Colliery Years

With the introduction of the mining industry into Haydock, the band was adopted by the Colliery and incorporated the name Colliery into its title and so became known as the “Haydock Colliery Band”.
A long standing association between pit and band was to follow, testimony to this can be found on the engraving on some of the old instruments which had the name of the pit owner “Richard Evans” and read “Richard Evans Colliery Band”.
Two well known names within the history of mining in Haydock are “Thomas Legh Esq.” Lord of the manor and “Richard Evans” of Haydock Grange, both family’s owned mines. Two buildings still stand today, “Richard Evans School” and the “Haydock War Memorial Library” which was built by the Legh family.

Throughout this time of industrial activity and expansion the people who were involved in mining in the Haydock area were the Legh’s of Lyme. They were local landowners who had owned Haydock since the beginning of the fifteenth century and so changed Haydock into a mining village. In the 1830’s the Legh’s sold the Haydock mines to Richard Evans and William Turner.
Haydock was quite unique for a small village because it had not just a “Brass Band” but a “Royal Air Force” base and a “British Legion”, so this made up a grand Remembrance Day parade together with members of the Haydock council. The “Haydock War Memorial Library” built by the Legh’s family was the centre of the Remembrance Day, with Last Post and laying of wreaths. The tradition of Remembrance Day is still carried on in St.Helens today and the “Haydock Band” continues its involvement. Family links with the British Legion and Band existed between Stan Gardner the present President of the band and retired Solo Trombone, and his father Chairman and Standard Bearer of the “Haydock British Legion”. Today the “Haydock Council”, “Royal Air Force” and “Haydock British Legion” no longer exist in Haydock.
The “Haydock Colliery Band” practised for some 80 years in the colliery stable yard canteen. Two of the local conductors were “Tom Mullin” and “Jim Stephens”. In 1912 “J.A.Greenwood” a composer and conductor of note, conducted the band at “Belle View” and took 2nd place. In 1917 he won on the test piece “A Souvenier of Gounod”.

CONDUCTOR – J.A.GREENWOOD - BIRKENHEAD

SOPRANO – T.ORMROD, LYME ST.- HAYDOCK

SOLO CORNET – J.BOILE,- ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD

TUTTI – A.McINTYRE,, CHURCH RD.- HAYDOCK

TUTTI – J.HUGHES, CHURCH RD.- HAYDOCK

REP. CORNET – J.APPLETON, CHURCH RD.- HAYDOCK

2ND CORNET – J.BIBBEY, COOPER LANE - HAYDOCK

2ND CORNET – R.ALKER,- ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD

3RD CORNET – H.HUGO, - BLACKBROOK RD

3RD CORNET – W.SMALLWOOD, CHURCH RD HAYDOCK

FLUGEL HORN – F.STONEHOUSE 28TH ROW- HAYDOCK

SOLO HORN – W.GARNER, BLACKBROOK RD

1ST HORN – F.HUGHES, CHURCH RD -HAYDOCK

2ND HORN – J.CLOSE, STATION RD - HAYDOCK

1ST BARITONE – W.STEPHENS,- HAYDOCK LANE

2ND BARITONE – J.GARNER,- BLACKBROOK RD

SOLO EUPH. – T.TURTON,- ASHTON-IN-MAK’FIELD

2ND EUPH – G.BAILEY, 28TH ROW- HAYDOCK

SOLO TROM. – T.MULLEN, COOPER LANE- HAYDOCK

2ND TROM. – A.HINLEY, CLIPSLEY LANE- HAYDOCK

BASS TROM. – J.MULLEN,- HAYDOCK LANE

Eb BASS – T.STEVENS, CHURCH RD- HAYDOCK

Eb BASS – A.TOPPING, CHURCH RD -HAYDOCK

Bb BASS – J.STEPHENS, JUDFIELD ST- HAYDOCK

Bb BASS – E.HASELDEN, CHURCH RD- HAYDOCK

Coal has been mined in Haydock in some fashion for over 450 years. The township we know today was built from the production of coal. Coal attracted people, produced work and created a close knit mining community. It was the link with the Cheshire salt trade that caused a massive increase in the production and attracted the attention of local land owners.

In 1784 the Liverpool dock engineer Henry Berry took on the task of making the Sankey Brook navigable. This opened up the rest of the south west section of the Lancashire coalfield to the salt fields and Liverpool. Haydock coal producers were quick to take advantage and became one of the major users of the new form of transport.