRA’S FIRST BAND

“While in another column we indicate that the general development of welfare activities at Canberra will not be available for publication until next issue, one phase has advanced sufficiently to justify present reference. Readers will have noted from daily contemporaries in the States that the Lord mayor of Melbourne, recently, on behalf of a few of the musical citizens of that city, presented to the Chairman of the Federal Capital Commission (Mr. J. H. Butters, C.M.G., M.B.E), a set of brass band instruments which the latter received on behalf of the Commission. This generosity, linked with the enthusiasm of a number of trained instrumentalists (who have combined under the aegis of the Outdoor Recreation Committee) who are planning regular and frequent practice nights - where, is at present not divulged, but that cannot long remain a secret - will bear fruit in due course, and Canberra will, it is hoped, foregather at various fixtures, which will be brightened by the strains of good band music, than which there is no more patent tonic to maintain the swing of an open air function. A fairly full range of instruments is included in the set, but the Recreation Committee has asked that some more be procured, and that certain adjuncts to the practice work of the band be provided.

Developments, together with the name of the volunteer performers will appear in our next issue. The public spirited action of the donors of the instruments, and the enthusiasm of the volunteer performers, deserve the hearty appreciation of the community of Canberra, and we have no hesitation in taking the liberty of tendering it on their behalf.” 

CANBERRA CITY BAND - Go On tour to Adelaide

On this day, 9 March back in 1966, the Canberra City Band were preparing for their tour to the Adelaide Arts Festival. The Adelaide Festival has been around since 1960 and is still in operation in 2025. 

In 1966, Bill Hoffman (who was the Musical Director at the time and is a CCB Life Member) took the band of 27 musicians including: Mr John Sharp (Life Member), Mr Steve Maitland, Mr David Fraser, Mr Paul Gamp (Life Member), Mr Jack Bickle, and Mr Harry Trowbridge who we see photographed. (Edited: Mr Peter CaseyBrisbane was also on that tour and he has commented below!).

Some home video footage of the time shows the band on a vintage flxible clipper, those coaches used by prominent bus companies at the time to provide Inter State bus transfers. What’s the link to today in 2025?

Well, our bands were rehearsing during March to prepare for the National Band Competition held in Melbourne over Easter 2025. Simon Mitchell (Life Member) and Danielle Smith (long term band member) own one of these very same flxible clippers! Simon drove some band members, not all the way to Melbourne, but to the Yass Station to catch the train to Melbourne. 

A Flxible Clipper “Then”

A Flxible Clipper “Now”

It was a great way to celebrate the upcoming band tour, as well as remember the band tours of the past.

While the Trove download of the The Canberra Times article of Wednesday 9 Mar 1966, is here for you to see, the quality makes it a bit tricky to read! We have transcribed it here for you:

“Members of the Canberra City Band had their last rehearsal on Monday night before leaving tomorrow to give performances at the Adelaide Festival of Arts, which begins on Saturday under the leadership of Bandmaster Mr. W. L. Hoffman, of Forrest. The 27 strong band will march in the opening ceremony on Saturday and will then give the first concert in the festival series of outdoor productions in the Elder Park surround shell. The band which will be away from Canberra for a week, will give six performances during their stay at the festival.”  

Photo #1 These three members of the Canberra City Band, together with 24 others, took part in the last rehearsal at Ainslie Public School on Monday night. The enthusiastic trombone players are, from left, Mr John Sharp, Mr Steve Maitland and Mr David Fraser.

Photo #2 Mr Paul Gamp concentrates on his practising  with the French Horn during the rehearsal. It takes a lot of air to produce the deep notes, but Mr Jack Bickle left, and Mr Harry Trowbridge have had plenty of experience in the handling of their Sousaphones. 

The Canberra Times, Wed 9 Mar 1966