4BR has been informed of the death of Kenneth Aitken-Jones.

One of the leading post war cornet players, he played with Creswell Colliery Band, before serving in RAF Fighter Command. In 1951 he joined the YEWCO Band, becoming principal cornet and enjoying the distinction of mentoring both Maurice Murphy and James Shepherd as his ‘bumper up’.

Respected

He later became a respected principal cornet of the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band leading them in their 1958 British Open win on Eric Ball’s, ‘Sunset Rhapsody’, before a later move to Brighouse & Rastrick where he combvined the principal cornet position with that of resident conductor.

He was a member of the Brighouse & Rastrick quartet that won the National title at Oxford in 1962.

He was a very fine cornet player, and someone I learned a great deal from in my time as assistant to him at Carlton Main. He will be sadly missedDavid Read MBE

Emigrated

He later emigrated to New Zealand but returned later, although he did not become involved again in top level banding.

A former colleague David Read MBE, told 4BR: "He was a very fine cornet player, and someone I learned a great deal from in my time as assistant to him at Carlton Main. He will be sadly missed."

Funeral

The funeral will take place @14:40 on Monday 13th February at St. Luke’s Church, Shireoaks Road, Shireoaks, near Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

Family flowers only, donations to St. Dunstan’s Blind Institute via Hopkinson Funeral Services, Watson Road, Worksop, S80 2BA.