Monthly Archives: March 2011

A brass band exists to make music, and in most cases the end results of the hours of band rehearsal and personal practice are the concerts performed for the many audiences that bands enjoy – from the park bandstands, to … Continue reading →

Bandstands, by Paul Rabbitts, Shire Publications Ltd, 2011. ISBN-10: 0747808252, ISBN-13: 978-0747808251. This is one of the Shire series of slim volumes that take particular topics relating to the history, heritage, culture and technologies of the past. They are usually … Continue reading →

A small, but select group of individuals, from all walks of life, are helping to collate, document, and preserve the heritage of the brass band movement. Some have published works in the form of books, articles or academic papers, others … Continue reading →

One of the roles that the IBEW plays is to assist with family history research. Those that had bandsmen as ancestors may find pictures of them in the IBEW, and the Your Ancestors page is dedicated to the queries and … Continue reading →

The trombone is a much maligned instrument – it probably has as many jokes about it as the viola in the orchestra. Despite that, however, it is a crucial component of the brass band today, and in the past, providing … Continue reading →

Some time ago I was contacted by a lady who had discovered the minute books of the Cambridge Albion Silver Band – see some members of the band, below. These records are now being digitised and are being added to … Continue reading →

Had a very pleasant couple of hours discussing the Friendly Societies and associated brass bands of the area around Netheravon in the company of local historian Ann Pearce, who was visiting her sister nearby and kindly agreed to share her … Continue reading →