BOLTON has a great tradition of brass bands dating back to the early 19th century and England’s Industrial Revolution.

The sudden increase in the availability of raw metal meant instruments could be made more cheaply and with companies and individuals beginning to take an interest in providing a hobby for local workers brass bands in many industrial towns and villages grew quickly into bands performing to high standards.

The most popular of these locally was probably the Eagley Mills Band, who were formed in 1850 and are pictured here celebrating their centenary.

Farnworth bandsman Fred Wright played for the Farnworth Old Band for 60 years and is shown shutting up his hardware shop in Peel Street to board a coach for London’s Royal Albert Hall where he was attending the 1954 National Brass Bands Championships. The band themselves are pictured over 30 years later in July 1986 alongside folk band Madrigal.

Plenty of youngsters got involved with playing too and in June 1973 we attended rehearsals at Kearsley Silver Band’s for the last time before they officially became the Eaton Works Band. When the band was formed in 1869, it was an accepted rule that anyone who wanted to join had to be a member of St Stephen’s Church, Kearsley. Our photograph shows the three youngest members of the band, from left, David Bullock, aged 12, Michelle Bennett, 13, and Clifford Lansley, 14, with other members at the rear.

Back in December 1970, we also captured the Bolton Youth Band’s cornet section playing at an international evening at the Albert Hall, Bolton, in aid of the Mayor’s fund for Christmas parcels for the elderly.

In February 1974, we were at the North West Area Band Association Championships where cornet player Ruth Hogan, aged 10, was struggling to get to grips with a tuba!