Newbiggin Colliery Band

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea's village band, which took the name of Newbiggin Colliery after the pit opened in 1908, played on through a merger with Lynemouth Colliery's band and as Newbiggin Welfare, and became the Greggs Bakery Band in 1995.

The mining history in this record

The band began as Newbiggin-by-the-Sea's village band, formed around 1898, and was contesting across south-east Northumberland by the following year, at Backworth, Ashington and Jarrow under Thomas Floyd. Newbiggin Colliery was sunk in 1908, and the band took its name, competing as Newbiggin Colliery from about 1913; it played at the Northumberland Miners' Gala contest in 1912.

In 1960 it joined with the band of neighbouring Lynemouth Colliery as Newbiggin and Lynemouth Colliery, and from 1968 it used the name Lynemouth Colliery. In the 1980s, after Newbiggin Colliery had closed, it became the Newbiggin Welfare Band.

People

Thomas Floyd conducted the band at its contests in 1899. James Shepherd (1936-2023), born in Newbiggin and later principal cornet of the Black Dyke Band, gave his name to the Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band.

Legacy today

In 1995 the band became the Greggs Bakery Band. It contested until 2009, its last result at the North of England Area championship, and the line recorded by Brass Band Results ends there. Wikipedia gives the former Newbiggin Colliery Band's successor as the Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band, named for its president and former member, the cornet player James Shepherd, who was born in Newbiggin and became principal cornet of the Black Dyke Band.

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 formed as Newbiggin-by-the-Sea's village band, around 1898. (documented fact, uncertain) ^1,2
• As the Newbiggin-by-the-Sea band it contested at Backworth, Ashington and Jarrow in 1899 under Thomas Floyd. (documented fact) ²
• After the colliery opened in the village in 1908 the band took the name Newbiggin Colliery. (documented fact) ^3,1,2
• In 1960 it joined with Lynemouth Colliery's band as Newbiggin and Lynemouth Colliery, and from 1968 used the name Lynemouth Colliery. (documented fact) ^1,2
• In the 1980s it became the Newbiggin Welfare Band. (documented fact) ^1,2
• It became the Greggs Bakery Band in 1995; its last contest was the North of England Area championship in 2009, and the band no longer exists. (documented fact) ¹
• The former Newbiggin Colliery Band is now the Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band, named for its president and former member, the cornet player James Shepherd. (documented fact, disputed) ³

Mines

• Lynemouth Colliery — Northumberland
  The band joined with Lynemouth Colliery's band in 1960 and used the Lynemouth Colliery name from 1968 into the 1980s.
• Newbiggin Colliery — Northumberland
  The band took Newbiggin Colliery's name after the pit opened in 1908, and later played as the colliery welfare's band.

Real-world mining concepts used here

Colliery

Sources

1. (secondary) Greggs Bakery Band, 1913-2009 — Brass Band Results
2. (secondary) Newbiggin-by-the-Sea (band) — Brass Band Results
3. (secondary) Newbiggin-by-the-Sea (Wikipedia) — Wikipedia

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026