The History of the Long Eaton Silver Prize Band

Overview

Long Eaton Silver Prize band was founded by the members of the former Long Eaton Temperance Prize Band in 1906. From the outset, the band found success in the numerous local contests of the time: in its first 30 years, the band won 27 first prizes, 19 second prizes, and added “Prize” to its name (a common practice in those days). In 1929, the band purchased and converted the Silver Prize Band Club, using the prize money (ca. £700) it had accumulated.

An indication of the status of the band during the 1920’s is that Long Eaton Silver Prize were among the twenty-four bands invited to contest the first annual May Championship contest at Belle Vue in 1922 (not to be confused with then long established September championships dating from 1853). The band has in its possession a newspaper cutting of the time, listing the band membership. As now, Long Eaton was a community band, comprising of players from Long Eaton (10), Ilkeston (5), Sandiacre (4), New Sawley (2), and Stapleford (1), with four players from Derby and one from Beeston making up the numbers. However, in those days, the band formation was a little different: with two soprano cornets, two repiano cornets (in addition to the flugel), five basses, but only one baritone.

The highlight of our glory years was the winning of the Cassell’s Saturday Journal Shield as Second Section Champions at the Old Crystal Palace Building in 1927 under the leadership of Harry Evetts who was to remain as musical director until his death in 1950.

The Second Section Champions 1927

Harry Evetts was succeeded by Arthur Marshall who had joined the band as principal euphonium in 1933, and was to lead the band to further successes, particularly in the 1960s. During the 1960s and 1970s, Mr. Marshall achieved further local fame as the director of a number of successful local choirs and bands.

In the early 1970s, the band consisted of three sections: a novice group, a junior band, and the main concert and contesting band. However, the loss of a number of players in 1974-75, and the resignation of Arthur Marshall as musical director, led to the amalgamation of the junior band with the main band, and the band requesting a regrading fro the second section to the fourth section. Since then success has been restricted to the occasional minor prize in local contests, although the band has trained a number of players who have gone on to achieve considerable success with various Championship and first section bands around the country.

In June 2001, the band achieved its first prize since 1992: taking third prize at the Brass & Trams Entertainment Contest at Crich Tramway Museum, and in February 2002 bettered this by achieving its best result since 1966, in taking second prize and euphonium soloist's prize at the North East Midlands Brass Band Championships. This run of success has continued, with the band achieving its first qualification for the National Championships of Great Britain in 36 years (2002), and in September 2003 achieving its first ever national placing (2^nd) at the finals (see contest results).