Sheviock is a coastal civil parish and a hamlet two miles south of St Germans and three miles south-west of Saltash
Pre 1910: Formation date. “While Scipio is not the most difficult of tunes to play, I doubt whether any of the local lads would have had any playing experience prior to starting to learn in order to join the band. Therefore I think the band must have started before 1910.” (Ian Whittaker)
1910: Encouraging comments of Dr Allen to the Sheviock Village Band, chiefly composed of lads, who played the March in Scipio in such a manner to call forth the compliment. (2 June 1910 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
“My (great) uncle Harold Bersey played trombone in the Sheviock Band. Grandpa, Arnold Hoskin, played cornet. I know that they must have led a procession through the streets of Polperro because Uncle Harold said he had to be careful to look where he was going as the roads were narrow and there were steps down to basements at the side of the road so there was a danger of walking down into basements. There was also another tale of when they were leading a procession which must, I think, have been at one of the grander houses. He said that, ahead of the band there was a banner – the sort that had two poles and the banner itself stretched in between. They started out on a broad road, but unfortunately somewhere they must have taken a wrong turning. The road/path they were on gradually got narrower and narrower. Because of the procession behind them they couldn’t turn back and eventually they ended up unable to go on, with the banner stuck in the hedge ahead of them. I have no dates or other details. If you are interested, please feel free to use these but bear in mind, Uncle Harold was thinking back a long time and I am thinking back to the 1960’s and memories can be unreliable.” (Ian Whittaker)
“The Crafthole Waltz, the first piece in the band book, the first cornet part goes up to the written A above the stave. The second piece, ‘Crown Diamonds’ contains semi quavers and triplets which, to my mind, suggest that the first cornets were quite competent players. Towards the end of the book there is a piece called ‘Alma’ which was obviously written during WW1. One other thing, it seems the vicar originally bought the instruments himself and then the players paid for them over a period. I don’t know where the brass came from, but the two surviving stringed instruments are of German manufacture. I have been told the vicar was the person who taught the locals how to play their instruments. Also that he could play any of the instruments better than those he taught. If this is correct and given the complexities of ‘golden hair’ and ‘bunny’ (the 2 last pieces in the book) he must have been a very good player. Because I have two incomplete sets, I know they used the ‘Liverpool brass and military’ sets of published books. I did ask Wright and Round many years ago about them. Unfortunately they couldn’t shed any light or supply the missing parts. I have long wanted to get the extra parts for ‘Will O the Wisp’ from those books as I think it would be fun to play.” (Ian Whittaker)
Sheviock Prize Band 1913 (Photo: courtesy Ian Whittaker)
“I’m sure this must be the Sheviock Band if only because I cannot think of any reason my great aunt would have taken a photo of any other band. Her relatives were in the Sheviock band and none other as far as I know. Also I see the same sousaphone type bass in both that photo and the 1913 one. Bearing in mind that the vicar was the inspiration behind the music, and that he left around the time WW1 ended – just prior to WW1.” (Photo and comment: courtesy Ian Whittaker)
Reference to the above photo: “I’m afraid I cannot fit any names to it. I’m guessing one of the lads in the front was also a Hoskin. Unfortunately I cannot remember his first name, perhaps it was Gerald, only the story, such as it is, of his service in WW1. He was serving in a training camp as part of the camp band. There was an outbreak of flu. The band, who were quartered away from the flu outbreak were the only ones not to get ill, so they had to hand in their instruments and were sent out to France to fight. I think one of the other players may have been a Davey.” (Ian Whittaker)
1913: Sheviock Prize Band active. (BBHD / Phillip Hunt)
1918 circa: Sheviock Prize Band disbanded when the vicar who inspired and trained it left the parish. (BBHD)
Further to my memories about what I was told many years ago about the Sheviock Band, I have remembered one more thing. My great uncle said that all the players were told to grow moustaches as it would strengthen their lip. (Ian Whittaker)
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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I can add a little to this. There is a photo of the band taken in 1913 which names it as Sheviock Prize Band. Rev Lloyd Walters (the vicar) also had an orchestra (in which ladies could play) and there is a photo of part(?) of this group as well. The manuscript trumpet part of ‘The Heavens are telling’ survives, I think. I have the first cornet part of the brass band book of the tunes and arrangements of Rev Lloyd Walters. Containing pieces like the Crafthole Waltz. After the band folded, a village dance band survived for some years. That apparently folded when my great aunt (the pianist) refused to play the then modern dance music. Or perhaps didn’t like to play that music would be more accurate.
I would love to receive the additional material, please Ian, which will be included under your name. The Crafthole Waltz would be of great interest as we are collecting Cornish-related music as well as information about the bands. Interestingly, my gt grandfather played in the Doyley Carte OPera Company and then formed his own dance orchestra. He refused to play the modern stuff and his son left to form his own dance band. I look forward to hearing further: tonymansell4@outlook.com