Two photographs of Padstow Band in front of the Cornish Arms – date unknown (Photo: courtesy Malc McCarthy)

 

1859: No. 1 Company, Royal Garrison Artillery. “Another unit formed in 1859, the band made its debut appearance on 18 July 1860, and it consisted of “ten Sax instruments and a drum.” The strength of the band varied between 9 players in 1891 to 18 players in 1907. Mr Franklin was the first Bandmaster, he being relieved in 1862 by Mr Courtney. 1870 finds Joseph Tonkin in charge. A Mr Pascoe ran things in 1888, and finally, from 1902, Edgar Tonkin was conductor.” (John Brush)

1861: Platoon exercises, formed into battalion and made the general salute, the Padstow Artillery Band playing the National Anthem. (31 May 1861 – Western Morning News)

1861: This corps was put through a variety of movements, and the Padstow Band took turn with that of St Columb in playing throughout the day. (18 July 1861 – Western Morning News)

1861: Padstow Volunteer Band attended the evening. (10 October 1861 – Western Morning News)

1862: Mr Courtney, Padstow Artillery Band MD.

1862: Padstow Band under Mr Courtenay. (17 July 1862 – Western Daily Mercury)

1863: The music was played by the Padstow and St Columb Volunteer Bands. (17 July 1863 – Western Daily Mercury)

1863: The corps were attended by the No. 1 Padstow Artillery Band, the Band of the St Columb Rifles being also effective members of that corps. (24 July 1863 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1867: The Brass Band of No. 1 battery (Padstow) was in attendance, and played at intervals during the day. (26 September 1867 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

Late 1868: Padstow Temperance Brass Band formed. (John Brush)

1869: The children met at the Public rooms half-past two, and headed by the Padstow Teetotal Band paraded the town. (14 July 1869 – Western Morning News)

1870: Joseph Tonkin MD. Unsure which band.

1870: Padstow Volunteer Band had been engaged, in addition to the Band of the Corps. (4 August 1870 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1874: Padstow Volunteer Artillery Band, under the command of Lieutenants Martyn and Hawken. (18 April 1874 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1874: After parading the principal streets of town, headed by the Brass Band of the Padstow Volunteer Artillery, they dined together at their club-room at Wills’s Commercial Hotel. (28 May 1874 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1875: After walking through the principal streets of the town, headed by the Padstow Amateur Brass Band, the members dined together. (18 May 1875 – Western Morning News)

1877: Paraded the principal streets of the town, headed by the Padstow Amateur Brass Band, and proceeded to their clubroom at Will’s Hotel, where they dined together. (25 May 1877 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1877: Padstow Volunteer Band (a very efficient one), added much to the liveliness of the affair. (20 July 1877 – RCG)

1877: St Merryn Wesleyan Sunday School. On Tuesday the friends and scholars of the Wesleyan Sunday School met the Padstow Teetotal Brass Band at Treveglos, and marched through the parish. (3 August 1877 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1879: Padstow Teetotal Friendly Society attended morning service headed by the Padstow Independent Amateur Band. (5 June 1879 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1879: Padstow Volunteer Artillery Band and the Independent Amateur Band were in attendance and played alternately. (13 June 1879 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1882: The regatta. Padstow Artillery Band was in attendance and rendered choice selection of music during and after the regatta. (1 June 1882 – Cornishman)

1883: Ten members of the Padstow Artillery Band had a narrow escape from drowning in the river on returning home after fulfilling an engagement at Port Isaac on Friday night. There was a hole in the side of the boat which they occupied. (10 May 1883 – Cornishman)

1883: The procession, led by the Padstow Artillery Band, and amidst the ringing of the bells and the vociferous cheers. (2 November 1883 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1885: Mr Pascoe, Padstow Voluntary Band MD.

1885: A public tea was provided in a marquee on the lawn, but it was not so largely patronised as in former years. The Padstow Artillery Band, under the conductorship of Mr Thos Pascoe, contributed to pleasure at the regatta and the sports. (28 May 1885 – Western Morning News)

1886: Padstow Volunteer Band, under the leadership of Mr Pascoe, was present and performed a capital selection of music. (6 August 1886 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1887: At St Michael’s Church a procession was formed near the Great Western Hotel, headed by the Padstow Artillery Brass Band. (24 June 1887 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1888: Church Bazaar at Padstow. The Padstow Artillery Band, under Mr Pascoe, was present during the afternoon. (16 August 1888 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1890: Officers and men at Padstow were taken in omnibuses supplied by Mrs. Wills, to St Issey, together with their excellent brass band. (15 May 1890 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1890: Padstow Regatta and Athletic Sports. The Band of the Padstow Artillery Company, under the leadership of Mr Edgar Tonkyn, and the St Ervan Brass Band, under the leadership of Mr Old, played choice selections of music both at the regatta and the athletic sports. (5 June 1890 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1890: Headed by the band of the Padstow Artillery Volunteers and the Saint Wenn Brass Band, under the leadership of Mr Tom Prynn, marched through Mr Prideaux-Brune’s private grounds. (16 October 1890 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1891: The bands of music engaged during the coming week are the Padstow Artillery, the St Columb Volunteers, and the Stenalees Band, near St Austell. (14 May 1891 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1891: Padstow Artillery Band comprised nine players. (JB)

1891: St Columb Volunteer Band, under the leadership of Mr E Rickeard, and the Padstow Artillery Band played some excellent selection of music during the day.

1891: G Company, St Columb [Band], under the leadership of Mr Enoder Rickeard, and the Padstow Artillery Band, under Mr Wm Berry. (28 May 1891 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1893: Padstow Annual Regatta and Athletic Sports. During the day the Band of the Padstow Artillery, under Bandmaster Berry, and the St Columb Rifle Volunteer Band, under Bandmaster Rickeard (by kind permission of their officers) played beautifully well-arranged selections. (25 May 1893 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1895: The Padstow Volunteer Band, conductor Mr E Tonkin, discoursed a nice selection of music during the proceedings.  (25 July 1895 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1899: There was a large ring of spectators and the Padstow Volunteer Band enlivened the proceedings with musical selections. (4 May 1899 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

Believed to be Padstow Band

 

1899: The pleasure of the proceedings was greatly enhanced by the presence of the Padstow Band. (13 July 1899 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1899: Fete. Padstow Volunteer Band, under Bandmaster E Tonkin, played a good selection of pieces during the afternoon. (10 August 1899 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1900: Newquay. Padstow Volunteer Band played choice selections of music at intervals. (3 May 1900 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1901: “Padstow Horse Show and Fair. Padstow Artillery Band. In going up the hilly street, the pace of the horses being too fast for the band. (16 May 1901 – Cornishman)

1902: Edgar Tonkin, Padstow Volunteer Band MD. (John Brush)

1904: Mr Prideaux-Brune paid for the services of the Padstow Volunteer Band, who rendered a choice selection of music. (6 August 1904 – Cornish & Devon Post)

1905: The visiting companies were met at the railway station by the Truro companies and played into the city by the Padstow Band. (16 November 1905 – The Cornish Telegraph)

1907: Padstow Town Band active. (John Brush)

1907: Padstow Volunteer Band (the band of the 1st Duke of Cornwall’s Artillery Volunteers) active when members included H Apps, F Sluman, Alf Buckingham, Joe Buckingham, Edgar Tonkin, Sid Tonkin, Alf Langford, Stanley Veale, Sidney Sleeman, John Buckingham, Willie Veale, George Buckingham, T Chellew, Tom Langford, Harvey Lobb, Willie Lobb, Joe Williams, and Albert Courtenay. (John Brush)

 

Padstow Volunteer Band 1907 (Photo: John Buckingham)

Date unknown (Photo Malc McCarthy)

1908 (Photo Malc McCarthy / John Buckingham)

 

1908: The children marched in procession through the village, headed by Padstow Artillery Band. (30 January 1908 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1914 circa: Padstow Town Band probably disbanded. (John Brush)

Circa 1919: “Padstow Comrades of the War Brass & Reed Band formed by members of the previous Artillery Volunteers Band. They were formed in time for the Peace Celebrations and, for quite a while, were raising funds to purchase new instruments and uniforms, an ambition that was finally realised in 1932. (John Brush)

 

Date unknown (Photo Malc McCarthy)

Date unknown (Photo Malc McCarthy) William Henry Albert Hill is third left in the back row (information from Ian Whittaker)

William Henry Albert Hill and his tenor horn (Photo: Ian Whittaker)

Date unknown (Photo Malc McCarthy)

 

1921: Name change to Padstow British Legion Band. (John Brush)

1923: S M Ravenhill, Padstow British Legion Band MD. (John Brush)

Padstow Town Band date unknown (Photo Malc McCarthy)

Padstow Town Band date unknown (Photo Malc McCarthy)

 

1932: Purchased uniforms and instruments. (John Brush)

1932: Edgar Tonkin, Padstow Town Band MD who had previously conducted the old Volunteer Band. (John Brush)

 

Not the best quality photograph but nevertheless appreciated. Padstow Town Band in the 1933 Methodist Sunday school procession (Ian Whittaker)

 

1933: Held at Padstow in aid of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society. In the Market Place on Saturday evening Padstow Town Band, conducted by Mr E Tonkin, gave a programme. (28 August 1933 – Western Morning News)

1939: Padstow Town Band disbanded. (John Brush)

1950 circa: Padstow Town Band re-formed. (John Brush)

 

Padstow Town Band date unknown (Photo: unknown)

Unknown date: Padstow Town Band disbanded

 

 

 

 

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.