BESSES O' TH' BARN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10956, 26 April 1907, Page 2

BESSES O' TH' BARN.

What promises to be an. unusually fine attraction is the Besses o' th' Bain Band, which opens at His Majestj'V Theatre,, for a brief season of three nights, on Wednesday evening next. Special matinees .will be given on Thursday and Friday afternoons. Of the many workingmen's bands in England the 'Besses are onerJ&f the few _ who, : "',by virtue of their leading position" in the musical world, have undertaken a touring engagement, and in addition to the'r being selected by King Edward to tour France last year with, a view to assisting in strengthening .'entente cordiale, the whole of their expenses beimr subscribed in England, and the gross proceeds, ol the French tour, some £3000, were'handeu over to French chanties amid the acclaim of 80,000 people. Few know that from the earnings of the three Besses bands at Home, scholarships, old age pensions, sick funds, hospital beds, etc., are endowed or found, and no individual profit beyond a fail 4 day's pay goes into the pockeis of the bandsmeu ; in fact, the basis of working tlieir funds is on purely friendly societies' lines. At the conclusion of the present world's four the bandsmen will return to their various occupations in Lancashire, ruit the Besses Band will continue to maintain ull its prestige ami traditional glory of the past 177 years. Box plans for the approaching concerts here are on view at Miller's.