Brass bands photos (General)

by peteressex , Sunday, January 02, 2011, 08:42 (5082 days ago) @ admin

Thanks for that. In particular, I infer from the photos and associated data that if East Slad and the Arthur & Edward each had a brass band, many more collieries did too. Those two collieries were so close to each other that in 1949 the Arthur & Edward broke into the flooded East Slad and numerous men had a fortunate escape. If two such adjoining collieries each had a brass band at one time, it wouldn't be surprising if quite a few other examples could be found.

Karen, if your brass-blowing grandfather and other relatives worked at Lydney Docks I expect they knew my uncle and great-uncle Bert and Art Sterrey who worked at the docks too. Just possibly, they also knew (or knew of) another great-uncle of mine, George Essex, who lived in Lydney around 1907-1911 and after distinguished service in the RAMC in WW1 conducted the prizewinning band of the Dorset County Asylum! I don't have any knowledge of his involvement in a Forest brass band but it would be fascinating to trace such a thing.