Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
Charity No: 1069019
The band was established on the 22nd May 1884 in the village of South Elmsall, West Yorkshire. The original bandsmen worked in the local lime kilns, quarries and brick yards with one of the bands’ first engagements playing at Queen Victoria’s Jubilee celebrations.
In 1905 following the sinking of Frickley Colliery, the band was known as the South Elmsall and Frickley Colliery Band and won its first major title ‘The British Open Championship’ in 1922. In November 1923, the band adopted its current name from the then mine owners, the Carlton Main Coal Company. The next 50 years saw the band at the very top of the brass band movement, winning almost every major title.
Following the miners’ strike in 1984/1985 and the eventual closure of Frickley Colliery in 1993 the band was reduced to just 6 members; but unlike many mining bands that now cease to exist, the resolve and determination of those 6 players should not have been underestimated. Almost unbelievably the band fought back resulting in being crowned ‘Yorkshire Champions’ in 1999 and going from strength to strength it is once more one of the country’s premier brass bands. It is ranked number 10 in the world in 2011 and will be representing Yorkshire at the Royal Albert Hall National Finals for the 4th consecutive year.
Amongst the band’s achievements are:
European Champions
British Open Champions
Yorkshire Champions – numerous occasions
Edinburgh Champions – numerous occasions
Granada Band of the Year
BBC Best of Brass Champions
The band have made over 200 BBC broadcasts, appeared on television many times, performed at many of the top UK venues and have toured Europe on several occasions. Over the years the band have accompanied many artists including Paul Robeson, Cleo Lane, Julian Lloyd Webber, Nigel Kennedy and who can forget Tony Capstick with Capstick Comes Home which reached number 3 in the hit parade.
The band count themselves fortunate to have many truly world class musicians in their ranks including the multi-award-winning Principal Cornet player Kirsty Abbotts, whose many awards include being the solo champion of Great Britain and best soloist at the English Nationals.