You can download a small clip of Labour & Love by clicking the note.
Please bear in mind the quality is not brilliant due to the age of the
recording.
In 1905 the band won the Belle Vue Competition and Championship of Great Britain and
Colonies at Crystal Palace, when the band came home from Belle Vue the town
celebrated with them but these celebrations were nothing compared to what was ahead
when the band returned home from Crystal Palace. Arriving in Accrington at about
9'oclock on the Monday night the band was met by decorated wagons full of supporters,
and all along the route from Accrington to Bacup large groups of people turned out to
congratulate and celebrate with them. When the band reached the borough boundary at
the Thrutch the Mayor Alderman J.H Maden J.P
and members of the Corporation were there to greet them and give them a civic
welcome and accompany them on the rest of their journey into Bacup and to the home of
Mr James Shepherd the bands President at his home, Holmes Villas. Despite it
being nearly midnight when the band arrived back in Bacup dense crowds lined the
decorated streets.Walter Nuttall, took over sole charge of the band in late 1909 following Mr
Rimmers retirement and led the band on to further successes winning the
Championship Cup , two Gold Medals and £20 prize money on Easter Saturday in Barnoldswick.In 1912 the band once again engaged
professional tuition in the form of Mr W Halliwell and again as in 1911 came in as runners up at Crystal Palace. However 1913 saw the band
win Gold Medals for the first time ever in the history of the competition when Springs won
the Crystal Palace Championship first prize for the Third time. The news was relayed Back
to Bacup via telegram and when the band returned home on the Monday evening they
found the pavements of Newchurch Road and Market Street lined with people waiting to
celebrate and congratulate them on their spectacular win. The crowd gathered on Bulls
Bridge was said to be one of the biggest ever seen. The Royal Court Theatre November
1913 was the venue for the public presentation of the Crystal Palace Trophy.
Today in 2011 if you were to ask someone in Bacup what Labour and Love was no doubt they would refer to childbirth and marriage. Had you
asked a Bacupian the same question back in 1913 they most probably would have said it was the musical test piece that won Irwell Springs
Band the National Championships at the Crystal Palace in 1913.Following on from the bands success March 25th 1914 saw them play a Royal
Command Performance at the home of Lord Derby at Knowsley Hall. Both Mr Halliwell and Mr Walter Nuttall were presented to His Majesty and
received high congratulations on their well deserved honour. When the band went out of existence in August 1960, Walter Nuttall was the
oldest surviving member having led the band for 21 years becoming Mayor of Bacup and a Freeman of the Borough In January 1945. There is
no doubt that being a member of Irwell Springs was indeed a Labour of Love. Not only for the band member but for their families and employers
also. Bandsmen did receive some payments for their services. For instance in 1916 the band played engagements in Bacup, Rochdale,
Haslingden, Rawtenstall, Todmorden, Burnley, Heaton park, Nelson, Waterfoot, Blackpool, Stockport and Belle Vue.
The Heaton Park engagement costing a total of £19.6s in wages paid to the bandsmen. A trip to Crystal Palace in September of 1920 cost a
total of £23.00 in wages to bandsmen. Other engagements played in 1920 where, Nelson, Bingley, Heaton Park, Trentham, Littleborough,
Stalybridge, Runcorn, Rochdale, Burnley, Todmorden and the Free Trade Hall.March 24th 1927 was the date Irwell Springs Played their Third
Royal Command Performance at Knowsley Hall home of Lord Derby. For which each bandsman playing received a sum of 12s 6d. 1927
seemed to be a very busy year for the band who played engagements throughout the year Starting March with the Royal command
performance at Knowsley on the 6th April they played at Broughton followed on the 7th and 11th May by engagements at Wigan and Trentham.
7 days later they played at Manchester and on the 22 May Huddersfield, finishing in May with a concert at Haslingden.
June saw them playing at the following locations, Edenfield, Bradford, Colne, Leicester, Warrington, Widnes and Southport. Throughout July
they travelled back to Stalybridge, Warrington, Blackburn, Barnsley and Blackpool.1 August saw the band embark on their Tour Of The South
Coast beginning with a show in Ryde, the BBC in London, Higglecoate, Bournemouth, Margate and Eastbourne
Click here to see a list of
Band Members
You can download a small clip of Labour & Love by clicking the note.
Please bear in mind the quality is not brilliant due to the age of the
recording.
Today in 2011 if you were to ask someone in Bacup what Labour and Love was no doubt they would refer to childbirth and marriage. Had you
asked a Bacupian the same question back in 1913 they most probably would have said it was the musical test piece that won Irwell Springs
Band the National Championships at the Crystal Palace in 1913.Following on from the bands success March 25th 1914 saw them play a Royal
Command Performance at the home of Lord Derby at Knowsley Hall. Both Mr Halliwell and Mr Walter Nuttall were presented to His Majesty and
received high congratulations on their well deserved honour. When the band went out of existence in August 1960, Walter Nuttall was the
oldest surviving member having led the band for 21 years becoming Mayor of Bacup and a Freeman of the Borough In January 1945. There is
no doubt that being a member of Irwell Springs was indeed a Labour of Love. Not only for the band member but for their families and employers
also. Bandsmen did receive some payments for their services. For instance in 1916 the band played engagements in Bacup, Rochdale,
Haslingden, Rawtenstall, Todmorden, Burnley, Heaton park, Nelson, Waterfoot, Blackpool, Stockport and Belle Vue.
The Heaton Park engagement costing a total of £19.6s in wages paid to the bandsmen. A trip to Crystal Palace in September of 1920 cost a
total of £23.00 in wages to bandsmen. Other engagements played in 1920 where, Nelson, Bingley, Heaton Park, Trentham, Littleborough,
Stalybridge, Runcorn, Rochdale, Burnley, Todmorden and the Free Trade Hall.March 24th 1927 was the date Irwell Springs Played their Third
Royal Command Performance at Knowsley Hall home of Lord Derby. For which each bandsman playing received a sum of 12s 6d. 1927
seemed to be a very busy year for the band who played engagements throughout the year Starting March with the Royal command
performance at Knowsley on the 6th April they played at Broughton followed on the 7th and 11th May by engagements at Wigan and Trentham.
7 days later they played at Manchester and on the 22 May Huddersfield, finishing in May with a concert at Haslingden.
June saw them playing at the following locations, Edenfield, Bradford, Colne, Leicester, Warrington, Widnes and Southport. Throughout July
they travelled back to Stalybridge, Warrington, Blackburn, Barnsley and Blackpool.1 August saw the band embark on their Tour Of The South
Coast beginning with a show in Ryde, the BBC in London, Higglecoate, Bournemouth, Margate and Eastbourne
Click here to see a list of
Band Members
