This
year, I've been writing monthly columns about The Treasury for the
Grahamstown Gazette. Here's my piece for the May edition.
From The Treasury
In Grahamstown’s heyday, some of the hottest tickets
in town were for shows at the Thames Academy of Music. Situated by Victoria Park and handy to the
town’s wharves, trains and hotels, the Academy was a hit with the locals and drew
scores of visitors from both around New Zealand and overseas. International
performers who reached our shores often played a concert or gave a performance at
the Academy, including the American Vaudeville Company in 1897.
One particular show in 1891 caused a sensation among residents
of Thames. Fresh off the success of nine shows in Auckland, Messrs McMahon’s
touring exhibition of Thomas Edison’s phonograph made its Thames debut at the
Academy of Music, to a crowd so big that the police had to limit entry into the
hall. The Thames Star, in a glowing review the following morning, called the
phonograph display ‘the most wonderful and at the same time enjoyable
entertainment that we at the Thames have had the opportunity of witnessing.’ The
evening began with a lecture on how the phonograph worked and the life of its
creator. Town residents spoke excitedly of the phonograph’s future uses –
particularly the possibility of sending ‘voice letters’ through the post.
When the phonograph played, an enraptured audience
listened to two cornet solos, a banjo player and a ‘delightful’ amateur tin
whistle performance. The highlight of the night, however, was a recording from
the Christchurch Salvation Army Band, which sounded so ‘charmingly realistic’
that the reporter from the Thames Star could imagine the band were just outside
of the hall. Another highlight was a recording made on the spot by the mayor of
Thames – his speech was immediately played back to the audience, demonstrating
the authenticity of the sound produced by the phonograph.
The exhibition was so successful that an extra
performance had to be added to meet demand, before the phonograph continued its
tour of the country. ‘Those who fail to attend,’ wrote the Thames Star, ‘will
miss a treat they will not be afforded of witnessing for, probably, years to
come.’
The Treasury has information about performances past
and present in both our Local Arts folder and Thames collection. We also have
the Thames Star available on microfiche. We’re open from 11am to 3pm on
Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Researching costs $15 an hour per
person for non-members and $5 for members, while non-researching Gold Card
holders can pop in and read a book in our Reading Room for free. Be sure to
check out our website and like us on Facebook.
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