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2007 British Open Championships
Saturday 15 September 2007,
Symphony Hall, Birmingham
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RESULTS ARCHIVE
Comprehensive results dating back to the inaugural contest held in 1853.
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ARTICLES & FEATURES
Did you know?
The oldest Brass Band Championships in the World were initiated on the 5th September 1853 when eight bands competed for the first prize of £16 worth of gold sovereigns.
The first winners were Mossley Temperance conducted by William Taylor.
The contest was cancelled in 1859, but has been a huge success ever since. The first hat trick of wins was posted by the Meltham Mills Band in the years 1876-78, but they were barred for the following two years! In 1867, the formula of own choice test piece and set work was dropped in favour of one set work.
In 1924, the first overseas band to take the title were the Newcastle Steel Works Band from Australia, whilst in 1953, the National Band of New Zealand took the title to the southern hemisphere for the second, and to this day, the last time.
The contest had been held since it’s inception at Belle Vue, Manchester, but with it’s demise in 1982, the contest moved to the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, until in 1996 the contest was held at the Bridgewater Hall and in 1997 it moved to it’s present home at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham.
All but two bands each year are invited to compete for the British Open Trophy – the two not invited, qualify through the grand Shield Contest held earlier in the year. The bottom two bands in terms of results over the previous two years are demoted from the contest to make way for them.
© 4BarsRest with thanks to Allan Littlemore
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William Halliwell
The top ten
The Lottery Draw
Highlights of the 2004 British Open Championships