This is Blantyre Silver Band pictured around 1900. This previously unseen photo is from the collection of David Ritchie, who features in the photograph at the back as one of the cornet players. David was a joiner of High Blantyre and keen amateur photographer, the collection of photos now passed over to Blantyre Project for showing exclusively here.
According to my notes, they would often practice in a field next to the Priory Bar at the bottom of Logan Street. Indeed, Mr John Roberts, owner of the bar would fund many special outings for the band, sponsoring their travel to competitions and the like. (No doubt meeting afterwards at his bar!)
The band’s roots go back much earlier to 1877 to the year of the Blantyre Pit Disaster. How nice it would be if Blantyre still had a brass band for fetes, events and competitions.