Besses o' th' Barn Band Ask for # 581
Will cover Greater
Manchester and surrounding Lancashire
areas area without need for transport. Problem arises over longer
distances with carrying equipment which may mean a coach hire if
for the full band. Probably best to speak on an individual job basis as
we travel extensively anyhow.
All fees for the further away venues may have coach fees in
addition.
Our recent work includes St James Park London, Corn Exchange,
Cambridge - Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
We can provide a group for venues during the working day (
exhibitions /conferences ets )with enough notice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The quaintly named Besses o' th' Barn is an old industrial
town situated between Manchester and Bury, in Lancashire.
Competing theories for the origin of the name abound. Perhaps the
most colourful involves Dick Turpin's famous mount - Black Bess!
The most likely, though, is that it stems from the name of the (in)famous
landlady of a local hostelry. Besses o' th' Barn' s main claim to
fame, however, is that it was the birthplace of - and has given
its name to - what is certainly one of the oldest and arguably
most famous brass bands in the world.
The origins of this celebrated outfit of amateur musicians can
certainly be traced back to 1818, when the reed band based at
Cleggs Cotton Mill was first mentioned. It is this date that
"Besses," as the Band is affectionately known, takes as
its inception. In the 1880's the Band moved into its present band
room, situated behind the Red King public house on Moss Lane,
Whitefield.
The Band continues to play at venues around the UK and to tour
internationally, with Switzerland, Holland and Germany among
recent destinations. Finland was toured in 1983 and 1986, the
Band being led on the latter visit by Major Peter Parkes.
Exciting Entry to the New Millennium
As a mark of respect and recognition to past members who have
made the name Besses so famous over almost two centuries, the
Band is in the planning stages of a third World Tour. It is hoped
that this will take place in 2001 (actually the first year of the
new Millennium) and will include at least some of the countries
visited during the first two World Tours of 1906 and 1909.
Already, concert invitations are being received, via the modern
medium of the Internet, from New Zealand, America and the Far
East. The international interest generated so far has led to the
unearthing of yet more colourful memorabilia by third-generation
descendants of people who attended huge concerts during the
earlier tours. No wonder that media interest is already being
stirred by the prospect of such a rich tapestry of history
juxtaposed with the current thirst around the world for top-class
brass band music. Whether the Band will again be able to pose
with Zulu warriors in full battle dress remains to be seen! The
photograph showing such a remarkable scene only a few years after
bloody battles with the British is unfortunately too fragile to
allow its reproduction here.
Current Media Interest
Such is the historical significance of the "Third World Tour"
that initial interest has already been expressed by television
and film production companies. A recent BBC TV News report (see
above) covered both the planned tour and the nostalgic visit by
forty members of the Jackson family. They included direct
descendants of Bob Jackson, shown as a sixteen-year-old cornet
player in the 1869 photograph on the front page of this brochure.
The media are attracted by the contrast between the high-speed,
hi-tech version of the Third World Tour and the pioneering,
steamships images conjured up by the first two tours. Besses were
then seen as one of the country's major ambassadors in a golden
era of the British Empire. Next time around, they will no doubt
be seen as ambassadors for British culture and commerce. It is
anticipated that business leaders will be keen to help fund the
Third Tour of the World early in the New Millennium. Those
interested in potential sponsorship of either the Tour,
individual concerts, or the day-to-day running expenses of this
living gem of our national heritage are invited to
contact the Band's fundraiser (details on contact page).
Will cover Greater Manchester and surrounding Lancashire areas area without need for transport. Problem arises over longer distances with carrying equipment which may mean a coach hire if for the full band. Probably best to speak on an individual job basis as we travel extensively anyhow .
All fees for the further
away venues may have coach fees in addition.
Our recent work includes St James Park London, Corn
Exchange, Cambridge - Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
We can provide a group for venues during the working day (
exhibitions /conferences ets )with enough notice.
If you
would like more details about
Besses o' th' Barn Band
please
contact : eMail:
ashley@stevegeorgeevents.co.uk
Ask
for # 581 -- State: Date ~ # ~ location ~ Your Full
contact details
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