Norman Ashcroft (1919–2009):  ‘Faireys greatest’

By Nick Walkley
19 July 2009

Of all the great named brass bands, few can claim to have launched the top-flight careers of so many players than Faireys. Many of those players move on to other bands or to professional musicianship, but many stay or return. There is at least one of those players in most of the top ranked bands at present; Owen Farr at Cory, Alan Wycherley at Fodens, Shaun Crowther currently now with Brighouse & Rastrick, David Thornton and Brett Baker at Black Dyke amongst others, and many more who before them who have since faded from the limelight.

Over the years, of all the ‘home grown’ talent the band has produced, one name still receives mention above all others. Norman Ashcroft was the original Faireys legend, a man who is still spoken today by current players as being ‘Faireys greatest ever player’, despite some of them never having heard him perform.

Many brass band players boast of their achievements in numbers of contest wins. Despite having quite a tally from his 17 years as principal cornet of Faireys (6 British Open and 4 National Finals wins no less), Norman’s legacy is far greater. His example set the standard that Harry Mortimer must have been requesting. Bram Gay is quoted as saying he was ‘one of the great leaders of a brass band’. There is no doubt his disciplined playing filtered through the ranks and has subsequently passed on through every generation of Fairey band ever since, leaving the band with quite a proud and educated style of musicianship that no other can match. It is no wonder then that this band continues to be such a hotbed of previously unrecognised talent.

Ashcroft (rear) is given an aspiring glance by a youthful Maurice Murphy (rear right) in the 1956 National Finals winners photograph. Beside them are Kenneth Dennison (left), later to take over the baton at Faireys, and Frank Clayton (middle right). Right: Norman Ashcroft

That another two of the movement’s household names have followed in his wake is another testament to Norman Ashcroft. Legend has it that Maurice Murphy (his then ‘bumper up’) arrived to rehearsal puzzled one night reporting that someone unknown to him had nominated him for the job going at Black Dyke (fierce rivals then as now), to which Norman said ‘Yes it was me!’ Later when asked who was the greatest player he had ever heard, he picked Murphy above the likes of Mortimer or Mackintosh. One wonders whether that recommendation was to protect his own position within a band he evidently loved very much! Eventually Norman was succeeded by a then youthful Phillip McCann, who later was also to move across the hills and go on to achieve his own legendary status following Maurice’s appointment with the London Symphony.

The 17 year term as principal cornet has only been surpassed by Brian Taylor, who was able to lead a quartet of Fairey’s players down to Llandudno to pay a tribute at Norman’s funeral. Also within the quartet were Mick Morris and Ian Howarth, two of Norman’s many pupils from his time conducting the Rochdale band. Completing the quartet was James Leggatt, a man equally inspired without ever having heard Norman play.

As surprising as it is to learn how many players have graduated from his Fairey legacy, there are many more who have received lessons from Norman Ashcroft and gone on to achieve greatness away from the band. Helen Williams (now playing Flugel horn for Fodens) recalls her school years with her then peripatetic music teacher:

"I have very fond memories of Mr Ashcroft who was my teacher for about 3 years when I was at school. He was a real gentleman and a great role model. He could reduce me to tears, but when I would ask him why he was so "mean" to me and so lenient on other pupils, he would reply "because I know you can do it Helen". He inspired me to try so hard and I'll be forever grateful." 

With the sad passing of Teddy Gray and Geoff Whitham also this year, Norman joins quite an all-star band up above. Gratefully, his legacy is not forgotten as Fairey continues its long standing tradition in appointing the unknown and promoting from within, one which saw Norman Ashcroft able to find his place in the history books, as well as providing all that continue to follow with the ultimate benchmark to measure up to.