Epic poem to save the South Notts Hussars Band

In 1877 Colonel Rolleston's beloved regimental brass band was under threat of disbandment. In today's tale from Watnall Hall we look at an anonymous poem, of epic scale, which appeared in a local paper, heartily singing the band's praises and speculating who could have proposed such a dastardly act. It pulls no punches and, interestingly, also shines a light on the personalities of some of the South Notts Hussars officers including Colonel Rolleston himself...

This picture of the band at camp is dated 1901

THE SOUTH NOTTS. YEOMANRY BAND

Pity the sorrows of a fine old band !
Who eight weeks since their cool quietus got —
Who's occupation now, alas! is gone—
Oh! sympathize with their untimely lot.

No more shall we in merry, laughing May,
March at the head of our admired corps—
No more will Bulwell Forest's welkin ring
With sounds of martial music as of yore.

No more shall note of cornet, beat of drum,
Outside the windows of the “George" Hotel,
Be heard by those at mess, whose manly breasts
With soup and military ardour swell.

No more in Nottingham great Market Place
Shall we with waltz, or march, or overture,
Enchant the ear of music-loving crowds,
Whose presence such a band can well secure.

No more to galas, parties, or to fêtes,
Shall we assemble in our warlike dress ;
Farewell to happy balls and bright reviews ;
Oh, pity us in this our sore distress !

Farewell brass scabbard sword, and cap of pink!
Farewell approving smiles of women fair!
Farewell the scarlet bag and busby tall!
All now, alas! is horrible despair.

But who has pitched us all to Coventry?
Who's at the bottom of this heartless deed ?
Ah! who has sent a yeomen band away,
Unmatched in talent, ‘tis by all agreed.

‘Tis not the doing of a belted Earl—
Manvers and meanness are too far apart;
And the young scion of that ancient house
Is blest by nature with a generous heart.

It can't be Francklin—for he dearly loves
To keep alive the honours of the past—
A Saxon gentleman of good degree,
We'll not on him such foul suspicion cast.

And Rolleston, too, the Master of the Hounds—
A rider bold—possessed of liberal heart—
He’s not the man to do it—well we know
In every kindly deed he bears his part.

I dare net mention Fellows, Massey, Strutt,
Lieutenant Heymann, and young Thackeray too—
Such men, with proud disdain, would spurn the act—
Then who is guilty? echo answers “Who?"

Oh! that brave Chaworth were amongst us still—
"Squire well worthy his time-honoured name ;
How he'd have spumed such paltry niggard act,
And his true, knightly bosom swelled with shame !

Oh, ghost of Moore! blest shade of Robert Holden !
Rise from your graves, with anger on your features—
Rebuke with sternness these degenerate knaves,
These wretched, stingy, economic creatures !

Mark the bold Robin Hoods !—no gentle blood
Flows in the veins of those who hold command *—
But each would hide his mean, dishonoured head,
If it were mooted to discharge the band.

Let not your chivalry, ye brave South Notts,
Be sullied by this pettifogging action ;
Recall the band, and then out with the cash,
And pay each man his money to the fraction.

A little less of the Nicotian weed-—
A trifle less of wine—and then I'll bet,
You'll not a copper farthing poorer be,
And we shall all our usual stipend get.

‘Tis said next year, you'll try a German band--
Well, you may try it—we are well contented;
Germans are soldiers—their superior drill
May be of service if they're not prevented.

For one week's pay a year we will not come,
And if you do not like it, you may lump it;
If Germans fail, why then by all means give
Each member of the Staff—a penny trumpet !

ONE OF THE BAND
* I accept His Grace of St. Albans, who is not an active member of the corps; Quietus - death or something that causes death, regarded as a release from life.

The mounted band in 1898

History of the band 

There had been a band since the early days of the regiment c.1827 and reports on the regiment usually refer to the "excellent band". They played at regimental occasions, ceremonies in and around Nottinghamshire, fêtes, carnivals, etc. and at annual camps including the camp held at Rainworth in 1885. The bandmaster during this period was W.G Taylor. 

Centenary celebrations - the band are mentioned in 1894 giving a hearty rendition of the National Anthem in the old Market Square... "by a happy coincidence, the inspection of the Regiment in the hundredth year since the Yeomanry force in Notts. was originally raised, fell upon the seventy-fifth birthday of Her Majesty the Queen [Victoria b.24/5/1819]. Before dismissing the Regiment from the Market Place, where many hundreds of people were assembled, the Colonel called for “three cheers for the Queen” which were heartily given, the Band playing “God save the Queen”. The Squadrons then marched to their private parades and were there dismissed."

 The pre-WWII band lost all its instruments in the siege of Tobruk in 1941, but Col A A Warburton decided it should be re-raised in 1957. It was to be a brass band since Nottinghamshire is home to several Colliery bands and the Salvation Army originated in Nottingham. By the early 1960s it was well recruited and competent, but it went from strength to strength in the late 60s and 70s and became a Staff band in 1984. In their full dress uniforms they fulfilled more than 50 engagements a year at Military, Charitable and other events, both locally and across the country. For many people it was the best known part of the Regiment and it was a great recruiting asset.

Alas, at yet another Territorial Army reorganisation in 1999 the band was officially disbanded, but it still continues to parade and perform, voluntarily and unpaid, and now officially as the South Notts Hussars Association Band.

The mounted band shown above in 1898 is led by the bandmaster who rides alongside the kettle-drummer. His all-red busby plume is taller than that of the other musicians, the remainder of the regiment have white over red plumes. The bandmaster and the musicians all wear the white pouchbelt, the bandmaster not having a high enough rank to wear the gold pouch-belt. Behind the band are men of the regiment led by the CO and a surgeon or vet. They have one white belt on the right shoulder which is the haversack. The CO would be wearing the gold dress pouchbelt which is not visible here. The white cross-belts on the other ranks are the pouch-belt and haversack. 

The kettle drums are covered with the embroidered drum-banners one of which is depicted in the illustration of the guidons¹ by B T A Griffiths shown below.

This illustration incorporates several items; at the top is the old cap badge and in the middle the present-day badge of oak leaves. Also the two sabretaches (carrying pouch) of George IV and Queen Victoria with the drum banner at the bottom. The crossed guidons are of the Wollaton Troop from the period, one Georgian and the other Victorian, while the regiment was still styled as light dragoons.

The guidon on the right is the older one with the cypher of George IV surrounded by a strap inscribed WOLLATON TROOP NOTT YEO CAV. And below, the motto "OUR GOD. OUR COUNTRY. OUR KING". The Georgian crown is on top and in one corner the Hanoverian White horse.

The guidon on the left is emblazoned with the Victorian Cypher so is post-1837. The scroll above the cypher says HONESTE AUDAX and WOLLATON below. Both guidons are of royal blue silk and it is probable that the other Troops had their own guidons. After the regiment became hussars in 1866 the guidons were laid up and no longer carried.

South Notts Hussars in the Market Square, Nottingham

The main band also had certain dress distinctions which in 1845 included a fur busby while the rest of the regiment had the bell-topped shako. The 1845 busbies had a scarlet bag and plume. Also the braid on their hussar jackets was blue-and-yellow speckled instead of plain yellow. 

The busby was replaced by the scarlet shako for the band in 1853, six years after the rest of regiment had been issued with it. The plume was black like those of the regiment but the cap-lines were speckled. In 1865 the whole regiment changed over to wearing the busby and the band and trumpeters followed suit but had a scarlet plume instead of the white over red plume.

The musicians in the main photo wear the serge frocks issued to the regiment in 1898 to replace the stable jackets. The pillbox forage cap was scarlet with yellow cap-band. The sergeant has a wide gold band and the bandmaster, in frock-coat, has an officer-style cap with gold braid figuring on top. All the men have the new badge on their collars, the acorn and oak-leaves. 

Band members

From the 1894 Muster Roll it is possible to pick out 18 of the band members:

A Squadron (Holme and Bingham) - Bandsmen William Taylor (Bandmaster), Charles Taylor, Albert Corner; Trumpteer Sgt. Thomas Wakefield, Trumpteer Private John Holland

B Squadron (Watnall) - Bandsmen Henry Hines, Thomas Hopewell, Walter Meakin; Trumpeteer Privates James Baxter, George Peet

C Squadron (Nottingham) - Bandsmen Albert Redgate, Charles Jarvis, Francis Moore; Trumpeteer Sgt. Charles Churchill

D Squadron (Wollaton) - Bandsmen George Driver, Frederick Linney, Francis Richardson; Trumpteer Sgt. Edward Cheetham

Sources and picture credits: 

History of the South Notts Yeomanry Cavalry 1794 to 1894 by George Fellows; The British Empire website https://www.britishempire.co.uk/; https://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/yeomanry/southnottshussars.htm; The Royal Lancers and Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum, Thoresby https://rlnymuseum.co.uk/south-notts-hussar/

Notes:

1 - Guidon - a small flag especially : one borne by a military unit as a unit marker. 2 : one who carries a guidon.