It's always good to hunt around different archives to find gems from our banding past at the moment — so why not enjoy a wonderful piece of brass banding history that can be viewed for free from the British Film Institute featuring Brighouse & Rastrick Band.

1965

We first found this in December 2015, so it's been great to look at it once more.

It follows the famous Yorkshire outfit at various times during 1965, and was originally released for broadcast in cinemas the following year.

It sees Brighouse & Rastrick in rehearsal, outdoor concert and contesting performances under the batons of the likes of Walter Hargreaves, Dr Denis Wright and Ken Aitken Jones.

The band is seen linking up with Foden's and Black Dyke at the famous International Eisteddfod in Llangollen where according to newspapers reports at the time over 12,000 people enjoyed their concert performances.

Snapshot

There is also a snapshot of them at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Newtown a month or so later where they took part in the Open Brass Band Class for a first prize of £500. The band didn't win, coming second to Ystalyfera Public.

There is also a glimpse of the then Tredegar Workman's Band in performance under the baton of Cornelius Buckley, father of the well known conductor and adjudicator Brian Buckley.

Evocatively though is their trip to Belle Vue in Manchester for the 1965 British Open, complete with the famous Bob's Racers, big dipper and a forlorn looking bear in the zoo4BR

Belle Vue

Evocatively though is their trip to Belle Vue in Manchester for the 1965 British Open, complete with the famous Bob's Racers, big dipper and a forlorn looking bear in the zoo, where the band came second to Fairey.

To watch:

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-year-with-brighouse-and-rastrick-band-1966-online