Coventry City Corps Band
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Early History
In early January 1878, William Booth, the founder of the Christian Mission (as the Salvation Army was then called) decided to open its 35th station at Coventry. Two women - Caroline Reynolds and Honor Burell were appointed to commence the work with no money or accomodation.
The work progressed well and later that year William and Catherine Booth visited the corps, presenting Coventry with the very first official Salvation Army flag. In the early years the Salvation Army's open air services were often disrupted by rowdy and often violent crowds and musicians were gradually brought in to help drown out some of the heckling and to accompany the singing.
Formation of the Band
By 1886 Coventry's musical ensemble had formed into an all brass group - Whether any of the bandsmen had anything but basic knowledge of music is open to discussion. Initially, the services of a professional musician who led the Coventry Opera House orchestra were obtained and he taught the basic method of playing and elementary music theory. The first leader of the band, or bandmaster, was a local musician called Rainbow. It is very doubtful whether he was commissioned, or even the following ones, Bandmasters Dan Barr or Mortiboys.
The early stage of the band's history was punctuated by the development of the Army itself, from the enthusiastic mass of the seventies to a more disciplined form of the late eighties. The early leaders of the band, Rainbow, Barr and Mortiboys had to contend with severe problems, poor equipment, lack of money and virtually no trained or competent bandsmen.
In 1893 the band was in the most serious state since its inception 11 years previously.It had scarcely improved....The corps itself was struggling after the heady days of the late seventies and early eighties.....The situation in the corps had become so bad that the founder, William Booth, expressed serious doubts as to its future.
Arthur Attenborough, a Coventry Bandsman, wrote in a 1900 edition of the Local Officer regarding the band as it was in 1895. "The instruments were old, out of tune and in a bad state of repair. The music was ill sorted and there was no practise room. Myriads of other difficulties were magnified by the fact the band had no cash or any real income on which to depend." He also stated; "The music was not at all what the public desired."
Things began to happen. Old instruments were replaced by new, later music took the place of the old material and a marked advance took place in every respect.
Early 20th Century
When 1900 came, the band because of the gradual ability of the ordinary people to travel, was able to spread its wings both locally and nationally. The band was asked to make the first of five tours to Scotland in 1903. In 1907, the Coventry Band, an unknown combination from the provinces or Centre of England, whichever you prefer, was asked to spend a weekend in London.
The band travelled to The Farm for its first major London Festival. Bandmaster Punchard himself wrote the critique on the saturday festival, in the Bandsman and Songster. Giving praise and encouragement and constructive criticism, basically apart from some untunefulness, the playing all round was good and there was ample evidence of careful working out of pieces though this distracted from the spirit needed to be put into them.
1912 was the year of the Founder's promotion to glory. The band travelled to London to take part in a vast funeral procession through the streets of the city of London.
The Inter-War Years
By the end of the First World War the band became huge with the influx of returning servicemen adding to the many war workers who stayed on after hostilities. It reached its zenith in numbers by the early twenties when the band numbered approximately 72.
On the 9th January 1926, the band took part in a massed festival at Northampton with Kettering and Northampton Central Bands and the Central Songsters. Apparently, apart from some overblowing amongst the middle of the band, the band's rendition of "Scottish Melodies" and "Gems from Mozart" was played by a beautiful ensemble!!
A rather unique event occurred on the 8th July 1936, when General Evangeline Booth on a countrywide motorcade, reminiscent of her father's, passed through Coventry. The ISB and the band supported the General in her meeting at the Central Hall playing as a Massed Band.
The 1939 Crisis
The regulation at the time stated that bandsmen were not allowed to attend football matches and cinemas. Some bandsmen said whilst they complied with all regulations to the full, they admitted the aforementioned transgressions. The Midland Evening Telegraph (later the Coventry Evening Telegraph) reported, on Thursday 9th March 1939,that "Coventry City Salvation Army band is facing crisis".
It went on to state that a Chief Official from Salvation Army headquarters was visiting Coventry that evening to resolve the crisis. The report stated the salient sticking points and it went on to add that the results of the controversy would affect several well known Salvation Army bands. Major was given untill 3rd April to back down, and on Sunday evening, 2nd, he offered his resignation to Major Gough, the Commander Officer and in writing to Divisional Commander Neave. On Wednesday, 5th April , Band Secretary Murray also resigned.
A band meeting was held on Thursday 6th April, regarding the situation. Twenty-nine bandsmen resigned; between them they had accrued 400 years in Army banding. The majority of those who resigned wished to remain salvationists.
To bring up the terrible gaps in the ranks, YP band members almost at transfering ages (16 1/2 - 17 years of age) and veterans from the band reserve were drafted in. By July 1939 the band was 35 strong - a remarkable achievement.
World War II
At the outbreak of war all building projects were suspended, and because the old hall had been sold, temporary accommodation had to be found, firstly in the Corn Exchange, then in a temporary wooden building in Spon Street on the new site. The corps remained at the latter until the present suite of buildings was erected in 1959 in Upper Well St.
The new bandmaster (James Greig) was to lead the band through its most trying experiences in its history. The band had been torn asunder, then just as things were beginning to settle down , suffered the loss of many of the younger bandsmen for service in the Armed Forces.
On the commencement of the war, younger bandsmen were called to the colours, other bandsmen entered on the endless grind of war work, normal life was suspended almost immediately. Because of the "blackout", Sunday evening and other weeknight meetings were suspended, cottage meetings were held by comrades in the corps.
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