This programme details the bands that participated in the 1934 brass band contests at South Street. Called the "Centenary" contest, it was a celebration of the first 100 years of the State of Victoria and attracted bands from across Australia and New Zealand. Special guests were the Duke of Gloucester and the Band of His Majesty's Grenadier Guards who were touring Australia at the time. The contest included all grades of bands and was judged a huge success.This programme is significant as it signifies a major historical even on the brass band calendar and the visits of eminent people from England. It also displays all the band from around Australia and New Zealand that took part, and the grades that they participated in. This programme shows how a typical brass band contest at South Street would have been run and the sections that were available to competitors. The item is a small programme printed on yellowed paper and covered with a soft card cover. This programme was designed to fit inside pockets.victorian bands' league, royal south street society, duke of gloucester, band of his majesty's grenadier guards, woolston brass band

Frank Wright was a renown resident of Smeaton, where he was born in 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. He was the youngest of eleven children. 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 appointed in 1934 as the Musical Director of the London County Council (the GLC or Greater London Council), where he organized many amazing concerts in most of the 150 parks, in and around the London district. He was also responsible for some of London’s major concerts at Kenwood, the Crystal Palace and Holland Park. He was made Professor of Brass and Military Band Scoring and Conducting and was a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Frank was often invited to adjudicate Brass Band Championships around Europe, in Australia, including South Street and in New Zealand. Frank was awarded an M.B.E. in 1967 and he died in November 1970. 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 43 page, black and white booklet with a brown cover printed with black and red, containing the programme for New Zealand Centennial Championship Brass Band Contest, held in Wellington on the 18th to 24th of February 1940. On page 3 is a photograph and short bio of Frank Wright who was the Chief Musical Adjudicator. There are also photographs of the previous years winners of the Championship Gold Cup - the Woolston Band and the winners of New Zealand Marching Championship - St. Kilda Municipal Band and on page 33 is a photograph of the Wellington Garrison Band at the Christchurch contest in about 1892. On many of the pages are Frank's handwritten notes and point scores for the contestants. From page 15 onward are handwritten point scores beside the performers and the names on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winnersfrank wright, new zealand centennial championship brass band contest, wellington, brass band, adjudicator, wellington garrison band, the woolston band, st kilda municipal band