Arthur Very, wearing the new dress uniform of the Canadian Guards, published in the Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network, Inc., April 20, 1955.
Arthur William Stephen Very
1914 – 1975
Arthur Very was born in Sheerness, Kent, England. By age 27, he was serving in the military. He had a connection to Canada by 1955, when he was a member of the 4th Battalion, Canadian Guards, stationed at Camp Ipperwash in western Ontario.
In July 1962, Very joined Local 180 through the Petawawa Guards band. He played trombone, trumpet and euphonium. In 1972, he served on Local 180’s price list committee.
By at least 1966, Very was Assistant Music Director of the Woodroffe High School Senior Band and accompanied the group on its 25-day, eight-concert tour of western Canada in July 1966.
He conducted the Ottawa Dutch Choral Society in a fundraising event for Laurentian High School’s symphonic band in January 1969. The band later toured Holland, West Germany, Austria and France during its “Project Bridge 1969 Tour.” Its tour program included “I Love Holland”, arranged by Very.
In spring 1971, Very gave a music appreciation course for the Adult Division of the Ottawa Board of Education. He also participated in the 1973 Canadian Music Educators’ Association convention, held at the National Arts Centre, where he conducted a band performance. By 1975, he was Music Director at Ridgemont High School.
Very died suddenly in December 1975 at the age of 61. Local 180’s newsletter wrote that he “was loved and respected by everyone” and that he was “a native of England who immigrated here many years ago through the Petawawa Guards band. An excellent trombonist and teacher, he was one of the finest musicians in our jurisdiction.”
In April 1976, the Ottawa Citizen reported that the first A.W.S. Very Memorial Trophy was awarded to a school music ensemble in his memory.
Kevin James