A while ago I was given a photographic postcard, upon which is written 'Band of the 7th Loyal North Lancs at Clevedon, 14 March 1915'. The picture shows Clevedon's iconic bandstand on the promenade above Green Beach. Groups of soldiers are gathered on the promenade, there's a military band in the bandstand and other men in uniform are reclining on the grass bank above the waterfront path. There are a number of elegantly dressed civilians interspersed amongst the soldiers and in the foreground a group of teenage boys are particularly prominent. One of their number, respendant in top coat, shorts and hat is staring directly at the camera. On the back of the card, the sender has written 'Do you recognise Cecil on the print? He is bound to be in it'.
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| Clevedon Bandstand - 14 April 1915 |
Intrigued, I searched the British Newspaper Archive and was rewarded with a full description of the event that was freeze-framed in this photo - 110 years ago. The Clevedon Mercury and Courier dated March 20, 1915 carried a full report. The text is as follows.
For the first time we believe, in the history of Clevedon music by a first-rate military band was to be heard from the bandstand on Green Beach last Sunday afternoon, when the brass band of the 7th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, by kind permission of Major Norman Burrows and officers, discoursing a pleasing selection of instrumental items from three to five o'clock.
It was a glorious afternoon - reminiscent of a day in July or August - the sun shone brightly, the tide was flowing rapidly - it was high water at 6.59pm - and the favourite promenade was thronged with thousands of people, both civil and military. It was gratifying, too, to see a fair sprinkling of private residents amongst those present, whose antipathy to Sunday music, if they ever possesses any, must have been completely reversed by the decorous and orderly behaviour of the crowd, who throughout the performance showed the respect for the day that was due. After the experiment thus recorded it cannot be said that Sunday music is not popular or is not elevating to a degree.
Although most people have tea at 4.30, it was noticeable that a great number, feeling perhaps that they could not have too much of a good thing, sat out the performance until the close at five o'clock, and thoroughly appreciated the efforts of the band, which, although only formed a few months ago, shows signs of developing into a first class military band, most of the performers being accomplished musicians.
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| Clevedon Bandstand - 22 October 2025 |
Part of the cost of the instruments used was borne by the inhabitants of Whitchurch, Hants, who as a mark of appreciation of the good conduct of the battalion whilst billeted in the town, subscribed some £70 towards the purchase of instruments for the band.
Another noticeable feature of Sunday's gathering - and one to their credit it must be said - was that the military did not monopolise the whole of the seats on Green Beach to the exclusion of the civil population, but sat about either on the grassy slopes or on the rocks beneath during their intervals of promenading.
An excellent programme of compositions was prepared for the concert, Corporal Fletcher conducting with such ability, and the performance went exceedingly well as a consequence, each number being received with subdued marks of favour, probably owing to it being a Sunday. Where all went well with a swing and so well it could be difficult to select one item more than another that was deserving of special mention, but the daintiness and crispness with which some of the numbers were performed, such as Teike's March 'Old Comrades', Balfe's 'Bohemian Girl', the Grand March from 'Tannhauser (Wagner)' and the fantasia 'King and Country' all rendered in faultless style, give some idea as to the scope and capabilities of the band. The Regimental March Past by Frayling and 'The King' brought to the close a thoroughly enjoyable concert.
The Full Programme
March - Old Comrades - Teike
Selection - Bohemian Girl - Balfe
Valse - Lilian - France
Selection - Stephen Adams' Song - Ord. Hume
Grand March - Tannhauser' - Wagner
Valse - La Rinka - Ord. Hume
Selection - Wonderland - Douglas
March - Stars and Stripes - Sousa
Fantasia - King and Country - Rimmer
Regimental March Past of the Old 47th Foot - Frayling
God Save the King
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| The Loyal North Lancs head off to France |
The 7th Battalion, Loyal North Lancs were one of four Battalions making up the 56th Brigade, 19th Division. The entire Brigade totalling over 4,000 men was billeted in Clevedon from the 3rd February to the 25th March 1915. The 'Preston Pals' as they were called, made quite an impression as did the other three Battalions who were stationed in the town. Indeed, the Brigade came to be known as 'Clevedon's Own'. The Brigade was made up of 'Kitchener' volunteers and the 7th, in particular, was composed of young businessmen, clerks and office workers from Preston, Kirkham, Chorley and Preston.
A fuller story of the Lancashire lads who came to Clevedon, including a brief summary of the 56th Brigade's service in the first half of the Great War can be accessed here.
