SENIOR

Alf Lacey aged 8 founder member

Vectis Brass Band

Rehearsals : Alternative Thursday evenings 7.30pm till 9pm

Please see diary link on home page

Ages : 13 - adults

Open door policy, warm welcome to able brass players

A short history of the band.....

The Band of the 1024 Squadron

 

The Band was the brainchild of Mr Reginald Hayles, who in February 1947 was approached by Officers of the Air Training Corps with the idea of forming a Drum & Bugle Band. Mr Hayles however had different ideas and suggested that a proper band be formed. Mr Mellor, the Commanding Officer, made an offer of £250.00 and a selection of second hand instruments was purchased from manufacturers Boosey & Hawkes.

The Band comprised of just 8 senior musicians who were Warrant Officer R Hayles, R Martin, V Hayles, E Hayles, A Cogger, H Cooper, A Lacey, L Lacey and E Bartrum together with 14 ATC Cadets. The Band of the 1024 Squadron was officially formed in August 1947 and their first engagements included a Guy Fawkes Night Parade, Playing at Football Matches and Christmas Carols. In November of the following year the band was officially inaugurated at a concert at Ryde Town Hall. The following year saw the Band providing entertainment to packed houses at the Ryde Pavilion on Sunday evenings as well as attending Island Carnivals and giving concerts at Shanklin Pier Pavilion.

Duchess of Duke Street with pinned on uniforms and fake moustaches

In the mid 1970’s when the Band was under the direction of Mr Maurice Keat, the Band found fame on television playing in an episode of the popular series “The Duchess of Duke Street”. It also changed its name to Ryde Concert Band when the Borough of Ryde became part of Medina Borough Council and a new junior band was formed, which several years later under the musical direction of Steve Johnstone thrived and had much success, not to mention a feature on BBC TV’s Multicoloured Swap Shop.

Wessex Brass Band Contest at Poole. The Test Piece was “Three Howorth Impressions” by Gordon Langford and the Band was awarded 1st Prize, also scooping the Kevin Bolton award for best soloist was then 17 year old principal Solo Cornet Mary Monk, now Mary Teague the bands current MD. Derek is now the Band President and wrote a Suite of music called “Suite Vectis Isle” which was inspired by many visits to the Island. Further contesting success was achieved under the direction of the late Frank Wheeler from 1986 to 1990.

Many players have gone onto obtain degrees, play at Championship level with other bands and take up music professionally having started off in Vectis. In order to reflect on this success, the band voted to change its name in 1995 to “Vectis Brass” for a more Island wide image. (Vectis being the Roman name for the Isle of Wight)

New band badges

In September 1997, the band held a reunion party for past members, which was attended by many people and was highly publicised. It even encouraged a couple of past members to take up playing again, after having had a long break away from banding. In 2007, our 60th anniversary concert at Medina Theatre was to a near capacity audience and again saw many past players return to the Island especially for the event.

50th anniversary party - the founder members

The band is also dedicated to raising funds for other Island charitable causes and can often be found fund raising for organisations such as the Island Hospice, Naomi House and the Royal British Legion, as well as many others. In 2009 the RAFA ( Royal Air Force Association) made Vectis a "sister" organisation and gave each player a set of gold lapel wings and allowed us to use their logo on our correspondence. In 2011 we under a new charitable cause, Macmillan Cancer relief, with the initial concert raising over £200 this will be an annual event.

2012 will be the bands 65th year. To mark this a new training band will be launched ( see blog page) 

Vectis Brass Band plan to spend the next 65 years making music matter.

Vectis Today

PS Very often in bands like ours there is a lynch pin. A person who is always there, who quietly gets on with the job and without whom the band just wouldn't be the same. Mike is that person in our band. He was 9 ish when he joined and has been here ever since. He has served the band for 65 years. Thank you Mike x Take a look back to the top of this page to The Band of the 1024 Squadron picture, click on it, Mike is the third player in from the right, on the second row holding the solo horn chair. Handsome devil x

Mike Collis - 65th year playing with Vectis Brass IOW

2012 was our 65th celebration. A wonderful concert and reunion buffet was held. See special 65th page for full report.

Tilly , Molly and Pete perform at the 65th concert 2012