Gerrans is a coastal civil parish and village on the Roseland Peninsula adjoining Portscatho

 

Unknown formation date.

1859:  Notwithstanding this regatta being on a small scale, it was carried on with great spirit. The Gerrans Band attended and played enlivening airs throughout. (8 October 1859 – Lake’s Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser / 14 October 1859 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

Unknown closure date of Gerrans Brass Band.

Circa 1883: Gerrans Brass Band started by subscription. (John Brush)

1884: Truro County Court. This was an action to recover possession of a tenor horn, valued at 38s. It appeared that the parties were members of a Brass Band which was started by subscription in the parish of Gerrans. The instrument allotted for the defendant was the tenor horn, but being found incapable of playing it he was desired to give it up, and take the big drum instead. This he declined to do, left the band, and refused to give up the instrument, although he had signed the rules prepared for the guidance of the band, one of which stated that the instruments and music were the property of the band and in no sense belonged to the players. Under the circumstances His Honour gave a verdict for plaintiff for 38s. to be reduced to Is. if the instrument was given up. (21 November 1884 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

Unknown closure date of Gerrans Brass Band.

1904: Gerrans Fife and Drum Band held their first meeting at Portscatho. (12 February 1904 – Lake’s Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser)

1904: The members of the Gerrans drum and fife band attended at the Institute on Monday, and after paying their subscriptions they were handed their instruments by Mr. A Thomas, Trewince. It is hoped the band will be a success. (Cornish Echo and Falmouth & Penryn Times – Friday 11 March 1904 / Nev Meek)

1905: Gerrans drum and fife band is making excellent progress. During the Christmastide it visited Portscatho, where dancing was freely indulged in to the strains of the band, and the festive season was all the more festive. Great praise is due to the conductor for the way he has trained the band. (Cornish Echo and Falmouth & Penryn Times – Friday 06 January 1905 / Nev Meek)

Circa 1900 but probably a few years later: “Mr. Dinney started up the Fife and Drum Band; there were pipes and flutes and drums (big drum and side drum) and cymbals. Mr Thomas at Trewince helped us out a bit with a donation. We used to go up there to him sometimes and play to him, when we’d learned a tune or two: I played the piccolo.” (The Past in St Gerrans 1975 – containing reminiscences of older residents, so possibly recalling events c.1900)

 

Unknown closure date of Gerrans Fife and Drum Band.

 

 

 

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.

If you own the copyright to any of the photographs included here then please let us know and they will be credited or removed.

If you are able to correct or update any information included here then please leave a comment.