A photograph from one of the UK’s oldest brass bands has offered a glimpse of what Elgin was like 100 years ago.
The picture of Elgin City Band, from 1902, was taken outside the old town hall on Moray Street which burnt down in 1939.
The image was shared after a customer handed it into a photo lab in Stonehaven and asked if could be colorised.
The store, Sharper Imaging, passed it on to a Paul Sheriff, an Inverness-based Network Rail engineer who also colorises old pictures for a hobby.
Mr Sheriff beegan to research the history of the photo, and discovered it is the oldest, dated picture of Elgin City Band.
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He said: “I colorise photos as a hobby and was asked by the shop owner in Stonehaven if I could do this for one of her customers.
“I looked into the history of the band trying to find colours for the uniforms and instruments but couldn’t find much until I got in touch with Elgin Museum.
“They had nothing on the band, except the original drum that is in the photo.”
Elgin City Band was founded in 1858 and is still going strong today, thanks to a steady intake of school pupils who join while undergoing music tuition.
It has members from all walks of life, who rehearse in Bishopmill Primary every Wednesday.
John Marshall, a member of the band for 68 years, is collating history about it.
He said: “I have been down to the library to the archive section and looked at some of the newspaper reels but some of them were very damaged.
“I have been secretary and treasurer of the band over the years and found some great stories, including one about a fall-out between the band and Morayshire Railway Company in 1859.
“They hired the band to play in Lossiemouth and offered them free travel to get there but after a mix-up, the band were forced to travel through in an enclosed cattle truck that was never washed out.”
