1992 Durham Miners Gala - Murton

Murton Colliery Brass Band and The Murton Miners Lodge Banner at the top of Old Elvet having left Durham Racecourse on the way home. The band is playing the popular Gala march National Emblem

Category:

Music

Tags:

• marching
• marches
• brass_bands
• political_gathering
• miners_gala
• music

[Roylambeth]

So do I. It is one of the better American marches

[flute4hire]

a brass band with a good drum section for once

[Roylambeth]

I agree. That is the difference between a pig-skin on a bass drum and the modern plastic skins.

[durhamlad09]

what banners are going into the cathederal this year, be good to see some old banners on display on racecourse.

[Roylambeth]

We have not heard officially yet, but there are several new banners "in the making", so it depends which ones are finished. I have heard that new ones where funds are being raised include Boldon, Westoe, Lumley 3rd pit.

I have also heard that an approach has ben made by Notts NUM for their new Linby Lodge banner to go for blessing.

[Roylambeth]

I can now confirm that at least 6 banners will be in the cathedral. They are The Area banner, West Stanley & Easington (Disaster memorials) and new banners Boldon,Westoe & South Hetton

[leeboy1411]

I have some fond memories of the Gala, shame so many bands have folded one of them being my Dad and Grandad's band Hylton Colliery Silver Band. Its events like this that make you proude to be from a mining familiy and from the North East

[leeboy1411]

Oh that is good to hear, I apologise for my last comment. It should be good to see some of the old banners again.

[MistaFozz]

I love hearing National Emblem on Gala Day

[flute4hire]

we had our own bus & didnt have insurance for instruments. we have only ever had one flute go missing. biggest cost is uniforms.

its all dependent on why you want to parade. alot of bands will do it for nothing just to be able to parade. to start a band i once went out n sold key rings with the band crest on them for £1 each.

[DMMuseum]

£600 is not alot these days. To do a job like the Miners Gala from your area requires a coach and 2 drivers. Picking up at 6am or before and not getting home before 8pm is now not legally possible with one driver. So coach hire would be in excess of £450 before any other expense. It costs us £1400 for coach hire for 3 days from Fife in Scotland. Instrument insurance for The Miners Gala is also expensive as they often get lost or damaged.

[flute4hire]

thats quite alot on the scale of things. we used turn out for £200.

thats why i dont do the saddleworth event unless i can help it & i go to liverpool or salford whit parades, they have every type of parade band, flute, brass, box & pipes.

[DMMuseum]

It depends on what they charge. The Durham Miners Association only gives £600 to bands who appear.

No offence intended, but it is a brass band traditional event where a couple of pipe bands are allowed as they were Scottish Pipe Bands attached to Durham Collieries

[flute4hire]

theres 4 brass within 5 mins walk of my house. you should try to get the imperial corp of drums. there an independent world class flute band.

[DMMuseum]

County Durham had at one time over 150 colliery bands. Now in the old county there are about 30 of which some are school bands, some Salvation Army and others that do not do marching jobs, so we have to look elsewhere

[flute4hire]

i've played with brass bands in the past, i was once a reasonable cornet player. i played with friezland band an old mill band from saddleworth. most the bands here were once mill or church bands at one time. i was going to look at re joining when the last manchester/salford flute band collapsed, but it would of took years to get back up to standard. i could of taught the bands how to play a bass drum lol

[DMMuseum]

Your uniforms do look good. Most of our brass bands wear uniform jackets and dark trousers/shoes. Many used to have hats but very few do now. Hats used to go missing in the public bars at the Gala.