History

1871-1940

William Palmer was born in 1850, in Kinver near Dudley in the West Midlands and served his music apprenticeship with the London and South Wales Colliery Company firstly in the Forest of Dean before being appointed to the post of first Bandmaster at the newly sunk Risca North Colliery (1871-1963) He is pictured with his family above. As is common with brass bands the members tend to come from many of the same families, the son and grandson of William Palmer’s (first conductor) were founding members and William jnr. can be seen as the boy mascot of the Risca Town Military band (gallery pictures) and two other relatives Ivor King and Bryn Mainwaring both played cornet for the band in the 1920’s and 30’s respectively. William’s great great grandson, Darryl Rees, is a member of the current learner’s section playing euphonium. Other noted members within the band were the Reeves and Mitchum families who can be seen pictured in the early years of both the Prize and Silver bands.
Continuing the family theme to the present day the Musical Director has two members of his family playing with the band, there are three members of the Howe family and five members of the Davies family currently involved, which must be a record for family participation. This post was unusual for the time being a paid position, three days per week spent composing, arranging and writing for the brass band, there were no photocopiers in those days, the remainder of his week undertaking clerking duties in what was known as the “Chaff House”.
You may be wondering what this has to do with Crosskeys Silver Band, well Risca North (the name can still be seen on a signpost near to the band room) grew in size until about 1900 it was decided that rather than as a suburb of Risca Town the area should be formally named as Crosskeys.
In 1902 at the local Primitive Methodist Chapel in Gladstone Street the first Crosskeys Band was formed under the conductorship of Mr. M. W. Treasure.
Many of the band members who formed Crosskeys Prize Band on its formal inauguration in 1902 came from the colliery band and as the gallery photos will show, many of them also played for Risca Town Military Band. During the General Strike the band toured the then County of Monmouthshire raising money for the soup kitchens

In 1926 with support from the Treasure family Cross Keys Silver Band was formed, under its new conductor J. Buckmaster who had previously been the Principal Cornet player.

1946 to Present

Following the second world war the band practised in rooms above the Tredegar Arms Hotel (known then and now as “The Monkey”) opposite the colliery bathhouse, Mr Blunt, the landlord can be seen in the 1926 inauguration photograph. In the early Fifties a youth section was formed under John Childs time as conductor and the name was changed to reflect this Cross Keys Silver and Youth Band
The band always had a close involvement with Cross Keys Rugby Club, playing before matches, “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles “was a particular favourite, rehearsals were subsequently moved to a band room at the rugby club ground in 1963 financed by fundraising.
The year of 1967 saw a complete revamp of both committee and band and success soon followed, playing in the National Championships of 1968/9. An Eisteddfod win in 68, champions in both South and West Wales contests also followed that year. The youth band were also county champions in 1969 and 1970.

When the adjacent, A467 Trunk road was constructed in the early 1980's the river Ebbw had to be diverted to make way for the path of the new road, the Bands rehearsal Room which stood in its path was demolished and the local District and County Council agreed to provide a new and up-to-date rehearsal room at an adjacent location in Pandy park along with the Cross Keys Rugby Club
Premises.

In 1980 the New Band headquarters was officially opened by Mr Harry Mortimer (Pictured above (centre) with the Rt Hon Neil Kinnock and the then conductor Mr N E Weeks) ,the world famous musical director of many Champion Section Bands in Britain.
Over the years, the band has had many conductors, who originally worked in the local collieries of the area, and were all self taught musicians. Among the conductors, the band has engaged over the years were, John Childs the father of the two world famous euphonium soloists, and present musical directors of the famous" Cory band" from the Rhondda Valley and "Black Dyke Mills Band" from Yorkshire, with Robert and Nicholas Childs, Playing under their father both started their banding careers with the Cross Keys Silver Band, before moving with their father to join the Tredegar Town brass band and other bands in the Yorkshire area.
During the late 1970's and early 80's, Nigel Weeks principal trombone with the Tredegar Town Band, joined Cross Keys Silver Band and started his conducting career. He was able to conduct not only the Senior band but also formed a learners, intermediate and junior band involving 90 young musicians, the youngest being just 7 years of age.
The Junior Band gained a number of successes, in 1981 the band were Gwent youth band champions and competed in the National Festival of music for youth, held at the Fairfield Hall as a result of that competition being highly commended. The youth band was invited to play at the Schools Promenade Concert, held in the Royal Albert Hall London 1981. The band also appeared on Yorkshire television (Best of Brass) in Bradford and engaged Jim Davies, Principal cornet soloist with the Cory Brass Band.
In 1980, Cross Keys Silver Band gained promotion to the second section of the South East Wales Brass Band Grading System and had a number of successes being awarded 1st Prize at the Welsh Brass band Regional contest in Swansea and Welsh Brass Band Champions in the second section. First prize at the Treorchy contest in November, 3rd Prize at Pontins Easter Festival at Bream Sands,1st Prize at the Annual Miners Gala contest in Cardiff and 1st Prize in Marching, and 2nd Prize at The Weston-super Mare contest, all under the direction of Nigel Weeks.
Over the years Cross Keys Silver Band has had many successes but also sadly, periods when the band very nearly disbanded. Thanks to the loyalty, dedication and commitment of its officers, committee and small nucleus of loyal players, they all helped in their way in keeping Cross Keys Silver Band Alive.
During the late 1990's, The Band engaged the services of Mr Kerry Bowden, who agreed to help the band by becoming their conductor. Under his leadership the band gained a number of successes, having qualified to play at the National finals in 2000 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and also at the Conference centre in Harrogate.
2006 opened with the band gaining successes at a Brass Band contest in Coleford in the February, and in March qualified to represent Wales in Fourth Section at the National Brass Band Finals in Harrogate under the musical direction of Mr Kerry Bowden.
So in one form or another there has been a band in our area for 135 years and the Cross Keys Silver Band for 80 years, recently the band has seen an upsurge in both new members, the learners section being very active and the senior band returning to winning ways in competitions representing Wales at the National Championships in Harrogate. So we look forward to the next 80 years.