The B&R Roundabout
In 2006 a team of representatives of Calderdale Coucil, Marshall Ltd and B&R Band headed by the Mayor of Calderdale, Coun. Colin Stout, met to discuss a plan to design and install a permanent monument to the Brighouse and Rastrick Band in recognition of its role as a leading ambassador to the town and district. Months of very hard work by the team followed, especially by Marshalls, to see the project through all the necessary stages. Eventually this paid off and culminated in an official completion ceremony on 15th May 2007.
A very early morning start on a Spring Bank Holiday Monday saw the team from Marshalls and Calderdale starting to install the monument on the roundabout, long before most of the town were awake. Groundwork and installation of the huge ashlar stones, each weighing many tons, was completed over the next few days.
The completed monument comprises the band logo coloured in purple and gold, carved into several huge stones placed around the roundabout edge. A large central stone supports a final carving claiming the bands ‘world fame’ and engraved with the opening bars of manuscript of the bands signature tune ‘West Riding’. Purple and yellow aggregate complete the base.
The official ceremony to mark the completion of the project was one of the last duties as Mayor of Calderdale for Councillor Colin Stout before he handed over to his successor next day. Here he cuts a ceremonial ribbon watched by B&R President, Paul Beaumont and a small crowd of band supporters, townsfolk and onlookers along with the accompaniement of the odd car horn ‘toot’ from passing motorists.
We don’t think many bands will have played on a roundabout while the busy evening traffic still flows around it, but Brighouse and Rastrick have! In full Whit Friday uniforms the band played several appropriate pieces of music as part of the completion ceremony including a specially composed piece by the band’s own Leigh Baker called ‘Brighouse Flourishes’.
Now, the visitors who pass the roundabout every day, in car or lorry, are left in no doubt about where the band’s home is. It has even been reported that Her Majesty the Queen, and the Duke of Edinburgh, briefly took notice of the monument as they drove past whilst on their recent official visit to the area. The Brighouse and Rastrick Band are very grateful for the honour and recognition from their local community and express again their thanks to Coun. Colin Stout, Calderdale Council, Marshalls and Tesco’s who all contributed to the project.
