THIS bizarre group was the Keighley Wiffum Waffum Wuffum comic band, recruited in 1902 from members of the Eastwood Conservative and Unionist Club in Dalton Lane.
The Keighley Gala committee had instituted a comic band contest the previous year, with contestants marching in the procession while playing “curious musical instruments” emitting “weird and quaint sounds”.
Each band had to muster at least 12 performers, who could be mounted or on foot, though by mounted was meant hobby-horses as seen here in the left.
The Wiffum Waffum Wuffum won first prize four years in succession, partly because of their extravaganza, The Death of Nelson, which ended with everybody laid flat in the shape of a star. This was always performed at the top of Eastwood Row where many of the bandsmen lived.
During its Edwardian popularity Keighley Gala attracted comic bands from further afield, including the Haworth Bingem Bangem, the Otley Splishem Splasham Splushum, the Bradford City Ragtag, the Skipton Belle Vue Doffers and the Bowling Black Diamonds.
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