Does anyone rember The Belfast Military Band from Tennents street

[bothy]

Dont remember who it was worked in the grocery store but I'm pretty sure I remember Billy Weston.  Just to make sure he would have seemed like an older man to me then, going thin on top and with a small ginger mustash. He played the trumpet and what stands out was all the instruments were silver except for Billys trumpet which was gold coloured. Hope this is right and not a load of rubbish!!! When I joined the band George Livingstone was the conductor and I can tell you he ran a tight ship, when George was conducting everyone payed attention. Nice man and a great conductor. Bob Agnew took over when George left but can't remember where George went.

[Crooksy]

Hi Bothy... I was 14 teen when I joined the band that's where I met Bob Agnew,..I was learning the Clarinet.. My birthday is in March so just before Christmass that year Bob asked me if I would like to work in his Printing firm it was in Ewarts row, The Castle Press, ..so I left school 3 months before my 15th birthday and went to work for Bob,.. I left after about a year and that's when I quit the band wish I had kept on at the Clarinet, .about 15 years ago my daughter brought home a Clarinet from school that's when I started back at it,..now ..I play Clarinet in church Sunday morning, the Barri, and Tenor Sax,. in two dance bands, and a Wind Ensemble, would be nice to see a photo of the band, I remember playing in the band stand at Alexander Park
cheers Crooksy

[bothy]

I have a few photos that my friends took of the band on street parades but they sort of show the front row of drums and not a lot else. There use to be a photo board in the bandroom with loads of photos covering a lot of years but having left I don't know what happened to them. Probably destroyed, shame. Yes I remember we did a lot of park concerts all over Belfast at that time but my favourite was playing on the front in Newcastle in the afternoon, then across the road for tea in one of the hotels, then an evening performance before piling on the bus and back to the bandroom. Eating in hotels in those days, wow, felt like royalty. 

[sonofshanks]

Dont remember who it was worked in the grocery store but I'm pretty sure I remember Billy Weston.  Just to make sure he would have seemed like an older man to me then, going thin on top and with a small ginger mustash. He played the trumpet and what stands out was all the instruments were silver except for Billys trumpet which was gold coloured. Hope this is right and not a load of rubbish!!! When I joined the band George Livingstone was the conductor and I can tell you he ran a tight ship, when George was conducting everyone payed attention. Nice man and a great conductor. Bob Agnew took over when George left but can't remember where George went.

Yes, you have described Billy to a tee. Lol. From memory he lived around North Queen Street / Tigers Bay direction. I think the guy who worked in the shop at the corner of Glenwood street was called Joe, but I can't remember his surname, think he played Trumpet as well.

[Crooksy]

Hi Bothy me again,.. I would love to see the photo,s maybe bring back old memories, I worked with a guy from RAga street shanklill road called BIlly Pratt,  he was the printer in the Castle Press, good looking guy looked like cookie on seventy seven sun set strip, sadly went to Canada and drowned in lake ontario a few months later,
Bye for now
Crooksy

[bothy]

Hi Larry, thanks for that I remember Sammy playing for them now. I only played with Belfast Military except for a short spell with the 55th Old Boys. What happened was, the leading drummer at the Military and good friend of mine Davy English went to the 55th and persuaded me to go with him. However it didn't take me too long to realise it wasn't for me and I went back. Nice enough group of guys at the 55th but my heart was where I started so I was happy to get back. The 55th were more a concert band at that time whereas I enjoyed the marching side a lot more which the Military did. Davy was a great drummer, he taught me from scratch and thanks to him I had many great years of enjoyment with the band.

[bothy]

Oh, forgot to say Larry, a link with the pattern shop in Mackies. In the photo is Harry Adams who played cornet with the 55th old boys. You are probably much too young to remember a dance hall called the Fiesta in the Markets but Harrys brother Len played saxophone in the resident group.

[bothy]

hi Crooksy, went into the roof space and dug out 3 photos. Two with Belfast Military and one with the 55th old boys. I don't have a scanner so will have to go to my daughters to have this done. I only have my laptop a couple of months so I'm pretty new to all this. I will post the photos as soon as I can, probably early next week.

[Crooksy]

hi Crooksy, went into the roof space and dug out 3 photos. Two with Belfast Military and one with the 55th old boys. I don't have a scanner so will have to go to my daughters to have this done. I only have my laptop a couple of months so I'm pretty new to all this. I will post the photos as soon as I can, probably early next week.
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Thanks Bothy "sounds like a plan" Il be checking the thread
Cheers Crooksy

[bothy]

Hi crooksy, have the photos on my computer but don't know how to transfer them on to this board. Can you or anyone else point me in the right direction?

[sonofshanks]

Hi crooksy, have the photos on my computer but don't know how to transfer them on to this board. Can you or anyone else point me in the right direction?

Log onto Tinypic.com and follow the instructions for up-loading pics.

[bothy]

Hi sonofshanks, thanks for that. Followed the instructions and have a small icon appearing, don't know what will happen next. here goes, fingers crossed.

[bothy]

Ooops, must have got it wrong, small icon still there but no pictures. Drat.
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[Crooksy]

Hi Bothy glad you got the pictures on your computer can't help with the posting them on the thread, sent mine to a lady on another thread her handle is  Dargan and she posted them for me, keep trying would be great to see them
Cheers Crooksy

[sonofshanks]

Ooops, must have got it wrong, small icon still there but no pictures. Drat.
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Have sent you a personal message re posting.