APPENDIX 4
Bands
The first mention of a band in Southall was around 1894 when a Drum and Fife Band was formed by the younger members of The Ancient Order of Forresters. This carried on for about three years. They used to practice at the Manor House Barn.
Two Boys’ School Bands – one at St Marylebone School, the other at St Mary’s Orphanage, North Hyde School – came in the early 1900s. St Marylebone School Band had a uniform of dark blue, red braided suit with a pill box hat. The Bandmaster was Mr W. Wheatley and the band led the parade of children on Sundays to Holy Trinity Church, and concerts at the school until it closed down in 1914.
The North Hyde School Band gained for itself a great reputation. With a uniform of dark green, black braided knicker-bocker suit with bush hats. Under Bandmaster Dunn they were very much in demand in Southall, playing in the park, at Southall Football Ground and at parades. Mr Dunn had three sons who were bandmasters, one being the Head Bandmaster of the Royal Marines. This North Hyde Band also finished with the closure of the school.
The Gas Works Band was formed in 1886 and made its first public appearance at the party held 29th June, 1887 for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Under Bandmasters Gray, Sims, Goodall and Soop, it carried on and gained the contract to play in the parks in 1937 then, until about three years after the Gas industry was nationalised and due to the withdrawal of support from the works, it closed down. Quite a few of the bandsmen joined other bands.
The Salvation Army have had a band since 1885. It gained for itself a place as one of the best in the London area and, over the years, must have trained some hundreds of young musicians. They did at one time have a Junior Band. Until the traffic prevented it, before Sunday evening Service, it was the custom to form a circle around the lamppost which used to stand at the junction of King Street and Adelaide Road, and hold, an Open Air Service. Now very much reduced in numbers, they hold the service on the small piece of green at the corner of Western Road. Bandmasters have been – Mr Hill, Mr Snellings, Mr Osgood and Mr Eric Ball who wrote quite a lot of music for the Salvation Army. The present Conductor is Mr Norman Edwards.