The juggernaut musical Whit Friday force that is Foden's Band once again drove a swath through the villages of Tameside to claim the overall title for the 18th time in the last nineteen years.

Under Michael Fowles, the National Champion's performances of their favourite march, William German's 'The President', secured victories at Broadoak, Droylsden, Tame Valley and Mossley, together with the quartet of contests in Stalybridge at the Labour and Football Clubs, Carrbrook and Heyrod.

With a runners-up spot at Hurst Cross to help secure the £2,000 overall prize-pot award, they even had time to nip into Saddleworth and grab a brace of podium places at Diggle and Uppermill.

The tiniest chink in their armour came with a fourth place finish at Dukinfield, although they ended the night with their coffers boosted by over £7,100.

Determined

Following in their wake was a determined Rothwell Temperance under David Roberts, who took the runner-up spot thanks to topping the tables at the Albion Hotel in Dukinfield and Hurst Village, supplemented by a quintet of second place finishes.

Just behind them came the consistent Elland Silver led by Daniel Brookes, who showed that they have now become strong contenders for march honours on a highly competitive circuit.

Band to beat

Foden's showed however that they remain the band to beat, with their focus now quickly shifting to this weekend's BrassPass 'Band of the Year'.

Band Manager Mark Wilkinson told 4BR: "We are privileged to have been crowned the Tameside Whit Friday Champions once again. As always we worked hard in our preparations and were pleased with the consistency of all our twelve performances.

We would like to thank Tameside Council for their continued support and all the various venues for continuing to run these contests in increasingly difficult circumstances and it has given us a great boost ahead of the Band of the Year contest."

Numbers up

On a highly successful evening for the various contest organisers, the revamping of the prize monies for champion bands in the other sections also ensured that the overall number of competitors increased this year.

Eccles Borough led by Mareika Gray, with husband Russell on top man, delivered the goods on 'Ravenswood' to take the First Section title, whilst there were financial boosts for Meltham & Meltham Mills, Hoover (Bolton) and Stacksteads respectively.

In the battle for local bragging rights, Ashton-under-Lyne under Phil Chalk took the honours from rivals Mossley and Stalybridge Old. Ashton will be the inaugural winners of the Brian Hill Memorial Award in honour of the former Chairman of the Friends of Tameside Whit Friday Brass Band Committee who brought the contest to the Tame Valley Hotel.

The excellent Macclesfield Youth Band under Louise Renshaw took the Youth title closely followed Mossley Hollins School. The brass band within the school has been a shining light for a number of years and has seen numerous players (many of whom were playing in senior bands on the night) start their love for music there.

Sold out

Despite the occasionally inclement June weather, it was reported that well over 15,000 people enjoyed what is seen as one of the most popular visitor attractions within the borough.

Mossley's decision to relocate to the nearby football club proved fruitful with over a 1,000 in attendance (a figure the club would be thrilled with during the football season) and as a result they sold out of beer.

As stated there were 55 bands appearing on the circuit, making it the biggest turn out for some years — and which would have delighted the contest organisers.

Also enjoying the night was Ashton MP, Angela Raynor and the newly elected Mayor and his consort along with other local dignitaries all proud to be associated with the contests in their Borough.

We are privileged to have been crowned the Tameside Whit Friday Champions once again. As always we worked hard in our preparations and were pleased with the consistency of all our twelve performancesFoden's

Results:*

1. Foden's — £2,000
2. Rothwell Temperance — £1,000
3. Elland Silver — £750
4. Hammonds
5. Northop Silver
6. Ratby

Local Championship:

1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £750
2. Mossley — £600
3. Stalybridge Old — £400

Highest Placed Bands in Sections 1-4

First Section: Eccles Borough — £500
Second Section: Meltham & Meltham Mills — £400
Third Section: Hoover (Bolton) — £350
Fourth Section: Stacksteads — £300

Youth Championship:

1. Macclesfield Youth — £200
2. Mossley Hollins School — £100

Dukinfield (Albion Hotel)

(44 Bands)
Adjudicator: Nigel Lawless

1. Rothwell Temperance — £350
2. Elland Silver — £175
3. Wingates — £125
4. Foden's

Highest Placed First Section:
1. Eccles Borough — £100

Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Besses o' th' Barn — £100

Highest Placed Third Section:
2. Darwen — £75

Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Stacksteads — £50

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £200
2. Mossley — £150
3. Stalybridge Old — £100

Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins — £100
2. Macclesfield Youth — £50

Deportment: Rong Brass — £50
Youth Deportment: Hattersley Brass — £50

Broadoak:

(40 Bands)
Adjudicator: Duncan Beckley

1. Foden's — £500
2. Rothwell Temperance — £250
3. Hammonds — £150
4. Ashton-under-Lyne — £120

Highest Second Section:
1. Meltham & Meltham Mills — £80

Highest Third Section:
1. Hoover (Bolton) — £80

Highest Fourth Section:
1. Stacksteads — £70

Highest Local:
1. Mossley — £70
2. Stalybridge Old — £50

Highest Placed Junior:
1. Macclesfield Youth — £50
2. Hattersley Brass — £30

Deportment: tbc — £50
Junior Deportment: tbc — £ 30
First Band to Play: Rode Hall Silver — £25

Carrbrook:

(37 Bands)
Adjudicator: John Davies

1. Foden's — £600
2. Northop Silver — £300

Highest Second Section:
1. Marple — £150

Highest Third Section:
1. Valley Brass — £125

Highest Fourth Section:
1. Skeie Brass — £100

Highest Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £80

Highest Youth:
1. HD9 Youth — £60
2. Macclesfield Youth — £50

Deportment: Macclesfield Youth — £50
First to play:Long Eaton
Stewards Award: tbc

Denton:

(37 Bands)
Adjudicator: Mike Lyons

1. Northop Silver — £250
2. Elland Silver — £150
3. Ratby Co-op — £100

Highest First Section:
1. Mossley — £100

Highest Second Section:
1. Besses o' th' Barn — £80

Highest Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £80
2. Darwen Brass — £30

Highest Fourth Section:
1. Arnfield Brass — £50
2. Rode Hall Silver — £30

Highest Placed Junior:
1. Mossley Hollins School — £60
2. Macclesfield Youth

Best Cornet: Elland Silver — £40
Best Trombone Section: Ratby Co-op — £90
Best Junior Cornet: Macclesfield Youth — £50
Best Fourth Section Basses: Rode Hall Silver — £30

Best Local: Ashton-under-Lyne — £80

Deportment: Ashton-under-Lyne — £15
Prize Draw: Cadishead Public — £25
First Band to Play: Rong Brass — £15
Best Local: — £80

Deportment: — £15
Prize Draw: — £25
First Band to Play: — £15

Droylsden:

(33 Bands)
Adjudicator: Dave Lea

1. Foden's — £400
2. Rothwell Temperance — £200
3. Ratby — £100
4. Elland Silver
5. Ashton-under-Lyne
6. Hammonds
7. Wingates

Highest First Section:
1. Mossley — £175
2. Silk Brass — £75

Highest Second Section:
1. Meltham & Meltham Mills — £100
2. Hazel Grove — £50

Highest Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £75

Highest Fourth Section:
1. Arnfield Brass — £50

Youth:
1. Macclesfield Youth — £100

First Band to Play: Rode Hall
Steward's Prize: St John's Castle — £50

Dukinfield: Tame Valley

(48 Bands)
Adjudicator:Benjamin Richteon

1. Foden's — £400
2. Rothwell Temperance — £200
3. Hammonds — £100

Highest Placed First Section:
1. Middleton — £200

Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Marple — £100

Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Hoover (Bolton) — £100

Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Stacksteads — £100

Highest Placed Local:
1. Mossley — £200
2. Ashton-under-Lyne — £150
3. Mossley Hollins — £100

Youth:
1. HD9 — £100
2. Hattersley Brass — £50

Heyrod:

(31 Bands)
Adjudicator: Martin Heartfield

1. Foden's — £600
2. Rothwell Temperance — £280
3. Hammonds — £200

Highest Placed First Section:
1. Eccles Borough — £150

Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Marple — £100

Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Valley Brass (Haydock) — £50

Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Skeie Brass — £50

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Macclesfield Youth
2. Mossley Hollins

Best Cornet: Rothwell Temperance — £50
Deportment: Silk Brass — £50
Junior Deportment:

Hurst Cross:

(41 Bands)
Adjudicator: Richie Howard

1. Rothwell Temperance — £300
2. Foden's — £150
3. Elland Silver — £100

Highest First Section:
1. Eccles Borough — £100
2. Mossley — £50

Highest Second Section:
1. Bollington Brass — £100

Highest Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £100

Highest 4th Section:
1. Stacksteads — £100
2. St John's (Mossley) — £50

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins — £100
2. Macclesfield Youth — £50

Highest Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £75

First Band to Play: St John's (Mossley) — £25
Last Band to Play: Northop Silver — £25
Deportment: Macclesfield Youth — £25

Stalybridge Labour Club:

(39 Bands)
Adjudicator: Paul Norley

1. Foden's — £400
2. Wingates — £200
3. Northop Silver — £100

Highest Placed First Section:
1. Rong Brass — £50

Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Slaithwaite — £50

Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Valley Brass (Haydock) — £50

Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Arnfield Brass — £50

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins — £50
2. HD9 Youth — £30

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £100
2. Mossley — £50

First band to play: Long Eaton — £20
Deportment: Arnfield Brass — £20
Junior Deportment: Mossley Hollins — £20

Stalybridge Celtic:

(41 Bands)
Adjudicator: C Evans

1. Foden's — £400
2. Rothwell Temperance — £250
3. Elland Silver — £150

Highest Placed First Section:
1. Silk Brass — £!00

Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Hazel Grove — £100

Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Darwen Brass — £75

Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Rode Hall Silver — £75

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £100
2. Mossley — £50

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Macclesfield Youth — £100
2. Hattersley Brass — £50

Best Cornet: Foden's — £25
First band to play: Hattersley Brass — £25

Mossley:

(31 Bands)
Adjudicator: Garry Hallas

1. Foden's — £750
2. Hammonds — £500
3. Northop Silver

Highest Placed Second Section
1. Besses Boys — £100

Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Hoover (Bolton) — £75

Highest Placed Fourth Section
1. St John's (Mossley) — £75

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £250
2. Middleton — 100

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins — £100

Best Cornet: Middleton — £25
Deportment: Bollington Brass — £50
Junior Deportment: Macclesfield Youth — £50
First Band to play: Greenfield — £50

* https://www.tamesidebrassbands.org/
These results confirmed by Tameside are preliminary, pending an investigation by the AoBBA as of 17.06.2019