The band, which was formed by local musicians under the baton of Robert Childs, was formed with the aim of reviving the tradition of brass banding in the city and providing an adult “contesting” band to build on the superb standards of brass instrument teaching in the local schools and colleges. Very few people are now aware that Hull was once a thriving brass band centre.
City of Hull Band
COHB History:
The City of Hull Band is one of the top brass bands in the world and is probably one of the most successful bands ever during its relatively short history. In soccer terms the band started as a Sunday League team in 1989 and achieved promotion in almost consecutive years through the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st divisions and then to the premier league! Having been promoted to the North of England Championship Section (the banding equivalent of the Premier League) in 1996, the Band then earned the title of North of England Champions for a remarkable three successive years.
Before the outbreak of the Second World War there were over 30 competing bands within the city boundary, and this figure didn’t include several Salvation Army Bands, the Police Band, and the Territorial Army Band. Many of these bands were factory-sponsored bands such as the Hull Kingston Cotton Mills Band and Holmes Hall Tannery Band, railway bands - Hull Railwaymen’s Band or bands from the different areas of the city – Hull Waterloo Silver Band and The St. Georges Silver Band. Possibly the first organised band contest in England was held at Burton Constable Hall, Sproatley in 1845 and Hull was one of the major music publishing centres with companies such as T. Haigh & Company on Anlaby Road.
This was hard to believe as by the 1980’s there were no brass bands left in the city with the exception of the Hull Music Service youth bands and the Salvation Army Band. Brass musicians in the city had to move away or travel to continue playing once age had barred them from staying with the youth bands. There were two local bands just outside the city boundary – Hessle Royal British Legion Band and The Cottingham Band – both began to enjoy some contest success during the late 1980’s. This was largely down to their two conductors Graham Townsend (HRBL) and Richard Grantham (Cottingham) who were both talented and enthusiastic. It was the momentum these two conductors created that attracted several players from the city to join those bands and it was this drain of talent that prompted local teachers Dixon Laing and Robert Childs to form a new band – mainly from local players, but also attracting players from further afield, such was the interest.
Several members of the original City of Hull Band were still students playing in the Hull Music Service Brass Band, also conducted by Dixon Laing and Robert Childs, others were drawn in by the challenge of being in at the start of something new, coming from both banks of the Humber. The band started to rehearse in September 1989 and by February the following year were good enough to enter and win their first contest, the Yorkshire Area 4th Section. This qualified the band to play at the 1990 National Brass Band Finals. The band isn’t all about contesting though, fund raising had to be undertaken in order to meet the costs of running the band. Concerts were staged both as a way of raising the profile of the band and also to raise money for various local charities. In June 1990, the band gave a fundraising concert for the North Humberside Hospice Project – now known as Dove House. This association with Dove House continued for many years with the band regularly giving fund raising concerts as well as playing at their summer fete and the Christmas light switch on. During these early days of the band’s history, the local bus and coach company East Yorkshire Motor Services supported the band providing coach travel to their playing engagements, and a new set of ‘walking out’ blazers. As a result of this connection, Peter Shipp the EYMS chief executive was invited to become the Band President, a role he still holds today. In 1992, following further support from the company, it was decided to change the name of the band to the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band. 1991 saw the band promoted from the 4th to the 3rd section and this progression continued through the ranks in the following years, reaching the Championship Section in 1996.
It is at this level that the band regularly competes against famous bands with household names like Brighouse & Rastrick, Grimethorpe Band and the Black Dyke Band, all of whom have many years of success and history behind them. Since its formation in 1989, the City of Hull Band / East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band has qualified to compete in the finals of The National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain on 19 occasions, a truly remarkable statistic, winning the second section in 1992.
Besides the contest success (127 entered to date, including 29 1st places, 16 2nd places, 11 3rd places and 12 4th places), other highlights for the band include appearing on the BBC programmes ‘Songs of Praise’ in 1993, ‘Look North’ in 2003, 2006, 2010, 2019 and 2020. In 2002 the band were invited to play a new piece of music specially commissioned by them for the opening of ‘The Deep’, Hull’s Submarium. In 2006, another joint concert with the massed choirs from the ‘Friends Northern Schools’ in the magnificent setting of Wakefield Cathedral saw the band perform Vivaldi’s Gloria. The band has recorded several CD’s, and featured on CD’s recorded by the Beautiful South. Highlights in 2007, saw the band again join with the massed 'Friends Schools' Choirs, to perform Karl Jenkins Requiem Mass 'The Armed Man'. The band also commissioned another work, 'Reformers' by Philip Wilby which received its world premiere performance at The City Hall, Hull as part of the 2007 Wilberforce Festival. The band has visited Europe on several occasions, including a tour of the Netherlands in 2007 and competing at The French Open in 2009.
More recently in 2017, the band recorded the soundtrack for “Born on the Tide” a video used in the successful application for funding for Hull’s “Maritime Heritage Project”. This “sowed the seeds” and inspired the band two years later to commission a new work entitled “Anchor for the Soul” by Andi Cook as a memorial to the more than 6000 Hull trawlermen lost at sea. This was also performed at the Annual Lost Trawlerman’s Service in 2020. (Both “Lost on the Tide” and “Anchor for the Soul” can be viewed by clicking on the youtube logo at the bottom of the home page).
As well as the support given by the East Yorkshire Motor Services Group, the band is also indebted to the Hull branch of St John Ambulance, who between 2001 and 2016, provided the band with rehearsal facilities - initially at their premises in Popple Street and then at their new headquarters on Citadel Way.
In June 2016 following a re-organisation at St John Ambulance, the band relocated to a new custom built rehearsal facility in Barton on Humber. This was aptly named The Maurice Metcalfe Memorial Bandroom in tribute to the band’s long serving secretary Maurice Metcalfe, who passed away in October 2008 whilst the band were away competing at The Royal Albert Hall.
In 2019 having become North of England Champions as The East Yorkshire Motor Services Band, the band returned to its original name as the City of Hull Band.
If you require any further information please don't hesitate to get in touch. Use the Contact Us page or send an email to contact@cityofhullband.co.uk
