Preamble

 In 1885 Queen Victoria was on the throne of England, Khartoum was recaptured by the British, all native American Indians were ordered to live in reservations, the motor car was invented and Accrington Pipe Band was formed.

 The first four news items are noted in history books, but as very little is documented about the Band’s history, Roger Colbridge being the oldest member, having met most of the Band’s earlier players and heard his father and J. D. MacDonald speak about the very early days, has been requested to write this story.

 Edited R. Ford 1985.

 

 

 The band originally started sometime during 1885 in the Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Abbey Street, Accrington, next door but one from the Arden Inn. This Club was commonly called the Old Vets.

 The first members of the band were James MacBean who was the gamekeeper at Dunkenhalgh hall, and also the Piper to the Accrington Borough Caledonian Society. There is a dirk in the Colbridge family which was presented to him by that Society. Sam Dawson, an ex-piper of the Scottish Rifles who lived in Stanley Street, just above Washington Street, a man named Strathearn, a piper and the Shannon brothers, both pipers (Irish of course.)

Later recruits were Bill Killeya, a Manxman who had been a piper in the Royal Scots Fusiliers but at the time of joining the band was a painter and decorator with a shop in Wellington Street on the corner of Cotton Street, and W. Duckworth, a piper and a drummer. This was the original band.

 These were the people who in the 1890’s taught John Duncan MacDonald to play the pipes and encouraged quite a few new people to join the band, namely, Harold martin a Clayton-Le-Moors man, his two brothers-in-law Clarence and James Hocking, Roger’s father, Roger Colbridge senior and his workmate Mathias Wareing. Mathias was a piper and Roger Colbridge senior who was a drummer was taught the pipes by Thias during meal breaks.

 During the 1890 period the band was invited to become the St. John Ambulance Band by Superintendant Ogden and the Officers of the Brigade. The Headquarters at that time was in the buildings at the top of Bridge Street, across from where J. D. MacDonald lived. The band agreed to this and so became the S.J.A.B. Accrington Corps Pipe Band. The first of its kind in the country. Correspondence dated 1896 is still in existence. The band played at all parades and functions of the brigade as well as others which included playing the 46 South African Volunteers to the Station, local celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees and the coronations of Edward and George the Fifth.

 Shortly after the South African war the band, loyalties were tested. Some of the band members stayed, but most of the earlier members went back to the Old Vets Club including W. Killeya who had been pipe major up to that time.

 The band members who had stayed with the S.J.A.B. chose Harold Martin as pipe major and the band decided to practice in the summer time on the footpath of from the Petre Arms, Clayton-Le-Moors to Church Kird because in those days there were no buses and the path was halfway between Great Harwood and Accrington. During this period the band increased in size and comprised about eight pipers and four drummers who with financial help from the Ambulance Brigade were refitted with black jackets and Black Watch Tartan.

 

 At the time of the declaration of war in 1914 the following were members: H. Martin, J. Hocking, C. Hocking, M.Wareing, R. Barnes, T. Mullany, W. Duckworth, W. Strathearn, J. Main, N. Rathbone, A. Ellison and Roger Colbridge senior. Because of the war the band member found themselves dispersed throughout the services.

 Tragically, by the end of the war, many band members had been killed or injured. J. D. MacDonald went to see Roger Colbridge senior to discuss the future. Mac. had remained a member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade all those years and used to play his pipes at the training camps thus keeping some continuity. This is in spite of the fact that he had followed his tutors when they left the band in the early 1900s and had not rejoined the S.J.A.B. band when the Old Vets Band went out of existence.

 The band was able to survive and in 1920 the members were J D MacDonald (Pipe Major), R Colbridge and young Sam Dawson as pipers, taught by J D MacDonald, Stan Ashton (bass drum), Jim Robinson (leading side drum), H Dewhurst (side drum), on special occasions W Shearer, a postman from Blackburn would turn out with the band. It was during the winter of 1920 that Roger Colbridge jnr. Joined and became Drum Major.

 As the clothing of the pre-war band had been lost, Roger Colbridge senior, who knew someone with the Cameron Highlanders, bought second-hand kilts and plaids, the rest of the equipment, doublets, spats, sporrans, caps, hose and feather bonnets were bought from a London ex-war department store.

 The unveiling of the Mercer Park War Memorial, Clayton-le-Moors, was the band’s first major parade. In 1925 Roger’s brother Ian joined and that remained the composition of the band until 1927 when Stan Ashton who was also the secretary left. Alf Towler and his nephew E Whittaker joined around this time and Alf was appointed secretary but was soon relieved of those duties and Roger Colbridge jnr. took on the post.

 During the late 1920s the band was given some billiard table cloth by E. G. Rileys, the famous billiard table manufacturers of Accrington to make into doublets and these were made up by Stantons tailors of Abbey Street. The band was once again very smartly dressed but very outstanding because of the light green colour of the cloth.

 Also at this time Willard Holgate became bass drummer, J Cavanagh, Harry Woodhead and Harry Briggs joined as side drummers and George Dearden as the tenor drummer. Throughout this period Roger Colbridge senior had been teaching young lads and there was quite a batch of new pipers – John Tinnion, Fred Ellis, George Wright and J Morris.

 About 1936 because of the worn state of the doublets a new set were bought from Mr. Stevenson who used to be the tailor for Leckie Grahams of Glasgow before they went out of business. By this time Ian Colbridge had been made Sergeant Piper and because of a large influx of new members was teaching from 1930 to 1939. Those new members were the Leeming brothers, William and George, Fred Mollineux, Hartley Bannister, John Armistead, Tom Proctor, Tom Carter, Bert Pettifer, Albert Rigg, Clifford and John Wellington, John McClymont. Also Stanley Ashton came back as bass drummer.

 In 1938 J D MacDonald went to live at Chatburn and retired as Pipe Major so his place was taken by Ian Colbridge and John Tinnion was made Sergeant piper. That roughly was the band at the beginning of the 39/45 war when many of the members who were reservists were called up in 1948 at the time of the Munich scare, but came home again to be re-called later in September 1939.

 The band’s activities were suspended for the duration of the war and became active again in 1946 when a lot of the members re-joined although a few could not because of war injuries. However, J D MacDonald, although living in Chatburn, still turned out with the band occasionally.

 Roger Colbridge senior retired about 1948 after 50 years service and his clothing and equipment were passed on to another Roger Colbridge, Roger Colbridge junior’s son, who had been learning to play the pipes during the war.

 On becoming active again, the finances of the band were reviewed, establishing a Band Fund and a Clothing Fund and an annual grant from the St. John Ambulance Brigade was negotiated.

 In the late 1940s and early 50s, there was a complete change in the drum section which for a few years comprised Harold Smith, leading drummer, the Duckworth brothers, Leslie and Tom, Frank Rostron, Alan Edwards, Harold Walmsley, F. Gordon Crabtree, Alan Whittaker, James Colbridge, Harry Kay, Jack Wilcock, Roy Ford, George Young, John Chamberlain and Stanley Ashton who retired in 1953 when the bass drum was taken over by H. Walmsley. There was also a number of new pipers who came in at that time, Jim Elliott, Sandy Thompson, Sydney Stokes, Adrian Stocks, John MacGregor, Tom and James Howarth, George Kay, Roger Edwards and Ian Colbridge junior.

 In 1954 at the parade for the 50^th Anniversary of the opening of the Drill Hall, Roger Colgridge senior was presented with a silver drinking mug to commemorate his long service. At the same ceremony, Stanley Ashton was given a memento for 30 years service. About this time the members were re-equipped with new jackets, kilts, plaids and hose and many comments were made about the smart appearance of the band.

 In 1960 the band bought new feather bonnets and whilst playing for the local Miners Union at the St. Helen’s Miners Union Gala, won the cup for being the smartest band in the parade.

 During 1966 Ian Colbridge senior started being ill and was in and out of hospital until his death in February 1970 when John Tinnion was made Pipe Major.

 In 1971 the band presented Roger Colbridge with a dress sporran to commemorate 50 years service, for besides being drum jajor he had been secretary and quartermaster from 1928 until about 1956. Fred Ellis then became secretary but Roger maintained his quartermaster role.

 The early 1970s was the beginning of a lean time for the band as quite a few people had to move about the country on account of their jobs. At one time the band was reduced to four pipers. Fortunately pipers were imported from other districts but as a result a lot of tunes had to be sacrificed because these people did not play them, thus the repertoire went from about sixty five tunes down to about twenty and unfortunately at the time of writing has not recovered.

 In 1976 a few young lads came to learn and when Alan Bleasdale, (late Pipe Major in the Furthergate Pipe Band) joined along with Melvin Moran, they took on the job of teaching new players. Thus the band in 1978 comprised of the following pipers, John Tinnion, Fred Ellis, Trevor Stokes, Bernard Johnstone, Andrew Johnstone, Herbert Pettifer, Alan Bleasdale, Mel Moran, John Riley, Christopher Hill, Devin Gibson, George Wakeling, Terry Fletcher, Mark Fletcher, James Kiddie and the drummers were Harold Smith, Eric Fletcher, Peter Farfull, Geoffrey Wright, Edward Martin, James sommerville and Roy Ford, who later transferred to piper.

 1982 was a bad year for the band for the leading drummer Harold Smith died after prolonged ill health followed by pipers Fred Ellis and Herbert Perrifer who both died suddenly. The following two years saw a further decline in numbers as more members left for various reasons, so that now in the centenary year there are some seven pipers and five drummers.

 During its 100 years existence the band has played throughout the North for Church and Sunday School walking days, town gala and carnival processions, and of course St. John Ambulance parades all over Lancashire and Yorkshire.

 The players are now trying to encourage new membership and also are attempting to raise money to refit themselves, and provide uniforms for newcomers. Whilst they have succeeded in collecting some money for the band funds, as prices soar they appear to be fighting a losing battle.

 Finally, the band along with the St. John Ambulance Brigade are now having to leave the Drill Hall, their home for many years, and move to new premises in Scaitliffe Street.

 Epilogue.

 An attempt has been made to mention all the people who played with the band, but of course there are innumerable players who drifted in for short periods. If anyone who played with the band for a reasonable term is not mentioned, or if mistakes or omissions are found in the story, apologies are sincerely give, for this is one man’s memory of 65 years with the band.

 R. Colbridge

Drum Major and Quartermaster.

 

P.S.

 The editor of this centenary history would like to pay tribute to R Ford and R Colbridge for their comprehensive history of the resilience of Accrington’s Pipe Band, when many pipe bands around found it impossible to continue.

 Since the centenary, the band has played on for another 22 years and consists of current members, some of whom overlap in service with some of the names in this account. Indeed the current Pipe Major and Drum Major have served totals of over 50 years and 36 years respectively.

 As was alluded to towards the end of the centenary history, the population is more mobile now. People move into and out of the area for a variety of reasons. Young people move away to college and university. Life has so many other demands. The commitment and stability required to sustain a band is not easy to achieve, but the band plays on and it is our intention to continue to live and celebrate our history and remain the oldest civilian pipe band in the UK.

 Pipers and drummers out there who might be interested in becoming the new names in our story are welcome to get in touch!