About the Bandstand

Todmorden Bandstand is a remarkable example of an Edwardian bandstand. Built in 1914 and designed by the Borough Engineer, it stands as one of only five surviving open-fronted ‘theatre’ styled bandstands in England. Its unique design features an enclosed backstage area to the north, enclosed sides, and an open front. The stage faces south and boasts tiered concave staging at the rear.

Opening event for the Bandstand in 1914, overlaid on a photo of Todstock 2010. Thanks to Daniel Birch (www.todmordenalbum.co.uk)

Centre Vale Park was opened to the public in 1912 and two years later, on Friday, 26 June 1914, Mayor Robert Jackson opened its bandstand. Todmorden & District News announced:

Todmorden Park Bandstand. A Magnificent Structure. Successful Opening Ceremony. Better atmospherical conditions could not have been desired than those which favoured the opening of the magnificent bandstand in Centre Vale Park.

The occasion was also covered in the Halifax Daily Guardian:

A fine new bandstand which has been erected it Centre Vale Park, Todmorden, at a cost of £420, was opened yesterday by the Mayor, who afterwards entertained a large company at Centre Vale Hall.

£420 was a considerable sum of money, given that the average worker at this time earned less than £90 in a whole year. Speeches at the opening of the bandstand acknowledged the debt that its design, by the Borough Engineer, owed to the example in Falinge Park, Rochdale (1913), which was inspired by the theatre-style bandstand designed by Charles Edward Davis for Sydney Gardens, Bath (1868). Neither of those bandstands survive, nor do similar examples built in Trowbridge, Leamington Spa, Victoria Park (Bath), Heaton Park, (Manchester), Kelvingrove Park (Glasgow), Walsall and Accrington. Of over a dozen theatre-style bandstands constructed in the UK, it appears that only three now remain, in Wellington Park, Taunton; Summerfield Park, Birmingham; and Centre Vale Park, Todmorden.

The renowned Band of the 1st Life Guards played four concerts over the opening Friday and Saturday, and the conductor George Miller called the bandstand excellent. He cited the way in which the design resulted in the same full mix of all the instruments being heard by any part of the audience, unlike circular bandstands. Newspapers also reported the excellent
acoustics.

Britain entered the First World War on 4 August 1914, but that did not stop events at the bandstand. Indeed, there was a well-attended competition for brass bands held later that month. Questions were raised, however, about the engagement of bands during the summer of 1915 while Britain was entangled in a massive war. It is likely, however, that the bandstand was soon playing a part in fund raising for the Centre Vale Military Hospital and, in May 1918, Todmorden Old Brass Band held a concert to raise funds for British prisoners of war.

After the war, in addition to bands, local male-voice choirs were to be heard at the bandstand. In August 1921, these included Brighouse Male Voice, Brierfield Male Voice, Hebden Bridge Male Voice, Todmorden Male Voice, and Colne Orpheus Glee Union. Other performers to be heard in the 1920s were Todmorden Orchestra (conducted by Mr. A. Greenwood), and some eminent bands, such as the band of H.M. Welsh Guards in 1928, and the St Hilda Colliery
Band from South Shields in 1927, who had recently won the National Championship for the fourth time.

When a wireless set, described as one of the biggest in the North of England, was installed in the bandstand, Todmorden became one of the first towns in Britian to begin outside broadcasts, and many on-location broadcasts of concerts took place in the early 1930s.
During that decade, alongside familiar bands such as Todmorden Old, there were performances by the Todmorden Glee and Madrigal Society, and Todmorden Orchestra. At the end of that decade, the band and drums of the Lancashire Fusiliers regiment played for a service held in front of the bandstand in remembrance of the Battle of Gallipoli. Over 120,000 British soldiers had been killed or wounded in the Gallipoli campaign of 1915–16.

Broadcasts from the bandstand continued in the 1950s, and not just of music. A commentary on the English Cup Final was aired to the Todmorden district in April 1955. In the 1960s, along with the usual band concerts, Todmorden Orchestra played popular selections of music to large audiences. The carnival of June 1964, which drew a crowd of 10,000, was officially opened by the Mayor of Todmorden, Cllr. H.K. Cockcroft, J.P., from the bandstand. Bands from nearby towns played there regularly. The Rochdale Band, conducted by Frank Mallinson, made an appearance in July 1967, after having won the Belle Vue 50 Guineas Trophy for the third year running.

Todmorden’s famous musical son, Geoff Love, visited to give two concerts with Todmorden Old in 1990. It may have been the spur for people to start arguing for improvements at the bandstand, but Todmorden Councillors were told in 1993 that it was low on the cash priority list and no action was likely in the foreseeable future. Despite that glum prediction, it was refurbished for the 1994 season. In 1995, Todmorden Old Brass Band, with help from their corporate sponsor Openshaw Ltd., put on a ‘Brass Works’ spectacular. Local bands continued to perform in summer festivals there, but other performers were also to be seen, such as Brassanova and the Peace Artistes, and the Chaos Entertainers (who were stunt artists).

The bandstand was the venue for ‘Best of Brass’ local brass band concerts in the late 1990s, and also featured jazz ensembles in that decade. Fund raising events continued. Greenpeace’s annual Day on the Green event had been based around the bandstand since the 1980s, and brass concerts in 1998 were given in aid of St John Ambulance.

In June 1999 came the shocking news that the bandstand had been set on fire. After a year spent restoring it to its original design, it was officially re-opened by the Mayor of Calderdale, Cllr Graham Hall, on Saturday, 26 June. The first public performance on Saturday 29 July was given by the Harmony Hounds, a jazz ensemble specializing in music of the 1920s. The Sunday concerts included an appearance by the Walkden Band (Salford), which was ranked No. 2 in the North West and had picked up two national titles. Variety of repertoire was again to be found on the bandstand: for instance, the Manchester School of Samba in August 2001.

Although performances took place regularly for some years, the bandstand began to fall into disrepair, much of it caused by anti-social vandalism. In consequence, it was fenced off and, since no groups or organizations had expressed interest in taking responsibility for its structure, Calderdale MBC proposed its demolition in July 2019. The negative impact on the park’s heritage was recognized, but it was suggested that a scale model of the bandstand might become part of the park heritage trail. That was not deemed a satisfactory solution by the many people in Todmorden who felt great affection for the bandstand, and a campaign group soon formed to prevent the demolition. The group was originally called ‘Save the Bandstand’ and later became the Todmorden Bandstand Group.

Following a 3000 signature petition and an approach to Historic England to have the Bandstand listed , the group were successful and the Bandstand achieved listed building status because of its architectural interest:-

• as an unusual theatre type of bandstand of which fewer than 15 are known to have been built across the UK before the First World War, and for its rarity as the only surviving example known in England of this form of the type;
• as a good example of a bandstand designed for enhanced acoustics, with a tiered stage and soundboards behind and above the players, and retaining the majority of its functional features;
• enhanced beyond the functional with considerable decorative flair and ornamentation, mostly faithfully reproduced in 1999 and largely surviving.

More detail on its history can be found at Bandstand, Centre Vale Park, Todmorden – 1467822 | Historic England

Sources:
Todmorden & District News
3 Jul. 1914, p. 3; 11 Jun. 1915, p.7; 6 Jul. 1928, p. 4; 18 Aug. 1933, p. 2; 12 May 1939, p. 4; 29 Apr. 1955, p. 6;
5 Jun. 1964, p. 1; 14 Jul. 1967, p. 5; 28 Jul. 1967; 13 Apr. 1990, p. 9; 3 Sep. 1993, p. 7; 16 Sep. 1994, p. 10; 29
Aug. 1997, p. 9; 17 Jul. 1998, p. 4; 17 Aug. 2001, p. 7.
Todmorden Advertiser and Hebden Bridge Newsletter
24 May 1918, p. 2; 6 Aug. 1921, p. 4; 3 Jun. 1927, p. 8;
Halifax Daily Guardian
27 Jun. 1914, p. 6;
Halifax Evening Courier
5 Jul. 1933, p. 3.
Hebden Bridge Times
8 Sep. 1995, p. 6; 4 Aug. 2000, p. 4.

‘Centre Vale Park Bandstand, Todmorden. Joint Report of the Director, Regeneration and Strategy and Director,
Public Services’, Calderdale MBC, 29 Jul. 2019.
Sydney Gardens Bandstand, Bath (demolished) Falinge Park Bandstand, Rochdale (demolished)
Centre Vale Park Bandstand, Todmorden, in 2008