CULTURES OF BRASS PROJECT
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CULTURES OF BRASS PROJECT |
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The Diary of a Victorian Bandsman British publishers of military music 1770-1880
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The Diary of a Victorian Military Bandsman Helen Barlow A note on the text and its transcription William Shepherd’s ‘Reminiscences of 54 Years with 1st Devon Militia’ is an unpublished memoir (not strictly a diary) written around 1906 to 1907 (Devon Record Office, Exeter, 59/7/4/4). Shepherd was a drummer with the 1st Devon Militia throughout the second half of the nineteenth century and beyond, and his memoir is an important testimony from an ordinary Victorian working man, a category of person whose voice is seldom heard, whose memories allow us a rare first-hand insight into an aspect of nineteenth-century British music. Shepherd’s reminiscences reveal a considerable amount about the functions of a regimental band, not just in military ceremonies but also as popular entertainment. His reminiscences give detailed coverage of the years 1855 and 1856, when the regiment was serving in South Wales and Ireland. The following years through to 1906 are dealt with rather more patchily. The memoir is written in pencil, and occupies thirty-five sides of a hand-stitched notebook approximately 137 x 212mm in size. The document appears to be in his own hand, and allowing for some idiosyncrasies, it is clear and articulate. (Illustrations 1 and 2) The transcription, which follows this introductory essay, has been done as literally as possible, following Shepherd’s use of superscript for the ends of abbreviated words, his spelling, and his punctuation and capitalisation (or lack of it). His paragraph breaks have also been retained, as has his pagination. (His paragraphs sometimes consist of a single sentence which may be less than a line in length, and they do not always begin with a capital letter or conclude with a full stop.)
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