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History
2002 onwards
Recent years have seen an increasing number of civic events, and as well as Remembrance Day Parades, there is an annual Charity Concert at the Town Hall, a Civic Service, a Civic Carol Service, Christmas Tree lighting ceremonies in Worksop and Retford, together with summer engagements in the parks.
Rufford Country Park is a popular venue, summer and winter, and the band supports a range of fetes and galas throughout the summer months. Joint concerts with choral societies have also taken place at St Anne’s Church.
In the financial year 2000/2001 the band invested heavily in replacement instruments; a baritone, two horns and a new drum kit, at a total cost of approx. £4,000. An interesting comparison with the cost of a full set of instruments in 1922 - £484. A full set at 2001 prices would be £50,000.
The band library is now computerised, with some 1700 items, and available on the this web site, in hard copy, or on CD.
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2003 was a sad year for the band with the untimely death of Musical Director John
Flatman. John’s last public engagement was conducting the band for the Bassetlaw Chairman’s Charity Appeal at Reford Town Hall on 22nd February. He died in Bassetlaw District General Hospital on 1st April. The band turned out in force on the day of the funeral lining the path to the entrance to St John’s Church on Wednesday 9th April. The Band Secretary gave the eulogy. |
Further sadness descended on the band with the death two months later of Mary Cartlidge who had assisted the band as singer and compere for many years.
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Chairman’s Charity Concert 2003 Retford Town Hall. The last concert conducted by the late John Flatman (front left) Chairman of the Council, Councillor Frank Hart (front right) |
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A history of the band would be incomplete without mentioning one of its famous ‘sons’.
Composer Martin Ellerby began his musical career playing the cornet with Worksop Miners Welfare Band, and is currently Head of Composition at the London College of Music at Thames Valley University. He has composed extensively for Brass Band, as well as producing a range of choral and orchestral works. He composer in residence to the Swiss Band – Brassband
Berneroberland, and composer in residence to the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.
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More new instruments:
As a result of a successful bid to the Coalfield Regeneration Trust (Administered by the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation), a Bb and an Eb bass were purchased, with the injection of £5,000 from reserves. The total cost was £7,800.
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A Musical Director was appointed in June 2003, when Jane
Carlisle picked up the baton. Jane is a Primary School teacher and an oboe player. Jane had previously joined the band to play the trombone, and with the appointment of a deputy MD, Tony Beech, she will still have the opportunity to play. |
2004 began with a very successful concert at Worksop Town Hall in aid of the Bassetlaw Chairman’s Charity Appeal. The band was augmented on this occasion by
members of Creswell Colliery Band.
The band also supported the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the
Miners' Strike at an event at Worksop Town Hall on Friday 2nd April 2004.
On 28th April, 2004, the Bassetlaw Council for Voluntary
Service set up an Advice and Information event to inform young people in
particular about the Activities, Services and Opportunities available to them.
Band members spent many hours producing graphics for the display, with the aim
of publicising the band and attracting young players.
The 1940's Band
Celebrations to mark the anniversary of D-Day, or Operation Overlord,
has re-awakened the demand for music of the era. Indeed, with celebrations to
mark the 60th anniversary of the end of hostilities (VE Day) in 2005, this demand is likely to continue
or increase.
As will be seen from the history pages, the band was very active during the
1940's, and the music library contains a comprehensive selection of pieces
from the period.
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
Moonlight Seranade
Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major
Keep Smiling Through
We'll Meet Again
White Cliffs of Dover
There'll Always be an England
Run Rabbit Run
Lille Marlene
It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow
Wish me Luck as You Wave me Goodbye
etc etc.
Although it became difficult for the band to continue during the War years,
our friends in the Creswell Colliery Band came to the rescue, and the band
committee resolved to continue.
Worksop Guardian 12th December, 1941
Blyth
Memorial Hall was the venue for an evening concert on 5th June 2004,featuring
much of this music, when members of the audience and our MD wore 1940's
costumes. Judging by the audience response, this will not be the last outing
for the 1940's style band.
So much so, that publicity is being aimed at our customers, with a view to
similar engagements in the next twelve months and beyond.
Later in 2004, at the October half-term, the band participated for
the second year in a series of workshops with the brass section of the
Halle Orchestra, which gave rise to the following article:-
This article is taken from the Nottinghamshire County Council
publication "Participate - Bringing you news on Participatory Arts
Projects and Events in Nottinghamshire" Edition 7
Jan-March 2005
The ensemble in rehearsal at the Hartland School. WMWB members
can be seen on the back two rows of the brass section.
The Glen Miller Festival
2005 marks not only the 60th anniversary of the ending of
hostilities in Europe and the Far East, but it is also a reminder of the
untimely death of Glenn Miller.
Glenn Miller and his Orchestra came to Britain in 1944 and were
billeted in Bedford, about 3 miles from RAF Twinwood. The airbase
was used regularly by Glenn Miller and his band members to fly around
the country on their morale boosting concert tours.
In December 1944, Glenn Miller waited in Twinwood Control Tower
before boarding a plane bound for Paris to entertain troops liberating
Europe. The plane never arrived. The last place Glenn Miller
was seen was RAF Twinwood Control Tower.
The former RAF base, now privately owned, has a permanent museum
dedicated to Glenn Miller, housed in the control tower.
There is an annual Glenn Miller Festival over the August Bank Holiday
weekend, featuring music of the period - a festival of "Swing, Jazz and
Jive". It is a three day event, featuring amongst others, John Miller
and his Orchestra.
Worksop Miners Welfare Band is proud to announce that they will be
playing at the Festival in August 2006, making full use of our extensive
library of wartime music. There is reliable intelligence on the music
played by the band in the 1940's, when they were instrumental in raising
money for the Stalingrad Memorial Hospital Fund.
It seems entirely appropriate to bring one of these concerts 'back to
life'.
RAF Twinwood is at Clapham, near Bedford.
Other Local Bands
Bands
and the Mining Industry
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