1870s: St Mary’s Band formed. (Music in the West Country by Stephen Banfield)
1875: Members of the St Mary’s Amateur Brass Band…gave a concert in the Infant School Room. The cornopeans and saxhorns were played by… (RCG 13th November 1875)
1876: Scilly. The St Mary’s Brass Band gave a concert in the Infant School. The proceeds are to be devoted to buying more instruments. (15 January 1876 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1889: Scilly. … of Penzance, got lunch ready with commendable promptitude, and while we were enjoying our sandwiches and pasties, the Brass Band of the island [assumed St Mary’s], organised … (15 August 1889 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1898: Islands of Scilly. A dance was held in the Town Hall on Easter Monday, which was largely attended by the inhabitants and visitors. St Mary’s Town Band was in attendance. (14 April 1898 – The Cornish Telegraph)
1900: The [St Mary’s] Town Band paraded St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, Saturday evening, to the pleasure of the inhabitants. (12 April 1900 – Cornishman)
1901: Islands Of Scilly. The Bands of the Scilly … and the Town Band having amalgamated, a great improvement in the music the result. (25 July 1901 – Cornishman)
1901: Islands of Scilly. The Amalgamated Town Band was attendance and the pier and long row of gaily decorated boats along the course was crowded with spectators. (5 September 1901 – Cornishman)
1905: Islands Of Scilly. The members of the Island Home Tent Rechabites, headed by the Town Band, paraded the town, and attended morning service. (21 September 1905 – Cornishman)
1929: Isles of Scilly. A dance was given in the Town Hall on Whit-Monday by the St Mary’s Town Band on behalf of its funds. The band played throughout. (6 June 1929 – Cornishman)
1930: Last week St Mary’s Silver Band gave a dance in the Town Hall, which was well attended and enjoyed. (27 February 1930 – Cornishman)
1931: Festivities at Scilly in a big tent at the main entrance to Tresco Abbey Gardens. There was dancing on the tennis courts to the music of St Mary’s Town Band. (13 August 1931 – Cornishman)
1931: The church was full and some could not in. The British Legion and Gill Guides paraded, headed St Mary’s Silver Band, and after the service they marched to the churchyard for the purpose of laying wreaths on the memorial. (19 November 1931 – Cornishman)
1932: Friday entertainment was given in the Town Hall, St. Mary’s, in aid of St Mary’s Silver Band. (3 March 1932 – Cornishman)
1935: Empire Day, and the children had a day’s holiday, while the people of St. Mary’s were regaled in the evening by the music of the Town Band playing in the park in Hugh Town. (30 May 1935 – Cornishman)
1937: Islands of Scilly. St Mary’s Silver Band led way and the council, by public bodies, ex-service men. (22 April 1937 – Cornishman)
1938: Tea was taken in the Hall and the children marched to the Parish Church led by St Mary Silver Band for children’s evensong. (26 May 1938 – Cornishman)
1945: Isles of Scilly. Isles and visiting United Methodist minister. To mark the occasion, a very paraded to Church, headed by the St Mary’s Silver Band. (23 August 1945 – Cornishman)
1945: Isles of Scilly Band Gala. St Mary’s Town Band have held a gala week to pay for the instruments which they have recently purchased to meet the needs of their ever-expanding numbers. (27 December 1945 – Cornishman)
1946: A dance was held at the Town Hall, St Mary’s, on Saturday evening, in aid of the Silver Town Band, who played for one half of the evening, and the local dance band the other half. (7 February 1946 – Cornishman)
1946: Brass Band musicians required, all instruments; single men preferred owing to housing difficulties. Work found for labourers. (16 May 1946 – Cornishman)
1946: Isles Of Scilly. Carnival procession through the beflagged streets of St Mary’s to the strains of the St Mary’s Silver Band. All the children in the carnival were then presented with a prize in the Town Hall, while the Silver Band played selections. (13 June 1946 – Cornishman)
1948: Carol service, the choir being augmented by St Mary’s, male voice choir and accompanied by the Silver Band, conducted by Mr. R. F. Gibson. (30 December 1948 – Cornishman)
1950: St Mary’s Band disbanded. (Music in the West Country by Stephen Banfield)
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.