During the 1939-45 World War, Sherburn Band disbanded due to lack of support and deaths. A founder member Tom Fred Bean aged 81, died in October 1939 and fellow band members were bearers at his funeral. In November 1941, John Thomas Hick died aged 71 at his home The Apiary, Water Lane where he’d lived all his life, and his death saw the end of his orchestra. John Thomas, a staunch Methodist, was a cycle agent, horticulturist and was a well known bee keeper and a member of the Yorkshire Bee Keepers’ Association. He’d exhibited with great success at numerous horticultural shows and had won prizes in the honey classes at the Royal and Yorkshire Shows and in Scotland. He’d been a member for the now defunct Sherburn Brass Band for over 40 years.
In February 1945, another band master John William Pinkney died aged 64 after playing with Sherburn Band for many years. John William was the village saddler, well known for his skill and craftsmanship and in his youth was a keen sportsman and for many years, captain of the cricket team. During the 1939-45 war he was a special constable and three of his sons and four sons-in-law served in the Forces. Another founder band member Jonathan Currey died in March 1945 aged 84 at his home 2 Church View.
In 1948 Sherburn Brass Band re-formed yet a gain under the direction of Percy Pinkney with twenty-two members. Throughout that year a series of dances were held with music by Heaths’ Band, in aid of Brass Band funds. A year later Percy Pinkney received news from his son Raymond a former Sherburn Brass Band member who was serving in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, that he’d gained the Cousins Medal for best instrumentalist in the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall, Twickenham. This gave him the honour of being the second bass player ever to win the first prize since the school started. He also came second in the examination for the Cassels Medal and was awarded one of the nine parchments which entitled him to continue studies at the school. Raymond was Percy’s youngest son and began playing with Sherburn Brass Band when he was 10. In January 1957, he passed the ARCM Examination whilst he was a student band master at Kneller Hall.
Sherburn Brass Band disbanded again during the 1960’s through lack of support then reformed fourteen later in 1974 at the suggestion of Stan Carr of Heslerton. There were some instruments from the old band which Mr Carr supplemented and the band had 15 members, including Geoffrey Holmes (post master), his children Andrea and Mark Holmes, Mark Pickard, Sarah Flinton, Bob Levitt, Percy Gilbank, Jerry Young (Malton) on drums, Others included Rodney Preston, Jane Horsley, Graham Little who was also bandmaster. Ray Dalton who also played in Swinton Band was another of Sherburn band masters and deputy band master was Laurence Duggleby who had been a band member for many years. Most members had no musical experience and so the vicar of Sherburn Rev Mark Simons offered his free services as a tutor.
During this decade when rock-n-roll music became popular a Sherburn Band was formed called The Sherburn Panthers’ even though the majority of its members were from elsewhere. They included Geoff Harrison and David Pinkney (Sherburn), Dave Brown, John Piper, Tony Crewe (Scarborough) and Sid Beal (Staxton). John Dennis from Sherburn was their electrician and they were said to have equipment valued between £1,000 and £2,000. Sherburn Panthers played at functions ranging from village hops to hunt balls around the Scarborough, Filey and Ryedale areas and regularly travelled further afield to gigs at social clubs around Yorkshire.
Another Sherburn Brass Band was formed in 1995 by Thomas Wright of Malton who paid weekly visits to Sherburn school to give tuition and seek recruits. Weekly band practices were held at the East Riding Hotel until November 1999 when the venue moved to East Knapton. In 1997 at an Easter Bonnet Parade at the East Riding Hotel, band members wore their new uniforms of black blazers and ties for the first time. Band secretary Geoff Buxton appealed to Sherburn Parish Council for financial help towards new instruments and in October 1998 Councillor Wilf Dickinson presented Mr John Rummel, representing the Sherburn & District Brass Band, with a tenor trombone valued at £250. That same month, they won a cup by coming first in their Class (Class 6) in a competition involving twenty Yorkshire bands.
From 1995 Sherburn Brass Band went from strength to strength playing at local events, entering competitions and raising large amounts of money for charity. In January 1999 they played for SNAPP (Special Needs Activities Play Programme) in a York supermarket precinct. Three months later they won the John Smith Butler Trophy for a March and came second in two more competitions for hymn playing and a selection of tunes. Jane Wright, the band leader’s daughter took the Raymond Taylor Memorial Cup for the best euphonium player. The band was eventually re-named Sherburn & District Brass Band because most of its members lived outside the village then in 2004 was renamed the Buckrose District Brass Band.
BRASS BAND PAGES
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