Brass band music continues to be an important and much-loved tradition in Cornwall, and hundreds of players will be descending on Clay Country on 20th June, when the 100th Bugle Band Contest will be taking place. My local band will be present and it is also celebrating an anniversary this year.
Indian Queens Band was founded in 1856 by Martin Strongman Kessell, who I am proud to say was my great-great-great-uncle. It has been documented in later reports that the initial band comprised of only five people and they undertook their first engagement at nearby Ruthvoes. And apparently, as they only knew three tunes, they played them over and over again.
The earliest reference I have found of the Band was in the Royal Cornwall Gazette, which recorded a performance in Newquay on 24th June 1856. This was a large community celebration, which included sport events “on the beach,” a hurling match between single and married men, gig racing and culminated with a “flora dance through the village.” The report also noted “the Indian Queen Band played throughout the day, to the largest number of people ever assembled at this place.”
Over the last 170 years, the Band has been ever-present at the heart of our community and has a proud and unbroken record of bringing enjoyment to local residents. The Band has been a steadfast supporter of community events such as fetes, carnivals, religious services and music festivals, as well as band contests. Most importantly, generations of local people have received musical tuition, thanks to the dedication of band members.
There have been so many highlights for the Band, but I will list just three. In 1912, they won the second section at the first-ever Bugle Band Contest beating Foxhole Temperance, Lelant Brass, St Agnes, St Breward and St Ives Town. They competed in a contest at the iconic Crystal Palace in 1930 and did a broadcast on the radio or “national wavelength” in 1937.
As part of our celebrations to mark the Band’s 170th anniversary, we will be hosting an event at Indian Queens Pit on Sunday 17th May. It will also involve players from other bands including Bodmin, Camborne Brass, St Breward, St Dennis and St Newlyn East. The bands will march off from Indian Queens Victory Hall at 11.15 to our local amphitheatre (Indian Queens Pit), where there will be refreshments. Entertainment in the early afternoon will include contributions from Rhys the Night Church Pianist, our training band and proceedings will finish with a performance from a massed band. One and all are welcome to attend.
The above image of the Band is from 1956.
Article published in the Cornish Guardian (6th May 2026) and West Briton (7th May 2026) newspapers