Sometime around 1896 a young Ford Knight joined Indian Queens Band on cornet. Who, then, could have predicted the immense contribution he was to make.
Indian Queens Band 1896 with Ford Knight next to the drum, cornet in hand (Photo: unknown)
Indian Queens Band 1908 with Ford Knight on the left with trombone (Photo: courtesy Dick Cole)
Indian Queens Band 1912 (Photo: courtesy Dick Cole)
Back row: Albert Victor “Bert” Menear, Gerald Clair Menear, Cliff Sharp, Harry Osborne Jnr
Middle row: Tommy James, Harry Osborne, Glyn Hocking, Charlie Tamblyn, Frank Tamblyn, Will Kessell, Ford Knight
Front row: Billy Grose, Marsh Kessell, Henry Tamblyn, Ned Osborne, Ernest Menear
Indian Queens Band 1912, winners of Class B at the first Bugle Contest. Ford Knight is on the right and must have been delighted to have won the award for the best trombone.
Indian Queens Band, winners of the main test piece in Class B at Bugle Contest in 1913 with Ford Knight standing next to the drummer.
A break for tea at Threeburrows Tea Treat in 1914. Ford Knight with white cap band which seems to indicate that he was the conductor by then.
The West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser of 30th September 1915 reported that Indian Queens Band attended an event and was led by Bandmaster Ford Knight.
Indian Queens Band 1920 just after the end of the First World War which may be why the players were not in uniform. Ford Knight in the centre of the front row, with the baton and cornet. (Photo: courtesy China Clay History Society)
By now the players are back in uniform and playing in Queen’s Pit. Ford Knight in centre of front row, seated. (Photo: courtesy Dick Cole)
It appears that during his early years with the baton, guest conductors were often brought in to lead the band at contests and in 1922 we see that he won the special award again but this time he was playing the cornet.
From the book Indian Queens Band – A Photographic History, by Dick Cole, we read that in 1927 Indian Queens built a replacement band room. Many of the band members, including Ford Knight, were involved in the work.
In 1930 Ford Knight led Indian Queens Band when it competed in the Junior Shield “B” of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at the Crystal Palace.
Indian Queens Band 1932 – Ford Knight with baton (Courtesy of Dick Cole)
1935 – Indian Queens Band under Ford Knight (Courtesy of John Brand)
On the 28th October 1938 the Warminster & Westbury journal, and Wilts County Advertiser reported, “The Indian Queens Prize Silver Band, conducted by Ford Knight, will broadcast on Friday, November 4th. This is one of Cornwall’s oldest Bands. It was founded in 1856 with a membership of five, and repertoire of three tunes.”
1956 and Ford Knight is approaching the end of his tenure as conductor of Indian Queens Band (Photo: courtesy of Dick Cole)
In 1956 Ford Knight stood down as musical director of Indian Queens Band. He had been in post for 42 years – a remarkable achievement.
In his book Indian Queens Band – A Photographic History, Dick Cole included this tribute to Ford Knight. “The name perhaps most synonymous with Indian Queens band is that of Ford Knight, who dedicated over 60 years of his life to the organisation, as both player and conductor. Recorded as a band member in the late 19th century, he was the first man in Cornwall to own a slide trombone. Ford was still at the helm of the band in 1956 on the occasion of its centenary. This was also a year when the band won the B section at the Bugle Band Contest. Ford Knight is one of two band members to have been honoured with memorial trophies at Bugle’s West of England Bandsman’s Festival. The Ford Knight memorial trophy was presented to the festival in 1960 after public subscription in his memory. The trophy is awarded for the winner of the B Section and Indian Queens Band was the first to win the trophy. The Cornish guardian commented that it was felicitous that the band should have won this new trophy which commemorates the man who did so much for Indian Queens Band.”
In 1974, Eddie Williams, musical director of St Dennis Silver Band, reflected on the contest at Bugle. “… Bugle is where old friendships are renewed – created over the years of competition and re-lived on the day. Names like A W Parker, Charlie Baker, George Cave, Tom Moore, Tom Chainey, Ford Knight … whispered in awe when we were youngsters … still highly respected for their ability and integrity.”
This is a short article about a man who deserves much more. His contribution to Indian Queens Band and to the Cornish Brass Band movement is remarkable. We hope that it will inspire others to submit information and anecdotes which will be added.
Compiled and written by Tony Mansell (Bardh Kernow – Skrifer Istori)