Anthony Eric Melody 1899 - 1974

Anthony Eric Melody 1899 - 1974
By Paul Melody

The youngest son in the family of Johnny and Polly Melody was Anthony Eric (known as Eric), born in Wanganui on May 31st 1899. Like his brothers , Will and Frank, his height was in the 5' 5 range, but whilst they were bald at the early age of 25, photographs show Eric retained his hair to the end of his life, on August 11 1973 aged 74.

Scholarship: A pupil at the Aramoho primary school, he spent a year at Wanganui District High School in 1912 where he won a scholarship which took him to Wanganui Collegiate School in 1913-14. Clerical work in the stock and station agency business followed, with 14 years in the merchandise, shipping, and wool departments of Johnston & Co and Levin & Co at Wanganui and Hawera. Then he spent 16 years in the overseas buying and hardware sections of the Farmers Co-op head offices in New Plymouth.
Photo: Eric and Gwen, Castlecliff Beach, 1925.

Sportsman: An active sportsman, Eric enjoyed tennis and swimming and excelled at golf, where his handicap dropped to the low figure of 3. This was quite an achievement on the demanding New Plymouth courses. Because of his lower height he said he couldn't drive further than 200 yards, so his short-iron play had to be immaculate. He won the junior championship title.

To improve his chipping ability Eric would empty a 200-size bottle of aspirins onto his house carpet, then chip them into a bucket with a sand iron.
Photo: Eric on the golf course 1962.

Musical Talent: Eric's chief after-hours interest was music, which first surfaced at the age of 15. He wanted to join the Queen Alexandra Brass Band, but his mother, Mary Ellen, firmly believed that bandrooms were dens of vice, in the same class as billiard rooms, and she refused to allow him to attend band practices. So her son was forced to climb out of his bedroom window to creep off to night-time practices and to sneak home afterwards.

Eric showed real talent as a cornet player at a time when the "Queen Alecs", as they were known, were trained and conducted by George Buckley, a famed name in band circles. Under this experienced tutor Eric became a skilled player and developed a dexterity which stayed with him all his life and made him an asset among many musicians in Wanganui and New Plymouth in later years.

Concert Player: He was also welcomed by audiences at numerous concerts and recitals over a period of 55 years. During his time in New Plymouth he was with the cornet section of the Taranaki Regimental Band and played in several dance bands. They included Fred Williams' orchestra and finally Eric's own orchestra, the Melodians.

This group, who included drummer Laurie Smith, saxophone players Merv Bennett and Clarrie Wallace and trumpeter Alph Ramsay, had a regular Saturday night dance spot on the top floor of the Electricity Building, on the road to Pukekura park for several years.

Soloist: Eric was also in demand as a soloist, especially during the Second World War, when he was on the programme for numerous wartime concerts. And he was often the trumpeter at Anzac Day ceremonies in New Plymouth, where he played the "Last Post" with quiet style.

His playing opportunities faded during his grocery store days at Raurimu and Erua, but they revived when he and Gwen shifted to Palmerston North to live, about 1970. There he joined the Manawatu Savage Club's orchestra and also played in the orchestra for musical comedies produced by The Palmerston North Operatic Society.

Artist: Another of Eric's talents was his ability as an artist. In earlier years he entertained his friends with sketches of people, later with imaginary scenes around the Egyptian Pyramids though he'd never seen them in real life. He produced numerous pyramid sketches, some of which disappeared from his collection, until one day he visited a friend at Fitzroy in New Plymouth. While Eric waited at the open front door of his friend's house he looked down the passage and spotted his missing sketches - all framed and hanging on the walls of the hallway. What a friend!

Teacher: Eric's musical abilities included playing the double bass (a super-cello) as a slap-bass at dances. Also he taught music to several young pupils in New Plymouth, including the flute, cornet or trumpet and violin.

He had a quiet but clever sense of humour which further made him popular among his friends.

Offices: Eric's accounting experience led him to take on several clerical posts in Palmerston North, from which he retired in December 1969, as wages clerk for the Reliance Tyre & Rubber Co.

Many musical friends and Savage Club members were among the mourners at Eric's funeral in St Patrick's Cathedral in Palmerston North in August 1974.

Note: Eric was the son of John Patrick and Mary Ellen, and the grandson of William Melody.