81 replies to this topic

[DEVON BOY]

Is there any still in and around st helens . As a youth i seem to remember lots my local band was CLOCK FACE they used to practice in the rec and always led clock face carnival but i can't remember if they played for ST THREASAS walking day's . Thats another thing thats died out along with the carnivals .Insurance-health and safty-and the cost of policing have killed them all off

[jinx]

Church walking days led by brass bands still exist round and about St Helens, perhaps as you say all the legal

requirement have decimated these occasions but a brave few still carry on.

Rose Queens allso at a few events still take place still carrying on the old tradition.

[Alan]

With the new government about to have a bonfire of Labour-introduced unnecessary nanny-state Health and Safety and public liability laws, maybe we can look forward to more processions etc in the future

[llanyb]

Lack of enthusiasm for organising local public events has generally (in my experience) less to do with H&S laws and much more to do with the fact that when/if anything goes wrong and someone's hurt (even in a minor way) they immediately think of suing 'cos it's seen as an easy way to get cash. Removing any H&S laws (which are mostly about the workplace anyway) won't change people's attitude to litigation.

[Alan]

Llanyb, I was being a bit mischievous as I doubt many HS&E laws will be repealed at all. You are so right, the big barrier is insurance premia which have to reflect our litigious approach to life's little problems

[Phyll]

I'm not as familiar as I used to be with St. Helens, but I bet like most places, there's been a reduction in
Music Education in Schools, causing less people to learn instruments these days. Plus the litigation factor,
in case someone drops a trombone on their foot. Sorry, I crack myself up!

[Le200]

At one time every pit in the area had a brass band, they seem to have disappeared with the mines

[llanyb]

Always thought it interesting that mining, an industry famous for destroying workers' lungs, should spawn the brass band phenomenon.

Where I live, NW Shropshire, it's the southern end of the old N.Wales coalfield (with lots of quarrying thrown in for good measure) and we still have a good silver band in the parish [google 'porthywaen silver band']. Good open-age section and loads of kids of all ages in the junior sections.

[Olliebeak]

http://www.haydockband.com/home

http://www.sthybb.or...Brass_Band.html

Those are a couple that I've just found by googling - if they're of any interest.

[DEVON BOY]

Thanks OLLIE i didnt think to google it glad thers a few still going

[DJGAZZA]

Is Red Gate Boys' Band still going?

[Olliebeak]

As a child, every year I took part in the St.Helens Parish Church Whitsunday Walking Day (or 'Procession of Witness' that the church preferred to call it). It was a huge procession that always had at least 4 Brass Bands to accompany it on the journey from Parish Church to Rainford Road Parish Field. There were three 'mini processions', that joined the main one and each had a band to accompany them. I can still feel the beat of those drums 'in my stomach'. I know that sounds daft, but anybody who's ever walked behind a band will know what I mean.

The bands that we used to have with us were York Street Church Army Mission Band, St.Helens Boys Brigade, Haydock and possibly Redgate and Salvation Army as well.

[DEVON BOY]

When i was a young boy i used to be in the St JOHNS AMBULANCE band i started playing the bugle then graduated to the drums. We used to practis on waste ground by the hotties near the old sloughter house we played on lots of walks and carnivals......GOOD OLD DAYS

[jinx]

Ollie ,Those processions of many years ago, I have photos somewhere of the band I use to play in passing the

old Capitol cinema in Duke st taking the procession to the playing field of the Parish church top of the green.

The band was called West st I. M Band located in Toll Bar,my dad also played in it too.

Another photo I have shows York st band, possible a few years later passing Hard ln leading the procession to

the field with my dad on the front row playing his BB instrument.

[Le200]

I remember my uncle Bob playing for one of the bands in Haydock, not sure which it was though