*
banner

Book review: A History of the Lindley Band

Author: Paul Harrison
ISBN: 978-1-80068-369-3
Paperback


Brass band history is all too often recorded simply through cold facts: Names and dates of contest appearances, victories and defeats.

They tell us everything and nothing; triumphs engraved on trophies like ancient hieroglyphs -undecipherable in real meaning through the passing of time.

What is lost belongs to the people that made them happen - the players and conductors, mill workers and miners, businessmen and communities that supported and delivered on the collective endeavor to succeed.

All we know of them is invariably frozen in photographic stasis; pictures hung on band hall walls (and this book has some fantastic examples) – sepia-tinted galleries of nameless faces forever stuck in a peculiar form of perpetual limbo. 

Identity

Thankfully, there several amateur historians who are ensuring that their identity, as well as well as their contribution to the bands they so obviously represented with community pride is not forgotten. 

One such is Paul Harrison.

His fine book offers an engaging chronology of the Lindley Band; an organisation with a timeline that can be traced back to the 1830s and which, over the following 190 years has certainly been punctuated by contest success and failure, highs and lows.

All we know of them is invariably frozen in photographic stasis; pictures hung on band hall walls - sepia-tinted galleries of nameless faces forever stuck in a peculiar form of perpetual limbo. 

Zenith

Their zenith came in 1900 at Belle Vue, Manchester, when under John Gladney they won the British Open. 

The jubilant scenes that heralded their return to Huddersfield train station will have been remembered by those present for years to come, but as Harrison found out, few if any actual band documents survived (the only picture part of a 1901 calendar published by the monthly ‘The Cornet’ journal). 

64 years later they very nearly won it for a second time, losing out to Foden’s in somewhat contentious circumstances.

64 years later they very nearly won it for a second time, losing out to Foden’s in somewhat contentious circumstances.

Thankfully there are those still alive who remember just how close they came to adding a second Open title to their name – the story now recorded for posterity.

Inspirational

And so too are those personalities, players and conductors who ensured Lindley Band has survived through the inter war years and the struggles of the early 1980s, as well as being able to respond to the social changes in an industrial area of Yorkshire steeped in, and tied to, its own history. 

From Victorian leviathans of Gladney and Swift to its own colossuses in Joe Taylor,  Joe Dyson and Thomas Castle, the remarkable members of the Wadsworth family to the much-missed inspirational figure of Neil Jowett. 

All have added their mark to the history of a band that will hopefully be able to ask Paul Harrison to add many more chapters too for a reprint of his book in the years to come.

Iwan Fox 


To purchase: 

Email: paulcharrison1@gmail.com
Cost: £10
Postage within the UK: £3.00

Support us for less than a cup of coffee...

4BR wants to ensure that the brass band movement remains vibrant and relevant. We also want to be able to question, challenge and critically examine those who run and play in it, producing high quality journalism that informs as well as entertains our readers.

So if like us you value a strong, independent perspective on the brass band world - then why not consider becoming a supporter and help make our future and that of a burgeoning brass band movement more secure.

So one less cappuccino then?

Support us    



Petworth Town Band - Petworth Town Band at Petworth Heritage weekend

Saturday 20 September • Centre of Petworth Town GU28 OAH


Cheltenham Silver Band - Holst Birthday Concert

Saturday 20 September • All Saints Church, All Saints Road, Pittville, Cheltenham GL52 2HG


Dobcross Silver Band - Milnrow Band

Sunday 21 September • c/o Dobcross Band Club. Platt Lane. Dobcross Saddleworth OL3 5AD


Regent Hall Concerts - The Band of the Grenadier Guards Big Band

Friday 26 September • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. WC1 2DJ W1C2DJ


Brass Bands England - The Brass Band Conference

Saturday 27 September • Redhills Durham Miners Hall, Durham DH1 4BE


Haverhill Silver Band

September 17 • Haverhill Silver Band (Championship Section) seeks a FRONT ROW CORNET (position negotiable). This is a superb opportunity to join East Anglia's premier brass band for the L&SC area contest, the Senior Cup, Whit Friday and beyond.


Cheltenham Silver Band

September 16 • Required:. Musical Director : Cheltenham Silver Academy Band Following the relocation of our current conductor we are looking for a progressive, passionate and dedicated individual to lead our Academy Band, and to support our continued improvement.


Chinnor Silver

September 16 • We need a Bass player (either Bb or Eb) and a percussionist to join our happy team! The band is promoted to the first section in 2026 and were also 2025 Second section National Finalists. We rehearse on Wednesday evenings in our own bandroom in Chinnor


Chris Wormald

B.Mus (Hons), LTCL, PGCE
Conductor, adjudicator, arranger


               

 © 2025 4barsrest.com Ltd