Online musical tribute to Scottish cornet legend William Allison

A musical tribute has been paid online to William A Allison, a prominent Scottish solo cornetist and bandmaster during the early part of last century, by Manchester-based Besses o’th’ Barn Band.

William, who started his playing career with Dewsbury Old Brass Band in Yorkshire in 1889 before heading north to cross the border, was the composer of the march Whitefield which was dedicated to Besses and has been the band’s signature tune since the 1920s (Whitefield is a suburb of Manchester where the band is located).

Over the years Besses has established a long association with Scotland, having toured the country on many occasions.

The tribute on YouTube has been put together by Besses player and achivist Stephen Hughes.

William’s banding history in Scotland started with Clydebank Burgh Band in 1894 where he progressed to principal cornet before becoming bandmaster. In 1904 he won 1st prize in a Solo Championship of Scotland held in Dunfermline. In the same year he was appointed bandmaster of Milngavie Brass Band before, two years later, joining Polton Mills Brass Band.

In 1912 he became bandmaster of the Penicuik Town Band, later to change its name to Penicuik Silver Band. During the 1914-1918 World War he was bandmaster of the 3/8th Royal Scots in France before becoming bandmaster of the Musselburgh Band.

In 1920 he advertised his services as W. A. Allison Bandmaster: supplies string bands for dances, marriages and parties of any description. Distance no object. Latest London and up-to-date dance music a speciality. 20 years experience. Satisfaction guaranteed.

In February 1923, as bandmaster of the Penicuik Silver Band, he performed at a Burns' Concert in the town’s Cowan Institute Hall where he played the Caledonian Polka as a cornet solo for which he was loudly encored.

In 1928 he was appointed bandmaster of Lassodie Public Band in Fife and then bandmaster of Inverkeithing Burgh Band also in Fife. For five years from 1930 he was bandmaster of the Perth Silver Band.

It was with this band that he won second prize in 1932 at a band contest at the Albert Hall in Stirling. Three years later he won fifth prize with the Perth Silver Band in the Championship of Scotland, organised by the Scottish Amateur Brass Band Association, held in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

William’s death in December 1935 at the age of 56 was commemorated with a one-minute silence at the Brass Band Contest in Stirling before the Alva Town Band played Deep Harmony. He was survived by his wife and three sons who occasionally assisted in the Perth Silver Band.

You can listen to the march Whitefield being played by Besses o’th’ Barn Band and read about William Allison on YouTube here. You can discover more about Besses at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bessesothbarn and http://www.besses.co.uk/