Contesting
Not all bands enter competitions and there are some which shun the contest stage, preferring to concentrate their efforts in providing music for local events. For most players, though, contesting has always been an important part of brass banding, the reason that they spend so many hours trying to perfect their art. It provides them with the opportunity to test their musical skills against others and, of course, to bring home that silverware.
This section includes brass band contests which have taken place in Cornwall. I doubt that all are here, and there are certainly some results missing, but, over time, it is hoped that it will become a comprehensive record of all Cornish Contests.
1895
1st St Ives Contest
7th July 1895
Adjudicator:
All we know is that St Ives Band competed
1922
1st St Ives Contest
(St Ives Band)
Monday 7th August 1922
Adjudicator: Frank Shaw of Gray’s Temperance Band
Second Section
Test piece: Classic Gems (2)
| Placed | Conductor | ||
| 1 | Newquay Town | George W Cave | |
| 2 | Bugle Silver | Edwin J Williams | |
| 3 | Truro Town | Tom Hubbard | |
| Redruth Town | F H Venton | ||
Cornet: J Lennon (Bugle)
Horn: W Camps (Bugle)
Euphonium: W Horthy (Redruth)
Trombone: George Polmear (Redruth)
Third Section
Test piece: Dawn of Spring
| Placed | Conductor | ||
| 1 | Newquay Town | George Cave | |
| 2 | Truro Town | T Hubbard | |
| 3 | Greensplatt | J Bassett | |
| 4 | Fraddon Temperance | A V Menear | |
| St Columb Town | W H Webber | ||
| St Erth | S Rowe | ||
| Towednack | F Pope | ||
Cornet: (Newquay Town)
Horn: (Newquay Town)
Euphonium: (Newquay Town)
Trombone: (Newquay Town)
March Section
Own Choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Newquay Town | |
| 2 | Truro Town | |
| 3 | Bugle |
Five other bands
Best cornet of the day: J Lennon (Bugle)
Report: (10 August 1922 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1923
2nd St Ives Contest
(St Ives Band)
6th August 1923
Adjudicator: Albert Lawton
Second Section test piece: Modjeska
| Placed | Conductor | ||
| 1 | Bugle Silver | E J Williams | |
| 2 | Newquay Town | George Cave | |
Cornet: J Lennon (Bugle)
Horn T Hicks (Newquay)
Trombone: H Wills (Bugle)
Euphonium: W Collins (Newquay)
March Section: Own choice
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Newquay Town | ||
| 2 | Bugle Silver | ||
| Seven other bands |
Third Section test piece: La Traviata (Verdi arr Charles Godfrey)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Penwithick | George Cave | |
| 2 | St Newlyn East | George Cave | |
| 3 | Greensplat Band | J Bassett | |
| 4 | Penzance Independent | N Trudgeon | |
| 5 | Helston | W A Harris | |
| 6 | Towednack | F Pope | |
| 7 | St Just (Boys) | Jas Marks | |
Report: (8 August 1923 – Cornishman)
1923: “Band Contest at St Ives. … second section Bugle won the challenge cup (presented Capt. Denis Shipwright) with £18 and special; second, Newquay. Penzance Independent band won the shield offered for the band with the highest number of points outside the prize-winners….” (8 August 1923 – Cornishman)
1924
3rd St Ives Contest
Tregenna Place
(St Ives Band)
9th August 1924
Adjudicator: Walter Reynolds, London
Eight of the leading bands of the county have entered for the St Ives band contest, which be held on Bank Holiday. (30 July 1924 – Cornishman)
Second Section test piece: Rigoletto (Verdi)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Stenalees Silver | W Adamson | |
| 2 | Bugle Silver | E J Williams | |
Second Section own choice hymn
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Bugle Silver | |
| 2 | Stenalees Silver | |
Soprano: R Hancock (Stenalees)
Cornet: T Swift (Bugle)
Flugel: H Tabb (Stenalees)
Horn: W Poad (Stenalees)
Trombone: J Stephens (Stenalees)
Euphonium: W Richards (Bugle)
Third Section test piece: Daughter of the Regiment
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Greensplat | W Adamson | |
| 2 | Penzance Independent | N Trudgeon | |
| 3 | St Columb | J W English | |
| Penwithick | F Dimmock | ||
| St Ives | |||
| St Just Town | |||
| Towednack | |||
Euphonium: R H Lean (Greensplat Band)
Third Section March: Own choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Greensplat | |
| 2 | Penzance Independent | |
Best soloist of the day: T Swift – cornet (Bugle)
St Ives band contest was held on Bank Holiday, when the following bands competed: Stenalees, St Columb, Penzance Independent, Bugle, St Just Town, Towednack, Greensplat and Penwithick. (7 August 1924 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
Report: (7 August 1924 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1925
5th St Ives Contest
Recreation Ground
(St Ives Band)
Monday 3rd August 1925
Adjudicator: J H Carter, Dalton-in Furness, Lancashire (formerly of Herland Cross)
Test piece: Orpheus (Jacques Offenbach / J A Greenwood)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Stenalees | J A Greenwood | |
| 2 | Bugle | W Adamson | |
Test hymn: Own choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Stenalees (Aberystwyth) | |
| 2 | Bugle (Bradford) | |
Third section test piece: Lurline (William Vincent Wallace / Edwin Swift)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Greensplat | W Adamson | |
| 2 | St Newlyn East | A W Parker | |
| 3 | St Just | Edwin J Williams | |
| 4 | St Erth | S Rowe | |
| Towednack | |||
Third section test march: own choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Greensplat (Ironclad) | |
| 2 | St Newlyn East (Belmont) | |
| 3 | St Just Town (Queensbury) | |
| 4 | St Erth | |
| Towednack | ||
The special for the best soloist the day was won by M. Robins, trombone, of Greensplat.
Report: (5 August 1925 – Cornishman)
1926
6th St Ives Contest
Recreation Ground
(St Ives Band)
28th July 1926
Adjudicator: Walter Nuttall
Open Section test piece: Carmen No.2 (Bizet)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Bugle Silver | W Adamson | |
| 2 | Hayle Town | John Tanner | |
| 3 | Penzance Independent | George W Cave | |
Open Section test hymn: Own choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Hayle | |
| 2 | Penzance Independent | |
Cornet: T Swift (Bugle)
Trombone: John Tanner (Hayle)
Euphonium: W Richards (Bugle) or Cyril Williams (Hayle)
Third Section test piece: Melodious Gems
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Falmouth | T J Chainey | |
| 2 | Penzance | G W Cave | |
| 3 | St Newlyn East | A W Parker | |
| 4 | St Minver | J F Wills | |
| Greensplat | W Adamson | ||
Third Section March: own choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Penwithick | |
| 2 | Greensplat | |
Report: (4 August 1926 – Cornishman)
1927
7th St Ives Contest
(St Ives Silver Band)
Monday 1st August 1927
Adjudicator: J G Dobbing from South Wales
Open section test piece: Operatic Beauties
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Camborne Town | A W Parker | |
| 2 | Bugle Silver | W Adamson | |
| 3 | Hayle Town | John Tanner | |
| 4 | Falmouth Town | Tom J Chainey | |
| 5 | Penzance Independent | George H Cave | |
Test Hymn tune: own choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Bugle Silver | |
| 2 | Camborne Town | |
| Hayle Town | ||
| Falmouth Town | ||
| Penzance Independent | ||
Soprano: Telfer Rule (Camborne)
Cornet: Fred J Roberts (Camborne)
Euphonium: S Roberts (Camborne)
Best soloist in the section: Fred Roberts or Stanley Blight (Camborne)
Third section test piece: Poetic Fancies (Michael Laurent)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Minver | J F Wills | |
| 2 | St Newlyn East | A W Parker | |
| 3 | Falmouth Town | Thomas Chainey | |
| Camelford | W Adamson | ||
| Hayle Town | John Tanner | ||
| Helston Town | W A Harris | ||
| St Erth | E C Wills | ||
Third section march: Own choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Falmouth Town | |
| 2 | St Minver | |
| 3 | ??? | |
| 4 | Helston Town | |
| ??? | Camelford | |
| ??? | Hayle Town | |
| ??? | St Erth | |
| ??? | St Newlyn East | |
Report: (Cornishman 3rd August 1927)
Ten bands competed, the entries being: St. Minver (conductor. Mr. J. F. ; Wills); St. Newlyn East (Mr. A. W. Parker); Hayle Town (Mr. J. Tanner);! Falmouth Town Silver (Mr. T Ghainey); Camelford (Mr. W. ???) St. Erth Silver (Mr. E. C. Wills); Heiston Town (Mr. W. A. Harris); Bugle (Mr. W. Adamson); Camborne (Mr. A. W. Parker); and Penzance Independent (Mr. G. W. Cave). (3 August 1927 – Cornishman)
The 1927 St Ives Contest took place in perfect weather and drew a crowd of nearly 3,000 people. This annual event was popular and on this occasion the open section attracted five bands. Camborne took first prize for the test piece Operatic Beauties with Bugle in second place followed by Hayle Falmouth Town and Penzance Independent. For the hymn tune, Camborne had to be satisfied with second place behind Bugle. Telfer Rule (soprano), Fred Roberts (cornet) and S Roberts (euphonium won soloist medals with the President’s Cup for the best soloist going to Fred Roberts.
1928
8th St Ives Contest
(St Ives Silver Band)
Monday 6th August 1928
Adjudicator: Albert Lawton of Leicester
Open section test piece: Semiramide (Gioachino Rossini)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Camborne | A W Parker | |
| 2 | Hayle | John Tanner | |
| 3 | St Austell Town | E F Woodhead | |
| 4 | Redruth | W J Floyd | |
Open section march: Own choice
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Camborne | |
| 2 | Hayle | |
| Redruth | ||
| St Austell Town | ||
Third section test piece: O’er Hill and Dale (E le Duc)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Falmouth Town | Thomas Chainey | |
| 2 | St Minver | J F Wills | |
| 3 | Redruth | W J Floyd | |
| 4 | St Erth | George Cave | |
Third section march:
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | Falmouth Town | |
| 2 | St Minver | |
Fourth section test piece:
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Columb | H E Wills | |
| 2 | Camelford | F Rogers | |
| 3 | Marazion | George Cave | Points |
| Breage | |||
| Porthleven | |||
| St Issey | |||
- Roberts (Camborne) won the special for the best soloist on the field.
No fewer than sixteen bands competed this year, compared with ten last year. They included St. Issey, Marazion, St. Just Old Town, Breage, St. Columb, Camelford, Carharrack, Porthleven, Redruth, Falmouth, St Erth, St. Minver, Camborne, Penzance, St. Austell, Hayle. (9 August 1928 – Cornishman)
1929
St Ives Contest
Monday 5th August 1929
Adjudicator: J B Yorke, Yeovil
Open section test piece: Labour and Love (Percy Fletcher)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Camborne Town Band | A W Parker | |
| 2 | Hayle Town Band | John Tanner | |
| 3 | Redruth Town Band | R W Floyd | |
| 4 | Falmouth Town | Tom J Chainey | |
Open section march: B B & C F
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Camborne Town | A W Parker | |
| 2 | Falmouth Town | W Adamson | |
| 3 | Redruth Town | John Tanner | |
| 4 | Hayle Town | John Tanner | |
Soprano: Telfer Rule, Camborne
Cornet: S Rowe, Camborne
Horn: Falmouth
Baritone: J Mooney, Camborne
Euphonium: J Thomas, Camborne
Best soloist: J Berryman, Camborne
Third section test piece: Souvenir of the Opera (William Rimmer)
| Placed | Conductor | ||
| 1 | Falmouth Town | Tom J Chainey | |
| 2 | Truro | G Cave | |
| 3 | Porthleven | William Roberts | |
| 4 | Hayle | John Tanner | |
| St Just Silver | J Probert |
Redruth R Floyd
St Just Old Town E J Williams
Third section march: Good Luck
| Placed | ||
| 1 | Falmouth | |
| 2 | Truro | |
| Hayle | ||
| Porthleven | ||
| St Just Silver |
Redruth
St Just Old Town
Fourth section test piece: Sylvan Scenes
| Placed | Conductor | ||
| 1 | St Just Old Town | Edwin J Williams | |
| 2 | Porthleven | ||
| 3 | Pendeen | James Williams | |
Fourth section hymn: Austria
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | St Just Old Town | |
| 2 | Porthleven | |
The eighth (should this be ninth?) annual band contest was the principal attraction at St. Ives on Bank Holiday. There were nine entries: Camborne, Redruth, Hayle, Truro, Pendeen, Porthleven, St. Just Silver, and St. Just Old Town. When the contest commenced the sun shone beautifully, but mid-way through the programme, rain fell heavily and continually till the close. … (8 August 1929 – Cornishman)
At a meeting of St. Ives Town Band, together with the Contest Committee, it was reported that the financial result of the contest held on Bank Holiday, showed deficit of £30. (10 October 1929 – Cornishman)
1930
1930: “St Ives Band Contest Committee has decided not to hold a contest this year owing to lack of local support and inclement weather…” (29 May 1930 – Cornishman)
1933
St. Ives Division Conservative Association – A unique programme is being arranged, including a band contest and a living whist hand. (6 April 1933 – Cornishman)
No record found of the contest having taken place.
1973
St Ives Guildhall Contest
Guildhall
1973
Adjudicator:
First section test piece: Own choice
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Stythians (Othello) | ||
| 2 | |||
First section test march: Neapolitan Suite for Brass
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | St Stythians (Collingwood) | |
| 2 | ||
No other results or details found
Compiled by Tony Mansell (Bardh Kernow)