This week’s Mining Blog continues our celebration of Nottinghamshire’s Mining Brass Bands and features Shirebrook and Clipstone Miners Welfare Bands.
“Brass Bands make music and in doing so create environments where people from all walks of life can flourish and develop, socially, educationally and artistically.”
Mike Kilroy, Chairman, Brass Bands England in 2013
Our Nottinghamshire Brass bands are rooted in their coalfield communities, but band members could be drawn from a number of pits in the local area. This photograph from a 1958 Coal News of Shirebrook Miners Welfare Band features band members from 6 separate pit villages and features a bandswoman Marlene Morley who worked in the Marketing Department of East Midlands Area 3. Brass banding is also very much a family affair, as the captions describe fathers, sons, brothers and nephews:
Shirebrook Brass Band, picture courtesy of Coal News 1958
This photograph of the Clipstone Miners Welfare Band from Coal News 1956, also lists fathers, sons, nephews and brothers:
Clipstone Colliery Welfare Band, photo credit Coal News 1956
This article from Coal News 1956, is very informative about the Band’s history and the names of its key founders:
Article from 1956 Coal News on the history of Clipstone Colliery Welfare Band
Clipstone Miners Welfare Band returning from the Midland Championships 1958 where they came 4th in the 2nd section. Photo credit Coal News