Banjo in New Zealand 1860 - 1940 - Classic-Banjo2024-03-28T16:44:13Zhttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/banjo-in-new-zealand-1860-1940?xg_source=activity&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHello Neill, Great to hear f…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2022-01-31:2667446:Comment:1890372022-01-31T05:31:54.163ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>Hello Neill, Great to hear from you. That sounds a fascinating instrument you have there. Sadly the pictures have not come through. I have heard of Thompson banjos before but don't know anything about them other than that they came from Christchurch. I have never seen one, but a friend from Christchurch (sadly now deceased), Rex Hills and his wife wife Margaret were trying to find out more about them. I believe they had several Thompson banjos. Rex and Margaret were big plectrum banjo…</p>
<p>Hello Neill, Great to hear from you. That sounds a fascinating instrument you have there. Sadly the pictures have not come through. I have heard of Thompson banjos before but don't know anything about them other than that they came from Christchurch. I have never seen one, but a friend from Christchurch (sadly now deceased), Rex Hills and his wife wife Margaret were trying to find out more about them. I believe they had several Thompson banjos. Rex and Margaret were big plectrum banjo fans and travelled to the USA to go to banjo festivals. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I met up with them thanks to a mutual friend Greg Sumner, from Canada. Greg (a great plectrum banjoist and all round musician) would visit NZ most years from the mid '70s until about 8 years ago and usually stayed with Rex and Margaret. I was in Christchurch in 2001 and again in 2007 and met up with Rex and Margaret on both occasions. Rex emailed me about Thompson banjos, but I have never come across any up this end of the country and searches of newspapers etc have to date come up with nothing. I was in Auckland then and now am in Paeroa. Sadly Margaret died shortly after the first earthquake in Christchurch. Their home was uninhabitable and I don't know how much of their possessions (including their collection of instruments and music) was saved. As well as several Thompson banjos and a huge collection of old banjo sheet music, I believe they also had a contra bass banjo in parts (possibly a Clifford Essex) and was keen to get it playing and start a banjo band one day, but regret it never happened. Rex became quite ill and moved to live with his son, but I lost touch with him at this time and heard from Greg that he too had died a few years after.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So thanks again for making contact. Do keep in touch and please let me know anything about Thompson banjos, or other banjo history in NZ, if you are able to find out more. Regards, Brett<br/> <br/> <cite>Edward Neill Pickard said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/banjo-in-new-zealand-1860-1940?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A188860&xg_source=msg_com_forum#2667446Comment188860"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Hello there Brett</p>
<p>I have just come across your site and have been duly accepted into the Classic Banjo confraternity. I was moved to seek out anyone with any information about the Thompson banjo. I was given mine some 15 years ago by the widow of a 90 year-old friend of the family who wanted me to have it. It had been in a hessian bag in his garage for 50+years. I had it strung and set up with a Remo head and it has a brilliant tone. I asked some of the luthiers and traditionists and it seems they were sure it is a (Christchurch-made)</p>
<p> Thompson with a characteristic star inlay on the headstock. Unfortunately on the reverse there is a recess where some disc once resided. The serial number F154 intrigues me also as does the name inscribed on the fretboard extension piece, 'Noras'!!! I have a Reliance 5-string with metal pot and recently acquired a (British)T W Bacon & sons 5-string with an embossed metal resonator. My 4-strings are a Gretsch-Lyric and a Paramount Lange both late 20's early 30's. I hope my Thompson pix come through. Cheers- Neill (Christchurch)</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> Hello there Brett
I have just…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2022-01-29:2667446:Comment:1888602022-01-29T06:38:40.296ZEdward Neill Pickardhttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/EdwardNeillPickard
<p>Hello there Brett</p>
<p>I have just come across your site and have been duly accepted into the Classic Banjo confraternity. I was moved to seek out anyone with any information about the Thompson banjo. I was given mine some 15 years ago by the widow of a 90 year-old friend of the family who wanted me to have it. It had been in a hessian bag in his garage for 50+years. I had it strung and set up with a Remo head and it has a brilliant tone. I asked some of the luthiers and traditionists and…</p>
<p>Hello there Brett</p>
<p>I have just come across your site and have been duly accepted into the Classic Banjo confraternity. I was moved to seek out anyone with any information about the Thompson banjo. I was given mine some 15 years ago by the widow of a 90 year-old friend of the family who wanted me to have it. It had been in a hessian bag in his garage for 50+years. I had it strung and set up with a Remo head and it has a brilliant tone. I asked some of the luthiers and traditionists and it seems they were sure it is a (Christchurch-made)</p>
<p> Thompson with a characteristic star inlay on the headstock. Unfortunately on the reverse there is a recess where some disc once resided. The serial number F154 intrigues me also as does the name inscribed on the fretboard extension piece, 'Noras'!!! I have a Reliance 5-string with metal pot and recently acquired a (British)T W Bacon & sons 5-string with an embossed metal resonator. My 4-strings are a Gretsch-Lyric and a Paramount Lange both late 20's early 30's. I hope my Thompson pix come through. Cheers- Neill (Christchurch)</p> And here is a photo of a Mins…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2021-01-10:2667446:Comment:1711012021-01-10T11:14:49.417ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>And here is a photo of a Minstrel troupe in Opanake in the 1870s</p>
<p></p>
<p>And an odd photo of a banjoist in a Maori settlement on Kapiti Island (just North of Wellington) - which is now uninhabited (by humans at least) and a Conservation Department Reserve for native wildlife.<br/><br/>And the last photo I have so far of NZ banjos from this era - another of an unidentified visitor in the Williams' garden again (Napier)</p>
<p>And here is a photo of a Minstrel troupe in Opanake in the 1870s</p>
<p></p>
<p>And an odd photo of a banjoist in a Maori settlement on Kapiti Island (just North of Wellington) - which is now uninhabited (by humans at least) and a Conservation Department Reserve for native wildlife.<br/><br/>And the last photo I have so far of NZ banjos from this era - another of an unidentified visitor in the Williams' garden again (Napier)</p> And a few more of the sametag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2021-01-10:2667446:Comment:1713052021-01-10T11:08:40.055ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>And a few more of the same</p>
<p>And a few more of the same</p> And a few more photos of Lydi…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2021-01-10:2667446:Comment:1710972021-01-10T11:06:50.014ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>And a few more photos of Lydia and William Williams and friend in the garden at their home on Carlyle St. Napier</p>
<p>And a few more photos of Lydia and William Williams and friend in the garden at their home on Carlyle St. Napier</p> As well as the numerous clubs…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2021-01-10:2667446:Comment:1709952021-01-10T11:03:06.924ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>As well as the numerous clubs in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin other banjo related clubs or orchestras (that I know of so far) existed in Paeroa, Gisborne, Napier and Timaru and I expect possibly in several other places.<br/><br/>Some of the earliest exponents of the banjo in Napier were Lydia and William Williams. Here are a few photos of them.</p>
<p>As well as the numerous clubs in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin other banjo related clubs or orchestras (that I know of so far) existed in Paeroa, Gisborne, Napier and Timaru and I expect possibly in several other places.<br/><br/>Some of the earliest exponents of the banjo in Napier were Lydia and William Williams. Here are a few photos of them.</p> And Wellington also had coupl…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2021-01-10:2667446:Comment:1710952021-01-10T10:57:42.299ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>And Wellington also had couple of groups. John Gemmell Turner came to NZ from Scotland in about 1895 and set up a music studio, teaching in Wellington. He play many instruments - brass, string etc. He ran the very popular J. G. Turner BMG Club. He died in 1922, but his daughter Jean kept this group going until the 1940s. In the early 1930s she and her husband rebuilt the studios and continued teaching into the 1950s, but I can't find any evidence the band continued after the…</p>
<p>And Wellington also had couple of groups. John Gemmell Turner came to NZ from Scotland in about 1895 and set up a music studio, teaching in Wellington. He play many instruments - brass, string etc. He ran the very popular J. G. Turner BMG Club. He died in 1922, but his daughter Jean kept this group going until the 1940s. In the early 1930s she and her husband rebuilt the studios and continued teaching into the 1950s, but I can't find any evidence the band continued after the war. <br/><br/>There was also another Wellington BMG Club and I'm not certain, but I have reason to believe the two groups joined together in the 1930s.<br/><br/>This photo is from Wellington and dates from either the late 1920s or early 30s and so far is not identified. It is likely to be one of these groups.</p> Here are a couple of other Ch…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2021-01-10:2667446:Comment:1709922021-01-10T10:44:34.088ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>Here are a couple of other Christchurch images - another of Joseph Wright and one of the Christchurch Banjo Band in the 1920s (courtesy of the Canterbury Museum)</p>
<p>Here are a couple of other Christchurch images - another of Joseph Wright and one of the Christchurch Banjo Band in the 1920s (courtesy of the Canterbury Museum)</p> And here are a few more. Sor…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2021-01-10:2667446:Comment:1711942021-01-10T10:37:30.681ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>And here are a few more. Sorry about the quality of the last image - a photocopy of a photocopy, but it is the only image of the Contra Bass Banjo Walter Smith had built. His concerts featuring the large orchestra regularly filled the 1200 seat Auckland Town Hall and repeat performances of these concerts apparently had to be arranged on more than one occasion. </p>
<p>And here are a few more. Sorry about the quality of the last image - a photocopy of a photocopy, but it is the only image of the Contra Bass Banjo Walter Smith had built. His concerts featuring the large orchestra regularly filled the 1200 seat Auckland Town Hall and repeat performances of these concerts apparently had to be arranged on more than one occasion. </p> And here are some more pictur…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2021-01-10:2667446:Comment:1713012021-01-10T10:27:12.076ZBrett Lowehttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/BrettLowe
<p>And here are some more pictures.<br/><br/>Walter Smith - was an Auckland based teacher and musician who in the 1920s and 30s ran a large fretted instrument orchestra in Auckland. Here is a link about him. He also ran an Hawaiian Band and several very popular dance bands.<br/><br/><a href="https://digitalnz.org/stories/5d66e60e8a86ae05a1488171" target="_blank">https://digitalnz.org/stories/5d66e60e8a86ae05a1488171</a></p>
<p>And here are some more pictures.<br/><br/>Walter Smith - was an Auckland based teacher and musician who in the 1920s and 30s ran a large fretted instrument orchestra in Auckland. Here is a link about him. He also ran an Hawaiian Band and several very popular dance bands.<br/><br/><a href="https://digitalnz.org/stories/5d66e60e8a86ae05a1488171" target="_blank">https://digitalnz.org/stories/5d66e60e8a86ae05a1488171</a></p>