Treviscoe is a village south of St Dennis
Colloquialism = Visca)
With appreciation to Alan Blake.
The first mention we find of Treviscoe Band, often referred to as Visca Band, is during the 1890s and following that, it seems to become a busy little band. The members were certainly not averse to travel and we find them attending events at St Agnes, Threeburrows, Tresillian as well as many events within the Clay Country.
Treviscoe Band c.1900 (Photo: courtesy CCHS)
????: Will Hambly Treviscoe Band MD. (Fragments of Cornish Life by W A Hambly courtesy Alan Blake)
Treviscoe band room was a galvanised shed on a piece of land now used for allotments – near the playing field. (Fragments of Cornish Life by W A Hambly courtesy Alan Blake)
Treviscoe Band 1905 (Photo: F C Elger, St Dennis – courtesy Alan Blake and CCHS)
1905: Treviscoe Brass Band played selections. (11 May 1905 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1907: Treviscoe Brass Band at St Allen Band of Hope at Zelah. (9 May 1907 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1907: Treviscoe Band at St Agnes (Goonown) Band of Hope. (30 May 1907 – Cornishman)
1907: Treviscoe Brass Band at Tresillian. (6 June 1907 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1907: Foxhole, Treviscoe, St Dennis, and Indian Queens bands at Rechabite annual demonstration of the St Dennis One and All. (17 & 20 June 1907 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1907: Treviscoe Brass Band at Threeburrows Primitive Methodist Sunday school annual treat. (11 July 1907 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1908: Treviscoe Brass Band marched as far as Three-mile-stone. (13 August 1908 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1909: Treviscoe Band at St Agnes United Methodist tea treat. (RCG 1st July 1909)
1910: Treviscoe Band played at Mithian tea treat. (RCG 30th June 1910)
Treviscoe Band 1910 – Off to an engagement (Photo: Fragments of Cornish Life by W A Hambly courtesy Alan Blake)
Treviscoe Band 1910
Back row: Harry Miners, Stanley Liddicoat, ?? Grigg, Charles Trethewey, unknown, unknown, unknown, Anthony Liddicoat, unknown,
Front row: Paul Trudgeon, Albert Hambly, Will Hambley MD, unknown, unknown
(Fragments of Cornish Life by W A Hambly courtesy Alan Blake and CCHS)
Treviscoe Band clearly disbanded. (BBHD)
1912: Treviscoe Brass Band, which was disbanded some time ago, has been reconstituted under the leadership of Mr John Quintrell. (7 March 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1912: John Quintrell Treviscoe Brass Band MD, W Bray Secretary and Isaac W Grigg Treasurer. (BBHD)
1912: Treviscoe Brass Band at the annual festival of Probus Total Abstinence Society. (30 May 1912 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)
1914: Treviscoe Brass Band contesting under William Hambly. (Contest archive)
1914: Treviscoe Brass Band contesting under J G Jubb. (Contest archive)
Treviscoe Brass Band – reports of its activities ceased in 1914, presumably because it closed for the duration of the First World War.
Treviscoe Band 1922/24 (Photo: courtesy CCHS)
Back row: W Bray, unknown, unknown, Elias Trudgian, unknown,
Middle row: C Trudgeon (trombone), C Nancarrow, W Hambly, G Liddicoat, T Bray, unknown,
Front row: C Trethewey, A Hambly, F Rogers (drum), E Brewer (kettle drum), A Liddicoat, A Trethewy
1927: Took part in the fourth section at the Mid-Cornwall Bandsmen’s Festival at Stenalees in July 1927 when it was conducted by a W H Grigg. It was placed fourth out of the four competing bands and this result so disheartened the players that it never competed again – or so it seems.
Treviscoe Band 1927 (Photo: courtesy CCHS)
Back row: Hamilton Varcoe, George Cross, Ernie Hawke, Sammy Ham, Arnold Tucker, Raymond Kent
Middle row: Dickie Cross, Gerald Allen, Edgar James, Thomas John Bray, William Ellis, Isaac Grigg
Front row: John Tucker, Alfie Tucker, Richard Grigg, Bill Lampshire, Gordon Coon
Note the woodwind player
The 1927 contest result may also have signalled the end of Treviscoe Brass Band as it seems that within a short while it disbanded.
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.
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