Marsden Colliery Band

A South Shields temperance band that took the name of Marsden Colliery in 1913, won the National Championship at the Crystal Palace in 1925, and disbanded in 1930.

The mining history in this record

The band began as the South Shields Temperance band, recorded at various times as North and South Shields Temperance and South Shields Excelsior Temperance. In 1913 it became Marsden Colliery, taking the name by which Whitburn Colliery at Marsden was known.

Under J. A. Greenwood it rose to the top flight in the 1920s and played in every National Championship final from 1923 to 1929. In September 1925 it won the championship at the Crystal Palace with the test piece Joan of Arc, taking the 1,000 guinea trophy; South Tyneside Libraries keep a photograph of the band with it outside the Victory Casino. Jack Boddice conducted at the 1929 final.

People

J. A. Greenwood conducted the band in its championship years, including the 1925 win. Jack Boddice conducted it at the 1929 final.

Legacy today

The band was disbanded in 1930. Its instruments were sold to Dinnington Colliery and its uniforms went to Heworth Colliery, so its kit played on in other pit bands. Photographs of about 1910 and of the 1925 champions survive in South Tyneside Libraries' collections.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each tagged with how solidly it's grounded and attached to the source(s) that support it. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• The band was originally the South Shields Temperance band, also recorded as North and South Shields Temperance and South Shields Excelsior Temperance. (documented fact) ¹
• It became Marsden Colliery in 1913. (documented fact) ¹
• Marsden Colliery won the National Championship of Great Britain at the Crystal Palace in September 1925 under J. A. Greenwood, with the test piece Joan of Arc, taking the 1,000 guinea trophy. (documented fact) ^1,2
• It contested the National Championship final every year from 1923 to 1929, conducted by J. A. Greenwood until 1928 and by Jack Boddice in 1929. (documented fact) ¹
• The band was disbanded in 1930; its instruments were sold to Dinnington Colliery and its uniforms to Heworth Colliery. (documented fact) ¹
• South Tyneside Libraries hold a photograph of the band of about 1910 and another of 1925, taken outside the Victory Casino with the Crystal Palace trophy. (documented fact) ^3,2

Mines

• Whitburn Colliery — Tyne and Wear
  The band took the name of Marsden Colliery, as Whitburn Colliery at Marsden was known, in 1913 and kept it until it disbanded in 1930.

Real-world mining concepts used here

Colliery

Sources

1. (secondary) Marsden Colliery (band), 1850-1930 — Brass Band Results
2. (primary) Marsden Colliery Band, 1925, winners of the Crystal Palace 1,000 guinea trophy (STH0003000) — South Tyneside Libraries
3. (primary) Marsden Colliery Band, photograph c.1910 (STH0010297) — South Tyneside Libraries

Record created: 18 September 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026