Music in Canberra during World War II

Powerpoint slide. Portrait of Charles Studdy Daley (1887-1966). Transcription of the notes follows

Portrait of Charles Studdy Daley (1887-1966) held by Canberra & District Historical Society

Music in Canberra during World War II

Presentation by CRHR member Val Thomson on 3 April 2025

Part of a series about World War II in Canberra and Region

Notes (transcription)

C. S. Daley was amazingly active, not just in planning but also in musical and generally artistic circles. President of the Canberra Musical Society, which served Canberra from the earliest days until the 1950s. He encouraged the formation of a city band and the national Eisteddfod.

"Alongside his official duties, Daley contributed to the human heart of Canberra, believing in a community built by community. A talented musician, he created the Canberra Society of Arts and Literature, was integral to the Canberra Musical Society and played in the Stromberra Quartette. He managed local concerts produced by the Australian Broadcasting Commission and often hosted international artists in his home.

"...a regular attendee at St John the Baptist Church in Reid. Well-regarded for his music skills, in 1934 he was asked by the newly established St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Forrest if he could fill in for a few weeks until the parish could find a permanent organist. This arrangement with St Andrew's continued for the next 18 years, all without payment."¹

(Jessie Daley was also a member of the Canberra Musical Society, and president of the Canberra Ladies' Choir, among many other contributions to Canberra.)¹

Topics

(Transcription)

1. Introduction; 2. Wartime context; 3. Musical Organisations; 4. People & Places; 5. Conclusion

Introduction

(Transcription)

"Since the last annual meeting, there had been a significant deterioration in the international situation, and with graver risks nearer home, Australian activities must be concentrated upon those things vital to the war effort. Various suggestions had been made, ranging from proposals for a complete recess to a revision of the type of activity upon more modest and locally centred efforts. Although many citizens were devoting themselves to war work, there was still widespread interest in music, as something fundamental, and as affording much needed relief and recreation to sustain other vital activities."

– CMS Annual Report

"Any suggestions that music should be abandoned until after the war was ridiculous. In England they had found that without music, the bottom fell out of everything."

– Mr Horace Fuller, at the CMS AGM

"Music is a component part of our lives. Canberra should be the home of music."

– C. S. Daley at the CMS AGM

Notes

All quotes are from the 1941 Annual Report of the Canberra Musical Society.²

[Aside: My child] Quin commented that it was wonderful how it took a national emergency to make people appreciate the arts, and how they then promptly forgot. The WWII situation was mirrored during the COVID outbreak. So many people were saying that music got them through the tough times – and now we're supposedly back to normal, with precious little support or appreciation for musicians.

Stock image used in slide

Photo: Canberra, ACT. 1942-03. A member of the staff fitting blackout curtains to a window in one of the rooms of Parliament House. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C257210

Wartime context

(Transcription)

1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945³

Canberra remained a small country town prior to World War II, far more rural than urban in its nature and size, with little to mark it as Australia's capital other than Parliament House and the developing War Memorial.³

"Washington is one of the few national capitals - actually, I believe Canberra is the only other one - from which a world-wide war effort is being directed, but which in itself has not suffered any physical war damage. Nevertheless, it must be regarded as a war-shocked city."⁴

"The bush capital ... was wonderfully silent and peaceful. War in Europe and China was so far away. The only threat from the air in Canberra was the occasional swooping magpie."⁵

Picture from Rex Beamish of a clothing ration card passed on to him by his Aunty Thel

Wartime context continued

Transcription

Japan entered the war in 1941

Fear of invasion

Blackout imposed 1942

Windows blacked out
Cars: one hooded headlight
Torches not allowed

Evacuation & air raid trenches were built
Rationing of essential commodities – 1942
Shortages & general austerity

Notes

Fears of invasion grew after Japan's entry into the war in 1941. A blackout was imposed on the city in 1942. Windows had to be blacked out, cars could only use one heavily hooded headlight and even torches were not allowed. Evacuation trenches and air raid shelters were built although fortunately proved to be unnecessary. Other than for practice, air raid sirens only sounded twice in February 1942 and March 1943.⁶

Rationing of essential commodities was soon part of life. Ration books were issued in June 1942.⁷

[Typists & secretaries arriving in Canberra] shared the exigencies of wartime life particularly rationing, which involved handing over their food coupons to the hostel management; restrictions on interstate travel which made it difficult to visit families in other parts of the country; as well as shortages and general austerity.⁷

[I]n the winter of 1943 … heating was turned off in all government buildings to conserve coal for the war effort.⁷

Transcription

"Treasurer Ben Chifley appealed to Australians to intensify their efforts to conserve the nation's resources by limiting their spending to the barest necessities."
- The Argus, 20 February 1943⁸

Population of the Australian Capital Territory³

(Transcription)

1911: 1,714

1930: 9,000

1945:13,000

1957: 39,000

Wartime musical groups 1

Transcription

Canberra Musical Society
Stock image

Combined Church Choirs
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Canberra Ladies' Choir
Stock image

Canberra Male Choir
Stock image

Notes

Canberra Musical Society

Formed in 1928 in merger of Canberra Orchestral Society and Canberra Philharmonic Society, but had an earlier incarnation in 1913 at Duntroon. Originally had a choir and an orchestra, but by the late 30s (after the Depression) had become an entrepreneurial organisation rather than a performing organisation. It ran celebrity concerts for the ABC throughout WWII. Their number halved, from 4 pa to 2 pa. [A]cted locally for the ABC until it established its own office in Canberra.⁹ There was pressure to run locally-based concerts.² CMS made a distinguished contribution to Canberra music until the early 50s, when it, the Canberra Ladies' Choir, and the Canberra Male Singers (descended from the Canberra Male Choir) merged with the Combined Church Choirs.⁹

Canberra Combined Church Choirs

First concert in 1942, with 76 voices.¹⁰ During the war, Church choirs were depleted by enlistments or the transfer of members from Canberra. At its peak it had more than 50 members, but at the end there were only 25, of which 18 were women. As well as concert platform and church performances, the choir has many times sung at official functions… Disbanded in 1953 following lack of public support and difficulty in securing sufficient male singers.¹¹

[Aside: I've been unable to establish when it reconvened as Canberra Combined Churches Choir, but I remember being beaten in the Eisteddfod by this group because they had uniforms and we (St Paul's Manuka, then the best Church choir in Canberra) didn't.]

Canberra Ladies' Choir

Formed at the start of 1939, and lasting till the mid-50s, the CLC gave annual concerts and eventually two major concerts a year. There were also social evenings with "numbers" by the choir and solo items from members. First annual concert: "Works by a wide variety of composers will be presented, and some of Canberra's leading talent will be represented in quartettes, duets and solos, also instrumental and elocutionary items."¹² [I remember concerts like this in the 50s. I also remember the extensive use of the word "render".] Moonlight concerts, musical evenings, Christmas carols, Sunday afternoon concerts of sacred music at the YWCA, fundraising for the war effort throughout.¹²

Canberra Male Choir

Formed in 1929, it had a membership of 60 before the war. In addition to its local performances the choir gave concerts in other towns and was a successful entrant from 1936 onwards at the Wagga, Grenfell and Wollongong Eisteddfods.⁹ "Membership of the Male Choir dropped dramatically due to enlistment for service, and it gave one of its last concerts on 21 June 1939…"¹³ Joined postwar by the Canberra Diggers' Choir, the CMC became the Canberra Male Singers.¹³

Wartime musical groups 2

Transcription & image sources

Canberra City Band
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

National Eisteddfod
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Dance Bands
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Canberra Amateur Operatic Society
Source of this photo

Notes

Canberra City Band

Est. 1920s. [S]erved Canberra for many years, sometimes under great difficulties. Unemployment [Great Depression] caused many bandsmen to leave Canberra. Succession of bandmasters. Mr. Les Pogson carried the flag for many years but finally the band dispersed during the war. PM Ben Chifley [1945] was responsible for a new set of instruments being purchased for the band. … the band in its blue and gold uniform is now [still] a familiar sight in Canberra festivities.⁹

Eisteddfod

The [Canberra] Male Choir set up the first Canberra Eisteddfod, held in 1939.¹⁴ Canberra Eisteddfod Society AGM "at the Albert Hall last night decided unanimously to recommend to the council the continuance of juvenile competitions".¹⁵ The Society [CMS] continued its affiliation with the local Eisteddfod Society and members gave personal assistance in the running of the 1941 Juvenile Eisteddfod.² "...it [CMS] had been very largely instrumental in promoting the eisteddfod in the past but the war had suspended these activities."¹⁶

Dance Bands

There were heaps of dances during the war, raising money for the war effort, and keeping the populace entertained. "I have many fond recollections of dances and balls held at the [Albert] Hall in the 1940's and early 1950's and of the music played by various orchestras."¹⁷ Harry O'Brien's orchestra "dispensed the music" at lots of dances - last mention November 1944. Johnny Jones and his orchestra - last mention September 1941. Pogson's Concert Orchestra - he moved to Albury in 1939 and returned to Canberra in 1948. Lawler's orchestra/Fred Lawler's Orchestra/Lawler's augmented orchestra/Pogson and Lawler's Orchestra - still going in the 1960s, according to Trove (CT ads).

Canberra Amateur Operatic Society

In 1933 Dr. Rolland Fraser took the initiative in the formation of the Canberra Amateur Operatic Society, the first production by which "No No Nanette" was staged at the Capitol Theatre in June 1934.⁹ Didn't find much on them. CCCC produced light opera throughout the war. "In 1953 the Canberra Philharmonic Society was formed absorbing the Canberra male singers and the remainder of the Canberra Amateur Operatic Society."⁹

Performance Places

Transcription & image sources

Causeway Hall
Opened in 1926
Image: National Archives of Australia: A3560, 777

Institute of Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Institute founded 1931
Image: National Museum of Australia collection

2CA Theatrette
First 2CA building, Mort St
Canberra and District Historical Society, Resource ID 15761, Location Photograph 2058

[Autumn leaves, stock image] x 2

Albert Hall
Opened 1928
William James Mildenhall c.1928. National Library of Australia: Call Number: PIC P583 Album 827*nla.pic-an11030057-331

[Autumn leaves, stock image]

Blue Room, Hotel Canberra
Opened 1924
Canberra and District Historical Society, Resource ID 15459, Location Photograph 1756

Notes

The Capitol Cinema presented a mixed program of theatrical acts and films, not music.
–NFSA, https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/87730-capitol-theatre-manuka

People

Transcription

Sir Robert Garran – Horace Fuller – Les Pogson – William J. Hunt – Mrs. Eric Mitchell

Notes

Sir Robert Garran

Commonwealth solicitor-general. 1st pres., Canberra Society of Arts & Literature (1926-1938); vice-pres., Canberra Musical Society (1928-), where he sang and played the clarinet; Federal Pres., Council of Encouragement of Music and the Arts (1945); published translations of Heinrich Heine's 1827 work Buch der Lieder ("Book of Songs") in 1924, and of the works of Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann in 1946. "There has hardly been a cultural movement in this city with which Sir Robert has not been identified in loyal and inspiring support, as his constant aim has been that Canberra should be not only a great political centre but also a shrine to foster those things that stimulate and enrich our national life..." – C. S. Daley¹⁸

Horace Fuller

Member of CMS, first conductor of CCCC, tenor soloist. Opposed CMS's focus on celebrity concerts. "Great national days should be celebrated in Canberra with musical festivals. Festivals should also be held on the anniversaries of composers such as Handel, Bach and Beethoven. Nothing in the way of musical fare was too good for the capital." Took over CLC in 1943.¹⁹

Les Pogson

Clarinettist, dance band leader, leader of the Canberra City Band, founder of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra⁹

William J. Hunt

Fine bass voice; first associated with the Canberra Male Choir in the early 1930s as both a soloist and as a choir member. A keen proponent of the need for an eisteddfod in Canberra to encourage young performers, and was actively involved in the Male Choir's initiative in setting up the first Canberra Eisteddfod, which was held in 1939. Proposed & was first president of the current Canberra Philharmonic Society.²⁰

Mrs Eric Mitchell

Soprano soloist in many concerts of the period, and conductor of the Canberra Ladies' Choir from its inception in 1939 till she moved to Brisbane in 1943.²¹

Conclusion

Transcription

"Christmas Eve 1945 was very special. World War Two had ended and families were together again after long and worrying separations, so it was a fitting occasion to present Canberra's first Carols By Candlelight.

…

"The singing was led by the Combined Churches Choir, and Children's Choir and orchestra…"²²

The Canberra City Band still plays at Canberra's Carols by Candlelight.

About the image

Walter and Doris Duffield carrying Walter's double bass circa 1925 at Hotel Canberra. Credit: ANU Archives. Walter was the first director of the Commonwealth Solar Observatory at Mt Stromlo. Walter and Doris played in the Stromberra Quintet along with C S Daley and others. It didn't play once war was declared. Full story: The Hotel's First Guest

Notes

The lawns in front of the old Parliament House were thought an ideal setting and the King George V memorial, then located opposite Parliament's front entrance, would provide a ready-made stage for the performances. Officials of the Department of the Interior were not keen. After some unofficial approaches by the YMCA President, Mr H.F.E. Whitlam (the former Prime Minister's father), the way was prepared to hold a community gathering to be known as 'Carols By Candlelight'.

A souvenir program costing 1/- was prepared, with proceeds to the Aid for Britain Appeal to send food parcels. There was a brief outline of the history of the capital, which then had a population of about 14,000 and the organisers hoped the event would be "the starting point for the development of a Canberra Christmas Festival".

The National Anthem, God Save The King, opened the evening which was compered by Albert Clark. The singing was led by the Combined Churches Choir, and Children's Choir and orchestra under the direction of Ralph Levy. The program included 11 well-known carols, four soloists, a film The Hymn of the Nations and a pageant of the nativity.

As there was no electricity at the site, other than a long lead for the film projector, committee member Bill Dunbar made up 24 flares using long poles with jam tins swinging at the top. These were filled with a flammable concoction which burnt brightly but gave off obnoxious black smoke. Boy Scouts carried these primitive illuminations among the crowd. A few spills from the tins didn't do much for the lawns and although some bearers received minor burns, they kept cheerfully balancing the flaming tins. The event was a success and the happy crowd of nearly 2000 people concluded the evening [with] Auld Lang Syne.²²

Sources

Transcription

Charles and Jessie Daley - Canberra movers and shakers, 4 September 2022 | Marg Wade, The Riotact https://the-riotact.com/charles-and-jessie-daley-canberra-movers-and-shakers/589548
MUSICAL SOCIETY (1942, April 8). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 3. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2586594
History of Canberra. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Canberra
WASHINGTON IN WAR TIME (1942, October 31). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 7. Retrieved December 14, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17829315
Diary of Eilean Giblin, a prominent resident of Canberra during World War II. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6134596/elections-werent-always-so-hectic/
1307.8 - Australian Capital Territory in Focus, 2006. ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 12/09/2006. Australian Bureau of Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/2f762f95845417aeca25706c00834efa/B43FFBFD93BFC572CA2571E600180BCF?opendocument
The Australian National Capital in World War II By Patricia Clarke. 2013, ISAA Proceedings 2013: Canberra: Capital and Creativity. Publisher: Independent Scholars Association of Australia Inc.
Economic value of war savings (1943, February 20). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 9. Retrieved December 14, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11337099
Culture Takes Root In National Capital (1963, March 12). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 38. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104590462
THE CRUCIFIXION (1942, April 4). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2587038
COMBINED CHURCH CHOIR DISBANDS (1953, September 1). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 2. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2889936
CANBERRA LADIES' CHOIR (1939, December 8). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 4. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2518222
Campbell, Peter. Canberra Choral Society: A Capital Choir for a Capital City. PC Publishing, Canberra, 2002.
Obituary: WILLIAM J. HUNT Important role in musical history (1988, November 29). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 4. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110617784
EISTEDDFOD (1941, September 9). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 2. Retrieved December 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2595512
MUSICAL SOCIETY SEES SCOPE FOR GREATER ACTIVITY (1945, March 17). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 3. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2620255
Westlake Newsletter 2013, p15, MEMORIES OF THE ALBERT HALL & FRANK DUNSHEA'S STORY https://www.isccc.org.au/isccc/wp-content/uploads/11Dec2013_Westlake-Newsletter.pdf
Re Robert Garran:
WHAT PEOPLE — ARE DOING (1945, July 11). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 4. Retrieved March 22, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2635337
Francis, Noel (1983). The Gifted Knight: Sir Robert Garran (PDF). Canberra: Noel Francis (Australia); Australian National University Press (worldwide). ISBN 978-0-9592095-0-1. Quoted in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Garran
Re Horace Fuller:
MUSIC IN CANBERRA (1942, May 13). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 3. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2576057
COMBINED CHURCH CHOIR DISBANDS (1953, September 1). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 2. Retrieved March 22, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2889936
CANBERRA LADIES' CHOIR (1943, November 12). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 3. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2656961
Obituary: WILLIAM J. HUNT Important role in musical history (1988, November 29). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 4. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110617784
Mrs. Eric Mitchell: I could only find references to her on Trove as a vocalist, soprano, and conductor of the CLC 1939-1943. She moved to Brisbane in August 1943. CANBERRA LADIES' CHOIR (1943, November 12). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 3. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2656961
CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT (1994, December 8). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 20. Retrieved March 31, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127259157

Sunday, April 13, 2025