Group of five official programmes for Grand Open-Air Concerts at the M.C.G. organised by the Melbourne Cricket Club, 1902-03.

Melbourne : Syd. Day [for the Melbourne Cricket Club], 1902-03. Five individual programmes for Monday-evening concerts on 22 & 29 December 1902, and 5 January, 2 February and 30 March 1903. Narrow quarto (290 x 150 mm), single-sheet flyers printed on both sides (versos with advertisements for Robert Hurst shoes); each example has some marginal loss, but nonetheless this a rare and desirable group of survivors.

The summer public concerts at the MCG organised by the MCC were a feature of Melbourne entertainment and social life in the early Federation era. These 1902-03 concerts all featured Code’s Melbourne Brass Band, under the baton of Mr. E. Code, as well as moving picture displays.

The Melbourne Cricket Club Annual Report for 1901-02 noted that “The Open-air Concerts have been carried out with marked success. Twenty-four Concerts were given, the average attendance of members at each Concert being 1641, the attendance of the general public also being of a very satisfactory character. During the season the Committee introduced a new feature – viz., the Edisonia pictures – which proved such a success….. As the Concerts have now become an established institution, the Committee hope during next season to make them still more attractive.”