Music lifted Waterloo spirits in the Dirty ’30s

Band tattoos and celebrations had been held sporadically in Waterloo well before 1932.

However, following that year’s triumphant spectacular, a series of annual band festivals greatly boosted the town’s profile. Professor Charles F. Thiele’s vision, drive and passion made Waterloo’s festivals the best in the country. In hindsight, Thiele’s 1930s’ festivals can also be seen as a beacon of cheer for locals in the Great Depression. Then, as the decade waned, they helped attune people to approaching war.

The Waterloo Musical Society (WMS) was 50 years old in 1932. How to celebrate? Bandmaster Thiele suggested a spectacular band festival including parade, tattoo, contests, featured soloists, massed bands and fireworks.

On July 2, Waterloo welcomed 23 bands from around the province to the Golden Jubilee Festival. Waterloo Park’s bandshell, pavilion, cricket oval and various wooded corners reverberated to the sound of instrumental competitions, solo performances by famous outof-town cornetists and a dazzling Festival of Empire featuring flags of all the Dominions. Fourteen bands paraded through Waterloo’s downtown, attracting huge crowds to the evening’s grand finale in the park. A march past and massed band concert combined Kitchener’s Scots Fusiliers Band under George Ziegler, Dundas’ Wentworth Rifles Band and Thiele’s Waterloo band, all playing in unison. It was capped off with a brilliant fireworks extravaganza. Some 15,000 people attended — very impressive, but in coming years that number tripled.

Not only was 1932’s extravaganza a huge success, but it also established Waterloo’s band as one of the country’s best. Other communities’ bands soon lined up for future festivals, wanting to test their mettle against the new top gun.

The annual festival grew in reputation, participation and attendance. As the Great Depression’s effects worsened in mid-decade, the yearly spectacle provided Waterloo with a high point of attention, success and optimism.

The sixth event was subtitled “The Coronation Festival” to honour the crowning of King George VI in May 1937. The Professor, a musical magician, was also a master showman! On a high stage in Waterloo Park’s oval, he had the King and Queen seated on thrones. The royal couple were effigies, but the 50,000 attendees couldn’t care less — royalty was in attendance! John Mellor, in his book, “Music in the Park,” describes the next scene: “As the national anthem of each country in the world was played by the massed bands, a boy scout accompanied by two girl guides, carried that country’s flag past their Majesties. Even the Swastika and Rising Sun were included.” That year, 1937, saw Waterloo still haunted by the Great Depression and Thiele urged everyone attending to bring canned goods for the needy.

As the Depression was wan- ing, war warnings emerged and the next four festivals’ themes reflected the world at large:

á The Festival of Nations: June 25, 1938. Thirty-four bands, 1,000 participants and 20,000 fans. The festival was partly broadcast on CBC and NBC radio.

á The Empire at Peace: June 24, 1939. Fifty bands, 1,500 musicians and 15,000 attendees. The Oshawa Ladies Flute Band was a first. Observers noticed an increased martial flavour to the event.

á The Empire at War: June 29, 1940. Twenty-seven bands, 15,000 fans. The first festival of the war featured many young performers and contestants — many older musicians were in the services. á Salute to Britain: June 28, 1941. Thirty-six bands, several military displays. The City of Waterloo inexplicably withdrew its support of WMS, but two service clubs stepped forward to ensure the festival went ahead.

The termination of the town’s support and the loss of so many musicians caused Waterloo Musical Society to cancel the next four festivals — none were held until 1946. Postwar, WMS and Thiele resumed the festivals until his death in 1954. The annual events continued until the late 1950s. Since then, only sporadic special-occasion band festivals have been organized, one such in 1982 during Waterloo’s 125th anniversary.

Those Waterloo band festivals of the 1930s played a part in lifting Waterloo out of the Depression mindset and pivoting toward a war footing.

Flash from the Past featured Professor C.F. Thiele in April 2016, see:

https://www.therecord.com/ life/2016/04/23/flash-fromthe-past-bandmaster-c-fthiele-was-a-waterloo-legend.html

KITCHENER DAILY RECORD Each June in the 1930s and early 1940s, large advertisements in the Daily Record heralded the musical event of the year.

ELLIS LITTLE LOCAL HISTORY ROOM, WATERLOO PUBLIC LIBRARY Receiving most of the attention and applause at the 1949 band festival was the Band of the Six Nations from Ohsweken, directed by D.E. Mitson.

ELLIS LITTLE LOCAL HISTORY ROOM, WATERLOO PUBLIC LIBRARY In 1951, failing health forced Charles F. Thiele to turn the bandleader’s role over to Fred Roy, who guided it into the mid-1950s. Here, Roy and the band parade through Waterloo Park.

JASON BARTLETT After 1958, band tattoos were only held occasionally. On June 27, 1964, this kilted band marched along King South, heading for Waterloo Park. Professional photographer Ken Stanion snapped the photo.

CANADIAN BANDSMAN Arriving in town in 1919, Charles F. Thiele had, within a decade, turned Waterloo’s band into one of Canada’s best.