Welcome
to the band's history page. The history of the band
is still being put into order and checked to make
sure only the facts are uploaded. Including old
pictures audio samples and many more
fascinating facts about the band.
Buckhaven &
Methil Miners Band
Formerly Buckhaven Town Band was founded in 1905
competing at all levels, amalgamating with Wellesley
Colliery in 1976 to become Buckhaven & Methil
Miners Band.
Buckhaven
Town Band (although not competing) joined
S.A.B.B.A. in 1911 and entered the Scottish third
section in 1912. in 1913 they competed in the
Scottish third section championship and came joint
first with Penicuik, Penicuik held the trophy for the
first 6 months and Buckhaven for the last six months.
A run of good results came to a halt as the first
world war began and suspended contesting until 1918.
On 1st December 1917, 4 contests
commenced, all of which were for charity, returning
bands to contesting, Buckhaven were awarded prizes
for best soprano, best tenor horn and best baritone.
On 13th December 1919 Buckhaven were
promoted to second section after a joint third place
at the Scottish championships, then competed in the
second section championships on the 20th
and took 4th place with only one point
separating the first four bands. By 1925 a fourth
section was introduced because of ever rising numbers
of bands and regional qualifying competitions meant
that the top 5 east and west bands were to compete
against each other at the Scottish championships for
grading (Buckhaven were third and Wellesley Colliery
were fourth in the east). In the 1927 second section
championships Buckhaven won, and for the first time
the association presented 25 bronze medals to the
winners along with best instrumentalist
Buckhaven’s solo euphonium, to top it all off
they were promoted to the championship section were
they stayed for eight years. In 1937 they returned to
the second section and the Second World War put
contesting into limbo until 1945. On the 15th
October 1945 Buckhaven launched into the Scottish
championships and took 2nd place and until
the 1950s Buckhaven were in and out of competition
after the retirement of Charles Terris. They then
started annual visits to the C.I.S.W.O. championships
in Blackpool.
Wellesley
Colliery band were formed in 1919 and in 1920
they competed at there first competition in Methil
where they took 3rd prize. In 1921 they won first
prize at the open championships in Bathgate and took
the cup for the best third section band. Promoted to
second section in 1926 Wellesley had a run of bad
luck that took them back down to third section but by
1930 at Stirling under George Hawkins they won the
third section and were back up to the second section.
It seemed Mr Hawkins gave the band the confidence
they needed and they were promoted in 1934 at Leith
to the championship section. By now they were
progressing as a programme band and were asked to
play at the empire exhibition in Glasgow. They won
the Fife championships 1938, 1939 and 1940. In 1944
they won the Scottish championship and were runners
up the following year. 1947 and yet another great
result, first prize at the miners gala day in
Edinburgh entitling them to compete at the miners
festival in London representing Scotland. There
finest hour was in 1964 when they won the second
section daily herald British brass band championships
in London.
Buckhaven
and Methil Miners Brass Band, now in the
third section have kept the teachings and traditions
of brass banding alive and still compete to this day
to achieve better things. In 1982, 87, 93 and 97
(whilst in the fourth section) Buckhaven came in the
top two of the Scottish championship to compete in
the National championships. They still compete at the
national mineworkers championships in Blackpool every
year. In and out of the third and fourth sections for
some time now Buckhaven look as if some time soon
they might clinch a place in the second section.
Various events such as the recent production of a CD
and a 2002 master class with Robert Childs (held in
the local community) continues to generate interest
and keeps the band on its toes. And with Buckhaven
being one of the few bands left in fife still
teaching youngsters in the form of junior band
training there is always hope that the Brass Band
world will stay alive for many more generations to
come.
