Tony Mansell is in frivolous mood as he brings us another slice of brass band history involving our hero, Billy Annear. It’s from an article from the Cornish Telegraph of the 14th of August 1913 and is very heavily garnished with Cornish dialect.
You may recall The Extraordinary Band Contest, an article involving the same Billy Annear. If not, you can find it here: https://cornishstory.com/2021/12/02/the-extraordinary-brass-band-contest/
It seems that our Billy was not only an enthusiastic competitor but he also fancied himself as an adjudicator. Why, we can’t imagine? However, the organiser of this competition clearly thought his luck was in when this eminent musician accepted the appointment of judge at the 1913 Bridge Brass Band Contest.
Anyway, it’s Billy’s story so let’s hear it direct from him:
Waunce I wor asked to judge in a contest. I wus allers a bit ambitious that way so I took on the job without weighing up the conserquences. The contest wor down to Bridge, besides the Bridge band whose laider wor Peter Pott, wot kept the kiddleywink down theer, theer wor also Purtraith band, Laity Moors band, Skithy band, Puggis Hill band, Scroggan band, North Country band, an one or two moare bands whose naames I doan’t xactly remember now. Twer a terrible cold day, I hadn’t slept fur two nights fur toothache so I put a lil bottle ov brandy in my pocket. Ther wor loud cheerin wen I cumed on the field, an awl the laiders touched theer hats jist fur awl the wurld ef I wor a rail gentleman. We had five test peaces – Wheer is wanderin my boay to-night, Dare to be a Daniel, At the faist of Beltshaazer, Swanee River, and Theer’s a light in the winder, an as theer wor ten bands, an aich band ad to play awl the peaces, you cudn’t but say that everybody wor in fur a good pennyworth. Wen everything wor ready I wor put in a wheelbarrow an cuvered up weth a peace ov canvas, fur tents wor very scarce in thay days. At laist I gov the signal, and the fust band started to play, an my ould tooth started to ache at the saame time. I put a drop ov brandy on un, wot aised un fur the time, but in a minute ee wud start agen wuss than ever. So ee had moare brandy, still moare brandy, ontil at laist the achin wor awl gone, an I wor feelin that drowsy an my head agoin round that fast, that I cudn keep my eyes open. Then I must ave dropped off to sleep fur I dedn’t remember nawthin moare until sumbody shaaked me an asked which band got the prize. “Wot prize?” I sed weth me eyes still shut.
“Why the contest prize, you Booby,” ee sed.
“Ef you call me booby agen,” I sed, “I’ll – I’ll” – but afore I finished I must ave gone to slaip agen, fur the next thing I remembered wor being dropped in a pool ov water down the corner ov the field. That brought me to me senses purty quick, an I scrambled out ov the muddy water in less time than et took them to put me in theer. I cud see the pepul up in the field waavin theer hands awl excited, an cud hear them shoutin to ave theer muney back. So wot I took an dun wus to climb awver the hedge an maake fur ome as quick as I cud. Next day l ad to pay awver fower shellin an sevenpence to maake up wot wor short after payin the people theer pennies back. I dedn’t go down to Bridge fur a long time after that, an I aven’t dun no judging sense.
Billy Annear
