The Music Man

Continuing my Wingates Temperence Band blip series, this is a picture today of President David in the Band Practice Hall, at Wingates Industrial Estate, Bolton. He is kindly posing with something similar to the type of BB b Contrabass Tuba my grandad Jim played for the band for 42 years (and he a pipe smoker)

Jim played for Wingates between 1914 and 1956, and stopped only following the heart attack he sustained on his way to a band practice in this very same building. He died that same night. Now, 56 years later, band practices still happens here twice weekly (as they always have at this same site since 1873).

I visited here today to hand-over the family momentos, cuttings and photographs I have previously mentioned we are donating on permanent loan to the Band's archive. I was really happy to see many band photos on the wall with Jim in them, sat proudly behind his big fat tuba.

David told me that modern Wingates is now populated from players from as far afield as the USA, Belgium, Denmark and Norway. These international players often originate from the Brass Band Music Degree course at nearby University of Salford. I was totally amazed and impressed in equal measure you could do a degree in brass band playing.

It's far cry from the Brassed Off film of stereotyped working class bands from northern pits and mills, that's for sure.