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  #1  
Old 28-09-2012, 12:38 PM
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Coquet Coquet is offline
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Default Brass Bands

I've got an incoming question from a researcher regarding local bands. Reproduced below. Anyone got any info? we must have had a few colliery/village bands?





Did your village, town or community once have its own brass or silver band?

I am carrying out ongoing research in the history of brass bands in local communities, and would like to ask if you know of any information about any such extinct bands in your area.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries were the "golden age" for these bands numbering, it is said, up to 40,000 distinct bands at their peak. Many of these bands were associated with local industries, often being a "works" band. Others provided a musical focus for many small towns and villages in the days before the gramophone and the wireless. Today, in contrast, only some 1,500 or so are left active in the UK.

Sadly many of the bands left little in the way of information about their existence, and what does exist is widely scattered with individuals, local archives and national collections.

Part of my research is to identify these lost bands, to collect together material to provide a central database of info
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Old 28-09-2012, 03:43 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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My uncle was a member of I think, the Broomhill Colliery Band, probably in the 1920s. He played a bassoon or some such thing. Isn't there a photograph in one of Elizabeth Stewart's books taken outside the Grey Arms? We also had a funeral at Amble of a Radcliffe man with the bands playing at the head of his cortege (12 June post on Amble page).

Last edited by janwhin; 28-09-2012 at 03:47 PM. Reason: update
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Old 14-02-2013, 03:37 PM
williamtheyounger williamtheyounger is offline
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Default Broomhill Colliery Brass Band

I know it is a bit late for me in replying to this thread, the Broomhill band started up in the 50s as my brother Lawrence joined up and played the cornet, a school pal of mine Ray Harmer played the fugel horn (not correct spelling, sorry). The band hut was built opposite the road into Broomhill colliery.
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Old 15-02-2013, 07:37 PM
Derilda Derilda is offline
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Talking Re Broomhill Band

The band was formed in 1953 from voluntary subscriptions from every miner at Broomhill Colliery.
The bandmaster was Charlie Gillan from Amble who worked on the screens. Also members were Lawrence Young, who you mentioned, Jackie Oliver, Jackie Johnson, John Sanderson, Wilf Hardy, Michael Keen, John Smith, Ronnie Morton, Eric Ross, Jack Sillet, Derek Sillet, Ed Knox, and the Bandmasters son who's name I forget, who played the trombone,Jack Russell, George Bell, Tommy Welch and Raymond Harmer. I am sure I have missed some names as it was a long time ago, but it was enjoyable. We had a practice on a sunday morning and some went to Amble and practiced with thier band on a sunday evening. That was upstairs in the then 'Station Inn', Fiveways.
The band broke up as the pit closed and players went to the Armed Forces and other areas for work.
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Old 27-09-2013, 06:07 PM
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Default Amble and Radcliffe Prize Band

Interesting this. Looks like the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers borrowed the 'Amble and Radcliffe Prize Band' in 1914.









Mr. Chas. Johnson, of Long Row, Radcliffe, for the past five years has been bandmaster of that excellent local combination, the Amble and Radcliffe Prize Band, which is now stationed in Alnwick, as the Band of the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. In the streets of Alnwick, their splendid music is heard four times a day, leading the Terriers out on parade and finishing up in the Market Place invariably with ‘The British Grenadiers’. It is interesting to know that their silver instruments cost between £400 and £500. They have won several contests. Two years ago they attended Crystal Palace in the national prize competitions, and came out 12th amongst 27 bands from all parts of the United Kingdom. Mr Johnson is a native of North Seaton, but has spent 10 years at Shilbottle, 11 years at Newton-on-the-moor Colliery as manager and has been about nine years at Amble. He was bandmaster at Shilbottle and organist at the Parish Church (both old and new), being an organ pupil of the late C.E. Moore’s. He was also organist at Newton and occupied a similar post at Eglingham for about a year in the time of the late Ven. Archdeacon Martin. He has adjudicated at several contests, vocal and instrumental, his first experience in this capacity being at the first miners’ picnic at Tynemouth, when 19 bands competed. Mr Johnson has four sons under the colours at the present day- two in France and two in Alnwick- an example of family patriotism on which the admirers of his fine hand will heartily congratulate him.


Alnwick & C. Gazette Aug 1914
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Old 27-09-2013, 08:03 PM
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Quote:
It is interesting to know that their silver instruments cost between £400 and £500
that's £44,000 in today's money.
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Old 05-10-2013, 02:00 PM
John@theDrift John@theDrift is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coquet View Post
Interesting this. Looks like the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers borrowed the 'Amble and Radcliffe Prize Band' in 1914.









Mr. Chas. Johnson, of Long Row, Radcliffe, for the past five years has been bandmaster of that excellent local combination, the Amble and Radcliffe Prize Band, which is now stationed in Alnwick, as the Band of the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. In the streets of Alnwick, their splendid music is heard four times a day, leading the Terriers out on parade and finishing up in the Market Place invariably with ‘The British Grenadiers’. It is interesting to know that their silver instruments cost between £400 and £500. They have won several contests. Two years ago they attended Crystal Palace in the national prize competitions, and came out 12th amongst 27 bands from all parts of the United Kingdom. Mr Johnson is a native of North Seaton, but has spent 10 years at Shilbottle, 11 years at Newton-on-the-moor Colliery as manager and has been about nine years at Amble. He was bandmaster at Shilbottle and organist at the Parish Church (both old and new), being an organ pupil of the late C.E. Moore’s. He was also organist at Newton and occupied a similar post at Eglingham for about a year in the time of the late Ven. Archdeacon Martin. He has adjudicated at several contests, vocal and instrumental, his first experience in this capacity being at the first miners’ picnic at Tynemouth, when 19 bands competed. Mr Johnson has four sons under the colours at the present day- two in France and two in Alnwick- an example of family patriotism on which the admirers of his fine hand will heartily congratulate him.


Alnwick & C. Gazette Aug 1914
This is the band of the 7th Northumberland Fusiliers at Armistice as pictured in Captain Buckley's 'War History'. Charles Johnson possibly fourth from left in the centre row?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 7th NF Band Hautmont 12-11-18.jpg (133.2 KB, 36 views)
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Old 07-10-2013, 09:20 PM
janwhin janwhin is offline
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Originally Posted by Coquet View Post
It is interesting to know that their silver instruments cost between £400 and £500.
What is more interesting is how they got the money. The Alnwick Mercury of 25 May 1912 reported on a meeting in Amble on behalf of the New Instrument Fund attended by a large number of Radcliffe miners. The new instruments had been got at a cost of £400 but they now needed to raise the money to pay for them.
450 miners from Newburgh had already pledged one penny a fortnight towards the cost, payable until such time as all the money ahd been raised. It was hoped that more money would be contributed following the meeting.
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Old 07-01-2021, 08:35 PM
hoppa hoppa is offline
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Default To DERILDA

Quote:
Originally Posted by Derilda View Post
The band was formed in 1953 from voluntary subscriptions from every miner at Broomhill Colliery.
The bandmaster was Charlie Gillan from Amble who worked on the screens. Also members were Lawrence Young, who you mentioned, Jackie Oliver, Jackie Johnson, John Sanderson, Wilf Hardy, Michael Keen, John Smith, Ronnie Morton, Eric Ross, Jack Sillet, Derek Sillet, Ed Knox, and the Bandmasters son who's name I forget, who played the trombone,Jack Russell, George Bell, Tommy Welch and Raymond Harmer. I am sure I have missed some names as it was a long time ago, but it was enjoyable. We had a practice on a sunday morning and some went to Amble and practiced with thier band on a sunday evening. That was upstairs in the then 'Station Inn', Fiveways.
The band broke up as the pit closed and players went to the Armed Forces and other areas for work.
Did you know anything about Ed Knox?
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