Name/Title
Framed Photograph of Brighton Borough Police Band 1926Entry/Object ID
21Description
A glass fronted wooden framed original black and white photographic print on card mount of the Brighton Borough Police Band. The top of the mount is printed with the Brighton coat of arms and the wording "Brighton Police Band Winners of 1st Prize Police Section Brighton 1926". Also "Special Prize for the Best Military Band in Contest". At the bottom of the mount are printed the names of those present in the photograph, including the chief constable Charles Griffith. The trophy is shown on the bass drum. Size of actual print 11 5/8 inches (29.5 cm) x 9 3/8 inches (23.7 cm). Overall size including frame 53.7 cm x 44 cm.Context
The Brighton Borough Police Band was formed in 1884 and first performed at the Corn Exchange in Brighton in June of that year and played regularly until the First World War (Rumble et al 1987). It reformed in 1921 and continued to exist until the Second World War. This photograph from 1926 is believed to relate to the Brighton Music Festival that was held in July of that year. A newspaper article reports "...the success of the Brighton Police Band, who took a first prize in competition with Metropolitan Police bands, and another first in the quartet class.." (Portsmouth Evening News 20th July 1926). The same article states that the band plays twice daily in the Pavilion Grounds.
This photograph in its original frame was taken in Pavillion Gardens, Brighton, the Pavillion itself in the background. It was either taken at the time of the contest or shortly afterwards.