The mystery of the band which appeared in the 1962 film, 'A Kind of Loving' has been solved its seems, thanks to an eagle eyed 4BR reader.

Central Manchester

Nicola Hill contacted 4BR after seeing the news item appear on the site, and her mind was cast back to the time she and her future husband, played with the Central Manchester Band.

4BR has been contacted by a number of readers who believed it to be Wingates Temperance at Bolton Town Hall, but 4BR got in touch with the band who stated that it wasn’t them.

Dying embers

It appears that in the early 1970’s the Central Manchester Band was struggling along in contesting terms, but still enjoying the dying embers of their fleeting moment with film celebrity.

Nicola told 4BR: "I joined the band at the age of 15 and on trips back from concerts and contest I was regaled by players about their appearance in the film. I didn’t believe them at first, but I’ve since seen the film and it is the band."

The players used to try and impress me with the tales of the filming and meeting the stars, although at least one player told us he was in the film only for us to find out later he was making it all up!Nicola Hill

Nomadic existence

The Central Manchester Band was formed with the instruments from the defunct Stevenson Box Works Band and enjoyed something of a nomadic existence around Manchester, moving rehearsal rooms at least three times in the mid 1960’s and early 1970’s.

In 1969 they moved to the Central Fire Station on London Road, Manchester, and after band refreshment was taken in the local Fireman’s Social Club – much to Nicola’s enjoyment!

Husband found

"The band used to play at the station and then depart to the club for a drink afterwards," she siad. "I met my future husband, Eddie when I was with the band, so I have them to thank for that!"

The contest record for the band is patchy to say the least, as they do not appear with any regularity in the programmes for the North West Regional contests, even after their brush with fame, although they were runner up in the Junior Trophy at Belle Vue in 1952, and came runner up again, in the Junior Cup, the following year.

Little success

At the time of the film being released they were competing in the Junior Cup without success. Their last real brush with contesting fame came at Belle Vue when they were placed 4th in the Junior Shield under the direction of Peter Casson in 1974.

Happy memories

Nicola still has the happy memories though. "The players used to try and impress me with the tales of the filming and meeting the stars, although at least one player told us he was in the film only for us to find out later he was making it all up!"

Nicola and Eddie are still enjoying their banding though – now playing with their 16th band, Pemberton B, in their long and enjoyable banding careers

Ceased

It’s understood thought that the Central Manchester Band ceased to exist around 1996.

Youtube clip

The clip of the band in action in the film, playing 'Nabucco' by the sounds of it, appears on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiKAfuD5ZN4&feature=related#t=6m0s