The History of the Long Eaton Silver Prize Band

Biographies

[ History ]

Sid Bland

Sid Bland was one of the leading cornet players in the Long Eaton Silver Prize Band joining the band in 1970 and conducting the band between 1982 and 1990, before retiring as a player in 1994. Sid also gave much of his time to teaching juniors, and there are many fine, (and not so fine), players today whose years of pleasure in making music have stemmed from this inspirational teacher.

Sid played trumpet and violin whilst in the forces and for many years had his own dance band.

Sid was a founder member of the Ockbrook Big Band (originally the Geoff Ruddle Band), and was for many years its principal trumpet player and Musical Director.

Sid sadly died in 1998.

Ted Bradley

Ted first joined Long Eaton Silver Prize Band in 1946, first contested with the band in 1948, and played his first solo in a concert during 1949: a concert programme from that year featuring a "Master E. Bradley, aged 13 years" playing a flugel horn solo "The Lost Chord" (Sullivan). After a distinguished career as principal euphonium in the Scots Guards, Ted returned to Long Eaton Silver Prize Band on 3rd October 1958 as principal euphonium and later junior teacher, secretary,  band master and assistant conductor. Ted succeeded Arthur Marshall as musical director in 1975, finally leaving the band on 12th January 1978 due to work commitments. Ted was one of those bandsmen who give freely of their time to training junior players, and to whom many of today's players remain indebted.

Ted is now a fine Eb Bass player who in recent years has played with Kirkby Colliery Welfare Brass Band as they rose from the fourth to the second section with four successive national final appearances, and more recently with Dronfield and Ilkeston Brass. In December 2002, Ted finally returned home, playing for the band in the Leamington Spa contest that year, and continues to play for the band today, his most recent contest being our third section Midland area championship in March  2006.

This year (2006) Ted has also celebrated his seventieth birthday, sixty years of banding, and witnessed two of his pupils, Sharon Stansfield (Long Eaton Silver Prize) and Graham Jacklin (Leicestershire Co-op Snibston Charnwood Brass) conduct bands to the top two places at the third section Midland Area Championships, and first and fourth at the third section National Championships of Great Britain.