The Stalybridge Original Whit Friday Brass Band Contest

Once a year moorland villages and towns are visited by multiple coaches of Brass Bands from near and far competing in the Whit Friday band contest. According to research done by Alec Greenhalgh for is book “Hail Smiling Morn” published in1992 the first true Whit Friday brass band contest had originated in Uppermiĺl and Stalybridge in 1884.* Historically the competition has been part of the local calendar since Whit Friday 6 June 1870**. In 1884 two unconnected events in Uppermill and Stalybridge (or, according to Wikkipedia, Mossley). Whichever town it was inadvertently launching an internationally renowned and unique brass band occasion - the Annual Whit Friday Band Contests.

The Whit Friday contests are now firmly placed in the brass band calendar and attract thousands of people, whether musicians or spectators, to listen to brass band music at a variety of venues in Saddleworth and Tameside. The bands’ discipline, stamina and organisational skills are tested to the limit. Each of the contests on the Whit Friday circuit is organised by a dedicated committee who organise their own contest prizes.

The bands move between the venues by coach, an example of which can be seen in the film “Brassed Off.”

This is also a good example of how the Whit Friday Band contest, which started in Stalybridge (or Mossley) and Uppermill has seeded over a dozen other contests being added to what his now a world famous event. Ewan McGregor may have called it going to Saddleworth in the film “Brassed Off” but it all began in Stalybridge (or Mossley).

SHMD News reporters attended events in Carrbrook, Heyrod, Celtic and Stalybridge Labour club this year, the later of which re opened for the occasion. All events were as well organised as expected with commendments to all the bands who played on, even though the weather turned quite damp. Rumour has it that if the first band play outside, then all bands will play outside. Likewise if the first plays inside, all do.

The following letter was received from one of our readers regarding the Band Contest today.

It’s disappointing that over the last 147yrs the original Stalybridge contest has been relegated to one of lesser contests while other towns and villages have embraced it as an important part of their year.

This year’s turnout was down due to a host of reasons one of the main ones being uncertainty over the contest having a bar in the weeks running up to it, but let’s be honest it’s not been as busy as it should be for years.

With the 150th anniversary only three years away now the town needs to embrace this part of OUR heritage and re-brand it as it what it is.

The Stalybridge original Whit Friday brass band contest..

I know this is going to face opposition but in order for that to happen and for it to not only continue for decades to come but to grow we need to move it into the heart of the town again.

We have the perfect place to hold it in front on Weatherspoon’s with the pedestrianized stretch of Grosvenor street ideal for the bands to march down with Armentieres square being perfect for the coaches to drop off and pick up the bands.

Over its 147yr history our contest has been held all over the town, time is right to move it again to the centre of the town for convenience, fiscal and acoustical reasons. Regards Neil

What do you think? Would it be more appropriate to hold the band contest on neutral political ground? Would it be better for the coaches to be able to drop off and pick up on a more convenient road away from the bands playing?

Send us your thoughts by letter or by email, replies will be published in the paper next month.

* With thanks to Mr R. Sykes for a perfectly timed comment containing this information on our Facebook page Stalybridge Town. ** Local legend and unverified citation on Wikipedia.