BESSES O' TH' BARN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8201, 3 August 1906, Page 3

BESSES O' TH' BARN.

Towards the end of the year the 'most celebrated brass band in England, the Besses o' fh 1 Barn Band, consisting of 30 performers, will, under the direction of Messrs J. and N. Tait, tour Australia and New Zealand. This organisation is more than 100 years old. Its tour will commence at Ohiistcharch, where they will play at the Exhibition for a fortnight,*and receive the great fee of £2500 for their fortnight's engagement, which is alone a very solid testimonial to the high standing of this band. Besses o' th * Barn is the name of a small village in Lancashire. As far baok as the reign of George 111. this band, then composed cf string performers, whs in 1818 converted into a reed band. It was only in 1853 that it was ohanged to a brass baiid. In 1821 this band, with others, played at the coronation of George r IV., and at the close of the ceremony a prize was given for a contest, and by the general acclamation of the pa.biiQ it waw awarded to the Besses fc 1 th' Barn, whose test piece was 'God Save the King.' This award stands as the first introduction to a long list for remarkable successes. La'ter on they played at the coronation of Queen Victoria, when again they won thq contest that /was held inihonour of the event. However, the great strides made by them may be eaid to commence from 1884, when Mr Alexander Owen was appointed director. Since that period the record of the band has been phenomenal. In 20 years the band has - competed in 190 contests, winning 131 first prizes, 24 seconds, and 18 third prizes. In 1892 the Bessea maintained the proud position of holding every challenge given in Great Britain. Nine years later they "went one better," winning the contest held at the Crystal Palace and the £250 trophy, carrying with it for that year the brass band championship of Great Britain and the colonies. Last year the band was commanded to play before the King and Queen at Windsor, just prior to their tour of Prance. Their appearances in France are said to have created unprecedented enthusiasm. On several occasions they had attendances reaching 100,000, and frequently audiences exceeding 50,000 people.