Beckenham Borough Band

[lezley]

I have a group photograph of a band, my Great Grandfather is the Bandmaster and and his three sons are all members. The sign at the front says 'Beckenham Borough Band' but so far I have been unable to find any information on it at all. Can anybody help?
My Great Grandfather's mother Elizabeth Town is mentioned already on this site in the 'memories' section and I would also be grateful if somebody could tell me which publication her quote came from.
Regards Lezley

Attachments:

[The Historian]

Hi Lezley,

Elizabeth Town's memories came from The Diamond Jubilee Suppliment of The Beckenham Journal published in 1936.

I have looked in a 1938 Beckenham directory for the BBB and they are not listed. Beckenham became a Borough in 1935 and was so until 1965. The photo looks very 1940s to me. The Directories on line do not go into the 1940s at present but I do know that at Bromley Library they have many other directories that will cover the 40s. Here is a link to Bromley Library Directories online. archive.library.bromley.gov.uk/dserve/Commercialstreetdirectories.htm

Here is a link to the Library. www.bromley.gov.uk/libraries/librariesintheborough/bromley_central_library_organisation.htm

You may wish to try The Bromley Borough History Society who will be glad to help bblhs.website.orange.co.uk/

Is it ok if I put the bands photo on this site?

[lezley]

Hi Historian,
Thanks for that info, as for your idea that it could be the 40s that would be pretty close. My mum was born in 1933 and remembers my grandad in the band, but she says that when WW11 broke out he rejoined the army so my thinking was that it was late 30s. As I said the Band master is my GGrandad, John Amos Town (centre front)..his sons are my Grandad John S Town far right with the Euphonium, and his two brothers George and Walter are first left back row and second from the left sitting in the front row. I have no objection to you putting the photo on the site, I have already submitted another one of Elizabeth Town.

[lezley]

Hi again
sorry for rambling a bit, but I do tend to get carried away when talking about my family history....
I also have a photo of the shop owned by Elizabeth Town and her husband Thomas if you would like a copy. The shop was in Churchfields Road. I have also found out from this site that Churchfields road was originally called Arthur Road..my GGGrandmother Sarah (Thomas Towns mother) was living in Arthur Road in 1881 census.

[The Historian]

In 1898 Thomas Town owned number 50 and 51 Arthur Road. This is a link to Bromley Street Directories online archive.library.bromley.gov.uk/dserve/Commercialstreetdirectories.htm

[chrisdoran]

Arthur Road was renumbered from consecutive to odds/evens around 1907 and 50&51 became 99&101.

Continuing from the directories online, inter-war ones show a John Town as a coal merchant at 99 to at least 1939 (and, I think, later). Thomas Town and Mrs E Town had a "general shop" at 101 until about 1930. Thomas John Town had a grocer's on the other side of the road at 70-74 from 1923 to 1931.

A Mrs F A Town ran several of the lodging houses in Arpley Road, Penge, in the 1920s and 30s. Any relation?