Menu

BandsA Selection of News Articles Related to Bands

Bideford Town Silver Band

music stimulates the holiday spirit

Music stimulates the holiday spirit 17th August 1943

Music stimulates the holiday spiritThere is nothing like music for stimulating the holiday spirit and Bideford Town Silver Band, conducted by Bandmaster J Heal, have been seeing that Bideford has an extra ration of music during the summer season by giving three concerts a week.

Concerts are on the Park and on the Quay.

Names in photograph - left to right

Top row - Messrs F. Beer, A Huxtable, P Hutchings, S Lee, K Hearn, F Rockhey and G Saltern

Middle Row - Messrs C Harvey, A Pearce, C Bawden, W Vodden, G Patterson, A Bushen, A Elliott, S Laird and G Beer

Bottom Row - Messrs F Beer (Borough Mace Bearer), H Rendle (Band Treasurer), B V Branch (Deputy Bandmaster), Cllrs J H Sharley (Mayor of Bideford), J Heal (Bandmaster), Cllr G Little (Band Chairman), Cllr W E Ellis (Deputy Mayor), W B Cole (Band Secretary), H Baglow (Borough Mace Bearer).  Cllr W H Chubb (Vice Chairman of the Band) was unfortunately unable to be present on the occasion when the photograph was taken.

Read More

Bideford Junior Band

Open air concert

Bideford's Junior Band joins in open air concert 17th June 1955

Bidefords junior band joins in open air concertAges ranging from Terry Bryant's seven years to 17 year old Janet Brailey, Bideford's 24 strong Junior Band gave their first open air performance on the Quay on Sunday evening and greatly impressed their considerable audience.

In the Photograph are (left to right)

Top row - John Beer, Dennis Pengelly, John Short, Anthony Harding, Timothy Cotter, Trevor Gratton, John Stone and Rodney Short.  Second Row - Janet Brailey, Betty May, Lawrence Fishleigh, Joyce Hearn, Patricia Bryant, Lynette Clarke and Julian Luxton.  Bottom row - Alec Jewell, Carol Fishleigh, Gwyneth Hearn, Michael Short, Allan Taylor, Brian Pillman, Terry Bryant, Maureen Hearn and Tony Piper.

Five of the players are junior members of Bideford Town Silver Band.  John Beer and Rodney Short come from Torrington, and the other seventeen are Bideford schoolchildren.

Bandmaster is Mr A R Bryant.  First class tuition is guaranteed, for only last week Janet Brailey,...

Read More

Bideford Band

win three firsts at S.W. Championships

Bideford band are on the march again 2nd October 1964

Bideford band are on the march againBideford Town Band, under their new bandmaster, Mr W M Garrett, who arrived two months ago, are on the march again.  At Exeter on Saturday in the South Western Counties championships they won three first, a second, a third and a fourth.

The Mayor of Bideford Cllr E C Hart and Cllr Tom Pennington (Chairman of the Band and Parks Committee) went down especially to congratulate them.

The winners - successes at Exeter included: first for septet (two cornets, tenor horn, baritone, euphonium, trombone and E flat bass) D Thorne, T Bryant, R Barnes, I Jenkins, A Coles, C Jewell, B Cloke.  Second for quartet "A" team (two cornets, tenor horn and euphonium) R Brennan, T Bryant, R Barnes, A Coles; third "B" team (two cornets, tenor horn and baritone) Miss D Brennan, D Thorne, M Coles and V Jenkins.

Mr R G Barnes is honorary secretary, and Mr R Brennan, honorary treasurer.

Read More

Appledore Band

Dial a band

Dial a band scheme by Appledore musicians 26th October 1973

Dial a band scheme by Appledore musiciansAppledore local band has come up with a unique idea which they hope will not only bring pleasure to themselves but bring delight to many music lovers who are housebound and unable to hear "live" music.

The scheme "dial a band" will come into operation this winter.  Anyone locally wishing to hear the sound of a real brass band will have only to pick up a telephone and the band will come to them.

The scheme is the idea of the band's musical director, Mr Fred Pickering of Westward Ho! who is a former Salvation Army bandmaster.

All 24 members needed new instruments, said bandmaster Mr Arthur Boyles- one of their bass instruments was more than 100 years old.

The company's band, then restricted to bugles and drums, developed under the guidance of local haridresser Mr Howard Matthews to brass band status and when the Boys' Brigade company folded up, the band continued as a town band.  Names in photograph not given.

Read More

Hartland Band

They now start in Hartland's band at 10yrs old

They now start in Hartland's band at ten years old 30.11.1973

They now start in Hartlands band at 10 years oldSince its re-formation in 1960 Hartland Town Band has gone from strength to strenght both in numbers and success.

Under Mr Harry Dayman, who took over as bandmaster in 1968, the band this year achieved its most notable triumph when it was placed second in two sections at the South West Brass Band Association's Spring Festival.

The first Hartland band started with a practice session in Manor House Barn between 1860-70.  After a lapse it was re-formed after the first World War and continued until 1939.  In 1946 Harton Town Band came into being and ran for 3 years before it was disbanded.

Two members of the band were among 25 members who re-formed under Mr Gerald Thorne to lay the foundations of the present band.

Read More

Bideford Band

long playing marathon

Long-playing marathon brings world record to Bideford 06.09.1974

Long playing marathon brings world record to BidefordAbout 400 hymns and 90 concert pieces played by Bideford Town Band non-stop in 17 hours four minutes on Sunday-Monday added up to a new world record.  The players hope it will add up to more than £500 from sponsors towards more than £1,000 needed for new uniforms.

Bandmaster is Mr Eric Slade.  The record set up by musical director Mr Mervyn Sweet is likely to endure.  He took up his baton at the start and laid it down for the first time at the finish having made a mockery of the previous individual record, which stood at 7 hours.

Incredibly, of the 29 in the band 14 are children.  The youngest by 2 years, 11 year old Gavin Squires who plays the cornet won special praise from Mr Slade.

The mayor, Mr Frank Colwill was present at the start and at the finish, and he also paid several visits during the day.

Read More

Bideford Band third in contest

14 finalists

Bideford band third in national contest 26th September 1952

BIDEFORD BAND THIRDIn competition with 14 finalists from all over Britain, Bideford Town Silver Band won the 3rd price in the fourth section contest of the "Daily Herald "National Brass Band Championships held at Belle Vue, Manchester.

Playing members of the band are Bandmaster A J Headon; Cornet J A E Crocker, H Gourdiie, D I Pope, C Vickery, W J Lee, J Isaac, E Alford, D C Thorne, R Bennett, H E Harvey, A Heal; horns S C Way, J Lawrence, S W Hutchings, baritones, G Saltern, C H Jewell, D Reed; Trombones, R Clarke, Mr Lee, L W Cutting;  euphonium F H Lemon, G H Branch; G Smalldon, P C Braily, A J Head, C K Hearn.

About 4,000 people saw the  Alderman present the prizes in the Kings Hall.

Read More