Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Parents: - Joseph Ryder and Mary Jane Bailey married in United Kingdom.

Wife: - Elizabeth Neill 12th May 1906 in Rawmarsh, Yorkshire, England.

Obituary Extracted from Trove.

Queensland Times, Ipswich, Wednesday 20 May 1942 - Page 5.
LATE MR. W. RYDER.
Well-Known Band Conductor Passes.
Mr. William Ryder, sen probably Queensland's best-known bandsman, cornetist, band conductor, and adjudicator, died at the age of 60 years in a military hospital in Brisbane on May 11. Well-known in this city, he was the conductor of the Ipswich City Vice-Regal hand when it won the Queensland championship at Maryborough in 1927, and it was while under his direction that the Vice-Regal Band was praised by the present King and Queen, who, as the Duke and Duchess of York, heard the band play at the Ipswich railway station and at the Beaudesert Carnival on the occasion of their visit to Queensland. The late Mr. Ryder enjoyed the distinction of being the only brass band conductor to be presented to the then Duke and Duchess in Queensland. "You have a lovely band; it is a credit to you," the Duchess remarked. Mr. Ryder came to Australia in 1912 as leading cornetist of the world-famous English Bosses o' the Barn Band. So much was he impressed with Queensland that he stayed in this State and became a leading figure in band circles. He had an intense 'love of music, and gifted with talent to a high degree, he was recognised as one of Australia's most capable band trainers, conductors, and adjudicators. He was also a gifted pianist and played the accompaniments for many septette and quartets parties, which he organised from his bands. In 1936, when he was 54 years of age, he won the cornet championship of Queensland in Maryborough, and in various band competitions his bands gained honours. He also won many duets with his sons in major competitions. With a newly formed Rossendale Band front Bauple, Mr. Ryder went to the Brisbane Centenary contest in 1925, and with a handful of 14 players swept the pool from bands of twice that number of players. From Maryborough Mr. Ryder went to Gympie and established the Gympie Citizens' Band, which he conducted until last year. In 1938 he took that band to the Sesquicentenary contest in Sydney, where he won first place honours from 16 of Australia's D-grade bands. Keenly interested in young players he succeeded in building up a boys'band at Gympie, and he stirred that city when about 50 boys, after a few weeks under his expert tuition, made their first appearance in public. He did much for the musical life of Gymple during his residence there. He was keenly interested in musical' comedy, and formed a local company, with which he successfully produced a number of musical comedies. Early last year he joined the military forces and conducted a battalion band. He later was transferred to New South Wales, and upon his return to Brisbane. entered a military hospital, to which he was confined for the last four months, The late Mr. Ryder is survived by a widow, three sons (William, Jack, and Robert, all members of the fighting forces), and three daughters. At the service at the Crematorium the "Last Post" was sounded by one of, Mr. Ryder's sons. Last Sunday afternoon when the Ipswich City Vice-Regal Band, conducted by Mr. J. Henry, visited the Sandy Gallop Mental Hospital, a tribute was paid to the memory of the late Mr. Ryder when the band played one of his favourite hymns, 'Bradford," arranged by Alex Owens, conductor of the Besses o' the Barn Band, of which Mr. Ryder was one time principal cornet soloist.