Frank Wright was a renown resident of Smeaton, where he was born. He lived at Laura Villa, and attended Smeaton State School. His father William was a gold miner and his mother's name was Sarah. Their family won many singing and instrumental awards. Frank was tutored by Percy Code and was awarded a gold medal for the highest marks in the ALCM examinations in the British Colonies at the age of seventeen years. He became the Australian Open Cornet Champion by the age of eighteen. A year later, Frank conducted the City of Ballarat Band, and later the Ballarat Soldiers’ Memorial Band. He formed the Frank Wright Frisco Band and Frank Wright and his Coliseum Orchestra. These bands won many South Street awards, and Frank as conductor won many awards in the Australian Band Championship contest. In 1933 Frank Wright sailed to England to conduct the famous St Hilda’s Band and was later appointed Musical Director of the London County Council, where he organized many amazing concerts in parks, in and around the London district. He was made Professor of Brass and Military Band Scoring and conducted at the Guildhall of Music and Drama. Frank was often invited to adjudicate Brass Band Championships around Europe, in Australia, including South Street and in New Zealand. The Frank Wright Medal at the Royal South Street competition is awarded to an individual recognized as making an outstanding contribution to brass music in Australia.Black and white photograph of four men dressed in suits standing in front of an old car. In the background is a shop to the right and a fence with buildings to the left. The men are Joe Foster, Geo Cousins, Bill Caught and Frank Wright. The place is Maryborough, Queensland.Written in pencil on back - Joe Foster sec Q.B.A., Geo Cousins ref Q.B.A., Bill Caught ref Q.B.A., Frank Wright adjudicator, Australian band championships, Maryborough, Queensland, March 1932 Printed on back - Printed by Pat McNamarafrank wright, geo cousins, joe foster, bill caught, australian band championships, maryborough queensland

The Children of Research State School in 1922 Photo and list of children provided by Ivy Reynolds to Ross McDonald. Ross has supplemented and filled in some blanks, from the children names in Andrew Lemons book 'Return to Research. A centenary of Research Primary School, 1989 ' page 103. Additional commentary provided by Ivy Reynolds in 2006. 1. Winnie La Frenz - a great friend of the Reynolds 2. Ruth Thompson - Wally Buttwell's niece 3. Bertha Wiltshire 4. Ivy Dickson (who grew up to be a good-looking woman) 5. May Norman - a cousin to the Reynolds through Ernest Reynolds 6. Elsie Shaw 7. Veenie Turner (Ivy was not 100% sure of her surname, but said she was not related to Hazel Turner) 8 Lil La Frenz (Lilian) - a bright spark and a lively tennis player 9 Lily Wilson (looks like a boy) - had red hair 10 Hazel Turner - a cousin of the Reynolds who lost her mother very early in life. Her father remarried and the family then became Roman Catholics, which in those days, caused them to become distant with the Anglican Reynolds family 11 Lila Dickson (Lyla) 12. Jack Wilson - a red-head like his sister 13. Len Blashick 14. Marjory Palmer 15 ? Burgoyne 16 Lance Doney and 17 Bill Doney. Cleaver boys who went to Ivanhoe Grammar. Both caught TB from their mother and died young. 17. Bill Doney - The Doneys were clever boys. They went to Ivanhoe Grammar after Research Primary and this educational advantage caused them to grow apart from the local boys. Both caught tuberculosis from their mother and didn't live long. Lance died first, but Bill survived long enough to join the Merchant Navy. He eventually entered the Mont Park Sanatorium where Ernest Reynolds used to visit him every Sunday. The Doney boys were keen on Margaret and Ivy Reynolds at one stage (probably before they became seriously ill) and Bill gave Ivy a macrame belt he'd made. 18 ? Burgoyne 19 ? Messen (Frank or Alex Masson) 20 Neville West 21 ? Shaw 22 ? Shaw 23 Neil Palmer 24 George Shaw or his brother Bertie 25 George Shaw or his brother Bertie 26 Eva Kilson 27 Lorna Turner 28 ? Henry Fox (or possibly Eric?) 29 Nancy Storey (adopted) 30 Mona Fox 31. Nell Storey (also adopted) She married Sam Howard and they had 2 daughters. One went to Queensland, the other lived locally and helped at the Research Anglican Church. 32 Victor Davey 33 Margaret Reynolds 34 Ethel Davey - cousin of the Reynolds through Ernest Reynolds 35 ? Randall (Freddie) 36 ? Randall (Kitty) -Their father was a builder who made toys for every child at the school one Christmas 37 Ronnie Turner 38 ? Ivy couldn't remember his name, but thought he lived at the Research Hotel 39 John Reynolds 40 Jim Davey 41 Unknown 42 Ivy Reynolds 43. Unknown - one of the unknown boys is Jimmy Storey 44. Unknown 45. Unknown 46. Dorothy La Frenz 47. Eric Fox 48. Unknown 49. Possibly Bert Shaw One of the boys in the photograph is Jimmy Storey The Reynolds family were early settlers in Research. The Reynolds/ Prior collection of photographs were taken by Tom Prior, the maternal uncle of Ivy Reynolds, around 1900 and the 60 photos in the album give a fine overview of many of the landmarks of Research and Eltham over 100 years ago. lvy lived in the family home for many years at 106 Thompson Cres Research. Ivy's father, Ernst Richard Reynolds and grandfather, Richard Reynolds, lived at the same address. Ivy's father Richard worked for Mr. Trail on his property in Research. Reynolds Road is named after the family. Mr Tom Prior (wife Eva) worked at the Melbourne zoo. He was very innovative and made his own camera, using the black cloth hood to exclude the light. The photographs are a reminder of the rural nature of Research and Eltham and its rich heritage. Black and white photograph mounted in an album, the Reynolds/Prior Photograph Collection, this being one of 53 reproduced black and white images of early Eltham.The Reynolds/Prior Photograph Collection, Presented to the Eltham District Historical Society, 14 June 2006 by Ross McDonald. A second copy was also presented to the Andrew Ross Museum, Kangaroo Groundreynolds prior collection, research (vic.), research school, schools, school children, state school no. 2959, winnie la frenz, ruth thompson, bertha wilshire, ivy dickson, may norman, elsie shaw, veenie, lil la frenz (lilian), lily wilson, hazel turner, lila dickson (lyla), jack wilson, len blashick, margery palmer, burgoyne, lance doney, bill doney, frank messen, alex masson, neville west, shaw, neil palmer, george shaw, bertie shaw, eva kilson, lorna turner, henry fox, eric fox, nancy storey, mona fox, nell storey, victor davey, margaret reynolds, ethel davey, freddie randall, kitty randall, ronnie turner, john reynolds, jim davey, ivy reynolds, dorothy la frenz, bert shaw, jimmy storey