Burton Latimer - Sport & Leisure: Britannia Silver Prize Band

The Britannia Silver Prize Band


A festival event at The Cross in the early 1900s. (Right) Britannia Band members playing and watching

In contrast to many of the bands, groups and teams of the early 1900s, many of the names of members of the Britannia Silver Prize Band have survived, thanks to the Band's success and the commemorative official photos which were taken.

July 1905

This photo may - ironically - have been taken outside the band room at the Band Club! The room was demolished when the club was extended in the 1960s. The big bass drum has on it "Feb 1901", which may possibly be when the band was formed.

Back row: Jas Meads (Soprano), A Ambler*, H Ambler, F Bradbury, R Reynolds,
F Patrick (Secretary), J Northern, A Whittemore.
Middle row: E Dent* (Solo Baritone), F Capps, Jesse Meads, H Styles*, E Ambler* (Solo Horn),
W Henman (Solo Trombone), T Abbott*, F Mason.
Front row: F Baker (Solo Euphonium), T Miller, P Shrives*, J Shrives* (Band Master & Solo Cornet),
W Meads*, G Lines, F Whittemore, P Northern*

* Reynolds Bandsmen [Transcriber's note: we do not know the significance of this]

1905 Commemoration Photo

1905 was an extremely successful year for the band. Their record was: Competed at five contests: four First Prizes, one Third, also six Specials and The Langford Silver Challenge Cup. The photo below was taken to commemorate the success.

Commemorative photo of Britannia Silver Prize Band - 1905

Back row: James Meads (Soprano), A Ambler, H Ambler, F Bradbury,
F Patrick (secretary), R Reynolds, F Capps.
Middle row: P Northern, E Dent (Solo Baritone), F Whittemore, F Baker (Solo Euphonium),
H Henman, E Ambler (Solo Horn), A Whittemore, J Northern.
Front row: Jesse Meads, W Meads, W Henman (Solo Trombone),
J W Shrive (Bandmaster & Solo Cornet), T Abbott, F Mason, P Shrive, T Miller.

1911

On August 7th 1911, the band competed at a contest in Spalding and won two Firsts. It will be noted that new young members had been recruited. This is commonoplace in the brass band world - there always has to be a replenishment of youthful talent. As this was not an official portrait photo, not all the names are known. Those given below were derived from comparisons with the 1905 listings.

Back row: ?, ?, W Henman, E Dent, ?, ?
Middle row: ?, ?, ?, F Whittemore, ?, ?
Front row: ?, J Meads, J W Shrive, F Bradbury, ?, P Shrive
Seated on grass: ?, ?