History

Please find below a detailed history of City of Bristol Brass Band. Much of the information on this page has been gathered from internet searches and brass band related publications. If you are aware of any inaccuracies or omissions from the band history, please contact us here

Early History

Bristol has seen many bands come and go over the years (recorded history shows over 30 bands) with the earliest band existing around 1850

A large number of different bands also played at the opening of the Clifton Suspension Bridge in 1864

In Fishponds, the earliest record of a band is in 1904 with this photo (right) labelled "Fishponds Brass Band, 1904"

An additional record shows that the Fishponds Argyle Band played at the Festival of Brass Bands at the Colston Hall in 1933, together with other local bands

City of Bristol Brass Band was formed in 1936 as the Fishponds British Legion Band by H. S. Perry (a local boot and shoe manufacturer, who also played the euphonium) and William George Cozens (Lord Mayor of Bristol in 1959)

Making Brass Band History

Bristol Evening News, October 28th 1961

Throughout the Band's history they have performed at many venues across the length and breadth of the UK. One of the most successful periods was during the 1960s, when the band competed at the Royal Albert Hall in the National Brass Band Championship Finals on three separate occasions

During this time the musical director was Alwyn G Lloyd, who conducted the band from 1949 until the early 1970s

Alwyn made history by taking the first band based in Bristol to the National Finals in 1961. The band also qualified to perform at the National Finals and Royal Albert Hall again in 1964 and 1968

The band changed their name in the mid 1960s, when their success had created questions from its audience of the whereabouts of 'Fishponds'

From that time onwards, the band has since performed under the name of its city of origin - 'The City of Bristol Brass Band'

"I had been impressed by Fishponds British Legion Band whose uniform, to the best of my recollection, was black with mustard trim." Lyndon Baglin, solo euphonium player with the Stanshawe (Sun Life) Band

After Alwyn G Lloyd left the Band, there is a gap in the records of 15 years, during which time the band dropped down through the sections. In 1986 however, the band once again competed in the West of England Areas. For six years, City of Bristol was then conducted by T. Webb

In 1994, P. Vann came to the band as conductor, and they achieved First Prize in the Fourth Section of the 1995 Area Championships. Vann's full tenure saw the band promoted back to the Second Section

In 1998, Bryn James then took over the baton, and their success in competition then saw the band promoted into the elite Championship Section by 2004. Particular highlights of Bryn's times with the band were Second Prize in the Second Section Area Championships in 2001, and winning the First Section Area Championships in 2003

Andrew Jones then conducted the band briefly from February 2004. There then followed a brief hiatus, where the band found themselves unable to compete, but they made a return in 2008 competing in the First Section under the baton of Ian Holmes

2009 saw Ceri Thomas come to the band as conductor, and they competed in the Second Section. In that year, City of Bristol became the South West Brass Band Association and Gloucestershire Brass Band Association Champions, and also achieved Second Prize at the Weston-Super-Mare Championships. City of Bristol then went on to win the GBBA Championships again in 2010 and 2012, as well as the 2012 Leicestershire Brass Band Association Championships

2014 saw the band perform under the baton of the highly respected cornet soloist Kevin Robbins, and in November of the same year then welcomed back Bryn James. In late 2017, Paul McLaughlin then took over the role of conductor, and was then succeeded in late 2018 by a further tenure of Ian Holmes

City of Bristol Brass Band currently competes in the First Section, having gained promotion back into the section since January 2018. The band's current Musical Director is Craig Roberts, who took up the position in 2021

The band now currently enjoys a healthy balance of innovative concert projects and contest performance, and continues to build new audiences and explore new directions. A summary of the band's recent activities is available here

Further details of all the band’s forthcoming events and projects are available in the Events page of this site, or for up to the minute information on the band and its activities, please do connect with us via our social media channels on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram

City of Bristol Brass Band will continue to make music at the highest level, offer musical education opportunities for local people of all ages, and continue to support our local community in Bristol and wider, as the band has done continuously since 1936

Contesting History

Detailed information about City of Bristol Brass Band's contesting results is available via the Brass Band Results website here

COBBB News

Images

A series of archive photographs of City of Bristol Brass Band through the decades are available in the
Media section of the website here

If you have any additional images or artifacts relating to City of Bristol Brass Band, please contact us here

History

​Early History​

Making Brass Band History

​Contesting History

​COBBB News

​Images

Early History

Contesting History

COBBB News

Images