Village band marks its 150th anniversary

Hundreds of villagers turned out on a warm and sunny afternoon last Saturday to support the 150th anniversary of their silver band.

The enthusiastic audience gave a standing ovation and shouted for an encore as the musicians completed a performance that included Skyfall and Happy.

Members of Marsh Gibbon Silver Band organised the afternoon of music, inviting four other bands and taking part in two massed band performances, to thank the village for their support over the years.

Musical director Andy Allcock said: “This whole day was held to recognise the anniversary.

“The committee has been working on it since the beginning of the year to pull it together with the help of the village.

“This is a very tight community and there is lot of support for the band.

“We thought it would be nice to give something back to the village people.”

The afternoon of music was free to attend, and village organisations provided a bouncy castle and a barbecue, with a bar provided by the village pub, The Plough, and a sound engineer from the Highway Church.

Relatives of the band members made fabulous home made cakes and served tea and coffee from the village hall throughout the afternoon.

Visitors of all ages, from babes in arms, tots, school children and teenagers through to adults and seniors brought deck chairs and picnics and made an afternoon of it.

The invited bands were Bletchington Silver, Bedford Concert Brass, Abbey Brass and Foresters Brass 2000.

They all performed individually as well as taking part in massed band performances with Marsh Gibbon Silver Band in a huge marquee erected on the village hall car park.

Music ranged from the traditional marching tunes to film scores and regional music.

Members of Marsh Gibbon Silver Band range in age from teenagers to elders in their 80s, and the oldest and youngest members were both present at the concert.

Doug White, 80, and his grandson Finn Murphy, 14, both play the cornet in the band.

Young Finn said: “I was inspired by my grandad.”

Mr White said he was very proud to have his grandson playing alongside him and added: “I have been in the band for 69 years.

“I started when I was 11 in 1946.

“I love being in the band. I joined just after the war when it was starting up again.

“There was no television in those days.

“My father said if I joined I had to stick at it, because a lot of people would spend a lot of time teaching me.

“And I did stick at it because I’m still here!

“I’ve really enjoyed the anniversary, it’s a great day and it’s always good playing in a massed band.”

The band rehearses once a week at the United Reform Church in the village from 7.45pm to 9.30pm on Thursdays.

New members are always welcome.

Details on the website at www.marshgibbonsilverband.org.

The band’s anniversary gala concert will be held at 7.30pm on Saturday September 12 at Cooper School, Churchill Road, Bicester.

Tickets, £5, are available from band members and from The Plough in the village.