About Us

The Redhill Corps of Drums was an idea started in 1980 by Mr Anthony Earthy. Tony had been a musician in the "Queens Regiment" of the British Army and had been involved in banding since his youth and spent many years in the Church Lads Brigade as a playing member and ultimately Bandmaster of the 406 Coy. Redhill. By January 1981 all was in place to start a new band in the town of Redhill. The first meeting as a Band produced some 30 players, some with no experience of playing fully chromatic instruments at all. Over the first 12 months, uniforms and who was playing which instrument was sorted out, and by 1982 the Band was ready to compete at Band competitions in the British Youth Band Association.

 

February 1984 saw the Band make its first visit to Eschweiler in West Germany to take part in the annual Carnival festivities as part of a Town Twinning programme. The Band was hosted by our twin band "Die Kaafsack" Trompettencorps Durwiss. The highlights of that visit was marching into the "Festhalle" in Durwiss onto the stage to play in front of over 1,000 singing and dancing Germans, and marching in a carnival in the SNOW through crowds TEN deep in places. A total of four carnivals/processions were completed over a long weekend.

 

1988 saw the Band rejoin the contest scene, this time with the Traditional Youth Marching Band Association and embarking on a ten day tour in August of West Germany, again hosted by "Die Kaafsack". The tour included playing in Heinbach, Monchau and Cologne as well as sight seeing.

 

1995 saw the Band take its third trip to Eschweiler, Germany again to take part in the annual Carnival celebrations. On this occasion the Band was seen marching through the streets of Eschweiler on German Television.

 

The Band rejoined the contest circuit again in 1998 with a new and in-experienced band and results were encouraging for the future. In December of 1998, 14 members of the Band played with 200 other T.Y.M.B.A Bandsmen and Bands Women in the T.Y.M.B.A massed Bands at the Birmingham International Tattoo, and despite the cold and rough and ready accommodation thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

 

2000 was an outstanding year for the Band with great success in the four Contests it entered and the year ended with the Band becoming T.Y.M.B.A. Contest Class National Champions and promotion to Championship Class. Also in 2000 it was decided to expand the Band to include a Concert Band to allow musicians who did not want to march or were too old for Contests to join or stay with Band.

 

2002 saw the Band returning to the winning ways of 2000, with the Band finishing 2nd in the League, just missing promotion to National class. Also during 2002 the Band led Parades to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee through the towns of Redhill and East Grinstead.

 

2003 saw the Band embarking on another Summer Tour this time playing in Strasbourg, Baden Baden and Selastet.

 

In 2004 The Band became the T.Y.M.B.A Contest Class National Finals and League Champions, taking 28 Trophies in the process and were promoted back to the Championship Class for the third time.

 

2006 is the Band's Silver Jubilee and along with Summer Tour of Holland and Luxembourg a Joint Concert was held with Lingfield Silver Band and a successful re-union Party was held in September. Also during 2006 the Band became a Royal British Legion Affiliated Unit connected to the Horley Branch.