The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-02
ROYAL BESSES BAND TONIGHT
WRITE CITR,S GREATEST OFFER
 ING OFTHE SEASON

Band Arrives at New York This Morn-
 ing on the steamer Majestic-Enor-
 nous Expense Makes It Necessary to
 Suspend Free List-Origin and His-
 tory of the Band.
 The ocean greyhound Majestic
 bringing to this country the famous royal Bosses O. Tn Barn Band was
 sighted off Sable Island yesterday, and
 will dock at New York early this
 morning Immediately upcn landing
 the members will take the first express
 for New Haven, arriving in good sea-
 son for the first concert tonight at the
 White City.
 Owing to the enormous expense in
 bringing this noted band to the White
 City for three concerts-this and Fri
 day evenings and Friday matinee-it
 has been necessary to absolutely sus-
 pend the free list
 This famous band which comes from
 Whitefeld, near Manchester, Eng,
 takes it's name from quaint old Lan- cashire village called the Bosses O. Tn Barn, which at the commencement of this bnd's history was simply small hamlt of fw tenements, in which time has now wrought many changes.
 The origin of its peculiar name is ex- plained in various ways, only a few of which, however are accepted with any credibility. The earliest mention of Bosses O Tn Barn takes us to within nine years of the hanging of Dick Tur- pin at York, when in newspaper da- ted January, 1747, an advertisement appeared converting a meeting of cred- itors at 'Besney O. Tn Barn" This hostelry was of barn-like appearance and was kept by a good looking Lan-' cashire lass called "Bess" or Bessie" and as the inn became a noted house of call the remark would often be let us go and see Bessie at tn Barn.
 Another legend Cpresumably) was to this effect A noted highwayman (generally supposed to lbe Dick Turpin) was in the habit of stabling his steed in the old barn which stood at the square in front of the Bosses O Tn Barn Inn. The name of this gallant steed was said to have been Black Bess or Bess O Tn Barn, and 1t was from the exploits of this horse and it's rider that the village obtained ts name.
 1t is unfortunate that no record exists of the actual date of the commence ment of the band, but we are given to understand that when first originated, over one hundred and fifty years ago, it was a string band, which afterwards was turned into reed band some- where about the year 1918, during the reign of George III, Gin whose corona tion procession it took parD and soon after the famous Battle of Waterloo.
 As far back as 1921 Bosses were awarded their first prize in musical competition, for on the 18th of July they were along with numerous oth- CT bands, engaged to play in the pro- cession celebrating the coronation of George ", prize was offered for the band that should play best a piece of its own selection. The prize was awarded the ''Besses," who for their test piece played ''God Save the King" This stands as the first introduction to Q long list of remarkable successes In June, 1887, on the occasion of the coronation of the late Queen Victoria, the band also competed, playing on this occasion Hail! Smiling Morn," and were awarded the first prize.
 In 1853 all the reed instruments were dispensed with and no time was lost In procuring the necessary means re- qutred to replace them with brass: the | band was augmented and the services of MT. James A. Melling, of Manches- | ter, England, secured as conductor.
 In 1869 and 1870 the band won prizes It Bell Vue contest. It was in this | atter year (1S70) that MT. Melling, | conductor, was taken from them, being lttacwked with a severe illness from which he never recovered.
 This naturally unsettled the band for some time, and nothing of importance occurred ((with the exception of occa- iional victories at contests) until the year 1879, when the band secured the services of Mir. John Gladney, under whose tuition they attended large lumber of contests and between the 'ears of 1879 and 1862 won large sums ,n the contest platform.
 In the latter part of 1882 the services If Mir. c. F. Birgenshaw, of Bradford, were obtained, but his career with the 'and was only of short duration. Some inc after this deputation was ormed to wait upon, for the second inc, MT Alexander Owen, with the bJeet of inducing him to take LID the eaching of the band, and the ultimate utcome was that on Februarv 24 1Ss4