Records show that a brass band existed in Birchington as far back as 1934. A photograph which was taken in Crescent Road Birchington shows a band of at least twelve musicians then. Four brothers (the Hayward Brothers) arrived from Wales and immediately helped to form a brass band in the village. A loan was secured from a wealthy local businessman to provide cash to purchase some instruments. At this time it was known as the Baptist Band.
Presumably its existence survived the Second World War because from the end of war until 1951 the band was renamed to The British Legion Band.
The year of 1951 saw the change to the Birchington Silver Band. A rehearsal room was provided on the first floor of The Acorn Inn in Park Lane, a room not a lot bigger than the average family house lounge and with a spiral staircase from behind the bar up to the first floor, presenting great difficulty in getting the larger instruments (let alone the musicians) there for rehearsals. In those days the band was under the baton of a very talented conductor, Mr. George Ireland, who also conducted the Chislet Colliery Band.
Word soon got around about the local band and the fact that it was inviting youngsters to attend and learn how to play brass instruments. With the assistance of others, tuition was lead by Mr. Evan Hayward, an excellent cornet and trombone player himself. This learner's class proved to be very successful and over a period of a few years other rehearsal rooms had to be found to accommodate the larger band. Moves made included a room to the rear of the Pewter Pot Inn and to a hall / classroom of the Park Lane Primary School.
Another idea to progress the improvement in the band was a scheme to encourage musicians to move to the area from the North of England. This involved the purchase of a three storey property in Westgate-on-Sea and when ready several families moved to the area, paid a small rent for their accommodation and in most cases stayed with Birchington Band for some time. They finally purchased their own properties and the band`s building was sold.
The mid 1950`s saw the Birchington Silver Band move its rehearsals to The Old Scholars Hut in Park Lane. Considerable internal alterations were made to the building by the members to provide a comfortable size hall.
