Brea is a village in Cornwall between the towns of Camborne and Redruth
1875-1881: Brea Independent Brass Band active. (John Brush)
Brea Independent Brass Band presumably disbanded or evolved into the 1884 band.
1884: Brea Brass Band formed by John Harris. (John Brush)
1884: John Harris, Brea Band MD. He was also the organist at the Bible Christian Chapel. Because of his background, it is not surprising that their engagements appear exclusively for Sunday school, Band of Hope teas, and Friendly Society processions. (John Brush)
1886: Brea Band contesting under John Harris. (Contest archive)
1887: Brea Brass Band at Redruth Jubilee Celebrations. (23 June 1887 – The Cornish Telegraph)
1887: Brea Village Band at temperance festival at Camborne. (5 August 1887 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1889: Brea Brass Band at the bottom of Fore St Redruth. (30 May 1889 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1889: “Brea Band is one of the few good bands in this district.” (Cornubian and Redruth Times 31st May 1889)
1889: “… The Oddfellows, Rechabites, and Foresters, accompanied the Brea Village Band, attended the Camborne United Methodist Chapel, where harvest thanksgiving services were held. …” (3 October 1889 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1889: Brea Brass Band on another car and followed by twenty or thirty other vehicles. (17 October 1889 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1893: Camborne, Troon, and Brea Bands attended. (13 July 1893 – The Cornish Telegraph)
1893: Brea Band contesting. (Cornishman 27th July 1893)
May 1895: Brea Brass Band consisted of John Harris (conductor), John Viall, William Viall, Samuel Viall, James Viall, Alfred Andrew, John Paull, Thomas Angove, Tom Brokenshire, William Harris, William Hocking and Matthew Brokenshire. (John Brush)
1896: Brea Band disbanded. (John Brush)
From the following 1910 report it is clear that Brea Brass Band re-formed.
1910: Brea Brass Band and the Camborne Salvation Army Band played in different parts of the town. (29 December 1910 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
Closure date unknown.
Compiled by Tony Mansell (Bardh Kernow)
This collection is a part of the Cornish National Music Archive (CNMA) project to Collect, Preserve and Share our Cornish Heritage and Culture.
It is based on location as each may have had more than one band.
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