Society News

Newsletter August 2011

This Newsletter contains information concerning the forthcoming Lord Mayor’s Show and an urgent request for details of intending participants.  There is also an excellent offer of uniforms for sale from Ally McDonald of Kellswater Band.

Lord Mayor’s Show Sat. 12 November Band Instructions

Assembly area is as previously : The Rotunda, West Smithfield, London EC1.  All personnel to arrive no later than 0900 hrs.  Allow plenty of time for congestion will build up early as roads are closed.  Dedicated transport must display a Parking Permit (see item below). You should aim to park in Smithfield Market.  Tea and buns and toilets are available at the entrance to the Rotunda, but you should first report to the Corps of Drums Society assembly point so that the Drum Major can organise the Corps appropriately. Once this is done, there will be time for drinks before we step off.  While we are in the Rotunda, there must be No Playing of instruments.

Lord Mayor’s Shoe Sat November 12 Security Details

Please let me have as a priority (by 16 September) the following :

• Names of members of your Corps who will be attending and the instrument they play
• Individual members attending need to notify me of the same
• Registration number and make of your vehicle – we need to share vehicles where possible ; up to now we have been issued with  the passes we have asked for, but this might change, so if you are using a private car, make sure it is full.  If you can travel by public transport you should do so.
• If you require a vegetarian packed lunch, let me know.

Lord Mayor’s Show Rehearsals

These will be at Kneller Hall, 16 and 30 October.  Please note that 30 October will be a dress rehearsal

Music Meeting

This will be at Kneller Hall on Sunday 18 September, commencing at 1030 hrs.  Please bring refreshments as there is nowhere on site to obtain it.  There is a pub across the road from the Hall.

Uniforms for Sale

Kellswater Flute Band have 30 uniforms to sell together with hate (male and female versions).  They are asking £750 ono plus delivery costs.  Enquiries please to

Alistair McDonald on  07801327947  or  ally.mcdonald@btinternet.com

News Letter July 2011

This Newsletter contains details of our new meeting venue and a change of date for one of the meetings.  Please ensure, if you are the recipient  for your Corps, that everyone knows about  the changes.  This is very short notice, but arrangements to use Kneller Hall have only just been finalised

Kneller Hall

This will be our meeting venue for the forseeable future. Because it is a military location, we will need to supply them with names and vehicle details of those present.  If you intend to be at the next and future meetings,  please let Peter Nightingale know in advance for each meeting so that he can provide the information to Kneller Hall.

There will be no refreshment  facilities available, so please bring drinks and a packed lunch.  There is a pub across the road for those who wish to use it.

Royal Military School of Music,  Kneller Hall,  Kneller Road,  Twickenham TW2 7DU

By Road: M25 J12,  M3 East,  A316 Country Way, Great Chertsey Road, Chertsey Road,  B361 Whitton Road, Kneller Road

By Rail: Whitton Railway Station, then walk (see a streetmap)

By Underground : Hounslow Central, then walk (see a streetmap)

If you have any problems on the day, Peter Nightingale will be contactable on

07961815710

Meeting dates

Our first meeting at Kneller Hall will be Saturday 16 July, commencing at 1030 hours.  Please let Peter Nightingale have your vehicle details, and names of passengers as soon as you receive this Newsletter.

Owing to there being a prior booking at Kneller Hall, the meeting scheduled for Saturday 17 September has now been changed to Sunday 18 September.

Lord Mayors Show rehearsals will be as previously announced : 16 and 30 October, with the 30 October being a dress rehearsal.

Lord Mayor’s Show

Please ensure that you attend the two rehearsals for the Lord Mayor’s Show. If this is a problem, please contact Drum Major Geoff Fairfax.

The Muffled Drum

Sadly we have to announce the death of member Chris Collins, ex Grenadier and a fine artist who emblazoned the Army’s drums for a considerable period of time.  An appreciation of his life and work will appear in a future Drummers Call.  Dave Clark, of Massachusetts, USA has died – Dave was a very longstanding member of the Society and supporter of British Military music.

Annual General Meeting 2011

Below is a summary of the meeting: full minutes appear on the Society website.  Anyone who cannot access the website, and would like a complete set of minutes, please let me know.

The meeting took place at the Scout Hall, Chesham, home base of the Chesham All Girls Band.  We were made very welcome by Mr and Mrs Tim Smith, who provided a superb lunch.

The meeting began with a minute’s silence for our President Brig Professor Richard Holmes, who had recently passed away.

Minutes of AGM 2010 were adopted, as was the Treasurers Report. The Chairman provided a resume of the past yearand announced the new members of the Society. He appealed for contributions to Drummers Call.

The existing Committee was re-elected, there being no others standing for election: Committee comprises                                                         Chairman: Peter Nightingale

Treasurer: James Goatcher

Secretary : Christine Fairfax

Senior Parade Drum Major : Geoff Fairfax

Training and Development : Mike Hall

Music and Training : Peter Foss

Editor, Drummers Call : Peter Hart

Clifford Chandler was appointed Auditor

Richard Holmes Award

It is intended to make an annual award to a Corps in which youth is well represented and which has made improvements/ acheivements/expansion in the past year.  More details will follow in due course, but you may wish to begin thinking about the submission you will make for your Corps should you wish it to be considered.  The successful Corps will be able to display the Award for one year.

Society President

Following the death of Richard Holmes, the Society is currently without a President.  The Committee will be considering this in due course.