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In the
beginning...
The
first Mitcham Band was formed in 1878 and rehearsed in the Mitcham
Institute. The band functioned until the Tee Tulpa Gold Diggings were
found in 1887, when it disbanded and all the members took their
instruments and other property with them and disposed of them in any
way they wished.
The present band was formed in 1901 by Carl Stanley, Geo Lawson and J.
Tyler and has continued to function ever since.
Practice was held in the Saint Michaels Church Hall and the band was
known as the Mitcham Brass Band. Later this name was to be changed to
Mitcham City Brass Band, after Mitcham became a city. To get the band
started it was loaned a grand sum of forty pounds which was repayed at
the rate of ten pounds a year.
In 1906 the band would congregate in Mr. Godden's cow shed in Hawthorn
where they practiced by candlelight and hurricane lanterns.
In 1908, at its own expense, the band enlarged the Rotunda on the
Mitcham Reserve from which many open air concerts were staged by the
band.
By 1909, the band possessed 23 instruments valued at 125 pounds. The
band was giving fortnightly concerts throughout the summer at this time.
In 1911, the first set of rules for the band was drawn up. This was the
foundation of the current constitution of the band.
1914
saw the first set of uniforms for the band which cost the princely sum
of 34 pounds. Also in this year the band moved to the Mitcham Institute
for rehearsals where it remained until 1983 when it moved to its
current band rooms comprised of the headmasters cottage of the old
Mitcham Infant School, now renamed the Mitcham Community Centre.
 
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MITCHAM
CITY BRASS
