The Band started in Smithstone in 1875, about ten years after the first families began to move to the area. These families, predominantly from areas such as Airdrie, Rawyards and Chapelhall, came to work in the coal mines that were being opened at the time by Wm. Baird & Co.
For the first few years the instrumentation of the band was far removed from the brass bands we know today. In fact, if you owned any instrument you were invited to play in the band. Gradually, however, the band became all brass and the band gained in popularity, soon being called on to play at many of the functions being held in and around the local area.
Around the turn of the century a new complete set of instruments was purchased and, in 1902, the new parish of Holy Cross was opened with Father Francis McCann as Parish Priest. Fr. McCann was quick to see the potential in the band and he started negotiations to bring the band under the banner of the new parish. However, the band committee at the time was reluctant to make the change and it was not until 1908 that Fr. John Charleston finally persuaded the band to come under the parish and be known as Croy Parish Band.
Shortly after the changeover, Fr. Charleson appointed the band’s first professional conductor, a Belgian Army man called Mr. Henry Fortyn. Under the new conductor the band improved rapidly and attended a number of contests where they achieved reasonable success. With the imminent start of the First World War, Mr. Fortyn left to re-join the Belgian Army leaving the band to carry on without a professional conductor. This situation prevailed until October 1921 when Mr. Robert Thomson was appointed. Since then, the band has always had a full time professional to guide them, with the current conductor being Mr. Kenneth Blackwood.
For the first few years the instrumentation of the band was far removed from the brass bands we know today. In fact, if you owned any instrument you were invited to play in the band. Gradually, however, the band became all brass and the band gained in popularity, soon being called on to play at many of the functions being held in and around the local area.
Around the turn of the century a new complete set of instruments was purchased and, in 1902, the new parish of Holy Cross was opened with Father Francis McCann as Parish Priest. Fr. McCann was quick to see the potential in the band and he started negotiations to bring the band under the banner of the new parish. However, the band committee at the time was reluctant to make the change and it was not until 1908 that Fr. John Charleston finally persuaded the band to come under the parish and be known as Croy Parish Band.
Shortly after the changeover, Fr. Charleson appointed the band’s first professional conductor, a Belgian Army man called Mr. Henry Fortyn. Under the new conductor the band improved rapidly and attended a number of contests where they achieved reasonable success. With the imminent start of the First World War, Mr. Fortyn left to re-join the Belgian Army leaving the band to carry on without a professional conductor. This situation prevailed until October 1921 when Mr. Robert Thomson was appointed. Since then, the band has always had a full time professional to guide them, with the current conductor being Mr. Kenneth Blackwood.
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Through the years, the band has been fortunate to have been asked to represent Scotland on a number of occasions. In 1968, the band was the first civilian band to be asked to play at the football international between Scotland and England at Hampden Park. In 1982, the band was invited to play at the Papal mass being held at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow during the visit of His Holiness Pope John-Paul II to the United Kingdom. Following the Papal visit, the band was extended an invitation to play at the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin in 1983. In 2010, the band was again asked to play at the Papal mass being held in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow during the visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom.
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Bellahouston Park 2010
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To date, the band has secured First-Place at the Scottish Championships on seven occasions, with six Second-Place finishes. All in all, this has permitted the band to represent Scotland at the British Brass Band Championships on nine occasions, securing two Third Place finishes (in 1961 and most recently in 2024).
Cheltenham 2024
