ANECDOTES

This page is set up to record some of the more amusing tales that bands seem to attract.  Do you have a tale to tell, if so, email it to us and we shall include it on this site - it must involve a past or current member of Woodfalls Band!  The names can be changed to protect the innocent!

"THE LONELY BANDSMAN"

Cast your minds back to the late sixties, when, for people of a certain age, Sunday evenings meant a night by the black and white telly, watching Bruce Forsyth introduce the popular Variety Show "Sunday Night at the London Palladium", the forerunner of today’s "Generation Game". Do you remember the climax of the show when all the guests would be revolved around the stage, standing behind a giant card, smiling and waving enthusiastically and of course, sincerely, when they came to the front of stage – yes of course you do! Well, revolving stages were very popular back then and a similar thing was planned for a variety concert featuring the Woodfalls Band at the Bournemouth Pavilion. The band had finished its set and was supposedly seated on the revolving part of the stage ready to be mechanically removed before the next act, however, as the smiling and waving band started its journey from front of stage, the poor Principal Euphonium, one Wally Tate, suddenly realised that he was the only bandsman still centre stage. It was probably long before this embarrassing incident that the name "Wally" became associated with acts of foolishness but it certainly seems appropriate for the circumstances of that night. Incidentally, as many Woodfalls fans will know, Wally Tate was one of the finest euphonium players that ever lived and he single-handedly won the band more contests than we would care to admit, he’s also a good runner with a euph and a chair under each arm!

"THE FLOUR-MEN"

It was in the early to mid part of the20th Century that two charabancs (coaches) departed Woodfalls on their way to some contest or other. Nothing is remembered of where the contest was, or how well the Woodfalls SILVER Band played. The return journey, however, was not all plain sailing. One of the charabancs broke down and after some consideration, and an offer from the local baker to provide shelter for the night, it was agreed that all the woman and children would continue the homeward journey in the one good charabanc, whilst all the men would accept the hospitality of the local baker. The next morning, when the mechanics arrived to repair the charabanc, they were amazed when the band, still in best uniforms, emerged from the bakery covered from head to toe in flour – there is no explanation as to why the bandsmen were whiter than snow, but one can imaging the horseplay that went on during the night – just where did the tradition of finding silver in your pudding originate?

For many years, the Woodfalls Band relied almost entirely on its Christmas carol playing to finance the band throughout the year ahead. It was whilst playing carols in the village one dark December night in the late sixties when the band, gathered under its oil lamp, started to play "Christians Awake". The band collector, probably Bob Morris, was just about to knock the door to encourage the occupants to donate their shilling, when the door opened and the undertakers carried forth the unfortunate occupant whom had sadly passed away that day. It is not clear whether the small band of carol players finished its rendition of Christians Awake or whether the relatives of the dearly departed appreciated it.

If you believe any of  the information contained on this page is incorrect, please e-mail your version of the truth to us and we shall consider amendments.

MANY MORE ANECDOTES TO FOLLOW!

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