Hawes Silver Band

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Photo: Betsy Everett

About

Hawes Silver Band, which was formed around 1865, fulfils many engagements in Wensleydale every year, including the Semerwater Lakeside Service, village community events in Wensleydale, and for the last twenty years has combined with the East Witton Male Voice Choir, the Aysgarth Singers directed by Stan Roocroft and the Young Voices Choir, directed by Barbara Roocroft to present the Annual Christmas Charity Concert to support national, regional and local charity organisations’.

The band members travel from places far away as Sedbergh, West Witton, Preston-under-Scar and Leyburn to rehearse on Sunday evenings in the Market House in Hawes. It is a typical brass band full of friendly people of all ages. The music is varied and the emphasis is always on everyone enjoying music-making.

Though no longer a competition band, the Hawes Band were the instigators of the now very famous Hardraw Scar Band Contest. They gathered together local business men from the town and organised the first contest in 1880. Whole families were involved on the contest day, providing refreshments and transporting visitors from Hawes to the beautiful landscaped grounds of Hardraw Scar, lent by the Earl of Wharnecliffe. The bandsmen played marches as they paraded through Hawes and then continued marching on to Hardraw. The school log books record that children were absent from school to help with the preparations so it was truly a community effort.

The Semerwater Ecumenical Service

Simon Chorley
Photo: Betsy Everett

A unique event each year on August Bank Holiday Sunday is a service on the shores of Semerwater, Wensleydale's only lake, when Hawes Silver Band plays to accompany the hymns. Inevitably, conditions vary, and one year the vicar conducted the service knee-deep in a flooded lake but the picture shows a more enjoyable occasion!

Conductor:

Stanley Roocroft MBE, LTCL, ACP, CERT Ed.

Hawes Silver Band’s distinguished conductor, Stan Roocroft, was a choral scholar of Blackburn Cathedral and a chorister at the Queen’s Coronation. After education and teacher training, his first appointment was as Head of Music at the Cathedral School in Wakefield. Many achievements in this period of Stan’s career included conducting the annual Schools Music Festival, founding Wakefield Youth Band and conducting the Yorkshire Youth Band. He was also involved in choral and operatic music and was appointed Head of Music Services for the City of Sheffield Education department.

Stan is currently conductor of the Wensleydale Chorus, Aysgarth Singers, as well as Hawes Silver Band. He was also conductor of the Wensleydale Philharmonic Orchestra for many years. He has been an adjudicator at music and band festivals for over 45 years within the British and International Federation of Festivals and has adjudicated and tutored for the National Chamber Music Competition for Schools Trust.

Stan Roocroft was awarded the MBE in 2005 for service to the community in North Yorkshire. He lives in Gayle, near Hawes, with his wife Barbara who, together with several of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, is also involved in the musical life of Wensleydale.

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Photo: Betsy Everett

Meet the Band.

The instrumentalists with Hawes Silver Band are:-

Principal cornet. Brian Woof.

Solo cornet. Alan Woof.

Second cornet. Martin Wright.

Third cornet. Joy Baggaley.

Flugel horn. Sue Woof.

Principal tenor horn. Julie Greenslade.

Second tenor horn. Anne Johnson.

Third tenor horn. Gail Nelson.

Baritone horn. Rebecca Dutton.

Principal tenor trombone. Ian Nelson.

Tenor trombone/baritone horn. John Ransom.

Principal euphonium. Roger Iveson.

First euphonium. Jack Dewhirst.

First Eb bass. Abbie Rhodes.

First Eb bass. Tony Playfoot .

Second Eb bass Gerald Hodgson.

Bb bass. Ron Snaith.

Percussion. Simon Greenslade.

Tuned Percussion. Barbara Greenslade.


Links

Dales Music

Contact Us

The band always welcome anyone to attend rehearsals, particularly if visitors come along with their band instruments to join in a rehearsal. The band has spare instruments for all sections. If you played a brass instrument before and wish to take it up again, or if you are a complete beginner of any age, we will be pleased to assist.

To find out more about the band, or to come and join us, please contact the secretary

  • Mrs. Sue Woof

  • Ghyll House, Syle Killington, Sedburgh, Cumbria. LA10 5EH