hi, i do hope that you can help us!
i am the secretary of Harworth Brass band and i am trying to find out our history. i believe that willaim appleton, born 1872 founded our band, please can you help with any information at all on this. harworth brass band, after all these years, and a lot of fight and sweat are still going. we now have 16 core members (12 youth) and are struggling to keep going. it would be a shame to fold after the foundations that have been laid over the past 135years. i would be happy to talk to you and tell you how we are if you are interested.

Location harworth

Hello Kathryn,

William Appleton was indeed the founder and first Conductor of Harworth Colliery Brass Band and I believe his Great Great Grandson Warren Rose still plays with the band. Have you seen the old photos of the Band on my website?

William Appleton was born 4 Jun 1872 in Rainford, Lancashire. At the age of 19 he became the youngest ever Bandmaster in England when he became Bandmaster of Skelmersdale Silver Prize Band. He was a coal miner and a talented solo cornet player. All of his brothers were brass players too. He lived in Skelmersdale, St Helens and Ashton-in-Makerfield and after three of his younger brothers and both of his sisters went to Canada he and his family moved to Thurnscoe before 1924 and soon after to Harworth working at the collieries. All of William's sons played in Harworth Band, Joseph, Seth, William and John Appleton.
William Appleton went on to become the Musical Director of Thorsby Colliery Band. John went to Australia and he and his family played/play in Brass Bands there.

If you can wait a couple of weeks, Ronald Appleton is coming over from Australia for a visit and I will get him to talk to you about his memories of the band. He usually visits the "Stute" at Harworth when he is over here.

Regards,

Brian Taylor

Location Nottingham