Friary Diary - Issue 125 - July 2025

Welcome to Friary Diary issue 125 - a monthly round up of news about the Friary Brass Band.

MEMORY LANE:

Well, July was what could best be described as a slow news month, hence we’re almost at the end of August which has also been very quiet for Friary.

So, in the absence of much news, we’re taking a trip down memory lane.  I’m extremely grateful to our bass trombonist, Adam Gregory, for coming up with this photograph which he thinks was taken about 35 years ago at one of the Southern Counties Amateur Bands’ Association contests in Crawley. 

Adam has also kindly (and impressively!) provided most of the players’ names, as follows:

Back row:  Jan Meagan, Nicola Yarham, Mark Yarham, Chris Powell, Glen Bacon, John Trembley, Rob Young, unknown, Nigel Stevens, Sally Edney, Peter Edney, Nigel Winter

Middle row:  Simon Smith, Anne Gentry, Adam Gregory, Roland Knight, Bruce Gentry, Steve Powell, Keith Maxwell, Bob Gates, Jan …?

Front row:  Unknown, Duncan Ford, Sandra Burleigh, Matt Newbury, unknown, Graham Rix, Dawn Culver, Kevin Cole, unknown

If anyone can fill in any of the blanks, that would be marvellous.  Many thanks Adam, and congratulations:  you’re the only player in the photo who is still in the Band today!

RANKING NEWS:

There has been no further update by 4barsrest.com to their world rankings table so Friary remains at 48^th but still the highest ranked band in London & Southern Counties (L&SC).  Brassstats.com updated their table on 1^st July, with a drop of two places, leaving Friary at 43^rd.