Wantage Silver Band Old Pictures Gallery
This is a new section, to gather old, nostalgic photographs of band members and activities. If anyone has other pictures to offer, please submit them as e-mail attachments or via a website reference to info@wantageband.org
This is the earliest photograph we have currently, of a growing group of youngsters outside Charlton Church Schoolroom, one of the earliest practice locations. At this point, not everyone had an instrument to play and some sharing was necessary!
This one, taken some time in the 1980s outside the old Newbury Street Band Hall and provided by Sarah Barnes (nee Clark), shows members of Ray Cordon's 'D' Band. Left to right are: Martin Law, Sarah Clark, Katy Law, Andrew Powell, John Clark and Danny Dullforce.
Back in the days of the original purple tabards, prior to arrival of the purple jackets, the band leads local Scout Troops through Wantage, to celebrate St. George's day. Visible are (from front, L to R): Jim Kowszun (trombone); Allan Tomkins and Ray Cordon (Bb basses); the late Jill Pollard (trombone); Graham Cain (side drum); Alan Sykes (euphonium); Andrew Douglas (Eb bass); Derrick Cain (bass drum); David Eyley (side drum); Shelley Eyley (flugel); the late Roger Davidge (horn); several young players including Marriette Wheldon (cornet); with Eileen Sykes at the rear corner (cornet).
What a smart lot! Their placard reveals their identity, while conductor Eileen Sykes stands by proudly.
The Kershaw family were a band within themselves! Left-to-right are: Wendy, Robert, Janet, Stephen, Tony, and Elizabeth, with parents Phyllis and Maurice.
Doug Brand conducts the band at a Culham labs. open day in the early 1980s. Principal cornet at the time was Helen Wright (nee Pollard). Among the basses is our senior vice-president, Ken Robey.
In July 1985, the band decided it was time to have a set of professional photographs. The photographer used a scaffold tower, to angle his shots downwards, and some band members helped to build it!
And here are some of his results:
The entire WSB organisation (apart from those unable to be there).
The 'B' Band.
The 'C' Band. (What, no 'A' Band picture?)
Don Keene conducts the march "Underhill House" at Greenfield during the band's first venture to the annual Whit Friday Contests 'up North' in 1988.
Don Keene in charge again, leading the band through Douglas, Isle of Man, on their first IoM Festival visit (in 1989?).
WSB has been involved in Uffington's 'White Horse Show' for many years. Most recently it has been sited outside the beer tent, next to the main arena, but in earlier times it was stuck in an odd corner on a trailer with access via a precarious ladder! In this case Mervyn Stiles conducted the 'B' Band.
Another example of the flat-bed trailer, this time in mobile mode, being towed by a tractor as part of Lambourne's annual Carnival Parade. The band appears to have been rather sparse on this occasion, not surprising considering the hazards of cornering. How does Chris Pollard stay on his feet? Health and Safety review please!
In the summer of 1989, Mervyn Stiles took 'B' Band on a mini-tour of Germany's Mosel valley during the season of wine festivals. Here are a few of the photographs recording that event:
Playing in the historic Roman city of Trier.
The wine festival at Neef, with a young cornet section playing "Cornets-a-Go-Go". Left to right - Claire Spong, Nigel Spong, Judith Jones, Gillian Turner and Anna Tomkins.
On the massive bandstand in Luxembourg City centre. The concert included a duet from Claire and Nigel Spong and an attempt at playing "Thunder and Lightning Polka" as actual thunder rolled around!
1993 saw the 21st Anniversary of the founding of the band. In celebration of this, we held a mass parade through Wantage, involving all sections of the band, starting from our Newbury Street Band Hall and returning to the adjacent park for a picnic and "play-in". The pictures below show members gathering on the Band Hall driveway, the parade (led by Ken Robey) passing through the "Royal Oak" crossroads, and founder Doug Brand, somewhat disguised (?), conducting the beginners group in the park.
