CERTIFICATE OF MERIT—The Rushden Temperance Brass Band has been presented with a certificate of merit, by the adjudicator at the band contest held at the Crystal Palace on July 10th last.

ANOTHER SUCCESS—A brass band contest was held at the Jubilee Exhibition at Manchester, on Saturday last, when the Rushden Temperance Band (Mr. W. Skinner bandmaster) attended, and was awarded third prize, value £10. Fourteen bands entered, and twelve put in an appearance, the first prize falling to the Wyke Temperance Band, and the second to Nottingham. The playing was very good all round, and the Rushden Band are to be congratulated on being amongst the successful competitors, especially as they had no professional aid, in which respect they differed from nearly all the competing bands. We understand the Rushden Band have entered for the Champion Contest at Belle Vue in September.

There was a silver cup on show at Kettering Museum on 31st Jan 2011 with the inscription:

C.C.C. [Champion County Challenge]

Competed for the First Time at the B.B. Contest held at Stanwick August 1890, and won firstly by the Rushden Temp Band. Secondly by the Rushden Temperance band August 1891. Thirdly by the Kettering Town Band August 1892.

The Rushden Temperance Band had a rare outing last week end—one of the best they ever had— at Gravesend. The first item on their programme was a contest promoted by the Gravesend Town Band. The contest was held on the Football Ground and was divided into two sections, Rushden taking part in the first section, together with Luton Red Cross, North London Temperance, Northfleet Temperance, and Walthamstow Temperance. The bands assembled at one o’clock at the Jubilee Clock Tower and played to the contest ground. Rushden chose the selection "Meyerbeer" (Round), which was also selected by Luton and North London. Northfleet and Walthamstow played "Maritana" (Wallace). After the contest, the adjudicator (Mr. G. Hames, of Nottingham) said that the paying had been, on the whole, very satisfactory, though some of the bands had aimed at too much tone. In the first section he had the slightest difficulty in awarding

(£15) to Rushden Temperance. (Loud cheers) He considered Rushden were easily first. Luton had given a good performance, but were far behind the winners. (Cheers) The judge’s decision was a very popular one, and the Mayor (Mr. G. M. Arnold) in presenting the prizes, took the opportunity of congratulating the Rushden players on their win that day and their past successful career. After the contest the Rushden band played “Beauties of England” and their performance was enthusiastically received.

On Sunday the band gave two first-class concerts on the promenade, and these were so

that the sum of £10 15s. was netted. The programme in the afternoon was:- March, “Challenge” (Anon); overture, “Caliph of Bagdad” (Boldieu); selection, “Halevy” (Round); trombone solo, “Death of Nelson” (Brahms), Mr. A. Abbott; Austrian Hymn, “Vari”; selection, “Lucrezia Borgia” (Donizetti). In the evening the programme was:- March, “Avondale” (Anon); grand selection, “Meyerbeer” (Round); hymn (with variations) “Rousseau’s Dream” (Round); euphonium solo, “The Village Blacksmith” (Weiss), Mr. E. G. Groome; grand selection, “Maritana” (Wallace); cornet solo, “Holy City” (S. Adams), Mr. H. Baker; chorus, “Hallelujah” (Handel).

In the morning the band paid a visit to Chatham, and derived considerable pleasure from listening to the strains of one of the big military bands located there. Mr. H. Baker conducted Rushden Band both on Saturday and Sunday, and their success following on their last contest redounds greatly to his credit as a conductor.