Bands

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

Dial a band scheme by Appledore musicians 26th October 1973

Appledore 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.

Bideford band are on the march again 2nd October 1964

Bideford 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.

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

Ages 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, Betty May, Julian Luxton and Rodney Short were selected to play for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain during its Summer Course at Torquay.