Gala Committee 4
Gala Committee 4
1982 was the Good Old Days Gala with the scene set by Yorkshire’s largest fairground organ, the Great Gavioli, (which had played at the galas of 1972 and 1973 at the school.) The traditional entertainments fit well with this theme – hoopla, Punch and Judy, and a croquet-based game. A tug of war was planned, but only one team entered. There was a display of veteran and vintage cars and motorcycles. Caroline Rape was queen and the procession was led again by the Boys’ Brigade Band. However there was a significant new musical entertainment on the field. Seventeen year old Ashley Dolphin, like her players in Victorian or Edwardian costume, conducted a short recital by Wilsden Band.
Wilsden had a band for many years. There is a reference to Wilsden Mechanics Committee engaging Wilsden Military Band in 1852 and it flourished as a brass band for many years, playing at local events, dances and Whit Walks. It struggled after World War II and eventually disbanded in 1956.
When the village society revived Wilsden Gala in 1971, the two biggest annual requirements that could not be solved locally were soon identified as booking a roundabout and booking a band. Shipley Pipe Band and the Spartan Jazz Band played at the first, Spartans again at the second, then Bolton Scout and Guide Band for the next three years. In 1976 the Highland theme led to the use of Leeds Pipe Band. When the date was moved to July, the Bolton band was not available and the Bellraven Scouts and Guides obliged for two years, followed by the Meltham Majorettes, Mixenden Royals and Bradford and District Boys’ Brigade. It was always a headache for the gala secretary finding a band that was available on the date and not too expensive. Other communities had their own bands – why not Wilsden, which had in the past a fine musical reputation?
In 1980 the society advertised a meeting for anyone interested in re-forming a Wilsden band. It was chaired by probably the society’s least musical, but most enthusiastic proponent of the idea, Astrid Hansen. She was much relieved when one of the handful who turned up offered to take on the role of secretary/organiser. This was Denis Renshaw, who became ‘Mr Band’ for many years. (He and his son Matthew were the only players from that original group to continue with the band until a change of name and venue took it out of the village in 2014.) Astrid placed adverts in local papers appealing for a bandmaster or conductor. Bandmaster Peter Richards offered to help them get started and the first band practice took place on May 3rd 1981 in the village hall. The village society made them a small starting grant towards music and music stands and the hall management gave the first meeting rent-free. Later Ashley Dolphin, descendant of an old Wilsden family, became their conductor and the 1982 gala was one of their earliest public performances, though they insisted they were not yet ready to play while marching.
Thereafter they played at the galas of 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988 although the more experienced Skipton Band or Spen Valley Scout and Guide Band led some of the parades.
By 1993 they were ready to march and blow, and even though the galas were no longer run by the society, members were proud to see Wilsden Band leading the procession down Main Street. There have been changes of players and of musical directors over the years and eventually the band became BD1 Brass, part of the family of the City of Bradford Brass Band.
