T. J. Powell and the Melingriffith Band

The Melingriffith Silver Band was one of the best known, and one of the oldest musical combinations in South Wales. The band's headquarters was in on of the New Houses near the Melingriffith Tin Plate Works. In the 1860's and 1870's the band used to play at club feasts and at other semi-public functions, and was frequently referred to as Booker's Band. In 1878 the leader of the band was Mr. French Davis, but in April, 1880, Evan Owen was in charge.

After the failure of the Booker undertaking in the late 1870's the connection of the Band with the Melingriffith works was broken, but the organization was apparently not disbanded. For a time there seem to have been three combinations - The Volunteer Band, a Temperance Band and a Drum and Fife Band. The first to combined to from a village band, and was under the direction of Mr. Chivers. In 1913, through the influence of Mr. Spence Thomas, the Managing Director of Melingriffith, the Village Band was incorporated with the Melingriffith Cadet Corps.

In 1919 it was again reorganised as an independent unit by Mr. Frank Morgan, and in 1920 Mr. T. J. Powell was appointed conductor. From 1923 until 1937 the Band occupied a small building overlooking the Works; in the later year an old Ty Mawr Farm building was adapted as a Band Room. The Melingriffith Band has had a very successful career in the competitive field, and bears a high reputation in musical circles.

T. J. ("Tom") Powell was born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire on the 12th October 1897. As has been the case with many musicians in the Brass Band movement, he started as a boy in the Salvation Army, and was playing side-drum in the youth band at the age of seven. He transferred to the Tredegar Senior Band on cornet and studied theory and harmony during this period with Mr. Hurley, who was Bandmaster there. Just prior to the first World War, he joined the Tredegar Town Band but then left South Wales to serve with distinction in the Band of H. M. Royal Marines, he furthered his studies during the war in the Marines School of Music.

In 1920 he was appointed Musical Director of the Melingriffith Volunteer and Cadet Corps Band which was connected to the Melingriffith Tinplate Works at Whitchurch, just outside Cardiff, he lived locally for many years at 81 Velindre Road, Whitchurch. This was the beginning of an association which lasted all his life, and the names of "Melingriffith" and "Tom Powell" will be forever linked together. He conducted with Mr. Tom Moore - a top cornet with Besses of the Barn - who had been coaching the Band in those early days and within three years the Band progressed very rapidly from class "C" to Class "A". At the same time he coached the Cardiff Transport Band and had quite some successes with them. Over the years the Melingriffith Band grew in reputation with Tom Powell conducting, and "T. J." eventually came to adjudicate all over the country and was in great demand as a coach, despite the fact that he never advertised.

Composing was a great joy to him. Early in his career with Melingriffith he wrote a March called "Appreciation" dedicated to Mr. David Millward who was secretary of the Band at the time and who helped Tom in his early days. He excelled at writing Marches and "Appreciation" was a forerunner of more than 50. Some have never been printed, but are on manuscript in the library of the Excelsior Ropes Band who succeeded Melingriffith on the closing of the Tinplate Works. Many of the Marches were named after Welsh Castles - "Castell Coch" (the Red Castle) was visible from his home and "Castell Caerdydd" (Cardiff Castle) and Castell Caerphilli (Caerphilly Castle) were close by. "Caernarfon Castle" was written in 1958 when H. M. The Queen announced that Prince Charles was to be made Prince of Wales. His march the "Contestor" has been recorded by Black Dyke Mills, amongst many others. Harry Mortimer once referred to him as the "Welsh Sousa". He composed not only Marches of course, and there are many selections, waltzes, studies and solos etc., to his credit, he arranged many pieces for Brass band, including a complete book of Welsh hymns. Several of his works are often broadcast and frequently used as test pieces.

There are some interesting anecdotes about the inspiration for some of his works - "Snowdon Fantasy", was written after Tom Powell had visited Snowdonia with Mr. Hughes - a North Wales Bandmaster, who lived at the foot of the mountain. "Forest Bells" was inspired by the pealing of church bells in the Forest of Dean when he was walking through the Forest to rehearse Pillowell Band there. He wrote many pieces for solo instruments with Bank accompaniment: his quintet "The Tops" is a favourite of many bands. Some works were composed specifically for particular Melingriffith bandsmen, and for want of titles he reversed their surnames - thus "SNIKTA" is an Eb Bass Theme and variations, while "ELYOD" a euphonium solo and variations. He was an exceedingly quick writer of manuscripts, often he would try out an idea on the piano, and have full band parts and score ready by the next rehearsal.

He received many honours. He was presented to H. R. H. Princess Marina by the South Wales & Monmouthshire St. Johns' Ambulance Brigade function in Caerphilli when he was awarded a medal for loyal services to the Ambulance Brigade and for several years he was president of the South Wales & Monmouthshire Brass Band Association. He was invited to conduct at many important functions with the National Brass Band. He was one of the few holders of the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians of London, presented to him at Belle Vue in 1958. He was presented with the Diploma of Honour of the N. B. C. C. C. of Great Britain. As an ex-marine he was always spick and span and expected his Band to be likewise. Mr. Alan Spence-Thomas (whose family owned the Melingriffith Works) was a Captain in the Welsh Guards and he designed the M. G. B. uniform to be similar to the Guards. He too was insistent that the Band should be well turned out for all occasions, and over the years, very many prizes were won for marching and deportment - more often than not marching in one of "T. J.'s" compositions.

Tom Powell inspired all who were around him and commanded their great respect, conductor and composer and also in his qualities as gentleman and friend. His tragic death on the 29th January 1965, whilst guest conducting the Cory Band, brought to an end a life which had been spent in ungrudging Service to others. The Brass Band movement lost a champion. Undoubtedly Wales' "Man of Brass". A tribute by E. Vaughan Morris in "The Conductor" magazine of April 1965 - T. J. Powell "A mighty friend".

Thomas James Powell was born at Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Wales in Great Britain on October 12, 1897. At the age of eight he began playing with a Salvation Army brass band , as a drummer boy. He was the youngest band member at the funeral of General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army. As a young man he played with the Tredegar Band. He studied music at the Royal Marines Band School of Music at Portsmouth and at the Royal Navy School of Music at Eastney. Powell married Mary Catherine Stratford and they had two sons and five daughters. In 1920 he was appointed musical director of the Melingriffith Works Band at Whitchurch, near Cardiff, a post he held for many years, he lived locally for many years at 81 Velindre Road, Whitchurch. Over the years Thomas Powell was musical director of several other brass bands in Wales and the West of England. The most famous of these was the Cory Workman's Band. Under his direction the Cory Band became the outstanding band in South Wales and on several occasions was a contender for the British Open Championship at Belle Vue, Manchester. Belle Vue Zoological Gardens in the City of Manchester is the location of an historic series of band contests held regularly since1853.

During his career Powell conducted well over 100 live broadcasts over the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). He died of a heart attack while conducting the Cory Band on a BBC broadcast in Cardiff in 1965. Many honours and acknowledgements were presented to Thomas James Powell in recognition of his unique contributions to the brass band movement. In 1958 he was awarded the silver medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians and was also made a member of this distinctive organisation. He received the "Baton of Honour" for his services to the brass band movement. He was active as an adjudicator throughout the country and was selected several times to judge the National Championship finals and also the British Open Championships at Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester. Powell had a great interest in youth bands. He was also associate conductor for the National Brass Band of Wales.

In addition to conducting, adjudicating, tutoring and organizing, Thomas Powell made perhaps his greatest contribution as a composer for brass bands. His compositions number nearly 50 and include marches, suites, fantasias, waltzes, solos and ensembles with band accompaniment and brass trios, quartets and quintets. About half of his music is published and several of his fine marches have been published for military band as well as brass band. Powell wrote 14 or 15 marches and all are suitable for contesting purposes. His series of marches named after Welsh Castles have been especially popular; Castell Coch, Castell Caerdydd, Castell Caerffili, etc.

Powell was known on the other side of the water the "Welsh Sousa" and he was one of the few composers in the world to write exclusively for the brass band medium.

The Bombardier

Now, we return back to the march, but this time crossing the Atlantic to the valleys of the great Welsh march wizard, TJ Powell. It is probable that every single brass band in Great Britain has within their library a march by this man. Hundreds of concert programmes must begin every year with one of his compositions and they are frequently heard emanating from park bandstands in the summer season. We begin with Thomas James Powell’s, The Bombardier.

Appreciation

Powell was born in Tredegar, South Wales in the year 1897. This was, and still is, an area rich in brass bands. The young boy was soon encouraged to involve himself in the Tredegar Town Band and some local Salvation Army Bands. When the Great War started Powell, still a teenager, joined the Royal Marines and was stationed with their band at Portsmouth. Appreciation is probably one of his lesser-known marches but it has often been used in New Zealand for their street marching competitions.

Castell Coch

Some five miles to the north of Cardiff Castle stands Castell Coch or 'Red Castle'. It is perched dramatically on a wooded hillside above the valley of the River Taff. This castle is a medieval fantasy realised by the Marquis of Bute and William Burges who, in 1877, built onto the foundations of an earlier thirteenth century fortification. Their magnificent castle had its own vineyard where altar wine was produced. The vineyard has gone now but the castle remains as it was over 100 years ago, a monument to the romantics who created it and a very interesting place for any tourist to spend a few hours in its sleepy surrounds.

The Contestor

After his service with the Band of the Royal Marines, Powell returned to South Wales and was appointed conductor to the Melingriffith Works Band. This association was to continue for over forty years, even though he was frequently asked to direct many other bands from that area. In the march, The Contestor, we have recorded his most popular work. If you do not know it, you will soon find out why it is so well loved.

The Spaceman

TJ Powell not only wrote marches but also made other valuable musical contributions, the most ambitious of which was possibly his Snowdon Fantasy. Other non-march works include his Duo for Euphoniums, The Tops (cornet quintet), Passing Moods, and the medley, Salute to Wales. The Band now plays yet another march that may be unknown to the general banding world, The Spaceman.

Thundercloud

After over 50 years of dedication to brass bands and countless additions to the banding repertoire, Powell was awarded the Iles Medal in 1959. John Henry Iles was the father of the National Brass Championships and editor of "The British Bandsman" newspaper. The Worshipful Company of Musicians is tasked with awarding this medal to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to brass bands. For Powell, this was a most deserved accolade.

Castell Caerfilli

Castell Caerfilli (Caerphilly Castle) is situated in the town of the same name that lies just a short journey north of the Welsh capital, Cardiff. The castle is believed to have its very own ghost, The Green Lady, who can be seen dressed in flowing green robes wandering the battlements. This apparition is thought to be Princess Alice de la Marche, the niece of Henry II and wife of Gilbert de Clare. Alice came to Caerphilly from France, but she found it to be a grim and desolate place and pined for the day her husband would carry her back home. Whilst searching for happiness in this place she had a supposed affair with a Welsh Prince, Tew Teg. The affair was discovered and Teg was killed by de Clare. The husband then sent his wayward wife back to France. Her standing on the battlements is believed to be her waiting and searching for her beloved Prince Teg.

Thomas James Powell was true and dedicated to bands right until the very end. He died whilst conducting the Cory Band in a live radio broadcast in 1965. He was 68.

T. J. Powell's Photo Album (all the photographs and information were kindly donated by Jan King, wife of T. J. Powell's grandson Michael Stuart King).