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JUNIOR BAND
About Peebles
 


The first reference found to date of the Town Band is in 1834, when subscriptions were gathered and around 20 musicians formed a band and the Town Council was approached for assistance.

This approach must have been successful as on 24 August 1835, the Band led a political procession of 2,000 people around the town.  They continued attending all the public functions in the town, such as the laying of the foundation stones for St. peter's Episcopal Church (1836), New County Hall (1843) & Portmore House (1850).  It could be noted here that the Band returned by invite in the year 2000 to play a programme at the houses's 150th celebration party.

In 1865 by public subscription, a sum of £51:12:6d was raised and a new set of brass instruments was procured.  Records show "Paid to Thomas Glen for instruments less 19/- discount for cash £37:0:0 Paid for Bass Drum £3:10:6d Paid Teacher £3:19:8d - A grand total of £44:9:2d.

By 1870, the majority of the Band were members of the 1st Peeblesshire Rifle Volunteers and unofficially turning out as a Volunteer band. In 1871 the Town Council was approached and formally asked to hand over instruments to the Corps and this was done on the basis that the band would be available for all the public engagements in the town.

Between 1871 and 1888 the band was a Volunteer Corps Band, attending all the official army engagements, drill parades and all public engagements for the Town Council.  With the national re-organisation of the Volunteer Corps of the Army Act (1888), the Peeblesshire Corps could no longer fund the upkeep of their Band.

A public meeting was held in the town and in 1889 an agreement was reached with the Army to return the instruments to Public care and by the end of the year, it was once again Peebles Brass Band, leading all the events and processions in the town.

The first contest was entered into in 1891 at Portobello under the Scottish Amateur Brass Band Association.  A new set of instruments was obtained in 1895.  In 1897, the Band played it's full part in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, the forerunner to the Peebles Beltane Festival.

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