Lelant is a village west side of the Hayle Estuary, about 2 ¹⁄₂ miles southeast of St Ives and one mile west of Hayle

 

Unknown formation date.

1865: Lelant Band played in the courtyard. (29 March 1865 – The Cornish Telegraph)

1869: Lelant Brass Band mentioned. (26 February 1869 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)

1883: Paraded the villages of Canonstown, Whitecross, Cockwells, and Crowlas, with flags and banners, headed by the Lelant Band. (30 August 1883 – Cornishman)

1884: Methodist Sunday School annual treat. Lelant Brass Band was in attendance. (8 August 1884 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)

1884: Conservative demonstration at St Ives… carriage and it was drawn round the town. Lelant and Towednack Bands accompanied the procession. (2 October 1884 – Cornishman)

1887: Lelant Downs Brass Band active. (John Brush)

1887-1892: William Perry, Lelant Downs Brass Band MD. (John Brush)

1887: The annual tea of the Wesleyan Sunday School. The Lelant Downs Band was in attendance. (9 June 1887 – The Cornish Telegraph)

1888: Lelant Downs Brass Band played for the Ludgvan Wesley Sunday School Festival and the press report leaves one in no doubt that there could not have been any learners performing. (John Brush)

1891: Lelant Wesleyan Sunday-school accompanied by the Lelant Downs Band. (9 July 1891 – The Cornish Telegraph)

1892: Each school formed a procession, led by the Lelant Downs and St Erth Brass Bands respectively. (21 July 1892 – The Cornish Telegraph)

From the following report it is clear that Lelant Downs Brass Band disbanded.

1904: Lelant on Friday evening decided to form a Brass Band. Mr. J. Beckerleg said would be required to provide the instruments, three of the bandsmen providing their own. (15 September 1904 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

January 1905: Lelant Brass Band formed. (John Brush)

1905 to 1911: James Maddern, Lelant Brass Band MD. (John Brush)

1905: Lelant Brass Band, led Mr J Maddern, made its first public appearance. (27 April 1905 – Cornishman)

1907: Teachers and scholars formed a procession headed by Lelant Brass Band. (23 May 1907 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1907: Lelant Wesleyan Sunday school held its annual festival led by the local Brass Band. (27 June 1907 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1908: A Gregory, Lelant Brass Band secretary. (BBHD)

1908: Lelant Brass Band has suffered a loss by the departure of the bandmaster, Mr Banfield Hosking and his brother, Mr Jacob Hosking. (10 September 1908 – Cornishman)

1908: Mr Ernest Wills appointed bandmaster of the Lelant Brass Band in succession to Mr Banfield Hosking who has gone to America. (12 November 1908 – Cornishman)

1909-1914: John Tanner, Lelant Brass Band MD. (John Brush)

1909: Lelant Brass Band, under the direction of Bandmaster Tanner, played musical selections in the village. The band has made excellent progress and has been strengthened by several new members. (15 April 1909 – Cornishman)

1909: Kimberley Park – yesterday, in aid of the Falmouth Hospital and Truro Infirmary, a sacred concert was given by the Lelant Brass Band, under Bandmaster J Tanner. (9 August 1909 – Western Morning News)

1910: Hayle Boys’ Brigade – The procession was headed by the Lelant Brass Band. (22 September 1910 RCG)

1911: Sunday School tea at Carthow, St. Ives accompanied by the St Ives Town and Lelant Town Bands. (6 July 1911 – The Cornish Telegraph)

1912: In the afternoon a programme of music was rendered by Lelant Brass Band. (8 February 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1912: Lelant Brass and Silver Band – the new uniforms, under Mr John Tanner. (21 March 1912 – Cornishman)

1912: Lelant Church Sunday morning. Assembling at the schools a procession was formed, headed by the Lelant Brass and Silver Band, under the direction of Bandmaster J. Tanner. (18 April 1912 – Cornishman)

1912: Lelant Brass and Silver Band, with their new uniforms under the conductorship of Mr John Tanner. (2 & 16 May 1912 – Cornishman)

1913: Lelant Brass Band are to be congratulated on the highly successful contest on Saturday. (4 September 1913 – The Cornish Telegraph)

1914: The members of Lelant Brass Band, in appreciation of the valuable services of Mr John Tanner bandmaster, have presented him with a pipe and pouch, silver mounted, and inscribed. (25 June 1914 – The Cornish Telegraph)

1914 – 1915: E C Wills, Lelant Brass Band MD (John Brush)

1914: Large procession, interspersed with flags, banners, and bannerettes, and accompanied the St Ives Town and Lelant Brass Bands. (2 July 1914 – Cornishman)

1914: A procession of officers, teachers and scholars was formed at 2.30 p.m., and headed by Lelant Band (under Bandmaster E Wills, Camborne) it proceeded to Tolroy Gardens. (23 July 1914 – Cornishman)

1915: Lelant Brass Band, under the direction of Bandmaster Wills, played them to church. (11 November 1915 – Cornishman)

1915: E C Wills, Lelant Brass Band MD, resigned to conduct Redruth Band.

WWI: Lelant Brass Band disbanded for the duration of the war. (John Brush)

Lelant brass band re-formed after, as John Brush said, “that bit of unpleasantness was over”.

1919: Lelant Peace Celebrations. During the afternoon selections were played by the Lelant Brass Band, under the direction of Bandmaster N Courtice. (23 July 1919 – Cornishman)

1920: At the Lelant Brass Band Room Mr. J. H. Blight referred to two members of the band, Messrs. B. Williams and E. Thomas, who died in service. (18 November 1920 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1921: “Dedication of war memorial at Lelant. Lelant Brass Band, Mr Eustice conductor and the Lelant Comrades (Com. Irwin, R.N., in command), marched to the church. (13 April 1921 – Cornishman)

1923: “Lelant Garden Fete. Lelant Brass Band played selections of music. (14 June 1923 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1924: In the parish church. Lelant Brass Band, Bandmaster Eustace led the singing. (26 November 1924 – Cornishman)

Lelant Brass Band disbanded.

1928: Lelant Brass and Silver Band reformed – they have the talent, and the instruments. The conductor is the Rev. C. T. L. Barclay, the vicar of Lelant. (25 October 1928 – Cornishman)

Circa 1928 to 1935: F Gregory, Lelant Band MD. (John Brush)

1930: Lelant Band, under the conductorship of Mr Frank Gregory. (30 January 1930 – Cornishman)

1931: Show at Lelant. Music by Lelant Silver Band. (19 November 1931 – Cornishman)

1932: Statement of accounts for Lelant Silver Band. (21 April 1932 – Cornishman)

1932: Headed by St Ives and Lelant Bands, the parade then marched through the streets of the town to the Wesleyan Church. (30 June 1932 – Cornishman)

1932: Successful Show at Lelant. The horticultural, cage bird, and home produce show which was arranged by the committee of the Lelant Silver Band was held recently. (24 November 1932 – Cornishman)

1933: Remembrance Sunday. The company fell in at the Lodge Gates, Lelant, and marched through the village, headed by Lelant Silver Band, under the direction of Bandmaster F Gregory. (26 October 1933 – Cornishman)

1935: Bandmaster for Lelant Band. Lowest offer not necessarily accepted. Applications to …R J Curnow, Secretary.” (14 November 1935 – Cornishman)

Believed to be Lelant Brass Band (postcard courtesy of Mac Walters with Lelant SP 19 postmark)

1935: Lelant Band has been re-formed, and will be under the conductorship of Mr J F Tanner, of St Ives. (5 December 1935 – Cornishman)

1937: “Lelant and Carbis Bay Coronation Festivities headed by Lelant Silver Band. (20 May 1937 – Cornishman)

1942: Reorganised as Lelant United Services Band. (John Brush)

1942: F Gregory, Lelant Band MD resigned. “Because of this second disagreement with Germany, he was now in the National Fire Service (NFS)”. (John Brush)

1943: Home Guard formed and the Band’s instruments loaned to the 14th Battalion Home Guard (St Ives) Band, now under the baton of Bandmaster Coombe. (JB / Brian Stevens from the Lelant Band minute book)

1944: Lelant Band re-formed.

1944: As the weather was fine a parade assembled at the lodge gates and proceeded to church headed by the newly-formed Lelant and District Band under Bandmaster Coombes. (16 November 1944 – Cornishman)

Lelant and District Band date unknown (Photo: unknown)

1945 circa: Lelant and District Band played at Angarrack Wesleyan tea treat. (Methodist tea-treats in Cornwall by Cedric Appleby)

1946: He had a special word of praise for the Lelant and District Band (under Mr S Coombe), for the generous way in which they had given their services on that and other occasions. (27 June 1946 – Cornishman

Lelant Band unknown date (Photo: courtesy St Ives Museum)

Unknown closure date.

An article in the Cornwall Association of Local Historians (Spring 2011) by Dorothy Meade describes Lelant Band as a truly splendid affair with Ruritanian uniforms, brilliant brass instruments and a big drum. She said, “One night one of the Band members fell through the Big Drum, an expensive mishap, but beer was a lot cheaper and stronger in those days”.

 

 

 

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.

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