Edenbridge Town Band celebrated on Saturday 6th June with a dinner at the Hever Golf Club to mark the band’s 160th anniversary.
The band also marked two members’ incredible milestones with presentations to recognise and thank Musical Director David Pocock and Principal Cornet player Ian Crouthers for decades of dedicated service.
David Pocock joined the Edenbridge Town Band at the age of 12. He was a playing member for nearly 30 years, playing flugel horn, Bb cornet, tenor horn and baritone before, rather reluctantly, taking on the role of Musical Director in 1985. He has remained in this position for the last 41 years and is undoubtedly the backbone of the band.
In over 70 wonderful years with the Edenbridge Town Band, David has taught over 100 learners of all ages to read music and learn to play a brass instrument, including his three children and five of his grandchildren. His extensive musical knowledge has been self-taught. David is very well-respected within the band as well as in Edenbridge and the surrounding area. In May 1999, he was the ninth person to be awarded the Civic Medallion by the Edenbridge Town Council in recognition of his long and outstanding service to the town band and local community, and in 2026 he became the first person in the town to receive this award for a second time.
Ian Crouthers comes from a brass banding tradition, with his father playing cornet and percussion, his maternal grandfather playing cornet and his great grandfather a bass player. Ian began playing in 1976 at the age of 10 when he was given his grandfather’s trumpet to learn on and joined the learners group of the Copthorne and District Silver Band. He quickly progressed to playing in the main band, then in 1984 aged 18 he took the opportunity to join the Edenbridge Town Band with his father and later his sister joined them too. Starting on 2nd cornet, he was soon promoted to solo cornet and, moving up the front row one seat at a time, became the band’s principal cornet in the early 2000s. Over the years Ian has assisted several other bands in the area, although his heart has always been at Edenbridge. Ian has served the band as a committee member, minutes secretary and now band chair as well as concert compere and researcher of the band’s long and colourful history.
Congratulations and thank you David and Ian for your service, and Happy Anniversary Edenbridge Town Band!