History of Carlisle St. Stephens Band.

Our Preserved History

The band was formed in 1904 and started its life in a tin-roofed hut on Arthur Street. The noise of the rehearsals was not appreciated by the local residents, who threw stones on the roof to express their displeasure. Eventually the vicar of St. Stephen's parish church came to the rescue, offering rehearsal space in exchange for the band's services each month in church.

The band grew from there and reformed after the First World War. By the mid-1920s, the band had become one of the most respected names in British Brass Banding, winning the World Championships held at the Crystal Palace in London in 1927 playing White Rider by Denis Wright. They also won in 1929, placed 2nd in 1926, and 3rd in 1928.

The band is not actively contesting at present. We last competed in the 3rd Section of the National Brass Band Area Championships Competition in March 2007.

Whilst having a spring cleanout at home, I came across a book gifted to me by my primary school brass teacher in Andover in the 1960s, Colin Burr — Oh Listen to the Band by Hinrichsen. It’s marked 5 shillings! Published in 1950, it references Gustav Holst, who composed The Moorside Suite, the test piece for the 1928 World Championships.

The book also mentions his daughter, Imogen Holst. A concert was held in Her Majesty's Royal Theatre in Carlisle on 12th February 1933 (unsure where this was!). The program featured Holst’s music, including The Unfortunate Traveller — based on the tale by Thomas Nash and dedicated to Carlisle St. Stephens Band.

Photos of both composers are featured on our website.

Our Iconic Music Which Loved by All

Title: Toreador March

Carlisle St Stephen's Silver Band

"Toreador March" by Carlisle St Stephen's Silver Band. Genre: Brass Band.

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Toreador March

Title: The White Rider

Carlisle St Stephen's Silver Band

"The White Rider" by Carlisle St Stephen's Silver Band. Genre: Brass Band.

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The White Rider

Title: Exile March

Carlisle St Stephen's Band

"Exile March" by Carlisle St Stephen's Band. Genre: Brass Band.

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Exile March

Toreador March

The White Rider

Exile March

This photograph was taken at the 2nd section finals of the National Brass Band Championships held in Kensington Town Hall circa 1962

In 1959 the band travelled to London to compete in the 3rd Section of the Daily Herald National Brass Band Championships.

circa 1958 Following the death of William Lowes in December 1955, the baton was handed on to one of his sons, Cyril. Cyril was a talented musician and trombonist and continued as the band's conductor with the same enthusiasm and dedication as his father.

William Pit Disaster Fund Concert 1947 Musical Director Cyril Lowes takes the applause with the Carlisle St Stephens Silver Band at the William Pit Disaster Fund Concert at Her Majesty's Theatre in Carlisle, 1947.

World Champions 1929 Pictured at Carlisle Grammer School front entrance.

Imogen Holst circa 1928? Both Gustav and his daughter, Imogen, became very good friends of the band and would visit the band for rehearsals. Imogen composed The Unfortunate Traveller especially for band.

From a purely musical point of view the performances of Holst’s A Moorside Suite at the National Brass Band Championships of 1928 was a turning point in the history of the British brass band movement. The clarity and precision of the opening Scherzo was a world away from the usual test-piece challenges of the day. Holst devoted considerable time to writing for amateurs and young people and after the success of Moorside he maintained close contacts with the brass band movement, especially the Carlisle St. Stephen’s Band. He encouraged his great friend, composer and conductor William Gillies Whittaker (1876 - 1948) to work with the band when he was planning to write a brass band work of his own. He never did, but ...

World Champions 1927 Pictured at Carlisle Market Hall entrance

Trophy collection circa 1926? Pictured at Carlisle Grammer School front entrance. Back: Tommy Bradley, J.Fell, Tommy Barnes, Billy James, Jimmy Stewart, Frank Nixon, Ted Saunders, Billy Rayson, George Whitehead?, Harold Routledge, Bobby West, Herb Armstrong. Middle: Percy Kerr (drums), TBI, John Taylor, TBI, Wilf Routledge, Jack Lorrimer, Bert Lowes, TBI, J.Casson, Eddie Nicholson, Fred Watt (drums). Front: Billy Fell, Bobby Wield, TBI, William Lowes, George Armstrong, Syd Rayson, Jimmy Nicholson.

Dalston Show circa 1920

St Stephen's Church 1864-1964 The church stood on a site in James Street until it was demolished in January 1964 after being closed in June 1961. Miss Angela Burdett-Coutts, the Victorian philanthropist, funded the building. More information about this remarkable lady can be found if you visit:wikipedia.org The foundation stone was laid on 2nd March 1864 and the church was consecrated on 31st May 1865 with it's bells historically providing the first peal of bells in Cumberland - taking 2 hours and 50 minutes to ring out John Holt's Grandsire Triples. The church had an edifice of red sandstone with white stone dressings, in the geometric Gothic style and consisted of an apsidal chancel, a clerestoried nave of four bays, aisles and a tower, with a spire rising to about 120 feet, containing 8 bells. The arcades of the nave had piers of polished Aberdeen granite with elaborately carved caps. The roof was open timbered, the principals being supported by carved trusses, representing the Twelve Apostles. The three windows of the apse and the west window were stained. St Stephen's also became the first church in Carlisle where all the seats were free. The bells were eventually moved into St Elisabeth's Chuch, Harraby in July 1966.