St Minver is the name of an ecclesiastical parish, a civil parish and a village in north Cornwall

 

With appreciation for photographs and help received from John Buckingham, Gerry Chandler, Garry Gauss and John Wills whose notes of 2010 contributed to the Band’s story.

 

Unknown formation date.

Late 1800s: St Minver String Band active in Tredrizzick where it practised in the chapel. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1896: St Minver Nonconformist String Band, together with the combined choirs of the United Methodist Free Church, Wesleyan, and Bible Christian. (31 December 1896 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

Woodwind and brass instruments added. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1910: Tre Pol Pen Band formed from the above band. (Band Facebook)

1910: John Francis Wills, Tre Pol Pen Band MD. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

Tre Pol Pen band room, lit by oil lamps, near sharp bend on the back road from Penmayne to Cant and Carlyon Farms.(St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1912: Garden Fete at St Kew. St Minver Brass Band rendered selections. (20 June 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1914 circa: Tre Pol Pen Band disbanded during WWI. (Band Facebook)

Tre Pol Pen Band contesting under John Francis Wills. (Contest archive)

1919: Tre Pol Pen Band re-formed and took part in the peace celebrations. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

????: Name changed to St Minver Brass Band.

St Minver Band 1919

St Minver Band 1920

St Minver Band practised in the old windmill at Treleaver Farm

1924: Various manoeuvres were carried out in the bay and the newly-appointed local secretary, Dr Christmas, was on board. St Minver Silver Prize Band played on the beach, and in the evening there was largely-attended dance. (15 August 1924 – Western Morning News)

1924: [Probably Camelford] Town Band, under Bandmaster Males, led off further back. St Minver Band, under Bandmaster J Wills, kept things lively. (7 November 1924 – Western Morning News)

1924: St Minver Band contesting under J H Hinchciffe. (Contest archive) “Mr Hinchcliffe was so unimpressed with the playing prior to a contest that he threw down his baton saying: ‘Win silver cups! You couldn’t win egg cups’.” (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1927: On Monday there was a garden fete on the vicarage lawn. St Minver Silver Band played selections. (8 June 1927 – Western Morning News)

1927/28: St Minver Band contesting under E F Woodhead. (Contest archive)

1927/29: St Minver Band contesting under J F Wills. (Contest archive)

A division occurred within St Minver Band and some players left to form a separate band which subsequently folded.  (John Wills notes of 2010)

1935: St Minver Band played at local celebrations of George V jubilee. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1937: St Minver Band played at local celebrations of George VI coronation. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1939 circa: St Minver Band disbanded during WWII. (Band Facebook)

St Minver Band room sold to Wadebridge Band and instruments stored by John Francis Wills in a barn at Higher Pityme.(St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1954: Re-formed as St Minver Silver Band. A young Godfrey Richards pestered his father, William Richards, to help re-start the band. (Band Facebook)

1954: Mr W A Wills St Minver Silver Band MD.

1954: St Minver Silver Band players Goff Richards, Tom Buller (euphonium), Edgar Strout and Will Richards (trombones), Sid Mably and Marshall Mably (tenor horns), John Proffitt (baritone and Dick Blake (bass). (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1954: St Minver Silver Band room at Trevelver Farm. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1954: St Minver Silver Band uniforms were blazers and grey flannels which the player bought themselves. The band provided black berets which were soon replaced by peaked caps. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

St Minver Band circa 1957 with Goff Richards extreme right (Photo: Phillip Hunt)

1959: St Minver Silver Band contesting under W T Richards. (Contest archive)

1960 to 1963: St Minver Silver Band contesting under Eddie Williams. (Contest archive)

1961: “St Minver Silver Band new band room built at Pityme on land given by Leonard Wills.”(St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1960s and 1970s: “St Minver Silver Band MDs included William Richards, Goff Richards and John Wills.”(St Minver Band – A Century and More)

Goff Richards and his sister, Joyce

(Photo: courtesy of Sue Richards)

Goff Richards with his Uncle Jack Wills who conducted St Minver and other bands

(Photo: courtesy of Sue Richards)

Goff Richards with his mother, father and sister Joyce outside their cottage in St Minver

Goff’s father also conducted St Minver Band and played bass trombone

(Photo: courtesy of Sue Richards)

 

Several players, including Gerry Chandler, joined when Wadebridge and St Issey Bands disbanded. (St Minver Band – A Century and More)

1996: Goff Richards opened the new St Minver Junior Band room. (SWBBA 50 Years of Service)

Kevin Ackford St Minver Silver Band MD. (Kevin Ackford website)

St Minver Training Band formed. (Kevin Ackford website)

 

 

 

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.