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June 25, 2022

‘Arrangements from bygone years’

‘Arrangements from bygone years’

by Garry Gardiner / Tuesday, 11 November 2014 / Published in

Dave Parris returned as Visual Caption Head. The Guard were taken on by long standing member Donna Aldous and returning member Liza Bentley who both marched to boost numbers. Julie Clarke also returned to help teach the guard. Andy Fluff Field and Mark Brewster returned as visual techs.

Former members Phil Ramsay and Steve Clarke also returned to teach the percussion. 1996 – 1997 was no doubt a struggle, and as a result 2 more staff members left, these being John Smith and Lee Gordon. Many members who had to travel left also, leaving the corps with 6 brass players, 1 guard member, 2 pit, 3 battery percussion and 2 staff members.

A decision was made on a cold Sunday afternoon in February 1997 that Black Knights had seen its day and it was now time to fold its tent. The end of an era.

The following Tuesday a meeting was held. It was one of the best attended in the corps history. Many alumni members and parents of old members, who had not been involved for a number of years attended, and pledged to keep the corps running. Some offered to fill staff roles, others offered to help with equipment, fundraising and other behind the scenes jobs which are essential for every corps to run.

These people had special memories of the Black Knights, and had a strength of feeling for the corps that meant that they would not let it die. Everyone pooled together and used their contacts to get more people enlisted. Members were used from the Cadets, old members returned (some taking on staff roles), and new members turned up. In total Black Knights marched 14 rookies.

The staff, instructors and members who returned that year (along with others) are responsible for the corps being alive today. The process of rebuilding the corps took time, and as a result a program for 1997 was thrown together at a late stage, and made up of arrangements from bygone years.

The program was set in March. In June the corps entered the first competition of the year in DCUK. This was a classless competition, designed for people to gauge, with advisement from DCUK officials, which class to enter. Black Knights scored 35, the lowest score they have ever received at the first show. However, the staff and the DCUK officials knew the corps had potential, and decided that Open Class would be the best option.

The low score did not deter the members or staff however, as they all knew that just having the chance to compete was a massive achievement in itself. The corps kept their heads down, and worked hard, and slowly but surely worked their way up the scoreboard. Midway through the season, the corps picked up another experienced staff member, Dougie Caldwell. Dougie brought with him an experience of top flight competition from his prior involvement in Southern Knights, as well as his vast knowledge of the Judging system, which enabled the corps to focus on certain areas of the show.

BK continued to improve, jumping over Cadence to take fifth place at DCUK finals, and scoring 50 points higher than their first score of the season. The work ethic demonstrated by the Senior Corps obviously rubbed off on the Cadet unit. They worked harder than ever, with many members actually competing in both the Cadet and the Senior Corps.

This hard work paid off, as Black Knights Cadets were crowned 1997 Cadet Class Champions. 1997 was a tough year for BK, but it proved how strong, resilient and positive BK members can be. Everyone involved with BK that year emerged from it not just as better members but as better people who had successfully proved just how much commitment can do.

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About Garry Gardiner

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