Moor Row Old Brass Band: 1871

Moor Row Old Brass Band: 1871–1939

The Moor Row Old Brass Band (frequently recorded as the Moor Row Working Men’s Band) served as the primary cultural institution for the village for nearly seventy years. Its history is inextricably linked to the haematite mining boom and the development of the railway shunting yards that defined the village's landscape.

Foundation and the Victorian Era (1871–1900)

The band was established in 1871 to provide a social and musical outlet for the rapidly expanding industrial population of the "Great Moor."

Unlike the strictly "dry" Temperance bands common in West Cumbria, the Old Band was a subscription-based ensemble funded by the miners and railway workers themselves.

Due to the high concentration of Cornish mining families in Penzance Street and Dalzell Street, the band was heavily influenced by Cornish brass traditions. Many members brought their own instruments and technical styles from the famous band heartlands of West Cornwall, such as St Just and Penzance.

Notable: While the 1891 records mention the band as "active," many players are identified through their occupations in the census. William Jackson is one of the most poignant names associated with local music; though he played for the larger Borough Brass Band, he represented the typical Moor Row musician—a working man (a sawyer) whose life revolved around the village timber yard and the local bandstand.

The Edwardian Period and the "Dead March"

At the turn of the century, the band was under the leadership of Bandmaster T.S. Benn. A defining moment of this era occurred on 30 January 1902, when the band led the funeral procession for Private W.R. Nicholson, a local Boer War casualty. The band performed the "Dead March in Saul" as they processed through the village streets, a mark of the highest community respect and a performance that remained in local memory for decades.

Haematite Funding: In the 1880s, instruments were expensive (a Cornet could cost £3, a massive sum for a miner). It is highly likely the instruments for the "Old Band" were partially subsidised by local mine owners like Thomas Henry Dalzell, who saw the band as a way to keep miners out of the pubs.
The Repertoire: They played a mix of military marches, "fantasias" on popular airs, and hymns.

The band rehearsed in a dedicated bandroom located near the Moor Row Railway Junction. This location was strategic, allowing the ensemble to greet excursion trains and perform for the crowds during the annual Village Galas and Flower Shows.

The Contesting Peak (1914–1919)

The band reached its technical and competitive peak during the First World War and the immediate post-war years under the baton of J.E. Fidler. During 1918, the band was highly active in fundraising for the Red Cross and disabled servicemen, performing across the county in Millom and Whitehaven.

Their competitive record during this peak was notable:

3 August 1918 (Workington): Secured 2nd Place in the March Contest.
17 August 1918 (Cleator Moor): Secured 1st Place in the regional contest, the band's highest recorded honour.
12 May 1919 (Aspatria Contest): The band competed in the Junior/Village section but remained unplaced. The winners were Workington Artillery, followed by Maryport Solway and Dearham.

The 1921 Memorial Dedication

On 23 October 1921, the band played its most significant role in the village’s post-war healing. A famous photograph captures the band assembled on the Moor Row Station platform prior to the ceremony. They met the official party, including Headmaster Mr H.A. Bonney, B.A., and led a procession of over 500 residents to the site of the Moor Row and Scalegill War Memorial. The band provided the musical accompaniment for the unveiling of the granite Celtic cross, which commemorates the 42 local men lost in the conflict.

Social Role and Technical Profile

The "Old Band" was a standard 24–26 piece brass ensemble featuring B en dash flat Cornets, E en dash flat Tenor Horns, Euphoniums, and G Bass Trombones. Instruments were expensive investments, often purchased through "Hospital Sunday" collections. On these days, the band would march from the shunting yards to the various Methodist and Anglican chapels, collecting funds for both the Whitehaven Infirmary and the band’s own maintenance fund.

The "Old Band" began to fragment after the Great War (1914–1918). Many of the younger players did not return, and the economic shift away from the haematite pits meant less funding.

Successors: By the mid-20th century, many remaining Moor Row musicians joined the Cleator Moor Brass Band or the Whitehaven Town Band, which had more stable financial backing.
Last Appearance: The name "Moor Row Band" appeared sporadically in local news until the 1930s, after which they were largely absorbed into the wider West Cumbrian brass movement.

Dissolution (1939)

The band remained active on the regional contesting register until 1939. Its eventual decline was caused by the onset of the Second World War, which removed younger players through conscription, and the gradual exhaustion of the local haematite pits, which depleted the "subscription" income required to sustain the group. By the early 1940s, the remaining members were largely absorbed into the Cleator Moor and Whitehaven bands, marking the end of the Moor Row Old Band as an independent entity.