St Albans Band are seen here in 1967 after purchasing their new uniform jackets and instruments with a grant from St Albans City Council.
Designed by the haute coiture designer Hardy Aimes, these oatmeal jackets were supposedly the height of fashion at the time, although today one would probably just think of them as another lot of beige jackets!
This picture features many well known names from the band over the years, many sadly no longer with us, and some thankfully still going strong! Currently the names for faces are : (L to R) Ken Kidman, Tom Jackson, John Irving, Allan Carter, George Peck (holding cornet), Alan Vass, Ken Smith, Barbara Wright, Dave MacDonald (holding Trombone), Charlie Wickenden, Richard Banks, Bill Day, Dennis Ayton (sop), ?, Archie MacDonald, Alan Webster, Charlie Horsley, George Wright (looking over trombone),?, ?, Len Smith, Derek ?, Buddy Allan (with flugel), Les Smith, Ted Longland, John Stone and to the front, long serving Solo Cornet and Conductor Nelson Morris. More names will be added to this picture as they are identified, hopefully within the next few weeks.
Below is the more formal picture taken on that day which contains several fewer people than the one above. Kindly loaned to me for scanning by Dave MacDonald.
Top Row – Left to Right – ?, George Peck, Ken Smith, Alan Vass, Archie MacDonald.
Middle Row – Left to Right – Alan Webster, John Janes, Charlie Wickenden, Barbara Wright, Richard Banks, Buddy Allan, John Irving.
Front Row – Left to Right – Bill Day, Ken Kidman (although pictured with a Bb Bass, he was actually a percussionist), Tom Jackson, Dave Macdonald, Nelson Morris, ?, George Wright, John Stone, Les Smith.