Worksop Miners Welfare Band

Arthur R.Taylor, in his book 'Brass Bands' (Granada Publishing 1979) says:

'In the Midlands, according to the minutes of the Worksop Gas Company, no less, the Worksop Band were present when town gas was first switched on in the streets on 16th August 1832. The band 'contributed greatly towards enlivening the gay scene by playing several popular airs in superior style'.'

Although 16th August 1832 is well established as documentary proof of its existence at that time, what we don't know is how much further back does it really go? It has to be acknowledged however, that no Band can claim to be a Brass Band before the 1830's because the system of valves had not been invented by Adolfe Sax, and many 'Bands' were in fact wind Bands comprising a variety of woodwind and brass instruments.

The purists would argue quite conclusively that the first real Brass Bands to adopt all valve instruments, with the exception of the trombone, were in Wales, not England. They were the Blaina and Pontybydyran (Conleys Ironworks) Bands, both re-organised and re-equipped in the year 1832, which is just about as early as you could get in order to have the benefit of the new cornopeans, forerunner of the valved cornet, the earliest of the valved instruments. The Blaina (Monmouthshire - now Gwent) Band was subsidised by Brown's Ironworks and the new brass instruments were brought over from Holland by one of the firms commercial travellers. 

According to MIchael J.Jackson in "Victorian Worksop" (WA & LHS 1992) the coronation of Queen Victoria was celebrated by all manner of festivities on 28th June 1838. A "morning procession wound its way through the town, headed by flagbearers, the police and a Band." The procession also included the clergy, the organising committee, townspeople, the Society of Oddfellows, children from the National schools and 1200 poorer people who had been given tickets for a free dinner to be served at the tables set out along each side of Bridge Street. This was quite an event for a town which at that time had an estimated population of 6,000.

The end of the Crimean War in 1856 was marked by celebrations on My 29th, recorded in an article in the Worksop Journal in June 4th of that year (reprinted in the Worksop Guardian on 5th July 1919) A number of Bands took part in the procession but unfortunately none were named.

In 1856, there is a record of trains having travelled to Hull, for a Band Contest in the Zoological Gardens on Monday July 4th, among them being a train from Worksop. It seems likely that the Worksop Band entered that competition.

In 1860, there was the first published photograph showing the Worksop Band "after having been placed fourth in a competition at Belle Vue, Manchester." This is slightly incorrect as the competition in which the Worksop Band was placed fourth was the British Open Championship which took place at Belle Vue in 1857.



According to Arthur Taylor in "Brass Bands" (Granada 1979) this was the British Open Championship contest, when the test piece was "Il Travatore" (Verdi) together with one 'own choice' selection. The results were as follows:

1. Leeds (Smith's) (Richard Smith)
2. Dewsbury
3. Todmorden
4. Worksop 

Between 1866 and 1871 band members included: Messrs W.Boult, W.Booth W.Lockwood (sergeant), C.Coupe (bandmaster), Jennings, Master Walter Lockwood, W.Lockwood, C.Dixon, Highfield, H.Townsend, Whitaker, Stinson and Sturton.

What is known is that many Friendly Societies, namely the Hearts of Oak Friendly Society and the Golden Ball Friendly Society were very active locally and often led the Whitsuntide processions to the Priory Church, accompanied by the Band. Another photograph said to date from 1870 shows Band players standing beneath a banner in Victoria Square.

This may well have been the event reported in the Worksop Guardian on July 15th 1871, when it reported on the annual festival held on the previous Monday (10th) of the various lodges of the Oddfellows. These lodges were connected with the Nottingham Sherwood Order of Oddfellows. The members of the Abbey Lodge No.131 assembled at the house of Mr Joseph Garside, the Priorswell Inn, where about 130 members had a substantial dinner. This lodge was established about 1843. The Lodge was headed by the Worksop Brass Band, who also played a programme of music in a tent. A presentation was made to Mr George Gregory for his services to the Band. This was in the form of a wooden Cornet Box made by Mr Townsend another member of the band.

Other Local Bands

Bands and the Mining Industry