It is 125 years since two young village men, Thomas Parsons and Tom Topp, approached the then Rector of Michelmersh , Canon Gore-Brown, seeking a loan of £100 to purchase instruments to enable them to form a village band. The loan was made on condition that any young man seeking to join the band forswore the demon drink and took the pledge of temperance. Fortunately for today’s band members, Tom Topp had eventually persuaded the Rector to drop this rule, pointing out that: “There will pretty soon be no band to play your instruments unless you do!” With the temperance stipulation well and truly behind them, members of the band celebrated the 125th birthday with a dinner and dance held at The White Horse Hotel in Romsey on Friday.
During the evening, band Chairman Adam Smith proposed a toast to the continued success of Michelmersh Silver Band, and passed on a good will message received, along with a plaque of the official Test Valley crest, from the Band’s official patron, the Mayor of Test Valley. Brothers David and Terry Parsons and Derek and Michael Topp (grandsons of the two founding members), Keith Morgan and Josie Miell were presented with commemorative certificates recognising their long and outstanding service in the band - over 300 years service between them – before the evening continued with dancing and celebrating.