Porkellis is a village approximately three and a half miles north-east of Helston, in the heart of the old Wendron mining district
Unknown formation date.
1859: A procession was formed, comprising the agents and persons employed in the mine with their families and preceded by the Porkellis Band; they marched to the Account House, where tables were laid. (2 September 1859 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1863: First annual festival, when upwards of thirty of the brethren walked in procession, headed by Porkellis Brass Band, to the parish church of Carnmenellis. (21 August 1863 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1869: The Wesleyan Chapel, headed by Porkellis Brass Band, where a sermon was preached. (3 July 1869 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1869: Free Church Sunday School, received their annual tea in a field contiguous to the chapel. The Porkellis Brass Band was in attendance. (24 July 1869 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1869: Constantine. The usual business having been done, they walked in procession, accompanied by the Porkellis Brass Band, to the parish church. (7 August 1869 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1870: Porkellis. After the usual business the members, in costume, marched to the Church, headed by the Porkellis Brass Band. (21 May 1870 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1870: Annual tea. The Porkellis Brass Band attended and performed some choice selections of sacred music, from Handel, Mozart, and other masters, to the great satisfaction. (4 June 1870 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1870: Teachers and children met in the chapel at two p.m., where they formed a procession with flags and banners, headed by Porkellis Brass Band, and marched through Bodilly. (30 June 1870 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1870: Porkellis Brass Band and the Porthleven Fife and Drum Band were in attendance. (7 July 1870 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1871: The children met in the chapel at 2 o’clock, and thence proceeded to Halwin, with flags and banners, headed by the Porkellis Brass Band. After perambulating the grounds of Capt. Caddy, they walked in procession to Wheal Basset and Grylls mine, and then returned. (22 July 1871 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1872: On Whit-Monday the Porkellis Brass Band attended the Bible Christian Sunday School tea treat at Penponds, Camborne. (1 June 1872 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1872: Wheal Basset and Grylls mine, and also perambulated the grounds of Capt. Caddy. The procession was headed by the Porkellis Brass Band, and ultimately repaired to a field kindly lent for the occasion. (6 July 1872 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1878: Methodists, the Bible Christians, and the Methodist New Connexion engaged the services of the Illogan, Porkellis, and Camborne Bands. (11 June 1878 – The Cornish Telegraph)
1878: The teachers and children of the school met in the schoolroom, after which they formed in procession headed by the Porkellis Brass Band, and perambulated the town, thence through the grounds of Mr Wm Orde to a field kindly lent by Mr W H Roberts. (12 July 1878 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1879: Trevarno. Porkellis Band was in attendance. (7 August 1879 – Cornishman)
1881: Helston’s Festival Music… honours for the drummer! Constantine and Mabe ‘Zulu’ Bands are popular – the latter especially. Porkellis Band, Seworgan Band, Burras Band, and Black Rock Band are no more, while Porthleven Band, alas! it is skat up. (16 July 1881 – Cornishman)
Suggesting, perhaps, that Porkellis Band closed and re-formed.
1885-1900: J Penaluna, Porkellis Brass Band MD. (John Brush)
1885: Wendron Wesleyan Band-of-Hope. Porkellis Brass Band under the able leadership Mr Penaluna, supplied enlivening music. (13 August 1885 – Cornishman)
1887: Porkellis (Wendron) Brass Band formed of players from Porkellis, Seworgan, Camborne played at Wendron Jubilee celebrations. (Cornishman 16th June 1887)
1897: Three Cross Day School and the Church Sunday School. Porkellis Brass Band was in attendance. The proceedings finished up with fireworks and the burning oil barrels. (24 June 1897 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1900: It is stated that the employer of one of the youthful members of Porkellis Band has refused to allow him to attend tea gatherings. We trust the master will alter his mind, as the lad is great trouble because of the refusal. (8 June 1900 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1900: 63rd anniversary of the Queen’s Accession, a carnival was held at Porkellis on the 20th inst. The local Brass Band, under Bandmaster Penaluna, met in the square at six p.m., and marched to a field. (28 June 1900 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1900: Hospital Sunday at Stithians. A Procession was formed at Gribble’s Corner and, headed by Porkellis Brass Band, marched through the village to Stithians Parish Church. (7 September 1900 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
It is possible, but not certain, that Porkellis Brass Band disbanded and was subsequently replaced by a new band with the same name.
1912: A walk was taken through the grounds Truthall Manor (by permission of Mr H Prideaux), headed by Porkellis Band. (13 June 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1912: Porkellis Brass Band, under Bandmaster J T Read, gave their services and played excellently during the day. (4 July 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1912: Porkellis Brass Band rendered selections during the day. A programme of athletic sports had to be abandoned owing to a lack of entries. (25 July 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1912: Porkellis Brass Band, under Mr. J. Reed, also gave excellent selections. (24 October 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1912: In aid of the fund for purchasing new uniforms for members of Porkellis Brass Band, a concert was given in Halwin Council School, on Saturday. (24 October 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1912: An instrumental concert was given in Porkellis Wesleyan Church in aid of the organ fund, by Porkellis Reed and Brass Band.” (14 November 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
Porkellis Band 1915 – (Photo: courtesy: Mac Waters Collection)
1915: Porkellis Band, under Bandmaster J T Reed, gave selections in the village, and a house-to-house collection was taken. (2 December 1915 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1919: Porkellis Band, under Bandmaster Reed, accompanied the hymns. (27 August 1919 – Cornishman)
1919: The singing was led by the Porkellis Band. (27 August 1919 – Cornishman)
1920: Stithians Show. Porkellis Brass and Reed Band was in attendance and rendered selections of music. (15 July 1920 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1920: Stithians Wesleyan Band Hope held their annual tea treat on Thursday. The procession, headed by Porkellis Reed and Brass Band, paraded the village. (29 July 1920 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1920: The annual tea in connection with the Edgcumbe Wesleyan Band of Hope was held on Thursday. Headed by Porkellis Brass and Reed Band, members of the Band of Hope paraded to the top Retanna-hill, back to Rame Cross to the Sunday School. (12 August 1920 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
Unknown closure date.
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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