Sepia Saturday's main theme for January is "The Sound of Music" with the first image one of a band. I love bands - best heard out of doors - pipe bands, ceilidh bands, marching bands, brass bands, military bands and here in Earlston in the Scottish Borders we even have a ukulele band. I am not into pop bands!
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Massed pipe bands in the Scottish Borders at Floors Castle, reputed to be Scotland's largest inhabited house, standing in parkland overlooking the River Tweed at Kelso. It was built by the architect William Adam, for the 1st Duke of Roxburghe in 1721 and later embellished by William Playfair. Despite its name, it is a large country house - not a castle fortress built for defence.
My home village of EArlston with Melrose Pipe Band leading the fancy dress parade at Civic Week.
**********
Earlston Clown and at Melrose Cycle Parade, 1923
Back to 1923 and Earlston Clown Band. Its origins are obscure, but it was a popular participant in many events across the region up to the outbreak of World War Two. Notice the man on the front left wearing a kilt, incongruously with a policeman's helmet!
On 14th January 1919, "The Berwickshire News" reporter waxed eloquently in a colourful account of a school concert where:
The finale was the performance of Earlston Junior Clown Band . trained by Miss Gil, one of the teachers, and her pupils did her infinite credit. This was thought to be the crowning performance of the evening and caused a great sensation. Their grotesque garments and equally grotesque musical performance made the bandsmen the heroes of the hour, the observed of all observers, the cynosure of every eye. Their contribution to the evening was a veritable triumph and was rewarded with tremendous applause. "
You do wonder what their "grotesque musical performance" sounded like!
The last report found on the band was in "The Berwickshire News" of 13th July 1937 when the band took part, with great acclaim in a fancy dress parade in Lauder.
"Much of the success of the parade was due to the efforts of the Earlston Clown Band, which led the procession through the streets of the Burgh . The antics of the band, who were all in character, and its leader Mr. John Murdison roused peals of laughter from the many spectators who had gathered to watch the procession."
No further press reports were traced after that date. Did the outbreak of war bring an end to the Clown Band activities, which had delighted its followers down the decades?
Back to more modern times:
We
took a short break in the city of Dundee and coincided with a youth
pipe band companionship. The smartly dressed bands were all practising
in streets off the square prior to going on parade.
Taking a break!
St. Gilgen in the Austrian lakes, where we saw the the parade marking a local festival, with the band and spectators dressed in traditional costume.
The Band that Never Was
Adapted from an earlier post first published in 2014.
Sepia Saturday gives bloggers an opportunity to share their family history and memories through photographs
Click HERE to read this week's contributions from
other Sepia Saturday bloggers.
What a great selection of band and street performers, whether marching or impromptu. I love happening upon a band, which happens quite a lot in NYC. Once, my dad visited during the celebration of the Italian Feast of San Gennaro, which involved parading a statue of the saint around Little Italy in lower Manhattan with a band in tow. As I showed Dad the sites, the band kept appearing and marching past — which he found very amusing. Your ban photos capture that spirit.
ReplyDeleteWow, quite a collection of bands! Love these photos. TY for sharing.
ReplyDelete:) Like you in Paris waiting for the bands to match the music you were hearing, I kept waiting to see a picture of Earlston's ukulele band. Oh well. I love the joy & fun of the sound of band music too - all kinds. But it's the pipe bands that stir my soul. When we were in Edinburgh in 2019 at the Royal Tattoo & all those pipe bands came marching out onto the esplanade I was actually in (happy) tears, There is just something about their sound that fills an emotional place in my being! :)
ReplyDeleteOn my first week in London many years ago I encountered a royal pipe band marching near Horse Guards Parade. The shrill squirl of the pipes and the sharp thumping of the drums was quite thrilling and unlike my own limited experience of marching in my high school band. It was so inspiring I followed them down the street and for a short time considered taking up the bagpipes. Fortunately that enthusiasm faded. :–)
ReplyDeleteWhat great photos (no ukuleles though). Such good looking bands, all decked out in their finery. And it does remind me of hearing live piping in parades. A very moving experience.
ReplyDelete