1955 St Joseph’s Silver band
New Year 1933 got off to a blustery start, but the weather strangely was good for one day out of the weeks of miserable weather people had been suffering for weeks. The Hamilton Advertiser reported on 7th January 1933:
“Our local bands—silver and flute—all had a turn round the town on Monday forenoon according to past custom. Those people on the route of march contented themselves by viewing their passing from the inside of their house windows, and from there heard the bands wish the populace a “Guid New Year,” along with other popular selections.
A wild and blustering storm of wind and rain swept over Blantyre all day on Hogmanay and when the New Year was ushered in the rain had somewhat abated but the wind was still high, and the conditions were by no means inviting to set out on first-footing. Only a very few young people were about at the street corners, while a quiet ne-erday sums up the entry of 1933.
New Years day was a contrast as, from ten o’clock in the morning, when the sleepy population was awakened by the usual Sunday morning ringing of the Livingstone Memorial church bell, the sun shone out brilliantly and right up till bed time it was a fine day—in fact, the only good day we have had for weeks. Many people were consequently tempted out of doors.”
I like the idea of a brass band going around to welcome in the New Year’s Day, but I suppose with parties the night before, a brass band on 1st January , may be the LAST thing you want to hear, as you slowly recover and emerge from the festivities. Pictured in 1955 is the St Joseph’s Brass Band.
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Anne Marie Murray Our friends father is far left Peter Kelly, Frank Kelly’s dad…Pat Mcinally right in the middle.