William Bottrall

…….my father, William Bottrall, is not mentioned anywhere [ on this website ] in articles referring to the formation of the ASO. As I vividly remember his heavy involvement with Lady Bonython in the negotiations at the time. I was too young to take in the details. I was under the impression that my father was President of the Musicians Union but I see that a Union letter depicted shows it signed by Alf Sewell as President. Dad must have been Secretary as he and Alf were always conferring on some point or other. Bill Bottrall was an electrician working on the mine in Broken Hill and played a double B flat base in the Broken Hill City Band. In or about 1918 he won the champion of champions on that instrument at the South Street competitions in Ballarat, the prime competition at that time. He later moved to Adelaide where he took up the bassoon. He was taught by W.H. Foote on a French system Rudall Carte instrument. (This instrument still exists as I presented it to the Elder Conservatorium on his death). My father played in various theatre orchestras mostly under the direction of William Cade and they became good friends. (I played clarinet in a junior symphony orchestra conducted by William Cade together with such people as Carmel Hakendorf, Mary Pascoe and Brendon Langbein to name a few).He eventually played part time in the South Australian orchestra. The second bassoon was a greengrocer by the name of Bill Honan and he and Dad became good friends. This was a bit unusual at the time as Bill Honan was a staunch Catholic and Bill Bottrall a dedicated Freemason! It should be remembered that at that time a good percentage of the orchestra personnel were part timers.

David Bottrall