Stocksbridge Brass Band

The History Of The Band

Stocksbridge Brass Band was formerly known as the Sheffield Recreation Band and is the band featured heavily in the movie. Originally based in Sheffield the band moved to Stocksbridge around 1988 when the steelworks there were looking for a band to sponsor.

The factories and mills of years ago began introducing choirs, sporting organisations and bands to give their workers something cultural to pursue outside of the working environment and so began the introduction of bands made up entirely of employees of that particular firm. (obviously these days that doesn't happen)

At the time of the introduction the factory owners saw brass bands as helping to look after the welfare of their employees.

 Brass bands became sponsored by and linked to steel works. These days with the closure of so many steelworks it's rare to find a band functioning and operating under the umbrella of a steelworks.

In the 1960's there were 26 brass bands almost all sponsored by steelworks - as the steelworks closed they have almost all disappeared.

At the same time that The Full Monty movie was made the band were in the unfortunately losing their sponsorship from the steelworks too - but were still the only band in Sheffield with any attachment to a steelworks and were recognisable for this.

The band had just got back from a tour of Australia and Germany when asked to work with the movie.

Filming The Full Monty
Awaiting interview and pictures

After The Full Monty
The band went into a decline due to the loss of sponsorship from the steelworks and at one time was down to just 6 players.

With a small band and struggling to continue the band were featured on the national news broadcasts at the time who told the story of the band from The Full Monty who were struggling to carry on and who were desperate for sponsors to come forward and help.

Some of the scenes in the movie were filmed at Asda Supermarket at Orgreave (now gone) and the boss of Asda saw the band's plight and stepped in to sponsor them and from there the band have grown again and are now back up to a fully functioning band not only entertaining Sheffield people but acting as ambassadors for the city of Sheffield all over the world.

Current Day
Awaiting interview and pictures