History of Bocking Concert Brass

In the early 1970's Ken Few was bandmaster of Long Melford band and deputy bandmaster of Essex Police Band and was approached by a Mr Johnson who wanted Ken to teach his son Graham to play the cornet. Graham's friends got to hear about the lessons and wanted to join in, so Ken set up his little band in the warehouse of his shop in Bradford Street.

Before long, other musicians had heard of Ken's band and also joined. As there was already a marching band in Braintree called Braintree Marching Band, Ken called his band Bocking Concert Brass to avoid any confusion. To raise funds to buy music and instruments, band members and their families would hold rummage sales, and collect funds door to door at Christmas time. The fees that were paid to the band for performances were entirely spent on musical instruments and music. The early instruments were also bought locally from Sellers, a music factory based in Woolpack Lane in Braintree.

When Ken moved from his shop in 1973, they moved from hall to hall trying to find suitable venues until 1993 when local factory owner John Knopp of Knopp Electronic Services offered a sponsorship deal with free practice premises at his factory on the Springwood Industrial Estate in Braintree. The Band changed its name to KES Brass and its uniform to the gold, blue and black that is currently worn. John sadly died 4 years later. His widow remained Honorary President for some years.

After John's death and the end of the sponsorship deal, the band's name reverted to Bocking Concert Brass and the school room at the Braintree Museum became the new band room on practice nights where, apart from a temporary move to Great Bradford's Junior School for a year whilst the Museum was being refurbished, they remain to this day .

Ken is now in his 90's and still Bandmaster of the band he formed all those years ago. He is now assisted by two deputy conductors - Sue Edwards and Ian Coote.