About the Band

Kinneil Band was founded in 1858 by the miners of Kinneil Pit and the workers of Wilson's Kinneil Iron Works in their home town of Bo'ness. The founder members decided to name their new band ‘Kinneil Band', famously known since that day. The bands founding members donated £5 each to enable the purchase of the band's first set of instruments.

In 1894 Kinneil Band led a parade of striking miners to a meeting with miners from nearby collieries. The management of Kinneil Colliery did not look kindly upon the support the band showed and they duly notified the band that the lease of rehearsal facilities was cancelled. Undaunted, the band then began raising funds to build their own bandhall. Astonishingly, in just over one year enough money was raised to commence building. The ground for the hall was granted to them by the Duke of Hamilton and the total cost of the hall was £350. The current bandhall exists in the same location today on Linlithgow Road Bo'ness.

The band steadily increased its reputation and continued to perform at major events around the country up until the First World War. During this time the band lost many of its members to the forces but the band still continued to practice during the Great War until the surviving members returned from the front line.

In 1953 the band decided that a change to traditional brass should occur. The band's name then changed to ‘Kinneil Colliery Silver Band' to reflect the support the band received from the miners of Kinneil Colliery. The band's most notable claims to fame came in 1959 when they won the second section national championships and in 1965, it was placed fourth in the National Championships of Great Britain despite a disastrous ending to the test piece Triumphant Rhapsody.

Kinneil maintained a strong link to the local mine workers, who subscribed to the band until the colliery closed in 1983. Shortly after the closure of the colliery, support was received from the National Union of Public Employees. In 1993, NUPE amalgamated with the other public sector unions to form UNISON and the band changed its name to UNISON Kinneil Band to mark their continued support.

In 2019, disaster struck when a massive fire tore through Newtown Park, the home of Bo'ness United Football Club, and gutted the bandhall. Over a century of trophies, memorabilia, and irreplaceable items were lost in the blaze. Yet, even in the face of this heartbreaking setback, the band’s determination remained unwavering. Today, Kinneil Band continues to thrive, carrying forward its proud tradition of music and community.

Conductors

  • Allan Ramsay

    Allan Ramsay

    Musical Director

  • Paul Drury

    Paul Drury

    Associate Conductor

Cornets

  • A man with glasses and a beard wearing a formal uniform with gold trim and a black bow tie.

    Dhani Miller

    Principal Cornet

  • A man in a formal military uniform with gold epaulets, a white shirt, and a black bow tie.

    William McLaughlin

    Solo Cornet

  • A smiling man in a formal military or ceremonial uniform with gold epaulets, a black bow tie, and a light blue jacket.

    Willie Gardner

    Solo Cornet

  • William Tawn

    Solo Cornet

  • A senior man with glasses in a formal uniform with gold epaulets and a black bow tie.

    Owen Downs

    Soprano Cornet

  • Silhouette of a person with short hair, facing forward, on a black background.

    Nicky McLaughlin

    Repiano Cornet

  • A woman in a formal navy blue uniform with gold accents and a bow tie, smiling at the camera with a black background.

    Dianne Doherty

    2nd Cornet

  • Young girl with long blonde hair wearing a formal uniform with a black bow tie and epaulets, smiling at the camera against a plain background.

    Beth Drury

    2nd Cornet

  • A woman with blonde hair, glasses, and a big smile wearing a formal uniform with a bowtie and decorative shoulder pads.

    Ruth Kelly

    3rd Cornet

  • A smiling man with a beard in a formal military uniform with gold trim and a bow tie.

    Scott Gardner

    3rd Cornet

Horns

  • Woman in a military uniform with a bow tie, smiling at the camera.

    Cheryl Saunders

    Flugel Horn

  • Young man in a formal military-style uniform with glasses and a bow tie, smiling at the camera.

    Samuel Duzinkewycz

    Solo Horn

  • Young woman in a military or marching band uniform with a dark jacket, gold accents, white shirt, and black bow tie, smiling at the camera.

    Roman Scott

    1st Horn

  • A bald man in a military dress uniform with gold accents and a bow tie.

    Robert Doherty

    2nd Horn

Baritones

  • A smiling middle-aged man in a military dress uniform with a bow tie, gold epaulets, and a high collar.

    Ian Campbell

    Solo Baritone

  • Portrait of a woman in a formal uniform with a bow tie, dark hair, and light makeup.

    Billie-Jane Hamilton

    2nd Baritone

Trombones

  • Silhouette of a person's head and shoulders against a black background.

    Vacant

    Solo Trombone

  • Woman dressed in a costume resembling a military or marching band officer, wearing a dark navy jacket with gold epaulets and trim, a light blue shirt, and a black bow tie.

    Fiona Drury

    2nd Trombone

  • A middle-aged man in a formal military or ceremonial uniform with shoulder epaulets, a bow tie, and white shirt, against a plain background.

    Davie Frame

    Bass Trombone

Euphoniums

  • A man in a formal uniform with gold epaulets on his shoulders, wearing a black bow tie and a white shirt, smiling at the camera.

    Andrew Meikle

    Solo Euphonium

  • A young woman in a formal military uniform with a bow tie, smiling at the camera.

    Lorna Bryce

    2nd Euphonium

  • A smiling man dressed in a formal military-style uniform with gold epaulets and a bow tie.

    Raymond Millar

    2nd Euphonium

Basses

  • Silhouette of a person's head and shoulders against a black background.

    Vacant

    Solo Eb Bass

  • A man with glasses and a beard wearing a formal military or dress uniform with a bow tie, gold epaulets on the shoulders, and a smiling expression.

    Jamie Quin

    2nd Eb Bass

  • Gary Kelly

    Solo Bb Bass

  • A smiling man in a formal uniform with gold trim and a black bow tie.

    Neill McDonald

    2nd Bb Bass

  • A man with a large beard and blue eyes dressed in a costume resembling a military or ceremonial uniform.

    Jaiden Currie

    2nd Bb Bass

Percussion

  • A man with a goatee and bald head wearing a blue tuxedo with black lapel and gold trim, white shirt, black bowtie, smiling at the camera.

    Michael McLaughlin

    Percussion

  • A man wearing a black bow tie and a formal jacket with gold trim, smiling against a neutral background.

    Camy Marr

    Percussion

  • Silhouette of a person's head and shoulders against a black background.

    Lauren Jackson

    Percussion

  • Silhouette of a person's head and shoulders against a dark background.

    Vacant

    Percussion