Cornwall Youth Brass Band

Members of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band Before 1959

The early band in rehearsal with Fred Roberts and Frank Moore looking on

In Past Members we have attempted to list all the players in the band from 1959, when the first residential course took place, to the present day.  Unfortunately, we know little about the membership of the band in the period from 1955 to 1959.  In the History of the CYBB Phillip Hunt describes how the band came into being but the question remains, “Who were those early members?” 

Work has begun on identifying them but unlike from 1959 onwards there are no programmes containing lists of players.  Instead, we have to rely on newspaper and personal appeals and hope that the responses will snowball. To further complicate matters, there were two bands in the early years – the main band and the training band.  Our list of players makes no attempt to differentiate between them.

As well as providing names, John Gribble told us that the early auditions were held in Truro at Daniell Road School.  Graham Clark thinks that the inaugural concert was held at Truro City Hall in February 1955 and both he and John recall travelling to Taunton to play at the Bath & West Show although neither has been able to recall the year.  Cyril Arthur is quite sure that there was an appearance at the Bath & West Show at Launceston in 1955 and that seems highly likely as it was held there that year.  We are less sure about an appearance at our own Royal Cornwall Show but one or two think it was the case.   

Finally, we make this appeal.  If you played in the band during this time, or can tell us more about it, then please let Tony Mansell know.  If you were a founder member, you should be on the list. CYBB complies with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.