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2003 Spring Brass Band Festival
Grand Shield Time Line:
The History of the Spring Belle Vue contest.
The Grand Shield that takes place on
Saturday May 3rd 2003 came into being in 1921 and has a history
and heritage stretching 83 years that is inextricably linked with
the British Open Contest and the Belle Vue Gardens in Manchester.
4BR has taken a look back at the time line of the contest from it's
beginnings right up to the present day.
1819 – A lease
is granted to John Walker on a tract of land adjacent to Hyde Road
formerly used for the digging of lime.
1834 - The lease on the property is taken over
by William Crisp who advertises it as "Belle Vue Tea Gardens".
1836 – John Jennison takes over the lease
and following a 6 month trial takes out a 99-year lease.
1843 – A small lake, a Natural History Museum,
and an entrance at the Longsight end of the property are opened
as Belle Vue is extended by 13 acres.
1850 – The Hyde Road entrance was built.
1851 - The building at the Longsight entrance
was built and above the gateways was a ballroom capable of accommodating
500 people. The scenic artist designer of the backdrops for the
firework displays George Danson came to work at Belle Vue.
1853 – The first British Open Brass Band
Contest was held on Holiday Monday 5th September 1853 as “A
Grand Musical Contest with 8 Brass Bands”. John Jennison,
the garden owner was primarily concerned with keeping the place
going as a place of general entertainment from Easter to autumn
so the band contest was only one of many interests as the bear pits,
polar bear cage and the Paddock were built.
1863 – The Belle Vue Contest was spoiled
by pouring rain when the contest rules incorporated the change that
all cornets were to be in Bb
1869 - John Jennison Snr. died on September 20th
1871 – The classic contest band format emerged
with Meltham Mills Band under the direction of John Gladney and
this was initially 24 players (with 3 top cornets.)
1885 – Belle Vue started to generate its
own electricity.
1886 – Belle Vue Management introduced a
July Contest restricted to bands who had NOT won a prize in the
September British Open in the previous four years. Over 40 bands
entered but the management halved the numbers to make the contest
more manageable. The winning band in this contest was invited to
take part in the September British Open.
1898 – John Henry Iles, who was destined
to play a major part in the development of Brass Band Contests at
Belle Vue, attend the British Open. The winners at that contest
were Wyke Temperance conducted by Edwin Swift.
1910 – The Kings Hall was built (in fact,
the final event at the Kings Hall was the North West Amateur Brass
Band Competition in February of 1982) and the format of the brass
band contests was changed. The July contest became a second division
of 20 bands and in May a lower section of 18 bands was commenced.
The winner of each progressed up the ladder. Belle Vue now had a
three-section contest. A winning band at the third division in May
was invited to the July contest the following year. The British
open was still held in September, to which the winner of the second
July section was invited.
1921 – The July invitation contest became
the ‘Grand Shield’
1922 – Belle Vue added another Junior Section
Contest to the calendar to be held in May. Until 1930 these were
called ‘The Belle Vue May Contests’ at which time the
top prize was £15.
1925 - The Jennison family sold the park to Belle
Vue (Manchester) Ltd. John Henry Iles had persuaded a group of backers
to take over Belle Vue Gardens and Zoo with him as Managing Director.
He now controlled both the National Brass Band Championships and
Belle Vue Contests
1931 – The third division contest held in
the May was named the ‘Senior Cup’ with the Junior Section
assuming the mantle of ‘Senior Trophy’
1937 - John Henry Iles resigned.
1940 – With the advent of war the July Contest
was dropped and the rules of the May Contests were changed to allow
borrowed players. From this time until 1951 they were known as the
‘Belle Vue Championship Festivals’. The British Open
carried on through the war without readjustment.
1945 – The calendar of events was reviewed.
The May Contests and the British Open were continued and the July
competition was revived.
1952 – The British Open continued in the
September whilst the other competitions were settled down to become
‘The Spring Brass Band Festival’ held on one day in
May. The Grand Shield remained the most important of the graduated
contests. The other contests held on this day were the Senior Cup,
Senior Trophy, Junior Shield, Junior Cup, Junior Trophy and the
Primary Section. (The Primary Section was only held in 1952 &
1956).
1958 – A fire broke out on the 17th January
1958 that totally destroyed the Great Ballroom.
1963 - Charles Forte gained control of Belle Vue.
1968 – 48th ‘Spring Brass Band Festival’
– Saturday May 25th . H.F.B.Iles (son of J.H.Iles), Chairman
Belle Vue (Manchester) Limited presented the prizes.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Alex Mortimer ; Senior Cup –
John R. Carr ; Senior Trophy – George Thompson ; Junior Shield
– Rex Mortimer ; Junior Cup – E.C. Buttress ; Junior
Trophy – W.Relton
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Les Preludes ; Senior Cup –
A Devon Fantasy ; Senior Trophy –Snowden Fantasy ; Junior
Shield –2nd Little Suite ; Junior Cup – Four Little
Maids ; Junior Trophy – Partita Piccola
1970 – Golden Anniversary – 50th Spring
Brass Band Festival - Sponsored by John Player and Sons
Grand Shield – Winners – Desford Colliery Welfare Band
1971 – 51st ‘Spring Brass Band Festival
of Great Britain’ – Saturday May 8th again sponsored
by John Player and Sons. Contest Manager – Alan Hopwood
H.F.B.Iles, Chairman Belle Vue (Manchester) Limited passed away
ending the Iles Family association with the contest.
A new contest was introduced to Belle Vue on Sunday November 28th
1971 – Granada Band of the Year Festival.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Alex Mortimer ; Senior Cup –
Geoffrey Brand ; Senior Trophy – Rex Mortimer ; Junior Shield
– John R. Carr ; Junior Cup – Kenneth Dennison ; Junior
Trophy – Albert Chappell
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Lorenzo ; Senior Cup –Themes
from the New World ; Senior Trophy –Mexican Fiesta ; Junior
Shield – The Seasons ; Junior Cup – St. Michaels Mount
; Junior Trophy – A Rural Suite
1972 – 52nd Spring Brass Band Festival -
Saturday May 6th . Contest Manager – Brian Kennerley. Harry
Mortimer presented the prizes.
Concordia Band from Holland took part in the Grand Shield.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield –Mjr. H.A. Kenney ; Senior Cup
– Kenneth Dennison ; Senior Trophy – Trevor Walmsley
; Junior Shield – John Carr ; Junior Cup – Rex Mortimer
; Junior Trophy – Cliff Edmunds
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Academic Festival Overture ;
Senior Cup –A Victorian Rhapsody ; Senior Trophy – Rufford
Abbey ; Junior Shield – The Gay Delavals ; Junior Cup –
Little Suite For Brass (No1) ; Junior Trophy – The Rising
Generation
1974 – ‘James Cook – Circumnavigator’
was the chosen test piece for the British Open as contest rules
were changed to allow the use of percussion.
1975 – 55th Spring Brass Band Festival -
Saturday May 10th took on a ‘new look’. It was decided
to combine the six contests into three. Retaining the Grand Shield
along with a Senior Section and Junior Section (Cup and Trophy were
dropped from the title). Twenty five bands were accepted in each
section. Harry Mortimer presented the prizes. Contest Controller
– Samuel Mason.
The Granada Band of the year was held on the following day, Sunday
11th May 1975.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Eric Ball ; Senior Section –
Kenneth Dennison ; Junior Section – Albert Chappell
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Tournament for Brass ; Senior
Section – Scheherazade ; Junior Section – 1st Rhapsody
on Negro Spirituals
1977 – The gradual decline of Belle Vue
had started when the Zoo closed.
57th Annual Spring Brass Band Festival incorporated the 7th Granada
Band of the Year and Harry Mortimer acted as Consultant and Advisor
for the Festival.
Four Sections were held - Grand Shield, Senior Cup, Senior Trophy
& Junior Cup
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Trevor Walmsley ; Senior Cup
– Frank Bryce ; Senior Trophy – Albert Chappell ; Junior
Cup – Denis Masters
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Land of the Mountain & the
Flood ; Senior Cup – Promenade ; Senior Trophy – Suite
in Eb ; Junior Cup – A Holiday Suite
1978 - 58th Annual Spring Brass Band Festival
adopted the same format as the previous year.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – George Thompson ; Senior Cup
– Peter Wilson ; Senior Trophy – John Berryman ; Junior
Cup – James Langley
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – 2nd Rhapsody on Negro Spirituals
; Senior Cup – Little Suite For Brass (No2) ; Senior Trophy
– Mexican Fiesta ; Junior Cup – Own Choice
1979 – 59th Annual Spring Brass Band Festival
again incorporated the Granada Band of the Year but due to reorganisation
of the Belle Vue (the amusement park was sold) the competition was
confined to three sections Grand Shield, Senior Cup & Senior
Trophy. The winning band in each section received a “Sovereign”
cornet and case. Contest Controller – Christina Lawton
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Gordon Langford & Peter
Wilson ; Senior Cup – Denis Carr ; Senior Trophy – Dick
Arrand
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Sinfonietta (Langford) ; Senior
Cup – Sinfonietta (Horovitz) ; Senior Trophy – Sirius
1980 – 60th Annual Spring Brass Band Festival adopted the
same format as the previous year.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – David Read & Peter Wilson
; Senior Cup – Alan Street & George Thompson ; Senior
Trophy – Denis Carr & Phillip McCann
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – The Crusaders ; Senior Cup –
Rococo Variations ; Senior Trophy – Music for the Royal Fireworks
1981 – Leyland Vehicles under the baton
of Richard Evans won the Grand Shield and qualified for the British
Open held on Sept 5th. Contest Controller – Christina Lawton
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Roy Newsome & Denis Carr
; Senior Cup – Kenneth Dennison ; Senior Trophy – Allan
Street
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Tournament for Brass ; Senior
Cup – Force of Destiny ; Senior Trophy – Doon Valley
1982 – It was anticipated that the 62nd
Spring Brass Band Festival, reduced to two sections both held in
the Cumberland Suite, would be the last brass band event to take
place on the Belle Vue site. The Grand Shield was won by Brodsworth
Coll. Welfare and Senior Cup by Newcastle Brown Ale Band. The Daily
Mirror sponsored the contest. Contest Controller – Christina
Lawton
The British Open moved to the Free Trade Hall in Manchester on Saturday
4th September 1982.
After 1982 the Senior Cup was discontinued.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Arthur Butterworth & Kenneth
Dennison ; Senior Cup – David Read
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Festival Music ; Senior Cup –
Entertainments
1983 – The Spring Brass Band Festival now
consisted of solely the Grand Shield. In 1982 the Granada Band of
the Year Contest moved away, the British Open found itself a home
in the Free Trade Hall, Manchester and the Grand Shield, now homeless
as well, moved away. The contest moved to the Champness Hall in
Rochdale for this one year but it didn’t work out and Harry
Mortimer with the help of the owners of the remaining halls moved
it back to Belle Vue.
1984 – The Cumberland Suite remained and
was used for the Grand Shield Contest although Belle Vue was much
changed from its halcyon days when it staged seven contests all
being played off simultaneously in the various halls around the
extensive grounds as in 1952. This Grand Shield was the last brass
band event to take place on the Belle Vue site. Contest Controller
– Christina Lawton
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Major Peter Parkes & Peter
Wilson
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Le Roi d’Ys
1985 – The Grand Shield was held in the
Free Trade Hall however for the first time two bands were promoted
to the British Open. Forty-one bands applied of which twenty-six
gained a place in the contest. The Daily Mirror sponsored the contest
for the fourth time. Compere – Alec Greenhalgh ; Contest Controller
– Christina Lawton
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – James Scott & David Read
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Journey into Freedom
1986 – 66th Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand
Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open) was held in the
Free Trade Hall on the 10th May where again two bands, Lewington
Yamaha Brass and Solent Brass were promoted to the British Open.
Compere – Jim Rainford ; Contest Controller – Christina
Lawton
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Bram Gay & David Read
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Wand of Youth
1987 - Blackburn & Darwen were joined by Kennedy’s
Swinton Concert Brass from the 67th Festival. British Coal sponsored
the contest. Compere – Jim Rainford ; Contest Controller –
Christina Lawton
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Bram Gay & Denis Carr
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – The Accursed Huntsman
1988 – 68th Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand
Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open) was held in the
Free Trade Hall on the 7th May. Compere – Jim Rainford ; Contest
Controller – Christina Lawton.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – James Scott & Dennis Masters
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Un Vie de Matelot
1989 – 69th Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand
Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open) was held in the
Free Trade Hall on the 6th May. Compere – Jim Rainford ; Contest
Controller – Christina Lawton.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – James Scott & Bram Gay
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Trittico
1990 – The 70th Spring Brass Band Festival
(Grand Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open) continued
its history at the Free Trade Hall on the 5th May with a decision
to promote three bands to the British Open whilst the last-placed
three bands from the September Contest would compete in the following
Grand Shield. Contest Controller – Christina Lawton.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – James Scott, Bram Gay &
Frank Renton
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Ballet For Band
1991 – 71st Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand
Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open) was held in the
Free Trade Hall on the 6th May. Compere –Robert Kerwick ;
Contest Controller – Christina Lawton. Harry Mortimer now
90 years old oversaw his last Grand Shield in which 21 bands competed.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – David Read & James Watson
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Le Carnaval Romain
1992 – Harry Mortimer died before the 72nd
Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand Shield qualifying Contest for
the British Open) was held in the Free Trade Hall on the 2nd May.
Philip Biggs became the co-ordinator of the contest that continued
with the three band promotion format at the Free Trade Hall. Compere
–Robert Kerwick ; Contest Controller – Christina Lawton.
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – David Read & Denis Carr
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – The Essence of Time
1993 – Held on 8th May the 73rd Spring Brass
Band Festival (Grand Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open)
was again held in the Free Trade Hall. The May contest reverted
back to the 1985 format of two bands being elevated to the British
Open. Compere –Robert Kerwick ; Contest Controller –
Christina Lawton. ; Contest Co-ordinator – Philip Biggs
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – James Scott & James Langley
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – The Year of the Dragon
1994 – For the 74th Grand Shield Philp Biggs
was joined by Keith Hollinshead as fellow Contest Co-ordinator.
The Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand Shield qualifying Contest
for the British Open) was held in the Free Trade Hall on the 2nd
May. Compere –Robert Kerwick ; Contest Controller –
Christina Lawton. ; Contest Co-ordinators – Philip Biggs &
Keith Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – James Langley & James Langley
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Spectrum
1995 – 75th Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand
Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open) was the last to
be held at the Free Trade Hall on the 13th May. JJB Sports plc sponsored
the event. Compere –Robert Kerwick ; Contest Controller –
Christina Lawton. ; Contest Co-ordinators – Philip Biggs &
Keith Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Bram Gay & William Relton
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Pageantry
1996 – 76th Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand
Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open), sponsored by JJB
Sports plc, was held for the only time at the Albert Hall, Bolton
on the 13th May. For 75 years the Grand Shield had a spiritual home
in Manchester – at Belle Vue and then the Free Trade Hall.
The contest now moved to the Albert Hall in Bolton with two bands
promoted to compete at the British Open at the New Bridgewater Hall
in Manchester on 7th September. Compere –Robert Kerwick ;
Contest Controller - Philip Biggs ; In charge of Registration –Frank
Hodges ; Contest Co-ordinator - Keith Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – John Berryman & Roy Newsome
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Variations on a Ninth
1997 – Another new venue for the 77th Grand
Shield was used when a Methodist Mission, the Victoria Hall in Bolton
became home to the contest. The contest was held in the Main Hall,
a part of this Mission complex on 10th May. Sponsored by JJB Sports
plc. Two bands were promoted to compete at the British Open at the
Symphony Hall in Birmingham on 6th September but that contest was
postponed for the first time in its history due to the death of
Diana, Princess of Wales. The 1997 British Open was actually held
in January 1998. Compere –Robert Kerwick ; Contest Controller
- Philip Biggs ; In charge of Registration –Frank Hodges ;
Contest Co-ordinator - Keith Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Derek Garside & Geoffrey
Whitham
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Festival Music
1998 – JJB Sports plc continued to sponsor
and the 78th Grand Shield was again held in the Victoria Hall in
Bolton. Garry Cutt and Peter Parkes adjudicated but for the first
time they were asked to omit the awarding of points but simply place
the 22 bands in order of merit. The “promotion” and
“demotion” of bands was unaffected as this was decided
by placing and not points. The contest was held on May 9th . Compere
–Robert Kerwick ; Contest Controller - Philip Biggs ; In charge
of Registration –Frank Hodges ; Contest Co-ordinator - Keith
Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Garry Cutt & Peter Parkes
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Partita
1999 – 79th Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand
Shield qualifying Contest for the British Open) was held in the
Victoria Hall, Bolton on the 8th May and adopted the same format
as the previous year and was sponsored by JJB Sports plc. Compere
–Robert Kerwick ; Contest Controller - Frank Hodges ; Contest
Co-ordinator - Keith Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Roy Newsome & Gordon Higginbottom
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – A Comedy Overture
2000 – The Grand Shield now reached its
80th year Spring Brass Band Festival (Grand Shield qualifying Contest
for the British Open) was held in the Victoria Hall, Bolton on the
6th May in its current pattern. Compere –Robert Kerwick ;
Contest Controller - Frank Hodges ; Contest Co-ordinator - Keith
Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – James Scott & David Read
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Variations on the Shining River
2001 – 81st Spring Brass Band Festival.
It was well known that Harry Mortimer dreamed of reviving the full
Spring Festival and that the Senior Cup, together with the other
contests, would again find their place in the contesting calendar.
With the 81st Spring Brass Band Festival this dream began to take
shape and further Her Majesty the Queen bestowed her gracious patronage
on the Festival. One of the problems that faced the organising committee
was that not all the bands wishing to compete in the Grand Shield
could be found a place.
In 2001 Leisure Parcs Ltd. came on board hosting and sponsored the
competition and that meant that the ‘Festival’ could
be moved to the larger complex of the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Martin Mortimer, and his contest committee, held the vision of presenting
the Senior Cup on the same day as the Grand Shield with the two
contests running side-by-side and the move to the Winter Gardens
facilitated the re-introduction of the Senior Cup and the vision
came to fruition.
Two bands were promoted to the British Open from the Grand Shield
whilst the bands awarded First to Sixth places in the Senior Cup
were invited to compete in the Grand Shield 2002. Frank Hodges acted
as Contest Controller and Bob Kerwick, compere of the Grand Shield,
was joined by John Maines as compere for the Senior Cup. Contest
Co-ordinator - Keith Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Derek Broadbent & David
Read
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Epic Symphony
Adjudicators : Senior Cup – James Scott & Geoffrey Whitham
Test Pieces : Senior Cup – Prometheus Unbound
2002 - 82nd Spring Brass Band Festival
Held in the Winter Gardens, Blackpool on the 11h May.
The level of interest from bands wishing to compete was so strong
that in 2002, with Leisure Parcs Ltd continued support, a third
contest was introduced and this was named the Senior Trophy.
The Spring Festival was now returned to its earlier 59th (1979)
contest format when the Shield, Cup and Trophy were held. Best Soloist
trophies were introduced for each contest.
The importance of the Festival to competing band seems to have been
demonstrated over the last two years in the way that places in the
contests have been readily filled and that a waiting list of bands
wishing to enter the arena has been reported.
To quote Martin Mortimer in the programme of 2002 “Our intention
is to …..continue our aim of expanding and raising the profile
of the Spring Festival, whilst maintaining the atmosphere and tradition
of the old ‘Belle Vue’ Contests”.
Compere –Robert Kerwick (GS) David Atkinson (SC) Warren Coates
(ST); Contest Controller - Frank Hodges ; Assistant Contest Controller
– Derek Atkinson ; Contest Co-ordinator - Keith Hollinshead
Adjudicators : Grand Shield – Nicholas Childs & Robert
Childs
Test Pieces : Grand Shield – Checkmate (Three of the Four
Dances)
Adjudicators : Senior Cup – Dr. Roy Newsome & Malcolm
Brownbill
Test Pieces : Senior Cup – Le Carnaval Romain
Adjudicators : Senior Trophy – Geoffrey Whitham & James
Scott
Test Pieces : Senior Cup – Un Vie De Matelot
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