Archive Information: The Brass Bands Archive

The Brass Bands Archive is housed at Heritage Quay, The University of Huddersfield’s Archive Service.  

Heritage Quay can be found on the 3rd floor of the Schwann Building, University of Huddersfield Queensgate Huddersfield HD1 3DH. 

Opening Hours: The Research Room at Heritage Quay is currently open Tuesdays and Wednesdays. To view original documents in the research room you will need to pre-book an appointment. Heritage Quay also offer online research appointments. All appointments can be booked a minimum of one week in advance through our booking form. 

Accessibility Information: The Archive at Heritage Quay is fully accessible. We welcome all visitors, including carers with young children, disabled visitors and their personal assistants, support workers or companions. We are keen to address any barriers to access. 

For more accessibility information please check the website – https://heritagequay.org/visitors-with-additional-needs/  

Staff

We currently have a Brass Bands Archivist, Danielle, who is funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund, based both at Heritage Quay and Brass Bands headquarters in Barnsley.  

Volunteers have contributed profoundly to the development of the Brass Bands Archive; we currently have several cataloguing volunteers and blog-writing volunteers.  

Our building

  • The Brass Bands Archive in the Repository at Heritage Quay
  • You can visit the research room at Heritage Quay to explore the Collection

What you’ll find

What we collect

The Brass Bands Archive is the world’s largest archive dedicated to preserving global brass band heritage.   

The Archive is responsible for collecting, storing, preserving and presenting materials relevant to global brass band heritage. The collection focuses on items of cultural and historical significance. This includes  

● Original manuscript Brass Band music 

● Photographs of bands, contests and bands persons 

● Original published print materials related to brass bands, brass banding history and notable bands persons  

● Records of brass band contests and concerts   

● Records of nationally and internationally prominent brass musicians and bands 

The Brass Band Archive gratefully accepts donations to the archive. We aim to preserve the Heritage and stories of brass banding across the Country, and we can only do this with the help of brilliant brass banders. 

Most Unusual Item

We have many unusual items in the Archive, but the collection includes four phonograph cylinders. These were first invented by Thomas Edison in 1877, and are the earliest commercial medium for recording and reproducing sound.

Wax Cylinders, the earliest medium of recording sound 

Our Catalogue and online resources  

  • Read more about the Brass Bands Archive and learn about some of the incredible histories preserved in the collection, on the Brass Bands Blog