July 2020
James Paddy
By Tony Mansell
Born: 1862 in Gwennap
Lived: Gwennap / Ponsanooth / Truro / Torquay
Married: Mary Elizabeth Harry on 2nd November 1884
Died: 19th January 1942 at Truro
It is difficult to place James Paddy into a specific musical category as his career saw him involved in many genres playing both the brass tuba and the string double bass.
James was born at Gwennap in 1862, the second child of James William and Elizabeth Job Paddy née Harvey. The Paddys had a long and varied history on the Roseland Peninsula following John Paddy’s arrival in Gerrans Bay in the 1580s.
By 1874, James was 12 years old and the family were living in Ponsanooth and at some point, he acquired the name “Jimmo”. The name stuck and it was used throughout his life. It seems that his musical career began when he joined the Ponsanooth Brass Band. Family tradition has it that he had been listening outside the band room when he was spotted by one of the members and persuaded to go in and have a go. Whether he chose the e-flat bass (tuba), or that was the only vacancy, we do not know but he remained on it throughout his banding career.
Within a couple of years, we find James lodging in Truro where he was an apprentice cordwainer – a boot and shoemaker. It is likely that he continued to play brass but, alongside this, he was also learning a string instrument. Who he was taught by we do not know but he clearly succeeded in reaching a good standard because by 1880, at the age of 18, he was touring the country playing the string double bass, or bass fiddle as he always called it, with the famous D’Oyley Carte Opera Orchestra.
During 1884 James played tuba for the Royal Italian Band for their summer season in Torquay. It was during this year, we assume, that James met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth Harry and on the 2nd November 1884, at Zion Bible Christian Chapel, Torre Hill, Torquay, they were married.
Following their marriage, the couple lived at Chelston, near Cockington, but just three years later, disaster struck the family when his father was involved in an explosion at his workplace, the Kennall Vale Gunpowder Mill. Within about three weeks he died of his injuries. We do not know if James had intended remaining in Devon but, because of this tragedy, and his mother being left a widow, James returned to Cornwall with his young wife and infant daughter.
It may well be that James took over his father’s farm but by 1891 the family were living in Fairmantle Street, Truro, and James had opened a cordwainer’s shop in Charles Street. Family members who recalled him there talk of his generosity in repairing and giving away old boots and shoes to children who previously had to share footwear with their brothers and sisters.
In the 1850s there was a growing military threat from abroad, and in May 1859, the Volunteer Force was formed as a citizen army of part-time rifle and artillery volunteers to support the British Army stretched by overseas commitments. These were locally raised volunteer corps and James decided to join the 12th Company in Truro. It appears from the photo below that the band had dispensed with its woodwind and by 1892 it was an all-brass band.
Bandsman Edwin James Paddy is seated middle row fourth from left in this 1892 photograph of the Band of 12th Company 1st Duke of Cornwall’s Royal Garrison Artillery Volunteers.
By the late 1890s, the family were living in Carclew Street but there were dark clouds on the horizon and in 1899 James was on his way to Africa to fight in the Boer War. It was a terrible conflict but, as far as we know, James returned unscathed.
Following his arrival back in Truro, he resumed running his cordwainer’s shop but he was also busy with his music, playing in the Seymour Pile Orchestra and then with his own, Riviera Orchestra. They were in great demand playing at all the society events in the area and regularly performing at Truro City Hall and Assembly Rooms. (The Assembly Rooms later became the Palace Cinema and should not be confused with the older assembly Rooms next to the Cathedral).
His son, John, joined the Riviera Orchestra as a violinist and both father and son played a big part in the local music scene. Later, though, John’s progressive attitude to music caused him to leave and form the CMT (Cornwall Motor Transport) Dance Band but he did return on occasions to play under his father. Jimmo resisted playing the music of the day preferring to remain loyal to the Strauss period and while other musicians were taking account of what the public wanted, it seems that his popularity began to wane.
1930s – Jimmo (left) with his Riviera Orchestra at a tea dance at Rashleigh House, Tregolls, Truro. His son, John, is third left.
Jimmo enjoyed an immensely varied musical career both as an amateur and as a professional. Who, however, would have imagined it of the young boy standing outside the Ponsanooth band room. He was a pioneer in a long line of Cornishman who have travelled “up-country” to make the most of their musical talents but in his case, he returned, and we imagine that he enjoyed the local scene equally as much as the bigger stage.
Edwin James Paddy was my great grandfather; he died on the 19th January 1942, at Truro, and the affection for this talented and kindly man was very apparent.
Acknowledgements:
I am grateful for the considerable contribution to this article by my cousins, Fred and Neville Paddy.