In 1925 Mr A W Parker from Treharris in South Wales was appointed Musical Director of Camborne Town Band; he made an immediate impact as the band swept the decks at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival at Bugle with first place for Euryanthe, the hymn Calcutta and Hymn to Music.Wathew Parker had been a member of the famous St Hilda’s Band and had also played with Besses o’ the Barn and now he had moved to Cornwall to conduct the ambitious players of Camborne Town Band.
During the 1930s Mr Parker took the Band to many local contests and to compete at the Crystal Palace in London. Under his direction the playing standard steadily rose and in August 1945, at Packer’s Ground in Bristol playing Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, the Band qualified to compete in the Second Section** National Final at Belle Vue, Manchester (**now the first section).
During the 1930s Mr Parker took the Band to many local contests and to compete at the Crystal Palace in London. Under his direction the playing standard steadily rose and in August 1945, at Packer’s Ground in Bristol playing Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, the Band qualified to compete in the Second Section** National Final at Belle Vue, Manchester (**now the first section).
Trombone player Fred Waters said, “I remember getting off the night train from Manchester on the Sunday morning – we couldn’t afford overnight accommodation”.
Gerald Fletcher recalled them having trouble with one particular entry and Mr Parker deciding to give a beat to each note. To ensure that everyone remembered he wrote it down and stuck copies on the windows of each railway compartment. Kenilworth was the test piece and, knowing that a large number of Camborne players worked at Holman’s, Mr Parker played a Foden’s Band recording of the piece over the works’ tannoy system for a few days prior to the contest. It worked. The Band won and became the first Cornish band to win a National Championship. When the result was announced there was a spontaneous outburst of Camborne Hill and the organiser, Henry Iles, threatened to clear the hall.
The following year Camborne Town Band played Oliver Cromwell in the Championship Section, they claimed 6th place and have played in the top flight ever since.
by Tony Mansell, July 2013