Frank Wright was a renown resident of Smeaton, where he was born on 2 August 1901. 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.A single foolscap sheet of paper with a blue printed header and black typing. This reference for Frank Wright was signed by J.R. Foster the Secretary of the Queensland Band Association.A pen signaturefrank wright, j r foster, queensland band association, reference

This programme was printed for the 1938 Australian Championship Band Contest and incorporates the Bandsman's Yearbook. This was the year of Australia's 150th Celebrations and this contest was held in Sydney. It contains a wealth of information not only from a National level but also articles and results from State competitions. There are also short essays, obituaries, articles of interest, advertisements and other material that is interesting from a historical perspective.This programme is unique in the information that it contains, the photographs and other historical information. It provides a record of bands that existed during this time as well as a multitude of competition results.Programme printed in A5 sizeband association nsw, queensland band association, south australian band association, victorian bands' league, western australian band association, brass band association of new zealand

The Fred Rochow Railways Collection incorporates photos related to the operation of the Wodonga Railway Station including different types of trains and railways staff C. 1930 – 1990. It was donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Fred Rochow, a railwayman who spent many years based in Wodonga. He joined the Victorian Railways on 17th June l947 and retired in 1988. For some time, he was a member of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen and served a term as a member of the Trades Hall Council. He had an extensive knowledge of the struggles that took place to achieve better conditions for railway workers. Fred worked for many years as a fireman and then worked his way up the ranks to driver, experiencing many changes from the days of steam locomotives through to diesel trains, locomotives and even the modern XPT train. He worked throughout Victoria at different stages of his career, with his final working years focused on the northeast of Victoria and the Albury to Melbourne line. After his retirement, Fred continued to share his love of steam miniature trains with the community The first railway union in the world was created in Melbourne in 1861 when twenty locomotive drivers banded together to form the Locomotive Engine Drivers Association of Victoria. The forerunner to the A.F.U.L.E., the Association continues today and is the oldest continuous railway union in the world. A.R.U. - The Australian Railways Union formed in September 1920 with the amalgamation of the Queensland Railways Union, the New South Wales Amalgamated Railway and Tramway Service Association, the Victorian Railway Union, the Railway and Tramway Employees Association of South Australia and the Tasmanian Railway Union. It was the first Australian all-grades organisation of railway workers and was federally registered on 8 February 1921. In 1993 the ARU merged with other unions to form the Rail Tram & Bus Industry Union.This collection has local and statewide significance as it captures images of trains, locomotives and personnel who operated the railway services in Wodonga and throughout Northeast Victoria. The railways played a critical role in opening up Victoria and connecting Australia for trade, business, social communication and transport.A group 4 men in Wodonga. Possibly at branch union meeting.Left to right: Driver R. Heathcote AFULE Branch Secretary; Guard J. Young, ARU Branch Secretary; Driver S. Withers; P. Murnane.fred rochow, victorian railways wodonga, railway employees wodonga, railway trade unions