Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
Under the guidance of Robert Oughton, the aim was to train and supply players for the Championship band.With the involvement of parents and helpers the band became independent in 1976 and gained income by giving concerts at local venues such as Galas, Working Men’s Clubs and Parks along with fund raising raffles, coffee mornings and sponsored events.The band gave free concerts for local charities and entertained the elderly, especially at Christmas.Community spirit was lost and people had no desire to try things other than work, thus very few took up the challenge of learning to play an instrument.After a television programme in 1994 dealing with how mining communities were coping, and 21 appearances of the band on television in one year, including a trip to Germany, sponsorship from the local firm of Standard Fireworks was obtained, but after two years the recession in firework manufacture caused the closure of the factories and the end to the deal.