Sunday 24 July 2016

Local History Local Music – Alfred and Olivea Wynne

The first tower for Radio 4MB was erected at the residence of A. P. Wynne, 669 Kent Street, Maryborough. This photograph shows the pole being transported from the Hyne & Son Sawmill in lower Kent Street. Walkers Limited Shipyards is shown in the background of the photograph. This image is part of the Maryborough Wide Bay & Burnett Historical Society Inc. collection. Copies of this image can be purchased from the Maryborough Wide Bay & Burnett Historical Society Inc. Contact emailmuseum@maryboroughhistoricsociety.com.au
Fraser Coast Libraries and Maryborough Wide Bay and Burnett Historical Society Inc are working together on a Historypin project Local History Local Music found here 

During this project we have discovered that Alfred and Olivea Wynne were significant members of the local area's musical community.

Alfred Percy Wynne and Olivea Jean Wynne were business owners of Wynne’s Music Store in Maryborough. They married in 1913 and established the business in 1919 in the old Chronicle building, Adelaide Street before moving to Kent Street. Details can be found here

Mr Wynne was the secretary of the Philaharmonic Society and Secretary of the Wide Bay  and Burnett Musical Festival Council. Details found here 

Mr Wynne as managing director of 4MB in 1932 was very involved in developing commercial broadcasting in Maryborough. The first broadcast was from the Wynne’s home in upper Kent Street. Details found here  and here

Maryborough Family History  (Pin Interest collection) 673 Kent St - Alfred and Olivia Wynne's house from where 4MB was first transmitted.
It then moved to above Wynne's music store in 1937.


Alfred Percy Wynne died in 1966 and Olivea Jean Wynne died in 1968. They bequested $200 000 to the University of Queensland to be used as scholarships for Maryborough students. The 50th anniversary of this bequest is coming up and the University is keen to find out more about this philanthropic Maryborough couple.

Do you know why they donated this money to University of Queensland?

Have you or anyone you know completed studies with the help of this scholarship and live in Maryborough?

Do you know anything about the musical history of Maryborough?

Please come along to our special Historypin Local History Local Music chat group Tuesday 12 noon on the 2nd of August at the Maryborough Library E Space and help us keep our musical history alive.

Tags: #AlfredWynne #wynnes #musicstore #Historypin #localhistorylocalmusic #frasercoastlibraries #maryborough

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

If you do a google search using - Alfred Wynne University of Queensland - you will find information on the bequest including an address to which to make further enquiries at UQ.
Hope this helps.
Kind regards
Laurel Dingle
Queensland Music Coordinator
State Library of Queensland