ORIGIN OF THE CORRICK FAMILY

According to an entry in "A Biographical Register 1788 - 1939" by Gibbney & Smith,  Albert Corrick was born in 1849 in Somerset, England and emigrated to New Zealand in 1861. He married Sarah (nee Calvert) in Christchurch. From 1898 they toured Australasia with their 8 children as the "Corrick Family of Musicians". Albert began showing films in 1900 and his son Leonard Corrick 1886 - 1967 became cameraman for Corrick Production Films. Albert died in Launceston in 1914. The family settled there after his death and performed occasionally for charity. They last appeared together in 1932. Sarah died in Launceston in 1935.

Searching from 1898 onwards the earliest Australian performance I can find for the Corrick family so far is 21st April 1902 when they made their first appearance in Hobart. The concert review mentions that Miss Alice Corrick had sung in the Hobart Town Hall several years previously:

   The Corrick concert combination opened at the Masonic Hall on Monday evening, with a programme that won general approval. Despite the circumstance that weather conditions were unfavourable, the attendance was large, nearly the whole of the seating accommodation being occupied. A programme of 16 items was submitted, and the number was considerably augmented by encores. The entertainment was not confined exclusively to musical numbers,  and occasional variety was afforded by exhibitions of fancy dancing, and the display of a series of interesting biograph pictures. The first number on the programme was an overture, "Bohemian Girl" by the company, the instruments consisting of flute, cornet, violins, piano and clarionet.  It was certainly a somewhat novel sight in Hobart to see one lady member of an orchestra playing a cornet and another a flute. However, the music was of high class quality. Miss Alice Corrick, who was heard at the Town Hall Hobart some years ago, sang the grand scena and aria from "Der Freischutz", and received quite an ovation. Miss Corrick's singing has much improved since her previous appearance here, and her attack and expression were exceptionally good. For an encore, Miss Corrick sang "Soldiers in the Park", and her second number on the programme was "Tell me, my heart" (Bishop). This latter item was well received, and in response to a double encore, Miss Corrick sang "Comin' thro' the Rye" and "The Cows are in the Corn".  Madame Corrick, who is possessed of a sympathetic contralto voice, sang "Alone on the Raft" which was illustrated with limelight views. In the duet "Sainted Mother", both Madame and Miss Corrick were heard to advantage. Various selections were played on the hand bells by the company and some excellent music was produced, each item being encored. Miss Ethel Corrick was recalled for her singing of the humorous song "Keep on the Sunny Side" and Professor Corrick sang with good effect "Lads in Navy" which was illustrated with 50 views, descriptive of the words. A clarionet solo, orchestral selections and a number of biograph pictures contributed largely to the success of the entertainment.

Hobart Mercury, 22nd April 1902

 

The Corricks continued performing in the Hobart area until the middle of May. Their last two concerts were special charity performances:

 

 

The Corricks then moved up to Launceston :

 

THE CORRICKS AT THE MECHANICS'

 A  most  delightful entertainment was that with which the Corrick family opened their Launceston season last evening at the Mechanics' Institute. It was their first appearance in this city, but had they been old favourites their reception could hardly have been more cordial. The Mechanics' was packed, many having to be content to stand.  The Corricks' praises have been very loudly sung for some time past in the southern press, but for once at any rate no disappointment with the reality could  have been felt. The family presented an entertainment that fully justified the reputation which preceded them. The programme possessed at least three charms - its excellence, its brightness and its variety. Not a number but was listened to with an infinite pleasure, and those that escaped an encore were few.  The family can raise an orchestra of seven - three violins, a clarionet,  cornet, flute and the piano - and what capable musicians they were was abundantly evidenced by their playing of a couple of overtures - "Bohemian Girl" and "Prince Charlie".  Their bellringing was also an especially strong point. In the first place, their selection of items was particularly happy, and in the second they achieved such a faultless execution that it was no wonder that the two on the programme had to be doubled ere an enthusiastic audience could be induced to let the ringers go. Another instrumental item that found much favour was Mr Leonard Corrick's fantasia of weird Scottish airs on the clarionet.

In Miss Alice Corrick the family possess a vocalist of marked ability. She has a fair, full soprano voice, with admirably correct enunciation, and afforded exquisite pleasure by her interpretation of four solo numbers. Her first was Bishop's "Tell Me, My Heart", exceedingly well sung and eliciting a prolonged burst of applause that was appeased by the lady giving the popular military item from "A Runaway Girl" - "The Soldiers in the Park" - at the conclusion of which a very handsome bouquet was handed the fair and talented songstress.   In the second part Miss Alice sang "Dear Bird of Winter" (Ganz), and was again encored and responded with an arch rendition of the familiar "Comin' through the Rye".  Madame Corrick contributed a couple of appreciated vocal items - "Dream Voices" and "Alone on the Raft" - the latter illustrated with some capital coloured limelight views.  Madame and Miss Alice also sang that fine duet "Sainted Mother" and gained general approbation for the effort.  The company submitted a couple of choruses, both going with splendid swing, and two terpsichorean turns added variety to the entertainment. Towards the close Professor Corrick, although handicapped by the last chapters of a heavy cold, sang the patriotic song "The Lads in Navy Blue", the effect of which was brightened by a comprehensive series of naval pictures and the spirited chorusing of the other members of the family.  To conclude the evening's entertainment several very realistic biograph views were shown. A special word of praise is due to Miss Corrick for her indefatigable and excellent work as accompanist.

               Launceston Examiner, 27th May 1902

And how's this for a great little ad. (Launceston Examiner, 31st May 1902):

                              

As you can see from the above reviews,  a novel feature of the Corricks' programme was the showing of biograph pictures (= lantern slides).  Some of the pictures were shown during the songs as illustrations. One in particular caused a furore:

The illustrated songs by Madame and Professor Corrick respectively elicited unusually warm tokens of approval and when during the singing, as an encore number, of "Lads in Navy Blue", a picture of Lord Nelson was thrown upon the screen, the applause entirely drowned the remainder of the verse.

        Launceston Examiner, 1st June 1902

 

The Corricks' final appearance in Launceston was on 2nd June.

 They opened in Melbourne on 26th August 1902 for a two week run, then performed in suburban venues up until 12th September. The ad. for the opening concert describes the Corricks as the CHAMPION BELL RINGERS of the WORLD and their bells as The Most Delicate and Sweetest Toned Set of Bells Extant.  The eldest Miss Corrick was billed as New Zealand's Eminent Pianiste:

 

 

When Miss Amy Corrick died in Launceston in December 1968 the newspaper write-ups provided some interesting historical information:

 

FLAUTIST DIES IN L'TON

Miss Amy Corrick, of a celebrated family of musicians, died in Launceston on Tuesday.

Amy was the flautist with the internationally famous family on its tours of Australia, New Zealand, Europe and India, early this century.

The Corricks, originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, settled in Launceston during World War I.

The family consisted of Professor Albert Corrick (organist, conductor and teacher), Madam Corrick (contralto, cello), and their children Alice (soprano), Gertrude (piano, cello), Amy (flute, piccolo), Leonard (clarinet), Ethel (singer, violin), Jessie (violin), Elsie (singer, violin, piano) and Ruby (cornet).

The family conducted a music studio in Launceston and provided the music for silent films at the Majestic Theatre.

Amy was also the flautist in the orchestra at the Princess Theatre.

She was resident flautist for J.C.Williamson's tours of Western Australia for many years, and also played in the Alex Lithgow Launceston Concert Orchestra.

Miss Corrick died in a private nursing home. She had been ill for some time.

She is survived by her sisters Ethel (Mrs F.M.Coulter) and Elsie (Mrs S.V.Tilley).

  Launceston Examiner 19th December 1968

 The following article is from the Hobart Mercury of the same date:

 EX-ENTERTAINER DIES IN NORTH

Miss Amy Beatrice Corrick, member of the famous Corrick family of entertainers, died in a private nursing home in Launceston on Tuesday. She was in her 87th year.

With her father and mother, three brothers and four sisters, who came from New Zealand, Miss Corrick toured the world for 14 years before the family retired to Launceston in 1914.

For years, Miss Corrick was flautist in the silent films orchestra at the Princess Theatre, in Launceston, and later went to Perth (WA), where she was retained by J. C. Williamson's as permanent flautist for the company's visits to West Australia.

FAMED DRESSES

The daughters of this talented musical family were famous also for their beautiful stage dresses, some of which were embroidered in real silver thread in India and made up and fitted in Paris.

Star was Miss Alice Corrick, who was 17 when the New Zealand people planned through public subscription to send her to Mme Machesi in Paris for operatic training. However she was already singing, and toured Dunedin, Auckland, Christchurch and Hobart, where she was billed as the 17-year‑old New Zealand dramatic soprano.

Mr Corrick started what was to have been a short concert tour during school holidays. It proved so successful that it was extended to all capitals in Australasia; then to the East, and in 1907 to Europe, where Miss Alice Corrick trained under Mme Machesi.

After a successful career, the young singer settled in Launceston, where she married Mr Edward Sadleir.

MUSIC SCHOOL

A Corrick School of Music was established in Brisbane St. where the Commonwealth Bank now stands.

The family was honoured by the City of Launceston for its generous contribution to the musical life of the community.

 

The National Library of Australia has 3 lovely postcard pictures of the Corrick Family. They show the family group with their orchestral instruments but not the handbells. You can look at these on the internet. (Look in the Pictures Catalogue under Corrick Family Entertainers and Corrick Family Musicians.)

© Gwyn Gillard

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