derwood400 - Posted - 04/01/2012:  08:28:49

Hey!  I'm always doing research on local music and history, and I recently found this photo of the Napanee Banjo Club circa 1890.  I thought I would share it here.  Its pretty incredible to me that banjo music was  so popular at this time that a small town in Southeastern Ontario would have a banjo club.  I was actually researching dance bands from the 20's and 30's when I came across this.  Also, just out of curiosity, does anyone know anything about the instrument the guy in the back, centre is holding up? Looks like some sort of flute or horn.  

Here's the link.  Sorry I can't figure out how to imbed the picture directly into this post on a Mac.  

banjohangout.org/myhangout/pho...albumid=0

Mike Moss - Posted - 04/01/2012:  09:50:39

quote:

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Originally posted by derwood400

Hey!  I'm always doing research on local music and history, and I recently found this photo of the Napanee Banjo Club circa 1890.  I thought I would share it here.  Its pretty incredible to me that banjo music was  so popular at this time that a small town in Southeastern Ontario would have a banjo club.  I was actually researching dance bands from the 20's and 30's when I came across this.  Also, just out of curiosity, does anyone know anything about the instrument the guy in the back, centre is holding up? Looks like some sort of flute or horn.  

 

Here's the link.  Sorry I can't figure out how to imbed the picture directly into this post on a Mac.  

banjohangout.org/myhangout/pho...albumid=0

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This was the golden age of banjo clubs and musical instrument clubs in general. The late 19th century saw a plethora of musical clubs and orchestras built around one instrument, such as guitars, banjos, mandolins, balalaikas and domras. These clubs were popular due to their social function (as a hobby and a way to meet people) and they were often very lucrative for instrument manufacturers who were eager to provide instruments in all shapes and sizes for these clubs.

BTW, there's a large database of banjo photographs here: classic-banjo.ning.com/page/gallery with plenty of similar pictures which might interest you

vrteach - Posted - 04/01/2012:  11:39:29

The guy in the front row with the guitar looks like me! However, I'm pretty sure it's not me because I don't play guitar much.

Edited by - vrteach on 04/01/2012 11:41:15

aroblin - Posted - 04/01/2012:  13:08:28

Hey, Darren--

Thanks for the photo. Any clues about the identities of the musicians? I have ancestors and relations around Napanee.

Andrew Roblin
International Sho-Bud Brotherhood & Sisterhood
Member #79

derwood400 - Posted - 04/01/2012:  14:46:13

Thanks for looking guys. 

Andrew, here is the list of musicians:

Front L to R:  James E. Herring, William C. Smith, Mrs. Nellie Cook-Herring (wife of James), Maud Switzer

Back L to R: Miss Nellie Herring (1874-1964), T.E. Merritt, Mrs. Burrett (or Barrett.. can't make it out)

Paul R - Posted - 04/01/2012:  18:51:58

Good find, Darren.

A couple of things from that photo (no, I don't know the instrument): 1) I couldn't help but notice the name "Switzer" - no doubt a connection to Switzerville and Switzerville Road, and 2) Do you think one of the banjos in the photo could be your yard sale find?

pastorharry - Posted - 04/02/2012:  02:45:43

derwood400 - Posted - 04/02/2012:  02:59:21

Hi Paul.  Yes, I'm sure you're right about the name Switzer.  Their are a lot of Switzers around the Napanee area today still.  I would have fainted if that banjo I bought was in the picture, but no, its not there.  Mine has that very distinct peghead shape with the cutout in it, and I don't see that there.  

Interestingly enough, the only name that is really prevalent around town now is Switzer. There are a handful of Smiths but I don't think they are related to the Smith in the photo.  I've never known anybody named Herring.  A few Herringtons but no Herrings.  There's one Barrett in the phone book, but no Burretts.  

The photo came from the estate of Betty Smith.  Her father is the William C. Smith.  Betty was a really interesting person around town, and I wish I had gotten to know her better.  She lived in a big house which I'm pretty sure was her family home that she grew up in.  She had converted it to a duplex and a friend of mine lived in the apartment.  I think she owned an apartment house across the street too, and that's how she made her money.  Out behind the house she lived in, there was a small barn, and it was divided in half.  One side for the apartment, and one side for her.  She kept a horse in there.  You have to realize, that this is right in the town of Napanee.  Not out in the country or anything.  She didn't have a driver's license and she would ride the horse all over town to do her errands etc.  She also rode a bicycle sometimes.  She rode the bicycle and the horse right up until her death in 1995.  She used to sit out on the porch of her house in the summertime.  She had two old gramophones.  One played 78's and the other one played those old cylinder recordings.  She would pull one of those out onto the porch and play music on them for hours.  Unfortunately, I was young and immature and not into the music at all in those days.  Now shes gone, and all that music is gone too.  She had no children, so I don't know what happened to the music collection or anything else.  She did leave a bunch of stuff to the museum and archives in Napanee, and that's how I found the photograph.  

derwood400 - Posted - 04/02/2012:  03:00:50

Cool! Thanks PastorHarry!

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Originally posted by pastorharry

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Shawn Hoover - Posted - 04/03/2012:  11:09:53

Same Napanee as in the Avril Lavigne song? (I swear I haven't listened to that in years!) If so that's quite a diverse musical heritage you've got up there. In Nappanee, IN, USA, we still have 1890s-era transportation (horses and buggies), but I've never seen a banjo there or a picture of one.