Remember when ... 1962: Striking up the band in Kelvingrove Park

IT was a blissfully sunny and eventful afternoon in Kelvingrove Park, that last Sunday of April 1962. Lots of people milling around, enjoying a massed military band display. And among them, clutching pen and notebook, was Pursuivant, the anonymous author of the Glasgow Herald’s From All Quarters column, a popular feature of our editorial page.

Pursuivant’s report, carried the following morning – April 30 – was sandwiched between items on London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts and Stratford-upon-avon.

“Transistor radios and the Top Twenty dominated one side of the river Kelvin yesterday afternoon;” it began, “on the other it was Bizet and bagpipes in the bandstand, trumpets and tubas gleaming in the sunshine, as a large crowd sat listening to the massed military band display by Glasgow Territorial Army units.

“Dark green tartan and spotless white spats on the platform; jackets off on the terracing, sunglasses and spring hats; lost dogs, lost children, hard-worked keepers; clapping, musical criticism (‘Aye, he’s kinda aff, that yin’), contentment.

“Children’s faces peering over the hedge; an Indian in shirt sleeves stepping forward to photograph a Highland dancer; a man staring through his sunglasses at the notice on the back of the programme – ‘Why Not Join the Territorial Army and Profit from a Worthwhile Hobby?’ Gilmorehill looming

Gothic above one end of the bandstand, muddy reflections in the Kelvin at the other. French victory marches, Scottish regimental tunes, ‘Auld Lang Syne’. the National Anthem, time for high tea, Kelvin Way crowded like Rothesay front. But some people just sat on in the sunshine.”

The bands involved were 279 (City of Glasgow & Ayrshire) Regiment, R.A,; 6/7 Bn, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 5/6th Bn, HLI (City of Glasgow Regiment) and 1st Bn. Glasgow Highlanders (HLI) (City of Glasgow Regiment).