Camelford is a town and civil parish in the River Camel valley northwest of Bodmin Moor and approximately ten miles north of Bodmin
1840: Camelford Band entertained the day of Queen Victorious marriage. (14 February 1840 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1860: The 19th Company Duke of Cornwall’s Rifles formed. Later H Company Duke of Cornwall’s Rifles / H Company 2nd Volunteer Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry / H Company 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (Territorial Force) (John Brush)
“The unit was formed in 1860 and by July 1861 had a viable brass band. We have only one name recorded as conductor – a certain John Males who certainly did have a musical degree of some sort and managed to lead an eventful life for a few years at least. 1904-05 he conducted Redruth Duke of Cornwall’s Rifles Band and took on, at the same time the Royal Engineers Submarine Miners Band at Falmouth, then almost immediately moved house to East Cornwall (still in 1905) and took over the St Blazey Artillery Band, packed that in and moved to this Camelford Duke of Cornwall’s Rifles Band where he managed to stay put until 1908-09 and thence on to Wadebridge Duke of Cornwall’s Rifles. It is most fortunate that there was no cavalry band in the county!” (John Brush)
1861 – July: Camelford Corps were on the field, with their band. [Camelford Duke of Cornwall’s Rifles Band].
1861 to 1900: MD not known.
1864: Camelford DCR at a review.
1866: Camelford Rifle Volunteer Band at the Wesleyan Chapel. (24 May 1866 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1867: Camelford Brass Band active. (John Brush) Was this the DCR, the 1840 band or a re-formed version?
1872: Davidstow Temperance Brass Band and the Camelford Band of Hope Fife and Drum Band at the Altarnun Tee-total Society. (6 July 1872 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1880: Camelford Brass Band active. (John Brush)
1884: Camelford Volunteer Band … (11 January 1884 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1895: Camelford Town Brass Band active. (John Brush)
1895: Mr Cann, Camelford Town Brass Band MD. (John Brush)
Mr Male, Camelford Town Brass Band MD. (John Brush)
1901: Camelford Town Band, under the direction of the bandmaster, Mr. Males at the united Band of Hope. (29 June 1901 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1904: “Camelford Town Band played selections in the Market Square. (31 December 1904 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1905: Camelford Brass Band at the annual lifeboat demonstration. (31 August 1905 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1908: Camelford Town Band probably formed around this time. This is no further mention of the DCR band and the Town Band was led by the last conductor of the old Volunteer Band. (John Brush)
1908: Camelford Town Band, under bandmaster Males R.M.C.M. (4 July 1908 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1908: The members of the band have resigned and that instead of a Territorial Band, as formerly, Camelford is in possession of a Town Band. (18 July 1908 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1908: Camelford Town Band, under Bandmaster Males. (24 October 1908 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1909: Town Band, under Bandmaster Males. (2 January 1909 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1909: Camelford Town Band under the direction of Bandmaster Males at Tintagel Band of Hope Festival. (26 June 1909 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1909: Camelford Town Band, under Bandmaster Males. Capt. Sturge. (17 July 1909 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1909: Camelford Town Band, under the direction of Mr J Males at Tintagel Cottage Garden Show. (14 August 1909 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1910: Camelford Town Band, under the supervision of Bandmaster Males. (18 June 1910 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1910: Camelford Town Band, under Bandmaster Males at the Primrose League Fete at Hengar. (16 July 1910 – Cornish & Devon Post)
1911: Camelford Town Band, under Bandmaster Males at Tintagel Band of Hope. (24 June 1911 – Cornish & Devon Post)
Camelford Town Band 1913 / 1916
Arch Richards, Alf George, Joe Symons, Mr Rennals, Fred Richards, Bill Rowland, Tony Couch, Len Males, A Hawkey, Ernest Dennis, Matt Neil, John Lono, Charlie Webber, Jim Hall, Billy Males, J Amy, Albert Richards
1914 to 1928: John Males Camelford Town Band MD. (John Brush & Contest archive) Does this imply a break in service for John Males?
1914: Camelford Town Band competed in Wadebridge contest but they were unplaced in the lowest section. (John Brush)
1916: Camelford Town Band members included: Bandmaste J Maud, Arthur Richards, A George, Joseph Symons, J Rendle, F Richards, B Cross, T Couch, Leslie Males, M Hawkey, E Dennis, M Neil, T Long, C Webber, Jack Hill, J Maud, James Amy and A Richards.
WW1: Camelford Town Band undertook some public engagements albeit not many. (John Brush)
1924: Camelford Town Band, under Bandmaster Males at Carnival at Camelford. (7 November 1924 – Western Morning News)
1926: Camelford Town Band entered Stenalees Contest with a similar result to the one at Wadebridge. (John Brush)
1927: W Adamson conducting Camelford Town Band at contest. (Contest archive)
1928 to 1930: Mr Fitzrogers, Camelford Town Band MD. He was an ex cornet from St Dennis Band. (John Brush)
1928: To their credit Camelford Town Band kept trying contesting eventually achieving a 3rd place at the Stenalees contest, again in the lowest section. (John Brush)
1930 to 1939: Camelford Town Band, MD unknown. (John Brush)
1935: Camelford Town Band, under Bandmaster J Symons. (15 August 1935 – Western Morning News)
1939: J Symons, Camelford Town Band MD. (John Brush)
1939: Camelford Town Band ceased operations, probably due to the outbreak of war.
1940s/50s: It would seem that Camelford Town Band were playing, or at least practising, at some time during this period as Fred Angove was involved. (Fred Angove)
Camelford Town Band disbanded.
1996: Camelford Town Band re-formed. (John Brush)
1996: Douglas Hodge, Camelford Town Band MD. (British Bandsman 8th August 1998)
1998: Camelford Town Band tour of Norway. (British Bandsman 8th August 1998)
(British Bandsman 15th August 1998)
2015: Stephen Wagstaff conducting Camelford Town Band at contest. (Contest archive)
2017: Camelford Town Band placed 9th in the Fourth section of the SWBBA Championships under Stephen Wagstaff playing St Andrews Variations.
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.
Our thanks go to all of the organisations and individuals, whether named or not, who have provided information and photographs for this archive.
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