The Mottingham Village Concert Band owes its origin to existing and past family members and friends who were instrumental in setting up a local band in 1953 known as, ‘The Good Shepherd Band’, Downham, under the patronage of Fr. Parker and with the aid of a set of obsolete instruments donated by the Corps of Commissionaires!

In the early 1960’s the Good Shepherd Band moved to The Maryfield Hall at Our Lady Help of Christians, Mottingham, under the patronage of Canon Desmond and, for many years, was known as ‘The Maryfield Concert Band’.   After a number of years it moved back to Downham and became known as ‘The Bromley Band’. In 1983 its Conductor, Glen Morgan, a professor at Trinity College, resigned. Shortly afterwards the band divided and the ‘The Glen Morgan Concert Band’, based at St. Saviours Church Hall, Lewisham, was formed and included the majority of the original members.  After Glen’s retirement the Band group returned to ‘The Maryfield Hall’, and is now known as the ‘Mottingham Village Concert Band’. 

Notable engagements over the more recent years include, in 1985, leading a group of some 2,000 people from Westminster Cathedral to Hyde Park for a religious celebration; playing before a massed assembly of German Bands at a Musikfest in Munnerstadt, Bavaria and being caught in a snow-storm whilst playing in the open at Engelberg, Switzerland! Of course, the earliest and one of the most notable engagements was playing with The Peckham Band at the opening by HM The queen of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich in 1957.

The interesting point from the above history is not the name of the Band or where it is playing.  It is about a group of players of mixed ability and diverse interests who have come together for more than 70 years and who enjoy playing a wide-variety of music in a friendly atmosphere!  It is open to any interested musician to join them.