St Day is a civil parish and village in Cornwall situated between the village of Chacewater and the town of Redruth
Unknown formation date.
1838: St Day Amateur Brass Band played at St Day Show Fair. (RCG 30th June 1838)
1850: St Day Amateur Brass Band active under T Cara MD. (John Brush)
1857: Perran-Wharf Cottage Gardening Society. The Stithians and St Day Brass Bands were at the opposite extremity of the tent; near which the poultry tent communicated. (18 September 1857 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1858: St Day and the neighbourhood. The address was most kindly received, and amidst lively strains of music from the St Day Band, the horses were taken from the carriage, and it was drawn by a number of men to Tregullow. (24 September 1858 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1859: They then walked through the streets, accompanied by the St Day Band, and afterwards dined together. A very pleasant day was spent. (29 April 1859 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1859: St Day Brass Band had been most kindly engaged by Mr. M. Williams, the parish clerk. (9 September 1859 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1861: A goodly attendance of visitors, notwithstanding the attraction of the Foresters’ Fete at Truro; and the St Day Band was in attendance, playing, with painful vehemence, a variety of operatic and other music. (23 August 1861 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1861/62: The Mount Hawke Band of Hope Tea-Treat had as many as two bands and paraded with banners in 1861, ending up for tea in Mr Garland’s field. (Chacewater and St Day Bands were used). However, it was quite an event the following year. From Mount Hawke the Redruth and St Day bands led the party to St Agnes and from thence to Trevaunce (sic) Pier which was a distance of three miles! They then had their penny trips on the boats, returning to Mount Hawke for the tea. The day was rounded off by a concert. (Ashley Rowe The Chapel at Mount Hawke – Journal of the St Agnes Museum Trust)
1862: The children of that large and populous village formed a procession and marched to the Church Town, accompanied by the St Day and Redruth Bands. The procession was very imposing, being interspersed with several beautiful banners with appropriate mottoes. (13 June 1862 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1862: Tregullow, the residence of W. Williams, Esq. The Drum and Fife Band of the 2nd Cornwall Volunteers, and the St Day Brass Band will be in attendance throughout the day. (8 & 15 August 1862 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1863: St Day Band Contesting under T Cara. (Contest archive)
1863: The bands of Chacewater, Forest Gate Illogan, St Day and the Redruth Volunteers. (Page 57 of Tehidy and the Bassets by Michael Tangye)
1864: The engineer (M. Scott, Esq.) The clerk to the harbour commissioners, the contractor of the works (Mr Robertson), St Day Brass Band, the St Ives lifeboat “Moses” and crew, driven by four horses. (2 September 1864 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1866: Sir William Williams, Baronet. Rejoicings at Tregullow. During this time the excellent Brass Band of St Day discoursed sweet music to the multitude, from a platform shrouded in evergreens. (19 July 1866 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1866: To Celebrate a Baronetcy. During the time the excellent brass band of St Day discoursed sweet music to the multitude, from a platform shrouded in evergreens in the centre of the elaborate triumphal arch erected opposite Bennett’s Hotel. (20th July 1966 – West Briton)
1869: The members the school assembled the chapel about two o’clock, and, headed by the St Day Band, under the conductorship of Mr Cara, paraded the streets the town, passing through the beautiful grounds of Tregullow. (9 July 1869 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1869: In procession with flags and banners flying, headed by the St Day Brass Band, marched to the beautiful lawn and gardens of Mr. W. N. Carne, Rosemundy, kindly opened to the school on the occasion. (10 July 1869 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1870: The children, numbering, headed by the St Day Brass Band, marched through the village to St. Day and back. (2 July 1870 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1870: On the summit of Carnmarth. A first-rate procession was formed in front of the Temperance Hall, headed by the St Day Brass Band, and with gay flags and banners flying, paraded the principal streets of the town, and then proceeded to Carnmarth. (25 June 1870 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1874: The school assembled at the Temperance Hall at 3 o’clock and, headed by the St Day Brass Band, paraded the principal streets, after which they repaired to a field where they were abundantly supplied with a good tea. (25 July 1874 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1877: St Day Brass Band. On Monday last the members of the above band, after perambulating the streets, proceeded to Trevince. (1 June 1877 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1877: Devoran Annual Regatta. St Day Brass Band was in attendance, and did their best to add to the enjoyments of the day. (17 August 1877 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1893: St Day Volunteer Band engaged. (4 July 1893 – Western Morning News)
1897: The longest procession ever known in St Day marched through the principal streets, headed by the Town Band. At the old potato market, Victoria Square, the procession halted and sang the National Anthem, and God Bless the Prince of Wales. (24 June 1897 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1898: St Day Brass and Swing Band will give various selections during the evening. (4 February 1898 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
????: St Day Band disbanded.
1898: A Brass and Reed Band has been formed at Carharrack by the Rev. A. Ferris, and Mr. Harry Ball proposes to start a similar band at St Day. (22 September 1898 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1899: A brass band is in formation at St Day, and intending members are asked to give their names. (14 April 1899 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1899: St Day Brass Band were discoursing sweet music on Wednesday last for the first time since its formation. They marched through all the principal streets of the town to the delight of the townsfolk who gathered in considerable numbers. (23 June 1899 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1899: Gwennap Cottage Garden Show. The carnival procession left the ground, headed by the St Day Town Band, mounted on a Jersey car. (27 July 1899 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1899: Blackwater fair and Wesleyan tea treat, to have drawn away the people, for many wended their way thither. Well, I hope St Day Band will go in for engagements now. I am sure they can excel and do well as some bands I hear. (30 June 1899 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1899: The carnival in the evening was a brilliant success, and by St Day Band, under the conductorship of Mr Harry Ball, paraded the principal streets. The streets were packed with crowds of people. (28 July 1899 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1899: St Day Orchestral Band, under Mr H. Ball, rendered several pieces. (22 December 1899 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1900: An old man writes: ‘member of the St Day Institute asks where are the members St Day Voluntary United band? Haven’t they mastered the notes and keys of that Grand March as yet or are they waiting for Pretoria to be taken? (9 March 1900 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
1900: The town was decorated with flags, evergreens, arches etc. and assumed a very gay appearance. The St Day Band, under Mr Bandmaster Ball, came out, and gave nice selection of music. (31 May 1900 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1902: St Day. Tables were erected by the roadside. At intervals selections of music were played by the Brass Band [believed to be St Day], and were highly appreciated. (3 July 1902 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1906: St Day Brass Band. Effectively rendered, the young performers evidently enjoying the fun. (28 April 1906 – Cornubian and Redruth Times)
Unknown closure date.
1913: Redruth, which for a moment at Four Lanes enjoyed a transient victory over its redoubtable neighbour. Half-a-century ago, however, St Day Band, under Mr Cara, was one of the finest bands in the county. One member at least is still alive, and resides in Penzance. (2 April 1913 – Burnley Express)
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.