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.