Banjo in New Zealand 1860 - 1940

[Brett Lowe]

Hello and Happy New Year,

I am hoping some of you may be able help me with several queries.

I am based in New Zealand (Wellington at present but spent most of my life in Auckland and until recently also Paeroa). I am trying to find out more about the history of the banjo in New Zealand.  I have been casually researching for over 20 years (even sent Hal Allert some digital copies of photos and things when his seemed to be the only online site I could find with anything related to classic banjo). 

I have come to the banjo through my interest in dance bands and spent most of the 1990s doing extensive research into the dance bands of the 1920s in NZ.  I ran my own semi professional band, Brett's New Internationals from 1994 - 2011.  I play many instruments including having played the tenor banjo for about 25 years.  I have "seen the light" and taken up classic style banjo about 5 years ago when both a suitable instrument found me and the resources on this site became known to me.  I am indebted to this site for opening up my awareness of this style of playing.

We have a great online resource here called "Papers Past" which features searchable digital scans of many of our NZ Newspapers and magazines.  I am using this along with other digitised material such as the Cadenza, Crescendo and BMG magazines (as well as other things I have discovered in my research) to get a better picture of what was going on here, and am slowly creating a list of all pre WW2 banjo references.  Concerts, teaching adverts, radio broadcasts are plentiful and I am getting a picture of how prevalent the banjo was here. I've chosen the war as a cut off date for now, as it seems that things in the banjo world here changed markedly during that time with most classic and four string styles fading into relative obscurity as firstly jazz and steel guitar and latterly country and folk and bluegrass banjo styles gained almost total domination of the banjo scene.  

Following the introduction and popularisation of the instrument here - mostly through touring minstrel shows in the 1850s - 1880s, the tours of  the Fisk Jubilee Singers who featured banjoists, and solo tours by others such as Hosea Easton, a number of notable banjo local performers came to prominence here, amongst these several were composers and at least two of them published some of their own works. 

I am wondering if any members here know of any of their works, or possibly have ever found copies.  None of our libraries, museums or archives appear to hold copies including the archive at Musical Heritage New Zealand where I voluntarily work.

Firstly, I would be grateful for any information relating to, photos of, or sheet music by Louis Bloy.  He was a Christchurch based professional banjoist and played both finger style and (in later years) plectrum banjo between the 1890s and his death in the 1940s.  He frequently toured both New Zealand and Australia in vaudeville (variety theatre), was regularly broadcast on radio, taught a large number of Christchurch people to play the instrument and ran a number of different ensembles comprised mostly (but not exclusively) of his own students.

Secondly, I am looking for any information on Joseph Wright.  He was also a banjoist (and mandolinist) based in Christchurch in the early years of the 20th Century, but moved to California, USA in 1914.  Prior to this he was a regular correspondent to the Crescendo magazine but he and his son who was also a noted banjo soloist appear to disappear shortly after.  He established a number of ensembles, also in Christchurch, and had a business as a professional music teacher there.  He composed several pieces, but so far no copies have come to light.  His most notable work according to a BMG article from the 1950s, being his Zealandia Waltz.  (Zealandia was a common term used about NZ in the early 20th century and was sometimes represented by a mythical female image similar to Britannia).

I have a Canadian based friend (plectrum banjoist) Greg Sumner, who introduced me to Rex and Margaret Hills of Christchurch.  Rex was a keen plectrum banjoist (one of only a dozen or so jazz banjoists in NZ in the 1990s and 2000s) and was quite a regular attendee of the FIGA conventions in the US.  Sadly both Margaret and Rex died a number of years ago.  Although he didn't play finger style and wasn't much of a reader, Rex had a large collection of banjo music and was also trying to discover more about New Zealand made banjos from the 1910s or 20s called Thompson Banjos.  I have never come across anything about them, but Rex had several instruments and parts from some   I don't know what has happened to his collection, but hope to find out more.  I think he said they may have been made in the South Island.  I only met Rex a couple of years before the Christchurch earthquakes.  Both he and Margaret were considerably effected by them and I regret never following up with Rex about this or other leads he may have had before his death.  But I am also wondering if any group members here could have come across Thompson Banjos.

I do hope some one will have something of interest to me in these areas, and have plenty of other leads I made seek help with in future.  But for now thank everyone who has read through all of this and send my very best wishes for 2021,

Brett Lowe

[Jody Stecher]

I got quite alert and fascinated when you mentioned "what they were playing" but then realized you meant repertoire. That is important of course. I am also interested in details about the instruments in the various photos. There are some Real Doozies there. For instance the Portuguese style tuning mechanisms on the mandolin or mandola  4th from left in the middle row of photo 1899. The instrument might be a Portugeuse guitarra as the shape of the body was not standardized in earlier times, as it is now.  Some of the Christchurch instruments also were fascinating to me. I would imagine that many of these instruments are still somewhere in New Zealand and might be still be playable.  Another thing that piqued my interest was the presence of a flute in these ensembles. 

Brett Lowe said:

Thanks so much for this.  I hadn't come across this before.  Not only information about the band, but also what they were playing.  Here are some photos...

Auckland%20Banjo%20Mandolin%20Guitar%20Orchestra%201899.jpg
Auckland%20Banjo%20Mandolin%20Guitar%20Orchestra%201897.jpg

Auckland%20Banjo%20Mandolin%20Guitar%20Orchestra%201896.jpg

Edward Bettega said:

Here's a clipping from S. S. Stewart that I have in my collection -New%20Zealand%20Stewart-107-10.pdf

[Brett Lowe]

Yes there are some interesting instruments in many of these groups.  The one you mention with Preston tuners is a German instrument called a Waldzither and it does looks similar to a Portuguese guitar.  I believe some of these old instruments are still around, but many were considered virtually worthless here - that is back in the 1960s, 70s and 80s when their original owners either died or sold up to move to smaller homes in their old age.  A number of collectors and antique dealers in the 70s and 80s bought up a lot of what they could and shipped them overseas (especially to the US and Canada) where their value (both financially and musically) was better appreciated.  I try to keep a look out, but not a lot come up and when anything does, it is often over priced these days.  I wish I had been old enough to know what there was around and had some money to buy up things.  Back in the early 90s when I was at high school there were still quite a few things around, but I neither knew what they wee nor had the money (or space at the time) to get them.  I'm quite keen to find a waldzither one day though - always on the lookout.

There was a Venetian Orchestra in Dunedin with mandolins, guitars and bandurrias which I also have a digital photo of - let me know if you'd like a copy.  It isn't banjo related so probably not fare for this site.

[Jody Stecher]

Waldzither !!  Of course. I even played one in Germany in the early 1980s. I had completely forgotten about its existence. Sure. I'd love to see the Dunedin photo. I think you will be permitted to post it here as part of the thread. There may not be banjos in the photo but the photo depicts an aspect of the world in which banjo orchestras existed so it is not unrelated. Thank you!  Ian, what do you say? OK for Brett to post the photo of the Dunedin Venetians?

Brett Lowe said:

Yes there are some interesting instruments in many of these groups.  The one you mention with Preston tuners is a German instrument called a Waldzither and it does looks similar to a Portuguese guitar.  I believe some of these old instruments are still around, but many were considered virtually worthless here - that is back in the 1960s, 70s and 80s when their original owners either died or sold up to move to smaller homes in their old age.  A number of collectors and antique dealers in the 70s and 80s bought up a lot of what they could and shipped them overseas (especially to the US and Canada) where their value (both financially and musically) was better appreciated.  I try to keep a look out, but not a lot come up and when anything does, it is often over priced these days.  I wish I had been old enough to know what there was around and had some money to buy up things.  Back in the early 90s when I was at high school there were still quite a few things around, but I neither knew what they wee nor had the money (or space at the time) to get them.  I'm quite keen to find a waldzither one day though - always on the lookout.

There was a Venetian Orchestra in Dunedin with mandolins, guitars and bandurrias which I also have a digital photo of - let me know if you'd like a copy.  It isn't banjo related so probably not fare for this site.

[Pär Engstrand]

Living in Germany I come across Waldzithers pretty often. I bought a refurbished one for about 90€ a few months ago. You could easily find a playable one for 100-200€. The shipping to New Zeeland might be costly, though. Just let me know if you want help finding one.

I also think there is a growing interest in Waldzithers at the moment. And for a banjo player it's very easy. They are tuned just like a banjo with elevated bass (well, the 9th string is tuned two octaves lower than the short 5th string on a banjo)

Brett Lowe said:

Yes there are some interesting instruments in many of these groups.  The one you mention with Preston tuners is a German instrument called a Waldzither and it does looks similar to a Portuguese guitar.  I believe some of these old instruments are still around, but many were considered virtually worthless here - that is back in the 1960s, 70s and 80s when their original owners either died or sold up to move to smaller homes in their old age.  A number of collectors and antique dealers in the 70s and 80s bought up a lot of what they could and shipped them overseas (especially to the US and Canada) where their value (both financially and musically) was better appreciated.  I try to keep a look out, but not a lot come up and when anything does, it is often over priced these days.  I wish I had been old enough to know what there was around and had some money to buy up things.  Back in the early 90s when I was at high school there were still quite a few things around, but I neither knew what they wee nor had the money (or space at the time) to get them.  I'm quite keen to find a waldzither one day though - always on the lookout.

There was a Venetian Orchestra in Dunedin with mandolins, guitars and bandurrias which I also have a digital photo of - let me know if you'd like a copy.  It isn't banjo related so probably not fare for this site.

[Brett Lowe]

Here are some more pictures of New Zealand string groups.  I was mistaken, the Bandurrias were in the Dunedin Mandolin Orchestra, but here is Cox's Venetian Orchestra as well and another photo of the Auckland BMG Club.  Dunedin had a popular banjo group as well that seem to have been still going in the 1930s, but I haven't seen any pictures of them.

[Brett Lowe]

And here are some more pictures.

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.

https://digitalnz.org/stories/5d66e60e8a86ae05a1488171

[Brett Lowe]

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.   

[Brett Lowe]

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)

[Brett Lowe]

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.  

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.

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.

[Brett Lowe]

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.

Some of the earliest exponents of the banjo in Napier were Lydia and William Williams.  Here are a few photos of them.

[Brett Lowe]

And a few more photos of Lydia and William Williams and friend in the garden at their home on Carlyle St. Napier

[Brett Lowe]

And a few more of the same