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Follow the Band: Community Brass Bands in the Scottish Borders Gillian French Doctor of Philosophy University of Edinburgh 2014 Abstract This thesis presents research into the history and contemporary context of brass bands in the Scottish Borders. It discusses how the survival of the brass bands in the Scottish Borders can be accounted for over the last 150 years, in particular with regard to the continuity of their interaction with the community which has enabled them to overcome cultural, social and demographic changes. The textile industry which provided a stimulus for the formation of the brass bands in the nineteenth century has largely disappeared, but the traditional role of the bands has been carried forward to the present day. Previous study of the social and cultural history of the brass band movement has concentrated on the history of brass banding in the North of England. Although research into the history of brass bands has been carried out in other areas of Britain such as the South of England this is the first in-depth study of these bands in a region of Scotland. This research follows previous studies of amateur music-making in specific locations by studying in detail the brass bands that exist in seven towns and one village of the Scottish Borders where the bands can date their formation to the mid-nineteenth century. Historical and archival research has provided most of the data relating to the first hundred years, including the use of individual band archives, local newspaper archives and museum records. Ethnographic methods, including interviews and participant observation, have provided the data for more recent times. Details of brass band repertoires have been extracted from various sources including musical examples taken from individual band libraries. A central research finding is the strong relationship of the brass bands with their local communities, particularly the support given to the bands by local people and the way in which the bands support their communities by providing music for civic and community events. The close relationship of the brass bands with their local communities has been fundamental in providing the means by which the bands have been sustained over time. There is a strong Scottish Borders identity that links the towns, especially through family ties, and this is also found in a musical repertoire with songs that are specifically connected to the region and to individual i towns. By playing this music for civic and community events, especially at the time for the Common Ridings which are annual events unique to the Scottish Borders, the brass bands have provided a service to the community which has ensured their survival. ii Acknowledgements I wish to thank my supervisors, Dr Katie Overy (Reid School of Music) and Dr Katherine Campbell (School of Celtic and Scottish Studies) for their advice, guidance and support throughout my research. This research would not have been possible without help and encouragement from many members of the Scottish Borders brass bands, in particular the late Martin Innes (St. Boswells Concert Band) to whom I will always be grateful for encouraging me to take up banding, and Keith Belleville (St. Ronan’s Silver Band) who was always willing to help and answer my many questions. I wish to thank all the brass bands in the Scottish Borders for allowing access to their archives. Finally, my thanks go to my family and friends for supporting and encouraging me during my studies, especially to my husband for his patience and without whose support this thesis would not have been completed. iii Conferences attended, papers presented and publications Conferences attended The 27th European Seminar in Ethnomusicology “Taking part” 15-19 September 2011 Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen. Papers presented “Brass Bands in the Scottish Borders Common Ridings” The 27th European Seminar in Ethnomusicology. Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen. 16 September 2011 “Follow the Band: Scottish Borders Brass Bands and the Common Ridings” Music Research Seminar University of Edinburgh 22 March 2012 Publications French, G. & Belleville, K. (2010) On, St. Ronan’s, On!: Celebrating 200 years of Scotland’s Oldest Band. Selkirk: Bordersprint Ltd. ISBN: 978-0-9561075-2-7 French, G. (2013). Follow the Band: The Role and Function of Community Brass Bands in the Scottish Borders Common Ridings. In Taking Part in Music: Case Studies in Ethnomusicology. Elphinstone Institute Occasional Publications 9 (Aberdeen: Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, in association with the European Seminar in Ethnomusicology, 2013), pp. 235-253. iv Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. iii Conferences attended, papers presented and publications ...................................... iv Table of Contents ..................................................................................................... v Table of Illustrations ............................................................................................. viii List of Interviewees .................................................................................................. x Introduction ............................................................................................................. xi 1. Literature Review ............................................................................................. 1 1.1. Research on Brass Bands ......................................................................... 1 1.2. Community ............................................................................................... 9 1.3. Music and Community ........................................................................... 15 1.4. Summary ................................................................................................ 20 2. Methodology .................................................................................................. 22 2.1. Archival Research .................................................................................. 23 2.2. Fieldwork ............................................................................................... 41 2.3. Summary ................................................................................................ 47 3. The geography, history and culture of the Scottish Borders .......................... 50 3.1. Geographical and Historical Context ..................................................... 50 3.2. Industrial Heritage .................................................................................. 55 3.3. Communications .................................................................................... 61 3.4. Changing social fabric............................................................................ 63 3.5. Musical Culture of the area .................................................................... 64 3.6. The Scottish Borders today .................................................................... 66 3.7. Summary ................................................................................................ 68 4. The Creation and Development of brass bands in the Scottish Borders ........ 70 4.1. Waits ...................................................................................................... 70 4.2. Early Instrumental Bands in the Scottish Borders ................................. 71 4.3. Early town bands .................................................................................... 73 4.4. Early town bands in the Scottish Borders that did not survive .............. 81 4.5. The Development of the Brass Band Movement ................................... 83 v 4.6. Brass Bands in Scotland ......................................................................... 85 4.7. Setting up Brass Bands in the Scottish Borders in the Nineteenth Century ............................................................................................................... 86 4.8. The Importance of the Volunteer Movement on brass bands in the Scottish Borders ................................................................................................. 99 4.9. Salvation Army bands in the Scottish Borders .................................... 107 4.10. New Twentieth Century Bands ........................................................ 112 4.11. Summary .........................................................................................