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History of the Band of the South Australia Police
The South Australia Police is an institution steeped in proud tradition, being the first Police Force in Australia, and one of the oldest in the World. It was formed in 1838, only nine years after Sir Robert Peel created the first Police Force, the "London Metropolitan Police" In 1884, Police Commissioner W. J. Peterswald encouraged the formation of a volunteer Brass Band from within the ranks of the Adelaide Metropolitan Foot Police. Fourteen musicians formed the Band of the South Australia Police, the first Police Band in Australia, playing their own instruments under the leadership of Foot Constable Robert Howlett. It's members were given a bonus of sixpence per day and allowed four hours to practice per week. Established as a Brass Band it quickly became very popular with the community and played in parks, gardens and at "Vice Regal" functions at Government House. A particular feature of the Band's work of the time was the monthly pay parades through the city, where members of the Police Department were led by the Band to collect their pay at the parade grounds near the River Torrens. Under the Direction of T. H. Davey the Band entered the Brass Band Contests at the Old Exhibition Hall in 1903. With a total of 273/300 the Police Band won the "B" grade section and two days later came third in the "A" grade with a score of 276/300. During the early war years, 1914-1916, the band gave concerts at the Adelaide Town Hall to benefit the "Belgian Relief Fund". 1917 saw a short recession of the band, and it was reformed late in 1918. The band continued until 1924, when again the band went into recession due to the fact that a suitable bandmaster could not be found at the time. In 1931 the band's instruments were borrowed by the Colonel Light Gardens Band, who performed at some Police Ceremonial Functions, but due to an infraction by this band, the instruments were returned to the police department which initiated the formation of the "Junior Constables Police Band" which operated from 1934 until 1939 directed by Inspector William Johns. During the Second World War, the band was inoperative. 1945 saw the reorganization of the Police Band, and was again encouraged as a volunteer unit by the then Commissioner William Johns. The band regained it's "A" grade status in 1951, and in 1957 Brigadier McKinna, the Commissioner of Police gave approval for the band to function as a full time unit for the first time. In 1974 the band transformed from Brass to a Military instrumentation with the addition of woodwind instruments. |
