The Bang connection To the Stickler Family

Johannes Nelsen Bang (1858-1944), and his wife
Louisa Christofel Maria Italia Neilsen (1854-1931)

Johannes Nelsen Bang was born in 1858, and his wife, Louisa Neilsen in 1854. Both born in Jutland, Denmark, were married on 27th October 1882 in Randers, Denmark. They both ended their days in Brisbane, Australia.

Johannes and Louisa sailed from Jutland, Denmark on the SS. Dacca, year unknown. He was a Gun Smith and Lock Smith by trade. Johannes and his son 'Hans Bang' were members of the 'Danish Club'. Both men were crack shots.

Johannes and Louisa had nine children: -

• Lena Bang, born 1837

• Niels Bang, born 1889

• Anne Bang, born 1891

• Alfred Bang, born 1893

• Peter Bang, born 1895

• Hans Bang, born 7th November 1897

• Frederick Bang, born Australia

• Alexandra Bang, born Australia

• Bertha Bang, born Australia
  
  

Hans Bang (1897-1972), and his wife
Clara Anna Bertha Andersen (1897-1968)

Hans Bang, son of Johannes & Louisa Bang, was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 7th November 1897. He married Clara Anna Bertha Andersen on 16th July 1921. Hans was a Sniper in World War I, and served in World War II. He was a very loving and liked Gentleman. His wife Clara born in Brisbane, Australia on 24th July 1897 was marvellous at fancy work, and embroidery etc. Even though her father was born in Norway, and worked his passage from Hamburg, Norway, aboard the 'Reichstag' to Australia, the name Andersen is spelt the Danish Way. Apparently, his forebears went for a trip one time over the border into Norway from Denmark, and never returned!

Hans and Clara Bang had three children, all born in Brisbane, Australia: -

• Arthur Bang who married Patricia Helen Stickler

• Winifred Margaret Bang, born 13th February 1924, who married John Summerville, and

• Norman Henry Bang, born 30th December 1929

Hans Bang died on 19th October 1972. His wife Clara died 23rd November 1968. She was waiting on the platform of the Railway Station for a train to visit her daughter's home, for a birthday party of Winifred's second son's 13th birthday. While waiting she turned to Hans (her husband) and spoke, then fell to the ground. The doctor said she would not have felt a thing. The cause of death was a blood clot in the heart (a clot of blood touched the valve of the heart); it was over in a second. It was a big shock for everyone.

Arthur Allan Bang (1922-2004), and his wife
Patricia Helen Stickler (1932-1995)

Arthur Allan Bang (the son of Hans Bang and Clara Anna Bertha Andersen) married Patricia Helen Stickler (the daughter of Donald Arthur Stickler and Olive Emily Black) in Brisbane, Australia on the 7th April 1951. Their two children, Sheryn & Neil married Stephen George Yates and Karen Anne MacDonald respectively. Sheryn & Steve have four children, Hans Stephen Arthur; Eric George Edward; Rowan Arthur James and Dustin Edward Graham Yates. And Neil & Karen are the proud parents of their daughter Kelly Bang.

Arthur Bang, born in Brisbane, Australia on the 8th March 1922, rang the Bells at St Andrew's Church of England, Lutwyche, Brisbane, Australia for over half a century. The Bells were the largest in the Southern Hemisphere until Queen Elizabeth put a slightly larger one into service in a Canberra church in 1970.

Below is the transcript from a 1973 Newspaper cutting: -

“MR BANG STILL RINGING FROM NEW YEAR 1939

Mr George Smoothie rang the old year out on December 31, 1938 at St. Andrew’s Church of England, Lutwyche. Next morning, his eager, 16-year-old apprentice Arthur Bang rang the New Year in on the Church bells – Bells he has been ringing very regularly ever since. Northside Brisbane residents might never have met the personable 50-year-old city council bus driver – But a lot of them have heard him and his bells on Saturdays and Sundays since that first morning of 1939. Mr Bang grew up within the sound of the bells at Gordon Park and now commutes to the church from Everton Park.

The bells sound from the church – Heard anything up to four miles away on a clear day – On the occasions of weddings, half-an-hour before Sunday services and important events such as Easter and Christmas. They have been recorded as far away as Bulimba and apparently thrill more people than they annoy. Mr Bang can only recall one abusive letter from an irate man who warned he would climb the bell tower and batter Mr Bang with an axe if he did not stop ringing the bells. The 13-bell carillon in the tower of St. Andrew’s was the largest in the southern hemisphere until Queen Elizabeth put a slightly larger instrument into service in a Canberra church in 1970. Mr Bang worked the bells for 19 years, but for the last 15 years he has had six volunteer assistants who now work a roaster.

One of the most active is Mr Bang’s 18-year-old daughter, Sheryn, who admits her musical skill run to the recorder. Bell Badge: her genuine skill at ringing the bells gained her the only Girl Guides badge in Australia for bell-ringing, although a number have been awarded in England. When Mr Bang tells people of his off-beat, week-end chore “I feel that by playing the bells I’m making some contribution to the church”. They most often liken him to Quasimodo, the hunchback tugging on the ropes to ring the bells of Notre Dame – But Mr Bang does not touch a rope.

Yesterday, we climbed the 25ft into the church tower, up two narrow ladders, to reach the small room from which the bells are controlled. The bells are worked by a 13-note keyboard. Covering middle C to high C, plus some sharps. Wire strands connect the bells – Another perilous ladder trip, 25ft above the keyboard.

Mr Bang has transposed 200 of the most popular hymns into carillon language – substituting musical notes for their equivalent numbers on his had pull keyboard. He refers to the book each time he plays rather than trusting his memory for the numbers – But he had to play for the consecration of the new church during a blackout without the aid of the book.

“We’ve got a beautiful set of fixed bells. But there is one thing I would love more than anything else”, Mr Bang admitted in the tower yesterday. “If we had one more bell, bigger than our biggest at present, we’d be able to play the Bells of St. Mary’s with all the trimmings, one they would hear farther than Bulimba”. He said”

Patricia Helen Stickler (1931-1955): Wife of Arthur Allen Bang

Patricia (aka Pat Bang), née Stickler (1932-1995), the wife of Arthur Allan Bang (1922-2004), was born in Brisbane on the 3rd February 1932.

As a child she won 1st prize in a Fancy Dress Costume as a Japanese Girl.

Right: Patricia at the Lone Pine Koala, Kangaroo and Lizard Sanctuary. “It looks a lot better now than it did when the photo was taken. Lone Pine was one of the battles the Australians fought in World War I, so it was not received very well when the Japanese recently bought it”. (Source letter from Pat late 1980's)

When her grandma died a couple of large photo albums, bought over from England went to the other side of the family. The 'Pumps' side of the family as Pat Bang puts it. `Pumps' was a nickname Pat gave to her grandfather (Arthur Bryer) when she was a child, and it stuck'. Her grandmother (Maud Lilley Burgess) married Arthur Bryer after the tragic death of her first husband (Albert Thomas Arthur Stickler). Pat (quite understandably) finds it disappointing that the photo albums went over to the Bryer side of the family. She feels the photos could have told her a lot. However, she did inherit the 'Family Bible'. The entries in the first two pages are as follows: