Bill Harrison (William Edward Harrison) led his own dance orchestra in the 1920s and later accompanied his son Jack on piano during Jack’s earliest radio appearances.
15.1.898 – 2.5.1977
William Edward Harrison was the first child born in Subiaco to Arthur Dight Harrison and Phoebe Alice Parsons.
In 1912, at the age of 14, William Edward Harrison was an army cadet with the Subiaco 87B battalion and was a member of their brass band. He was a proficient pianist and employed as a clerk with the government at his time of enlistment aged 18.
He enlisted in World War One as a trumpeter with the 10th Australian Light Horse and was a member of the ANZAC Mounted Division Band in Palestine. He wrote a diary whilst in the A.I.F. and dating from 17.7.1916 until 4.7.1919 and detailing over 140 performances.
He wrote consistently to his parents and siblings from his enlistment in 1916:
Mother: PHOEBE ALICE PARSONS (b. 1871 aged 45)
Father: ARTHUR DIGHT HARRISON (b. 1871 aged 45)
Lew: ARTHUR LOUIS (b. 30.3.1900 aged 16)
Nell: NELLIE FRANCES (b. 25.9.1901 aged 15)
Charlie: CHARLES GEORGE (b. 20.8.1907 aged 9)
On his return to civilian life in Perth Western Australia, he resumed employment at the Western Australian Titles Office as a civil servant, obtained his Teachers Diploma [Associate] in October 1921 on piano and theory and formed his own dance band. He performed at the silent movies and many R.S.L. events. He was an inaugural member of the Band of 44th Battalion Association to later be known as the Returned Soldiers League (R.S.L.) Memorial Band formed in May 1920 by a group of returned servicemen initially established to perform for visit of the Prince of Wales (notorious King Edward VIII who abdicated) to Perth in July 1920.
In June 1922, 24 year old William Harrison met 15 year old Edna Kerr and her older sister Bessie, as Musical Director and accompanist for the Rainbow Pierrots. William Harrison’s “White City Orchestra” also played at dance carnivals at the Perth Town Hall and at regular dances in the King’s Hall, Rokeby Road, Subiaco.
On Sunday 10 August 1924 the engagement was announced in the Sunday Times of:
Edna May, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. Kerr of Leake Street, Bayswater, to William Edward, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Harrison, of Merriwa Street, Nedlands.
And they were married on the 25th July 1925.
They had four children:
William Arthur (1926 – 2000)
Ramon Kerr (1929 – 2023)
Jill Lois (1931)
Jack Louis (1931 – 2013)
William was instrumental in promoting and guiding the careers of his children, particularly Jack and Jill Harrison who became leading musicians in symphony orchestras in Perth and Melbourne.
William died 2nd May 1977 aged 79.
NOTED WA MUSICIAN DIES
One of the State’s oldest musicians, Mr Bill Harrison of Nedlands, died on Monday. He was aged 79. Mr Harrison was a prominent pianist and band leader between the 1930s and 1950s and two of his children are leading musicians in orchestras in Perth and Melbourne. The secretary of the Musicians’ Union, Mr Harry Bluck, said yesterday that Mr Harrison’s son Jack was the senior clarinettist in the W.A. Symphony Orchestra. His daughter Jill was a bassoonist with the Melbourne Elizabethan Theatre Trust Orchestra. Mr Bluck said that Mr Harrison senior had devoted a lot of time to encouraging and promoting young musicians. [1]
[1] The West Australian Wednesday May 4 1977