A Brief History by Allan Fenny
Presented at our 40th Anniversary Afternoon on Sunday 17th September 2005
" It was 40 years ago Jim Baker put an advertisement in the local paper, The Gazzette, wanting bandsmen, fathers and sons. It was also at this time that Wal Elliget had a small brass band practising at the Sorrento RSL. Wal answered the advert and brought his brass group to Rosebud (little did he know that he would be doing this for many years to come, and he also tells me he wore out 2 station wagons in the process).
And so with Mr. D. Sappie as band master, a band was formed, rehearsing at the old Rosebud RSL, which is where the Rosebud cinema now stands.
At the time Jim Baker was a local councillor and asked the Shire for some money to start the band, about 5 pounds was generously given to buy music and everything else it takes to start a band. He was also president of the Youth & Citizens club which occupied this hall. After a short time of practising at the Rosebud RSL club, there were some complaints from RSL members, so the band started rehearsing in this hall. The Youth & Citizens hall was gradually taken over by the band and the Shire of Flinders Youth & Citizen's Band came to be.
Since then the band has had a couple of name changes, from the Shire of Flinders Youth & Citizens Band to the Shire of Flinders Concert Band, and since the shire amalgamations, we are now the Southern Peninsula Concert Band.
There have been many people involved in the band over the past 40 years. Jim Baker was the bands president from the very start in 1965, serving in that position for 24 years ensuring the bands growth and future were secure. Other presidents since then have been Wal Elliget from 1989 to 1991, then Len Williams for 3 yrs., from 1991 to 1994. Lyn Reynolds then took over the reins for 9 yrs. as the second longest serving president from 1994 to 2003. (Though I suspect no-one will ever out do Jim's 24 years). After Lyn's stint, I was very proud to become the president of this enduring organisation.
Some of our conductors over the years have been D. Sappie, whom those who have been in Rosebud for many years will remember had a dusty little music shop in 9th Ave, behind the Commonwealth Bank. Tom Whitaker, Arthur Jones, Wal Elliget wielded the baton before John Browning took over in 1971 to 1976. Don Hale, my music teacher from Dromana Tech. Paul Farugia, an ex-naval musician and very good percussionist. Jack Butcher, who had moved down to the Peninsula and came from a brass band background, conducted the band for 9 years from 1982 to 1991.
Since then the Southern Peninsula Concert Band has been very fortunate to have the services of our present musical director, Mr. Barry Fletcher.
Without secretaries and treasurers the band would not function. We have had many over the years and at the moment Tiffany Mumford is our esteemed secretary and Rhonda Fletcher has diligently held the role of treasurer for the last 12 years (and it is fortunate that we have these people holding these positions for so long because it saves having to up-date the honour board as often!).
The band in 1985 also had a training band for the younger (and young at heart) members, which rehearsed on a Wednesday night. Malcom Boag, with the assistance of others, ran this band for 10 years. The training band was formed as a stepping stone for the younger members of the band to play in before joining the main band. The training band played at community markets and shopping centres. In 1995 Sally Walsh, Lyn Reynolds and Racheal Moore continued with the band until 2000 when the band became too small to be held.
As for myself, I joined the band 30 years ago and have many fond memories. The annual Sorrento and Blairgowrie Yacht club openings, doing 4 ANZAC Day marches in 1 day. Dromana at 9 o'clock, get on the bus or drive to Rosebud for a 10 o'clock start, no time to dilly-dally because we had to step-off at Sorrento at 11 o'clock, then back to Rye for a 12 noon parade. It was, needless to say, a very busy morning not to mention tiring as well. And at Christmas time there were, and still are, the markets to play at, the hospital rounds on the Tuesday before Christmas and Carols by Candle Light on the Village Green".