During almost a century and a half of existence Knottingley Band has experienced many vicissitudes but when faced with problems the Band has overcome them largely by the efforts of its members. As the late Band Secretary, Bill Hodgson, once stated,

“We have never been so short of money because we have gone to the people to earn it.” (1)

The statement, while essentially true, particularly with regard to the effort made by the Band to earn money, tends to minimise the fact that while the Band may never have lacked cash entirely, there have been times when funds were in short supply, hence the need to earn money. Such a period appears to have been experienced in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War.

The years between 1945 and 1953 were potentially ones of prosperity as full employment combined with the gratuity payments made to discharged service personnel created a flood of surplus money in the pockets of a public seeking entertainment and pleasure as an antidote to the restrictions and impositions of the war economy. Ironically, post war austerity with its shortages of fuel and materials and the necessity for continued rationing constrained the production of luxury goods and services and restricted the outlets for individual expenditure. In such circumstances it might be thought that former pleasures, including band concerts and dances would have attracted considerable patronage. The mood of the public, however, was characterised by the desire for change. The simple pleasures which had served former generations were now largely regarded as somewhat old fashioned and passé and while in the absence of anything more innovative they drew a measure of support it was not of the former magnitude. To compound the problem the winter of 1946-47 was one of the most severe on record. Fuel shortages affected both gas and electricity supplies. To prevent themselves freezing within the confines of their own homes many able-bodied people spent the bulk of each day ‘cinder picking’ on the ash tips located in local disused limestone quarries and in the vicinity of Ferrybridge Power Station which were the deposit sites of waste from the furnaces of local coal burning industries. A thriving commerce developed between some who purchased sacks of cinders from those who regarded ‘cinder picking’ as a secondary occupation undertaken to obtain beer and ‘fag’ money. To digress: in the midst of such activity petty-minded officialdom backed by the forces of law and order asserted itself, fervent in pursuit of trespassers even as the old and frail and young and vulnerable lacked a modicum of essential warmth. Many were the tales of luck and ingenuity concerning the outwitting of the forces of authority which regaled a generally sympathetic public. Not all outcomes were lucky ones, however, for on numerous occasions, having spent many finger-numbing hours sieving dross to acquire a sack of cinders, an unfortunate picker was accosted by officials who confiscated the hard won booty.

The above digression serves to illustrate the point that sitting in a cold, dimly lit public hall listening to (or even playing) music was not in vogue in the period when snow fell in January and in many locations was still on the ground in April. Unsurprisingly such conditions adversely affected the principal means whereby the Silver Prize band normally obtained public support. Even when the belated appearance of spring heralded a superbly contrasting and favourable summer season, Band engagements, civic functions apart, appear to have been limited in number thereby restricting the means for supplementing the limited funds of the Band.

Even more fundamental than the disruptive influences of economic austerity, changing fashion and meteorological conditions was the involuntary change to the administrative structure of the Band in the early post war period. For four decades from 1907, the affairs of the Band whilst nominally under the supervisory aegis of the Band Committee had been administered de facto by a ‘benevolent dictatorship’ of the bandmaster, Samuel Marshall. The death of Marshall in 1949 was therefore a watershed in the governance of the Band, a manifestation of which was the recommencement of formal minutes arising from the deliberations of the Committee, after a hiatus of more than quarter of a century.

Following Marshall’s demise Joe Pollard was unanimously selected as the new bandmaster, holding the post until 1954 when poor health compelled his resignation. Simultaneous to the appointment of Pollard steps were taken to form a management committee. Nominated and elected by the votes of attendant members at a general meeting convened in February 1949, an eight man Committee was selected from 19 nominees, together with four officers, being the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The Chairmanship was conferred upon Tom Tindall who obtained 8 votes compared to 7 for Frank Spencer and 4 for Joe Pollard, Spencer as the runner-up being declared Vice President. The newly elected Secretary was G.W. Hodgson who was to retain the post in unbroken sequence until October 1985. The office of Treasurer was held by T. Clayton and the Committeemen were F. Spencer, S. Rowbottom, R. Heys, E. Ellis, T. Pollard, F. Rowbottom, R. Sarvant and A. Wilde, the latter being selected by a show of hands following a tie with B. Pollard in the votes cast. (2)

The initial task of the committee, with the unanimous approval of the rank and file members, was to arrange a meeting with Marshall executrices and negotiate a settlement concerning Band Funds and repossession of sundry items of equipment surrendered in 1907 as security for the money loaned to the Band by the Marshall family. (3) A delegation of five senior members was deputed to meet the Misses Marshall to seek the transfer of money held on behalf of the Band, together with bills and during correspondence concerning the affairs of the Band. It is indicative of the degree of control exercised by the late bandmaster that the committee appear to have had little idea of the amount of funds held in the name of the Band. It was initially decided to seek the sum of £250 but upon reflection the amount was later advanced to £400. (4)

The negotiations appear to have been of brief duration and resulted in a satisfactory outcome for by late February the delegates were complemented by the Committee upon the settlement obtained. (5)

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The original code of rules dating from 1880 was retained as a temporary measure pending the formation of an amended version which was to be displayed in the bandroom for perusal by the membership prior to its adoption. In addition the Treasurer was instructed to make enquiries at the Yorkshire Penny Bank with a view to opening a bank account in respect of which trustees were to be appointed. Committee meetings were scheduled to be held on the first Monday of each month but this date was subsequently changed to the second Monday in order to more easily accommodate members who were shift workers. (6)

The necessary reorganisation of the administrative structure of the Band resulted in a more democratic ambience which was the precursor of further change. At the Annual General Meeting of 1949 a new practice was introduced which allowed non-playing personnel, hitherto not regarded as band members to attend and participate in general meetings. (7) However, the officers and committeemen were all senior members of the Band and although some matters were referred to the whole membership these were of a generalised nature and subject to the discretion of the Committee which formulated policy. (8) The virtual autonomy of the Committee is seen in the occasional delegation of power to the Secretary to undertake business on behalf of the Band in matters affecting the entire membership. (9) The widening of the membership base and accompanying participation in general affairs was nevertheless subject to some qualification. In 1951 voting was formally restricted to all persons 16 years of age or over and while in theory membership of the Band Committee was open to non-playing members it was exclusively composed of senior bandsmen, presumably on the premise that they best appreciated the requirements of the Band and furnished the greatest degree of experience and collective wisdom to fulfil those requirements. To this end a resolution was framed in 1951 excluding all but bandsmen from serving as officers of the Band but was rejected by 8 votes to 5. (10)

The following year new ground was broken when at the suggestion of Brian Pollard, the election of the Committee was conducted by means of a paper ballot in order to cater for members who were unable to attend the A.G.M. (11) It is interesting to note a strong correlation in the result of the election conducted under the new system and that which previously appertained, with five of the committeemen elected in 1951 retaining their places in the balloted election of 1952. (12) The outcome is all the more surprising perhaps as an element of the retiring Committee appears to have been neglectful in attendance, prompting a resolution at the 1952 A.G.M. that

“Any Committeemen absent without good cause for 3 consecutive meetings to be relieved of his duties.” (13)

The resolution appears to have had little impact for a Committee meeting later that year was abandoned when only four members were present although the fact that the meeting was held in the holiday season of August may be a contributory factor to the sparse attendance on that occasion. (14)

The contribution made to the welfare of the Band by the wives, mothers and others associated with the bandsmen had always been a feature of Band activity and one made all the more valuable for being largely taken for granted. Whether raising funds or pressing shirts and uniforms, providing and serving refreshments at Band functions or contributing to the morale and physical welfare, the ‘woman’s touch’ was, and remains, an indispensable asset for if, as has been asserted, the character of a band is a reflection of that of its members, the quality of its character is sustained by the contribution of the womenfolk. Recognition of this fact was acknowledged in part by the decision in 1949 to allow ‘friends’ of the Band to attend general meetings. Further acknowledgement of the service rendered by the womenfolk and the desirability of harnessing the potential such service afforded is seen in the Committee’s decision the following year to formalise the arrangement through the establishment of a Ladies Committee. (15) In furtherance of this objective a meeting was convened in the bandroom in February 1951, ostensibly in connection with the organisation of a fund-raising dance. (16) Notwithstanding the apparently satisfactory outcome of the venture further action appears to have been deferred for it was not until the middle of the following year that a formal resolution that

“the ladies be got together to form their own Committee to organise raffles etc.,”

was adopted by the Band Committee. (17) If the resolution appears less than visionary it at least had the merit of providing the Ladies with a formal, semi-autonomous role in the organisation and the resultant establishment of the Ladies Committee was to prove its worth through the provision of substantial support of a practical nature in subsequent decades. (18) It is interesting to note en passant, the retention of a degree of the male chauvinism which had informed the proposed function of the Ladies Committee in 1952 for some five years later it was decided by the Band Committee that the annual dinner at the Golden Lion, Ferrybridge, should be a ‘men only’ event. (19)

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In no area was the effect of war time conditions more evident than in the physical appearance of the Band in the years immediately following the conflict. In an effort to rectify the situation the bandmaster, Joe Pollard, suggested the establishment of an instrument and uniform fund. In order to accrue funds quickly it was decided by the Committee that a moiety of all fees obtained from engagements should be placed in the fund. However, the suggestion appears to have met with a lukewarm response from the rank and file members resulting in a compromise whereby the proceeds from engagements were to be disbursed amongst the players to the nearest shilling per capita and the residue transferred to the instrument and uniform fund. (20) It was also decided to embark on a series of tours of the neighbourhood in order to obtain small public donations and whilst application for the necessary police permits was pending a general meeting was called to draw up a schedule to enable regular public collections to be undertaken. (21) The accumulation of money by such means was obviously a slow process and the financial problems of the Band were compounded by the fact that for several years following the end of the war rationing of foodstuffs and materials remained a feature of everyday life which meant that the proposed purchase of uniforms had to be accompanied by a requisite number of clothing coupons. Given the practical difficulties it is perhaps unsurprising that as late as the spring of 1950 the subject of new uniforms was still under consideration and that even at that time it was felt to be necessary to leave it for further consideration. (22)

An article by John Hargreaves which appeared in the local newspaper at that period eloquently summarised the situation;

“The Knottingley Silver Prize band uniforms are 20 years old and look it but the Band can’t afford new ones which cost £400… and what has the Band got apart from an insufficient sum raised by its own efforts and the donations of a few friends? Musical skill which is considerable; a spirit if independence which is incorrigible; a Micawberish faith in providence and an almost pathetic eagerness to bring credit to the town… Honour with the knees out – there is the Band’s biggest asset – its public spirit.” (23)

By November 1950 the Band Secretary had made enquiries of the Yorkshire Copper Works’ Band concerning the subject of uniforms and members of the Prize Band had been asked to bring in their existent uniforms for inspection. (24) Following discussion a style specimen was sent to Beevers Ltd., Featherstone, early in the New Year, together with instructions concerning the same. The move was followed up by a visit to the factory by a Band representative in order to ascertain details concerning quality and price. The visit appears to have been non-productive, however, for in April 1951 a decision was taken by the Committee to place an order with the Uniquip company. (25)

The extent to which the article by John Hargreaves had engendered a sympathetic response on the part of the public is conjectural but it seems likely that the outcome was favourable for in May 1951 it was reported that many donations had been received and that before the end of the summer new uniforms, wine in hue with contrasting piping, would be obtained. (26) Recalling the euphoria two decades earlier when the last ‘kitting-out’ took place, Hargreaves humorously wrote;

“Some remember 20 years ago when the silver braid was new how the Band beat 7 bells out of Colonel Bogey and blew hard enough to shatter every window in Chapel Street – Majestic – the judges at Leicester thought so and gave them first prize for deportment.” (27)

A degree of ambivalence and (in a couple of cases) unreliability amongst some members of the Band concerning the procurement of a new uniform resulted in the Committee deciding that;

“Members who have proved themselves enthusiastic be measure immediately with the rest upon whom the Band could (sic) not depend be deferred till such time as they prove themselves worthy and that the period elapsing before they are eventually fixed up with uniform be accepted as a suspensionary (sic) punishment.” (28)

However, following an assurance by the recalcitrant members regarding their future intent it was also agreed to allow them to be measured for new uniforms. (29)

In a proposed break with past practice it was decided to seek a price from a rag mill as a means of disposing of the old uniforms as a single lot. (30) However, an element of the membership sought to have the decision overthrown and it was ultimately decided that each bandsman should retain his old uniform gratis. (31) Whether from pride or mere utility is unclear but wearing the new outfit proved so popular that the Committee took the unprecedented step of posting a notice in the bandroom stating that the new uniforms should only be worn in the service of the Band. (32)

The recruitment of young people in the Band posed problems concerning uniforms for within a short space of time it was reported that two adolescent bandsmen had outgrown their uniforms and were having to make do with spare items pro tem. (33) A further sartorial problem arose from a unique aspect of the Band’s history when in late 1951, a 14-year-old Miss Sheila Norfolk became the first female member of the Band being selected to fill the post of second horn player. In achieving this distinction Sheila joined her father Harry and brother John, who were already full members of the Band (34) but in so doing prompted consideration as to what constituted suitable apparel for lady members. The uncertainty occasioned some delay pending a decision regarding appropriate style. (35) The problem was solved by adoption of the tunic which was to be worn with white blouse and black skirt and tights or black trousers. Adaptability as the handmaiden of economy was the general order for sartorial elegance as shown by a Committee resolution that as soon as the financial position allowed, uniforms, including that of the bandmaster, be submitted to a Leeds based tailoring firm for alteration. (36)

Provision of uniforms was only one part of the financial equation seeking solution by the Committee.

“There still remains the matter of the instruments…” stated the local paper when reporting the purchase of the new uniforms for as the scribe wrote;

“The instruments don’t look too bad, and they wear better than the uniforms”, and “although two of them had made ‘a lot of noise’ before the Band got them, a new set of instruments would cost £2,500.” (37)

Improvisation was the order of the day and as a short term measure more second-hand instruments were obtained. A trombone and a euphonium, formerly belonging to the late bandmaster, were purchased at a cost of £11. A cornet was obtained from a band member for £5 while another member was asked to have his own cornet repaired to enable someone else to ‘inherit’ the instrument belonging to the Band which he currently used. (38) The request gave rise to consideration of providing financial assistance toward the cost of repairs in order to encourage players to use their own instruments. On two separate occasions the subject was discussed but with the Band finances being so precarious that members were asked to pay their own fares to a contest at Thurnsco, the matter was judged to be impractical and therefore;

“left until Band finances allow [further] consideration.” (39)

Such was the civic pride of the Band, however, that when a decision was taken to renovate and reduce the size of the bass drum, “a goodly sum” was paid from the Band's slender resources for the Knottingley coat of arms to be emblazoned on the restored instrument. (40)

In the absence of money for the purchase of new instruments the repair of existing ones was essential and but even this was a drain on sparse funds and when in the spring of 1950 it was decided to have a baritone trombone repaired it was decided to try a new repairer at Askern to save on the cost involved. (41) the change may also have been prompted by a degree of dissatisfaction with a well established firm which had arisen when a E flat valve sent for repair the previous year had failed to meet the expected standard, leaving the Committee to conclude that it had, “never been right since repaired.” (42)

Late in 1951 a decision was taken to send for a representative of the long established form of instrument makers, Kitchens, in order to assess the condition and cost of repair to several instruments. (43) As a result, it was decided to make an inventory of Band owned instruments with a view to selling off any surplus items. (44)

Subsequently a deal was struck with Kitchens in which a number of old instruments were taken in part exchange for new ones. (44) About the same time a B – B flat bass which had been lent on approval to Outwood Salvation Army Corps was purchased by them. (45) Similarly, in 1956, a Besson B – B flat instrument on loan to Knottingley Corps was purchased by an anonymous donor. (46) The obvious deficiencies prompted action by the Committee when in mid 1955 it became clearly apparent that replacement instruments were required to enable the Band to compete in the National Championship finals to be held the following October. (47) Replicating the situation which had appertained half a century earlier, the Band took a bold step in defiance of prevailing economic circumstances and placed an order for two A valve E flat / B – B flat basses, promising cash for prompt delivery, although in a sop to financial prudence the proposed acquisition of music stands was left for later consideration. (48) The following year Boosey & Hawkes were asked to supply a Besson horn and a euphonium on approval. A price of £80 quoted in respect of the eventual purchase of these instruments indicates that they were reconditioned items. (49) In expansive mood, it was decided that a new Besson tenor horn and a flugel horn should be purchased from R.S. Kitchen Ltd., as soon as finances allowed, the latter instrument to be purchased as soon as the former was paid for. (50) Again, in September 1957, a tenor trombone and a B flat cornet were purchased, the cost being offset in part by the sale of old, unwanted instruments. (51) In passing it is interesting to note something of the demand made of instruments for having rendered a lifetime of service they were on occasion, sent for overhaul and replating, thereby ensuring a further lease of life before being eventually discarded. (52) Even at the end of service life a return on instruments was sought via part exchange or resale. Thus, in response to a query concerning the disposal of a redundant euphonium, a token price of £2 was considered to be fair until on the intercession of Brian Pollard, it was suggested that it be given away, being considered as virtually useless. (53) It is also interesting to note that when an E flat bass and a soprano were offered to Bradford Top Band some months later it was considered worthwhile to fund the cost of having the former cleaned even though each instrument was sold for £5. (54)

The austerity which characterised the advent of the 1950s had given way to burgeoning prosperity towards the end of the decade, facilitating the purchase of replacement instruments. In addition, in 1958, the Band purchased two dozen new music stands, plus an additional one for use by the bandmaster. The music stands which cost £36-17-0 could have been purchased at less price but it was thought to be expedient to but better quality ones, a decision which indicates the improvement in the financial status of the Band by that time. (55)

The purchase of a number of new and good quality reconditioned instruments and accessories obviously increased the overall value of the Band property which carried clear implications for the cost of replacement in the event of theft or damage. It was therefore decided to insure the same and in March 1958 this was done at a premium cost of 7s 6d per £100 estimated value. (56)

In addition to reliance on public donations, the residue from concert fees, other social engagements and sundry other contributions, additional efforts were made to supplement the uniform and instrument fund. As early as June 1949, the innovative bandmaster, Joe Pollard had suggested a sweepstake based upon the famous St. Ledger horse race. Pollard’s proposal prompted consideration of launching a weekly sweepstake based on the sale of tickets to the public as an alternative to the existent system of diverting one share of all Band dividends to the fund. In the event, failure to obtain sufficient support for the proposal resulted in no decision being taken and the subject was left in abeyance. (57) The ploy was utilised occasionally, however, as in 1951 when a Grand National Sweepstake, calculated on the sale of 3,000 tickets at 5 shillings each, offered prizes of £5, £2-10-0 and £1. (58) Similarly, in June 1955, the Northumberland Plate provided the basis for a further sweepstake with 2,500 tickets sold at 3d each or 5 for one shilling, with prizes of £5, £3, and £2 and as an incentive, £1 for the person selling a winning ticket. (59) The financial success of these ventures resulted in the adoption of Pollard’s suggestion of a weekly sweepstake and in 1956 Band members were asked to make soundings amongst families and friends and elicit the degree of support for a weekly 6d ticket with a £35 prize. (60) As a result, a ‘Jockey Double’ was launched in June 1956 replacing the periodic ‘special efforts’. (61) The scheme was adapted to football some months later (62) and the reversion to horse racing at the conclusion of each football season ensured the sale of tickets all year round. (63) In similar fashion the festive season was marked from 1951 by the introduction of a ‘Xmas Cheer’ raffle for which the Band members canvassed to obtain the prizes offered, and on occasion provided the same themselves, in order to maximise the profit gained. (64) The ‘Xmas Cheer’ was, of course, supplemental to the traditional progress round the town in aid of Band funds but was quite successful so that in 1956 a raffle on a grand scale was proposed when a cycle, provided at cost by the local cycle dealer, Mr. Charles Tate, was the principal prize, tickets retailing at 5 per shilling. (65)

Meantime, a public appeal was launched. Aimed primarily at the town workforce, the appeal had a target of £2,000. In November 1953 letters were despatched to all local firms and businesses and the appeal was formally opened in the second week of January 1954. (66) The attempt to promote individual identification between members of the public and Band had commenced early in 1950 when Mr. Harry Gregg, senior partner of Gregg & Co., glass bottle manufacturers of Knottingley, was invited to become President of the Band. At that time it was also decided that all subscribers to Band funds should be listed as Vice Presidents, presumably in the hope that such status would encourage further donors. In furtherance of this aim a list of donors was compiled and an approach made to the townspeople and employees of local firms for assistance. (67)Unfortunately, there is no record of the success or otherwise of such appeals.

Notwithstanding the financial difficulties experienced by the Band during the decade following the end of the war the custom of voluntary service continued and when the Band made its appearance at the last ever Infirmary Sunday demonstration in August 1947, the occasion not only marked the end of over half a century of consecutive attendance but of free service, for before 1951 the Band had never made any charge for participating in any civic or ceremonial public occasion in Knottingley. (68) The custom was to continue throughout the post war period as each year the Band, at the behest of the local council and the district branch of the British Legion, paid practical homage at the Remembrance Sunday service. (69)

The Band also volunteered to attend a concert given with the aim of raising a sum of money which would enable the names of those who had died in the late war to be added to the town’s war memorial. The gesture was reciprocated at a later date when the Band was granted free use of the Town Hall for an entertainment in aid of Band funds. It is perhaps a sign of the increased bureaucracy spawned in the exigency of war conditions and fostered by the growing centralisation which characterised post war government that it was necessary for the Band Secretary to write and seek exemption from entertainment tax in order to enable the Band to participate in the planned concert without incurring a financial penalty. (70)

Admission to the said concert which was held in early 1950, was by programme of which 300 were printed in anticipation of the event, seats in all parts of the hall being priced at one shilling and sixpence. It is a measure of the esteem in which the Band was held that all the supporting artistes gave their services free of charge in order to maximise the profit obtained by the Band. (71)

It is instructive to note in the context of cost incurred for printing posters, programmes and tickets for Band functions the necessity to monitor expenditure in order to obtain the best value for money. Thus, a subsequent increase in the charge made for such items resulted in the transfer of the Band’s business to a Pontefract based printer, a move clearly dictated by financial expediency. (72) Financial hardship did not, however, override humanitarian considerations and when at that time a fund was launched for the families of the victims of the Crosswell Colliery disaster the Band promptly sent a donation. (73) However, on a more self-indulgent note, it is of interest that the sum of £40 was withdrawn from the Band’s bank account to be shared equally between the players at Christmas 1949 and again the following year. (74)

Following the demise of Infirmary Sunday the Band soon became involved in other commitments of a pseudo civic nature. The reintroduction of the town carnival in 1959 marked the commencement of an annual event with which the Band was associated for more than thirty years. (75) Similarly, for many years following its introduction in 1951, the Band ‘played off’ the annual excursion of the town’s senior citizens organised by the Knottingley & Ferrybridge Old People’s Entertainment Committee. At the time of the inaugural excursion in July 1951, the Band led a ‘procession’ of 14 coaches bound for Knaresborough from its assembly point on the Flatts to the Town Hall playing its rendition of ‘Boys of the Old Brigade’. (76) In 1953, in return for the concessional inclusion of a ‘superannuated’ member of the Band and his wife among the 800 pensioners bound for Bridlington, the Band, resplendent in full uniform, led 18 coaches from the Flatts to Skew Bridge. (77) Such voluntary gestures by the Band were often accomplished at some personal cost to members who often took time off from work in order to fulfil the engagements. The cost to individual members resulted in the decision of the Band Committee in 1959 to seek compensatory payment for players who lost earnings through absence from work, although the decision was later rescinded in favour of a basic fee of £2. (78) To reduce time and minimise expense the Band ceased to ‘parade’ on such occasions and after 1958 the Band played from a stationary position at the top end of the Flatts until the timed departure of the buses. (79)

A similar policy of minimal charge also applied to other events in which local organisations were involved, particularly those involving young people of the township. Thus the decision to assist the local Road Safety Committee by playing at a childrens' concert in 1953 was made on the basis of an agreement that the Band would share in any profit arising from the event. (80) As wage rates increased in response to the effect of increasingly inflationary prices during the 1950s it became necessary to charge the £2 concessionary fee for the participation of the Band in local events which had previously been free of charge. The annual parade of Knottingley Boy Scouts was one such event which nevertheless compares very favourably with the £12 tendered as the fee for the Band’s attendance at the Pontefract Girl Guides parade at Pontefract racecourse in June 1953 (81) Similarly, from 1962 the charge was applied in respect of attendance at the Knottingley Carnival. (82)

In view of the liberality of the Band Committee in matters concerning events of a civic nature, it is perhaps surprising that substantial fees were sought for two events of national importance which took place in the early 1950s. The involvement of the Band in the Festival of Britain in 1951 was left in the hands of the Secretary who negotiated with the appropriate K.U.D.C. committee an undisclosed fee for the participation of the Band in the parade and the musical selections which marked the ensuing gala. (83) For its services on Coronation Day in June 1953, again held under the aegis of the local council, the Secretary was instructed to inform the Coronation Committee that,

“a fee of £30 is the lowest acceptable to the Band.” (84)

Nevertheless, the engagement was secured and on Coronation Day the Band led a procession featuring inter alia, a gaily painted double-deck bus and fire engine through the town in pouring rain, thus earning the somewhat exorbitant fee in the most difficult and uncomfortable way. (85)

Reassessment of fess charged for its services arose of necessity from the financial hardship the Band experienced in the immediate post war years and it is greatly to the credit of the members that their strong sense of civic duty combined with an empathy arising from the mutual experience with older local organisations of difficulties faced at that time, to modify fees and even waive them, as deemed appropriate.

Coronation Year leavened the economic gloom and provided a boost to the national psyche, creating a new-sprung air of optimism as the long period of austerity was banished by the burgeoning hope of an era of prosperity. The national trend was reflected in the affairs of the Band. If the nation had a new symbolic head so had the Band in the form of Mr. H.U.W. Gregg, who agreed to assume the mantle of his late father and become President of the Band. (86) The new wave of public prosperity was also reflected in the increased number of engagements undertaken by the Band from the mid 1950s. The interim period had been marked by a series of fundraising concerts vital for the continued existence of the Band. In an evocation of an earlier age Knottingley Town Cricket Club had allowed the use of its Banks Garth ground for a Band concert held on 12th August 1951. (87) A series of fundraising concerts to be undertaken jointly with other local groups or prestigious bands was a feature of that period. (88)

In 1953 a concert was arranged featuring the top flight Hammonds Band in an effort to boost the Silver Prize Band funds (89) and an abortive effort was made to obtain the services of Markham Main Colliery Band in the same year. (90) Again, in 1955, a concert of massed bands to be held in Knottingley Town Hall was considered but failed to reach maturity. (91) However, from 1952 civic prosperity was sufficiently restored to enable the local council to engage the Silver Prize Band for a series of four summer concerts held in the Knottingley and Ferrybridge playing fields. (92) The series was repeated the following year at a fee of £40 and some idea of the rising inflationary trend is shown by the fact that when concerts were resumed in 1954 the fee had increased to £50 with an additional £10 being paid for an extra concert at Whitsuntide. (93)

The fees tendered by the Band for engagements during the 1950s were somewhat random, depending on the nature of the event concerned and the distance of the venues involved. By 1956 for example, a series of Sunday concerts commanded the following fees:

Pontefract & Castleford: £30
Wakefield: £35
Leeds: £40

and these charges remained unchanged to the end of the decade. (94) Similarly, Loscoe Carnival, 1952 and 1953, and Methley Carnival in 1953 and 1954 were charged at £20 respectively although the fee for the latter event in 1951 was £17-10-0. (95) Other engagements during the decade were likewise charged in accordance with the time spent fulfilling the required duties and the expense involved in travelling to the event. An outdoor Labour day celebration at Goole in 1951 brought a fee of £15 while a church fete at Ferrybridge was undertaken for £8-10-0 and an indoor concert at Westgate Common Club, Wakefield, as late as 1959 was undertaken for only £7. (96) Such engagements were punctuated with concerts at local hospitals and social institutions for which, in the best traditions of service to the community, no fee was sought. (97)

To place the purchasing power of fees in a comparative context it should be noted that in 1953 a pound sterling would have bought 16 pints of beer compared to half a pint in 2003, or 15 portions of fish and chips and 39 large loaves of bread compared to half a portion and two loaves half a century later. (98)

Throughout the early years of the 1950s the Ladies Committee was involved quite frequently in organising dances to secure funds for the Band. Knottingley Town Hall was the regular venue with two such events during 1951. (99) Again, in 1955 some 20 posters were commissioned to advertise the event, the price of admission being 2s 6d and the success of the vent resulted in its replication the following year. (100) It is interesting to note that the music for dancing was provided by the locally based Dominoes Dance Band, a far cry from the less sophisticated pre war era when the ‘Orchestral’ component of the Prize Band provided the dance music. (101)

By the mid 1950s the effect of television programmes which had gained a wider audience with the introduction of the commercial channels in 1955, had fostered the desire for home entertainment which was complemented by the introduction by Davenports of the ‘beer at home’ delivery service. In addition, an increasing element of the public became vehicle owners at this period and were able to travel far afield in search of new, more novel forms of entertainment and pleasure. By the end of the decade traditional forms of entertainment such as sport, cinema, public houses, concerts and dances had lost much of their earlier appeal. The tow latter forms of entertainment were consequently rendered less useful as a source of funding for the Band and although a dance was held in the Town Hall under the auspices of the Band as late as February 1958, thereafter such occasions were merely a memory. (102)

It is sad to note a degree of indiscipline was prevalent within the ranks of the Band during the immediate post war period. A reaction to the constraints of wartime and the psychological effect of regime change combined with a change in the attitude of the public in general towards deference to authority based upon wealth and its concomitant social status, may lie at the root of the situation. In an effort to remedy the malaise the Committee decreed in 1949 that the Bandmaster should address the members and stress the need for more satisfactory rehearsals, a sine qua non for successful contests to which the Band aspired. (103) The unauthorised swapping of instruments was a further aspect of indiscipline requiring prohibition if consistency of performance was to be achieved (104) but much more serious was the evident disrespect of some members resulting in a proposal by the Vice Chairman

“That anyone insulting or guilty of insubordination toward the Bandmaster
be dealt with by the Committee.” (105)

At a Committee meeting held in October 1949 a decision was taken to call a general meeting as soon as possible on “business of vital importance.” The subject of the meeting is unspecified and no minutes appear to have been taken but it is not improbable that the meeting was related to rank and file attitude and conduct. Indeed, despite attempts at corrective action, problems with two members in particular persisted for the best part of a decade. (106) Undependability allied to a refusal to observe rules led to threats of disciplinary action culminating in expulsion (107) followed by reinstatement only for the offending parties to err again before the “spasmodic availability” and “past somewhat troublesome record” resulted in a ‘round robin’ being signed by the entire membership, dispensing with the services of one of the recalcitrant only for one dismissed party to be admitted at a later date. (108)

It is clear that the tolerance shown to such members was not due to moral weakness on the part of the Committee but from reliance upon their musical ability at a time when rebuilding was taking place but was far from complete. For this reason disciplinary action was frequently postponed until after a particular event. (109)
A degree of indiscipline as shown it turning up late for rehearsals has been a perpetual problem within the Band but during the 1950s non-attendance for protracted periods was a problem to the extent that the Secretary was occasionally called upon to ascertain whether absentee bandsmen had any future intention of attending at all. As late as 1959 the concern of the Committee resulted in the decision to keep a register and deal with anyone who missed 25% of rehearsals in any six month period. (110)

Indications of the long term effect of wartime disruption is clearly evident in the degree of improvisation during the decade from 1945 with ‘blooding’ of inexperienced players, recruitment of new members and negotiations for the appearance of guest players as an interim measure. Thus it is recorded that:

“A.W. to play the drum at Cliffe and receive a full share” [of the fee], and “P.M. to be given one month’s trial and then be a full member if successful”, and that “E.E. be asked to join the Band as a ‘pumper-up.”

Meanwhile, the Secretary was to “interview C.B. with a view to him playing B-B flat at the Leicester concert”, and with regard to a forthcoming event, negotiate for “a trombone player to be engaged on terms to be arranged.” (111)

As late as 1951 it was necessary for the Band to seek assistance in order to fulfil engagements, particularly in the case of the Festival of Britain gala event and in one case the Secretary wrote to the commanding officer of the bandsman who was undergoing National Service to seek leave for the player to appear with the Band at a forthcoming contest. (112)

A ‘Youth Policy’ was seen as a necessity for long-term growth and stability, the more so as several long serving members were contemplating retirement from the Band on grounds of age. Frank Spencer, Tom Tingle, Billy Rowbottom and C. Jackson all resigned during the ‘Fifties and early ‘Sixties. (113) Fortunately, admittances kept pace with departures and by the mid 1960s when Tom Pollard and Roland Hey retired the Band had a complement of 24 members, the youngest of whom was only ten years of age. (114)

One area of recruitment of young people was through an approach to the headmaster of the local secondary school, Mr. S. Roebuck, to see his assistance regarding the provision of potential learners. The Committee also decided to establish a beginner’s class and in anticipation of this measure agreed to purchase six B-flat cornets suitable for use by junior bandsmen. (115) the scale of the project was obviously far too demanding to be left solely in the hands of the bandmaster, no matter how efficient or willing to bear the burden. competent members were therefore enlisted from within the ranks of the Band to assist in teaching learners and featuring instruments other than the cornet and Terry Clayton and E Ashley volunteered to teach and played a significant part in the promotion of ‘young blood’ within the Band. (116)

A further aspect of functional reform commencing in the post war period was the attempt to rebuild the Band music library. Owing to the lack of adequate supervision members had adopted a very casual attitude to items belonging to the Band library and in June 1949 it was decreed by the Committee that, “all music taken from the Bandroom [is] to be signed for.”

A donation by Joe and Brian Pollard enabled the purchase of several new scores at that time (117) but the need to appoint a librarian with personal responsibility for cataloguing and maintaining and ordering new scores does not appear to have been considered, perhaps because of the reluctance of anyone to volunteer for the duty. It was therefore not until 1965 that Raymond Hodgson, son of the then Secretary, and one of the younger bandsmen, became the librarian. It was resolved that, “all members [are] to seek out and return all Band music so that an assessment of the library can be made.” (118)

The desire for a comprehensive ‘tidying-up’ is manifest from the early 1950s and applied to the public appearance of the Band as well as to the internal aspects of discipline as shown by a resolution concerning the image of the Band when on parade, with the injunction that the; “Bandmaster [is] to pay special attention to the step adopted when the Band sets off on the march, to ensure the proper formation is maintained.” (119)

The problems and privations experienced by the Band in the aftermath of the war did not prevent it contesting. On the 18th May 1946 the band was awarded 3rd prize in the Open Championships at Bell Vue, Manchester, in which 28 bands representing the northern counties took part. Despite being depleted by war service the test piece ‘Hereward’ was rendered by an ensemble in which all but two members had been taught by Sammy Marshall. Owing to an administrative error a rival band was named in 3rd place and Knottingley Band was left on tenterhooks until an official correction was made. (120)

The Band was less successful in the North Eastern Championships held in the Belgrave Hall, Leeds, on Saturday 6th May 1950. Competing in the Fourth Section the Band drew the 25th playing order out of 21 contesting bands which meant a six hour wait before being called upon to play. The Band, with 170 marks out of 200 was well down the list, the winner being the City of York Band with 190 marks. In an echo of former days, Mr. A.H. Whitehead of Sturton, Leeds, had been engaged as guest conductor for the occasion. (121)

In the contest held at the same venue the following year the band was again unplaced, gaining 173 points out of 200, but the contest proved valuable experience for several young players for whom the occasion provided and initiation in competitive playing. (122)

For the Daily Herald sponsored contests in 1952 the Band was reinforced by the appearance of at least one guest player. In addition, Band practice was extended to cover two evenings per week. (123) The Band took part in several contests each year, at Osset, at Halifax and at Huddersfield on the 14th March 1953, conducted on each occasion by Mr. Whitehead. (124) Several of the above events were under the aegis of the West Riding Brass Band Society of which Knottingley Band was a long established member. Others were organised by the Halifax Brass Band Society. (125) The events were very much a learning experience for the members of the Silver Prize Band as shown by the post contest evaluation following the Osset contest in October 1953 which was described as being “enjoyable and successful.” (126)

The Daily Herald contest at Huddersfield on the 13th March 1954 also appears to have been successful and in its wake A.H. Whitehead was presented with an inscribed watch-metronome. (127) That year the Band again entered the Belle Vue contest in May. Leaving Knottingley by coach at 8.30am, the Band held a pre-contest practice, sharing a rehearsal room with the Featherstone Band. The contest culminated with a firework display enjoyed by the bandsmen and supporters before the return trip. (128)

The year 1954 was an exceptionally successful one and by August the Band had already won six trophies. The degree of success had resulted in an approach being made to the Harrogate Brass Band Association to stage a contest in Knottingley Town Hall and on Saturday 25th September 1954 the event took place under the adjudication of Mr. J. Broadbent of Huddersfield. The contest comprised two sections with the hosts competing with six other bands in the first section. Five bands featured in the second section. The draw for playing took place at 2.30pm with Knottingley Band being drawn fifth in their section. The contest got underway at 3.00pm. Each section had its own awards. First position in the first section secured the Highley Cup with the Hawkes Cup and the Hawley Cup being awarded to the second and third placed bands. In the second section the three trophies were the Green Shield, York Cup and Smith’s Cup. In addition, each section had a first and second award for the bands which were successful in the rendition of a march.

The winning band in the first section, playing the test piece ‘Moments of Wagner’, was Altofts Colliery Band, conducted by C. Wilkinson. Knottingley, under Whitehead, took second place and Kippax Old Band came third. Second section winner, playing ‘Beautiful Britain’ was the Morley Legion Band with Leeds City Band second. Arrangements were made by the Knottingley Band secretary for the ensembles to be photographed on the occasion of the ‘home’ contest with the six currently held trophies prominently displayed. (129)

By spring 1955 the idea of a massed band concert was being mooted (130) but the plan never reached fruition and November of that year saw the Band busily rehearsing for a West Riding Society contest to be held at Halifax on the 17th of the month. The Band was again under the baton of A.H. Whitehead (131) and in the pre contest preparation the Band again shared the use (and cost) of a rehearsal room with their Featherstone rivals. (132)

Once again the Band was successful in the regional heats and by May 1955 was rehearsing the test piece ‘Merry Monarch’ in preparation for the National Championship finals in London. (133) In order to maximise their chances and simultaneously minimise the expense, the Band withdrew from its intended participation in a contest organised under the joint auspices of the Halifax-Harrogate Associations (134) and to defray the cost of the forthcoming London finals approached the N.A.D.S. & S. and Conservative Clubs with a view to holding concerts at these venues. Meanwhile, a promise by Mr. E.J. Arnold, Managing Director, John Harker Ltd., the local shipbuilding company, to give a donation to the Band, led to an approach to other local firms for similar donations to buy a number of new instruments to be used in the forthcoming London contest. (135)

In mid March 1956 the Band commenced “serious work regarding the daily Herald contest piece” (136) and arrangements were already underway for the Band to stay at the Royal Hotel for the National finals in London later that year. However, following an adverse financial statement in May a decision was taken to pull out of the contest. (137) Loath to forego the chance to compete at National level, the Band again approached the secretaries of three local clubs to arrange fundraising concerts and undertook additional activities to obtain funds, including an increase in members’ subscriptions to 6d per week. (138) It was also agreed that any fee less than £5 should be placed in Bands funds rather than being assigned for sharing by members. (139) As a result participation in the National finals was assured. (140)

Following some initial hesitation, the Band entered the Daily Herald contest in 1957. The reason for the hiatus was the uncertainty of the Committee as to which section was most compatible with the ability of the Band. The matter was left in abeyance pending the outcome of an invitation contest which was to be used as a musical yardstick. (141) However, the performance of the Band at that event failed to resolve the matter and when the Band entered the Belle Vue contest in May it was at a level determined by the guest conductor, A.H. Whitehead. (142

One of the most successful events by the Band took place on Saturday 13th April 1957 when, under the aegis of Horbury Victoria Prize Band, the first annual brass band contest took place at the Co-operative Hall, Horbury. The event featured third and fourth section bands and was adjudicated by Lieutenant John Fletcher of Halifax. The programme consisted of a march competition in which participating bands had a free choice, and a section in which bands could perform 'The Black Prince' by J.A.Greenwood or Drake Rimmers' composition, 'Spirit of Progress'.

Knottingley Band achieved a notable double by drawing first playing spot in each section. Undaunted, the Band, led by Mr. Whitehead, came third in the afternoon march section with 88 points, the winner being Upton Colliery Band with 95 points and Ravensthorpe taking second place with 90 points. The same seven bands contested the selection competition that evening when Knottingley gained first place with 95 points, outplaying Clayton West Brass Band with 80 points and third placed Upton with 75 points. Like Knottingley Band, Upton had reason to be well satisfied, having gained a first and a third place in the day's events. However, the ultimate triumph went to the Knottingley Band when Brian Pollard won the medal for the best cornet player in the contest. (143)

That same year the Band participated in the Harrogate District contest on the 8th September and the Halifax & Harrogate Association contest on the 29th of that month. (144) The latter event caused some problems for the Band Secretary who, facing the prospect of a depleted ensemble, had to obtain the permission of the Association secretary to play with borrowed players and then obtain the guest instrumentalists for the occasion. (145)

Finding a competent performance level was also an ongoing problem which exercised the minds of the Band Committee for more than a year during which the decision as to what section of a particular contest to enter was taken as late as possible and only after relevant test pieces had been tried. Even then it was frequently necessary to hold extra practice sessions to ensure competance at the chosen level. (146) In May 1958 the Band entered the Senior Trophy competition at Belle Vue, Manchester, playing the test piece 'Venus & Adonis' but because of the technical demands of the piece confirmation of entry was initially deferred and the eventual decision to compete in the desired section split the Committee which voted to participate by 7 votes to 5. Similarly, an earlier decision not to compete in a contest at Blackpool had been taken on the casting vote of the Band Chairman. (147) Other contests late in 1958 include one held at Mosley, a contest which allowed bands to play a piece of their own choosing, and a further contest at Halifax. (148) The decade ended with the Band competing in the West Riding contest held at Pontefract on Thursday 22nd October 1959, followed by a contest at Chesterfield. (149)

The crux of the problem was the shortage of a regular assemblage due to non-attendance at band practice (and sometimes at actual engagements) by some unreliable members, together with the lack of proficiency and experience of replacements for superannuated bandsmen. (150) A further drawback was the lax attitude of some of the otherwise reliable members with regard to timekeeping at rehearsals. Mr. Whitehead would be prompt in his readiness to commence practice at 7.00pm but unable to get underway for some time thereafter owing to the lateness of players. The situation was particularly vexatious and demoralising at times of preparation for contests when extra rehearsals were called. (151) In vain the Committee would draw attention to the

"Lateness of members for rehearsals - practices to commence 3.00pm Sunday and 7.00pm Wednesday promptly in future". (152)

but to no permanent effect, as shown by a minute of May 1959 which sought to appeal to the moral conscience of the rank and file, viz

"Lateness (1/2 hour or more) for rehearsals, deplored as a great discourtesy to Mr. Whitehead who is always ready at 7.00pm". (153)

Unfortunately, the Committee appears to have been powerless to take effective action and lateness for rehearsals continued to be a perennial problem.

The effect of the destabilisation arising from the above situation is seen in a minute of July 1958 that

"2 cornet, 1 euphonium, 1 solo horn and 1 E-flat players to be borrowed at [the] Bandmaster's discretion..." (154)

And again, early in 1961

"Mr. Whitehead and three supplementary players to be approached re Daily Herald Contest." (155)

It is clearly evident that the recruitment and tuition of young players was not meeting the demands of time at this period and it was this fact which, in July 1960, prompted more active consideration of establishing a learners class, coupled with the approach to the local secondary school as a potential source of recruitment. (156)

Public desire for the reform and reorganisation of elements within society in both a conceptual and practical context was a post war phenomenon which whilst not arising exclusively from the war was driven by it. It was only from the mid 1950s, however, that growing material prosperity arising from the reconstruction of industry and full employment enabled detailed consideration to be given to aspects of urban redevelopment, resulting in comprehensive change during the following decade.

In a local context change was most evident in the wholesale demolition of the town centres of Ferrybridge and Knottingley during the 1960s which had a dramatic effect on both communities.

It was in the late 1950s that plans for the redevelopment of Aire Street impinged upon the settled order by threatening the future existence of the bandroom used by the Band from time immemorial. At a humble level an augury of change occurred in May 1955 when the long-serving caretaker, Tom Pollard, who lived opposite the bandroom, resigned as caretaker, being replaced by Roland Hey. Trevor Clayton, who also lived nearby, became the key-holder. Apart from the appreciation expressed for Tom Pollard's fulfilment of his duties, a tribute was also paid to Mrs Pollard who over the years had provided domestic hospitality to Mr. A.H. Whitehead during his frequent visits as guest conductor of the Band. (157) The appreciation of the Committee on behalf of the members found tangible expression when in the course of undertaking the Band's Christmas rounds, a presentation was made to Mrs Pollard

"In respect of providing tea for Mr. Whitehead over a long period when the latter was on contest duty with the Band". (158)

The announcement of the forthcoming publication by the local council of the Town Survey & Development Plan with the emphasis on the redevelopment of Aire Street, in 1957, had potential implications for the future home of the Band and the Secretary was detailed to examine the proposals. (150) Consulatation with the Council officers revealed that eventual demolition would necessitate the relocation of the Band and it was decided to approach the Council Surveyor to discuss the price of land and a suitable location for the construction of a new bandroom. (160) Discussions failed to yield a positive outcome, placing the onus on the Band Committee to find alternative accommodation. A site at Cow Lane was considered but rejected as being too small. Another site considered was the former Aire Street Hotel. Situated on the western edge of the Flatts, the property had stood empty for several years and could only have provided temporary accommodation for the Band as it too was scheduled for eventual demolition. The observation of the Committee that

"this is a great undertaking"

reveals its awareness of the need for caution concerning the situation and consequently the matter was deferred for further consideration. (161) The decision to defer the matter was taken in the light of a parallel development. In the summer of 1958 the Secretary had contacted the Leeds based brewery company, Joshua Tetley & Sons, concerning the possible use of the former residence of the Twaite family situated adjacent to the N.A.D.S.&S. Club at the junction of Weeland Road and Racca Green. (162) However, the approach was unsuccessful and in mid 1959 the Committee was reported to still be on the lookout for a suitable site for a bandroom. (163) One possible site at Spawd Bone Lane was land owned by the local Labour Party which housed Party headquarters. An approach was made to ascertain the possibility of erecting a bandroom adjacent to the H.Q. building but again, negotiations proved to be unsuccessful. (164) Late in 1959, Mr. Kenneth Draper, scion of a family with long established connections with the Band, who was then the licensee of the Railway Hotel, Hill Top, offered the Band free use of a room for practices. The Committee viewed the site and aware of the rapidly deteriorating state of the existing bandroom agreed to pay Mr. Draper £12 per annum, a sum approximate to that paid as rent for use of the former bandroom. (166)

Even before the advent of the redevelopment plan the old bandroom was in a state of increasing deterioration and as early as May 1951 the attention of the Committee had been drawn to the dilapidated condition of the building and an effort made to renovate the same. (167) The eventual vacation of the site necessitated a call for volunteers to 'spring clean' the old room, no mean feat for successive caretakers had been driven to near despair by the 'lived in' ambience engendered by the casual regard for tidiness shown by Band members. (168) As recently as mid 1959 the then caretaker had 'considered his position' and had only been persuaded to continue with the job pending a positive response to his appeal for greater tidiness. (169) Yet despite any disadvantages, the abandonment of the old bandroom represented a wrench from an era replete with memories of a glorious past and an enforced step into an uncertain future.

Terry Spencer 2006

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CHAPTER 4 NOTES:
(1) Pontefract & Castleford Express, Second Section, 17-4-1980, p6.
(2) Minute Book 'A' 13-2-1949.
(3) ibid.
(4) ibid. 18-2-1949.
(5) ibid 23-2-1949.
(6) ibid.
(7) ibid 13-2-1949.
(8) ibid 4-8-1950.
(9) ibid 12-3-1951.
(10) ibid 6-5-1951.
(11) ibid 10-2-1952.
(12) ibid 6-5-1951 & 10-2-1952.
(13) ibid
(14) ibid 18-8-1952.
(15) ibid 11-9-1950.
(16) ibid 12-2-1951.
(17) ibid 9-6-1952.
(18) ibid 17-7-1952.
(19) ibid 12-5-1957.
(20) ibid 11-7-1949 & 8-8-1949.
(21) ibid 9-5-1949 & 13-6-1949.
(22) ibid 27-3-1950.
(23) Pontefract & Castleford Express 30-3-1951 p4.
(24) Minute Book 'A' 13-11-1950.
(25) ibid 12-2-1951 & 12-3-1951.
(26) Pontefract & Castleford Express 4-5-1951 p3.
(27) loc cit 30-3-1951 p4.
(28) Minute Book 'A' 3-4-1951.
(29) ibid 6-5-1951 & 10-9-1951.
(30) ibid 10-9-1951.
(31) ibid 6-5-1951 & 10-9-1951.
(32) ibid 18-8-1952.
(33) ibid 19-7-1954.
(34) ibid 29-12-1951.
(35) Pontefract & Castleford Express 8-2-1952 p6.
(36) Minute Book 'A' 13-6-1955 & 7-11-1955.
(37) Pontefract & Castleford Express 4-5-1951 & 30-3-1951 p4.
(38) Minute Book 'A' 27-3-1950 & undated-1-1950.
(39) ibid 12-2-1951 & 21-5-1951. The bandsmen were still paying their own fares two years later when the Band took part in a contest held at Huddersfield Town Hall c.f. ibid 5-3-1952.
(40) ibid 13-11-1950 & 30 -3-1951. The Council were indignant that the Band did not seek permission to bear the coat of arms and resolved to make representations to the Band Secretary concerning the matter. c.f. Minute No. 1266, 4th April, 1951, K.U.D.C. Minute Book 1950-1951, p253.
(41) ibid 27-3-1950.
(42) ibid 8-8-1949 & 13-11-1950.
(43) 29-12-1951.
(44) ibid 8-11-1954.
(45) ibid 5-5-1952 & 10-3-1953.
(46) ibid 12-11-1956.
(47) ibid 8-5-1955.
(48) ibid 15-8-1955.
(49) ibid 12-11-1956.
(50) ibid 10-12-1956 & 7-1-1957.
(51) ibid 17-9-1957.
(52) ibid 17-9-1957.
(53) ibid 12-8-1957.
(54) ibid 10-3-1958.
(55) ibid & 12-1-1959.
(56) ibid 10-3-1958.
(57) Ibid 27-6-1949 & 11-7-1949.
(58) ibid 29-12-1951.
(59) ibid 16-5-1955.
(60) ibid 22-4-1956.
(61) ibid 11-6-1956.
(62) ibid 13-8-1956.
(63) ibid undated entry, probably early April 1957. Also 8-4-1958.
(64) Ibid 13-8-1951; 10-2-1952; 2-11-1953 & 9-8-1954.
(65) Bandsmen Percy Hodgson and Granville Austerberry donated poultry as raffle gifts, making the sum of £4-15-6 c.f. ibid, unspecified date, December 1954.
(66) ibid 2-11-1953 & unspecified date, December 1953.
(67) ibid 21-4-1950.
(68) Pontefract & Castleford Express 30-3-1951 p4 & 1-8-1947 p6.
(69) Minute Book 'A' 12-8-1957.
(70) ibid 8-8-1949.
(71) ibid unspecified date, January 1950.
(72) ibid 11-12-1950.
(73) ibid 11-9-1950.
(74) ibid
(75) ibid 12-3-1951. Also Pontefract & Castleford Express 20-7-1951 p1 & 19-8-1960 p9.
(76) loc cit 6-7-1951 p6. Also Minute Book 'A' 18-6-1951.
(77) ibid 11-5-1953 & Pontefract & Castleford Express 19-6-1953 p9.
(78) Minute Book 'B' 2-6-1959-7-4-1978.
(79) Minute Book 'A' 9-6-1958.
(80) ibid 21-3-1953.
(81) ibid 15-4-1957 & 8-4-1953.
(82) Minute Book 'B' 17-8-1962.
(83) Minute Book 'A' 12-3-1951.
(84) ibid. undated entry, late 1952/early 1953.
(85) Pontefract & Castleford Express 5-6-1953 p9.
(86) Minute Book 'A' 14-9-1953.
(87) ibid 18-6-1951 & 16-7-1951.
(88) ibid 10-2-1952 & 20-10-1952.
(89) ibid 2-11-1953.
(90) ibid 12-10-1953.
(91) ibid 16-5-1955.
(92) ibid 9-6-1952.
(93) ibid 13-7-1953 & 9-5-1954.
(94) ibid 12-11-1956.
(95) ibid 3-4-1951; 21-4-1953; 9-5-1954 & 8-6-1956.
(96) ibid 12-3-1951; 13-7-1953 7 6-10-1959.
(97) ibid 16-7-1951 & 2-6-1959.
(98) The Guardian 3-6-2003 p3.
(99) Minute Book 'A' 12-3-1951 & 10-9-1951.
(100) ibid 7-11-1955.
(101) ibid 11-6-1956.
(102) ibid 14-10-1957.
(103) ibid 9-5-1949.
(104) ibid 8-8-1949.
(105) ibid.
(106) ibid 11-9-1950 & 14-7-1958.
(107) ibid 12-2-1951; 11-1-1954 & 4-8-1950.
(108) ibid 19-7-1954; 12-12-1955; 14-7-1958 & 9-1-1959.
(109) ibid 14-7-1958 & 6-4-1964.
(110) ibid 28-5-1959 & 12-3-1956
(111) ibid 9-3-1949 & 8-8-1949.
(112) ibid 10-9-1951 & 18-6-1951.
(113) ibid 9-6-1952; 5-5-1952; 9--1953; 8-5-1955 & 12-5-1957.
(114) Pontefract & Castleford Express 4-2-1965 p16 & 17-10-1968 p12.
(115) Minute Book 'A' 17-1-1960. (116) ibid 7-1-1957 & 12-5-1957.
(117) ibid 11-7-1949.
(118) ibid 13-11-1950 & 10-12-1956.
(119) ibid 13-11-1949.
(120) Pontefract & Castleford Express 24-5-1946 p8.
(121) loc cit 12-5-1950 p3. Also, Minute Book 'A' 21-4-1950.
(122) Pontefract & Castleford Express 20-4-1951 p3.
(123) Minute Book 'A' 29-12-1951 & 10-2-1952.
(124) ibid 18-8-1952 & unspecified date December 1953.
(125) ibid 3-4-1951 7 10-3-1953.
(126) ibid 14-9-1953 7 12-10-1953.
(127) ibid unspecified date December 1953 & 16-2-1954.
(128) ibid 12-2-1954; 9-5-1954 & 19-7-1954.
(129) ibid. I am indebted to Mr Brian Pollard for information and data concerning the Knottingley contest.
(130) Minute Book 'A' 13-9-1954 & 16-5-1955.
(131) ibid 9-8-1954; 11-10-1954 & 8-11-1954.
(132) ibid 8-11-1954.
(133) ibid 16-5-1955. (134) ibid 15-8-1955.
(135) ibid 16-5-1955 & 13-6-1955.
(136) ibid 12-3-1956.
(137) ibid 22-4-1956 & 14-5-1956 (erroneously entered as 1955).
(138) ibid 14-5-1956 & 11-6-1956.
(139) ibid 13-8-1956.
(140) ibid 10-9-1956 & 15-10-1956.
(141) ibid 12-11-1956 7 10-12-1956.
(142) ibid unspecified entry late March/early April 1957.
(143) I am indebted to Mr Brian Pollard for details of the Horbury contest and for providing a copy of the official programme and a photograph taken at the event and allowing reproduction of the same in this study.
(144) ibid 12-8-1957.
(145) ibid.
(146) ibid 11-11-1957 & 8-12-1958
(147) ibid 9/10-3-1958. (148) ibid 13-9-1958.
(149) ibid 6-10-1959 & 28-5-1959.
(150) ibid 12-8-1957.
(151) ibid unspecified date December 1953.
(152) ibid 12-11-1956 & 8-12-1958.
(153) Minute Book 'B' 28-5-1959.
(154) Minute Book 'A' 14-7-1958.
(155) ibid 17-1-1961.
(156) ibid 5-7-1960 & 17-1-1961.
(157) ibid 8-5-1955. Also Pontefract & Castleford Express 11-2-1965 p16
(158) Minute Book 'A' 12-11-1956.
(159) ibid 17-9-1957.
(160) ibid 10-3-1958 & 8-4-1958.
(161) ibid 6-8-1958.
(162) ibid 14-7-1958.
(163) ibid 2-6-1959.
(164) ibid 7-7-1959 & 6-10-1959.
(165) ibid 4-1-1960.
(166) ibid 28-1-1961.
(167) ibid 6-5-1951.
(168) Minute Book 'B' 17-1-1961.
(169) ibid 28-5-1959.