FORMATION
1979 Donald “Dan” Seon South Panmen
South Panmen
Shadows of Naparima hills of South Trinidad where bats, birds, deer and wild creatures proper to the Tropics had once taken refuge, have gradually vanished into forgetfulness. Our training grounds in the various fields of sport have succumbed to industrial and domestic developments. Rich commercial bosses have dominated the scene. Mon Repos with its rural setting accommodating few houses interspersed at long distances had an appearance of bareness, some fifty years ago. Circular Road, Ste Madeleine Village, Cocoyea Village, Cross Crossing, Broadway, Gasparillo and other similar neighbouring districts had lost their pristine beauty.
From my youth up, I followed the gradual transformation of Mon Repos. Vast fields of sugar cane have been cut down as a result of the housing problem. From the hills, the quarries producing useful metal and soil for building and road construction appear at a distance like ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’. Peaks mushroomed from the surrounding lowland. Most of our now famous panmen roamed the hills and improved their skills in setting traps for birds, rabbits, manico, deer, lappe, agouti and tattoo.
They developed an extra sense for detecting the vicinity of snakes and the haunts of harmful creatures.
On Sundays in the meadow and what was the savannah, now occupied by Charles McEnearney and Company Ltd [ANSA McAl - 1998], ‘donkey and horse-racing’ were conducted for the boys and girls of the district. The majority of males participated in games such as cricket, football and golf. They also promoted and indulged in boxing bouts, pitching marbles, kite-flying and trained for various athletic events. [Whom] we now call South panmen, were scattered in different districts and learned to swim in the ponds of Petite Morne, Ste Madeleine and Navet; the last two being the two most popular and were both infested with water snakes and dangerous alligators. Those who found Broadway quite accessible would visit ‘Flat Rock’, ‘The Channel’ or ‘The Slipway’ to improve their skill in swimming, diving or rowing. These lads were versatile.
The new order of progress, the result of sound political awareness in Trinidad today, cannot destroy the inner refreshments of my youth. “Old-timers” acknowledge and are proud of the universal acclaim that our Carnival has received. We are however bound to pay homage to our predecessors for introducing and improving on the music of our forefathers. To our Creole people, steelband and Carnival are synonymous; one is the corollary of the other, just as the steelband is an off-shoot of the ‘Tamboo-Bamboo’ band. South panmen are staunch masqueraders accustomed to every aspect of carnival; the rough and the smooth. Many astounding stories were told about the maestros of stick-play. [5] Men possessing exceptional gifts in that art were Miler, Pringay, “Cutouta” and Vaughns of The Coffee. Because of their versatility, the panmen of the South have created a niche for themselves in the annals of our grand festive occasion.
Throughout the year, the Carnival spirit in Trinidad is ever present. Panmen practise assiduously for long hours. The standard required for competition is high and all details for intricate pan arrangements must be carried out completely and efficiently. Tourists marvel at the gorgeous and resplendent sights and the fantastic costumes of masqueraders’ projects.
The tunes on the steelband enrich their memories and stultify their wit. Our culture has achieved prominence among those nations that are aware of it. Throughout New York, and most of the countries in Europe, panmen have made an indelible impression.
Experts in the various fields of music have admitted that our music, which emanates from those crude oil drums, stuns the intellect. In Jerusalem, the sacred city of the Jews, their ‘jubilee’ was celebrated by grand parades and the blowing of rams’ horns. Primitive music of our forefathers was transported from Africa to the West Indies.
‘Tamboo’ to Steel
‘Tamboo bamboo’ music in South Trinidad reached tremendous heights. Experiments for improvements in ‘tamboo bamboo’ produced remarkable results. This was the stepping stone to the steelband music of universal acclaim.
Bamboo is defined as a genus of tropical giant grasses with hollow jointed stems that become woody. Expertise was needed where preparation of the various instruments was concerned. The bamboo plant had to be cut at certain stages of its growth. Various sizes were collected, dried in the sun, then heated over the fire at different temperatures. Between the joints holes were drilled, some at equal distances apart, others at random, as long as they were found to be effective. The plants were cut at varying lengths; and by the player’s intuition, the whole musical scale was discovered. Large bamboo plants produced tones similar to those of cymbals, drums and the bass instrument. Flutes were made from the smaller bamboo; and the trumpets from those of fewer joints.
Those panmen of South who never had the opportunity to make bamboo instruments have been privileged to play tunes on them. ‘Tamboo bamboo’ was not made stereotyped. Much was made of horns; drums and steel; and [of] “bottle and spoons” arrangements. It was not unusual to hear the chords of the clarinet, trombone, flute or trumpet, blending with the constant melody of the bamboo band. In the mid forties ‘tamboo bamboo’ ended its reign gracefully with certain unforgettable tunes. From time to time, in the midst of revelry, the voices of “bamboo fanatics” would recall such road-marches as
Mar-saray K, we kill Peter Agent
If Ah Dead Bury May Clothes
Fire Brigade water de road - Coffee Bonnin down
Jour Ouvert and many others. [6]
Prospective pan artists of the South were taking mental notes of the variety of music in vogue. They were destined to make a phenomenal contribution in this field at a later date. In circles where dancing was conducted in San Fernando, the names of Venice, “The Black Prince”, Vaughns and Willie West of “Kaiso” fame, vent the air. They were popular saxophonists and leaders of their “bands” then.
Ernest Castello, the first trombone player who returned to South from the United States, made a fine contribution in this field. No wonder why our panmen knew so much about this art and such knowledge has become commonplace today.
Clive Ellis, Sang Awai, Raphie Gellizeau, Fatty Philip and others carried on the fine work of the masters with their orchestra called “The Melody Masters”. Pan music was fore-shadowed at a much earlier period, but became identifiable in the mid-forties and later was or is recognised as the pride of Trinidad. Music of the panmen of South has attained great heights. The year 1945 can be vividly remembered for the remarkable spectacle created by various bands, parading the streets of San Fernando to mark the victory of the allied armies over the Germans. This was to celebrate the end of World War II and the defeat of Hitler. VJ day celebration, as a result of the surrender of the Japanese, a few months later, gave the opportunity for our panmen’s added zest. It was the consensus of opinion that their talent and culture was destined to make such strides as would be universally acclaimed.
Although the steelband was quite popular at Carnival time, people of ‘High’ society kept aloof and were quite averse to associating themselves with it.
Panmen were poor. They lived in the cess-pit of society where life was “coarse, crude and common but genuine withal”. In their struggle to establish the unique standard of this fascinating music, panmen paid their debt to society. Society had erred, foresight was lacking then, as could be readily discerned from the attitude of their appraisal of the finest music which now controls the greatest show on earth.
Today, every Trinidadian is proud of the steelband. Our orchestra has created a sensation at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Many of our experts are paid attractive salaries to teach the study of pan music in some of the schools in London and the United States.
Let us recapture the scene of VJ Day celebration in South Trinidad. On the streets we jumped and sang calypsoes with reckless abandon. Two popular and amusing tunes were Chinee never had a VJ day composed by Lord Kitchener ; and Adolf Hitler - “...Adolf Hitler how yuh looking at the British Empire...” by the late Destroyer. [7]
Lord Kitchener then composed the first calypso to be played by the steelband, the title of which is Port of Spain nearly catch a fire when the steelband was crossing the Dry River. In that road-march, names of steelband stalwarts were mentioned, such as Pops, Bitterman, Battersby, Spree(1), Fish-eye, Barker and Ossie.
Chamberlain, the bugler, must be mentioned as a reminder that the bugle was an instrument in the steelband at that time.
No other calypsonian has contributed more by way of harmonising the steelband with calypsoes than Lord Kitchener [alias for Aldwin Roberts]. He remains the champion of ‘road-marches’ up to the present time. His recent hits Jerico of 1974 and Spree Simon of 1975 bear testimony to this acclaim. In the same breath it must be mentioned that Francisco Slinger, otherwise known as [alias] The Mighty Sparrow, has an unequalled record as our champion calypsonian where the question of versatility is concerned. In ‘road-marches’ Sparrow is not to be underestimated; for he may well be the facsimile of Kitchener in this particular field.
On VJ day, masqueraders could be seen ‘snatching up’ dustbins, biscuit drums, pitch-oil tins and old motor car wheels or fenders, or any other suitable object that they picked up from pavements and business places and beating tunes out of them. Though unmelodious at first, these tunes were strong and reverberating enough to encourage all masqueraders to jumps high, jump high, high, high, high... as the road-march advertised. Towards the end of rejoicing all became exhausted or in colloquial language, ‘dead out’ while the echoes of pan music lingered in their tired minds. South panmen had carved a niche in the history of our cultural music. While our brothers in the North were making rapid progress, we in the South were “doing our own thing” so to speak.
Death of the ‘tamboo bamboo’ had already taken place in 1946. The old timers had finally succumbed to the new order of steelband music. A popular ‘tamboo bamboo’ player named “Xavier” and who hails from The Coffee, paid a fitting tribute to the steelband. He was an early “bomb-man”.
The First organised San Fernando Steelband
The first organised band in San Fernando appeared in 1945. It was called Pearl Harbour; named to coincide with an island [base] in the Philippines [Hawaiians] where the Americans who were based there, were [nearly] completely destroyed by the Japanese. 
Bands in Port of Spain bore such fighting names as Red Army, Poland, Hell Yard, Bar 20 and John John; so we thought it fitting to name our band Pearl Harbour - whose members or “tesses” lived in the vicinity of Mucurapo Street area. Their captain was called “Meadow” ( See left ).
Strand cinema now occupies the spot where the pan yard was situated. These boys were underprivileged, most of them being unemployed. They were forced to make a living by hustling. They gambled at dice, with cards and even at ‘Whe Whe’. [8]
Since the panyard was at vantage point contiguous to Mucurapo Street, they were afforded some opportunity in most cases to obtain occasional assistance by means of immoral earnings. Though deprived of regular cash to procure the essential requirements to keep body and soul together, they possessed a natural aptitude to excel in ‘fisticuffs’, otherwise known as street-fighting. Their strength and skill in street fights was amazing. A certain section of the populace admired and ‘hero-worshipped’ a “bad-John” then. They would give him a few dollars to be popular or as a gesture of friendship or perhaps to ensure protection if such was necessary. Whenever the boys got money, about fifteen to twenty dollars, they would go straightaway to a ‘cook-shop’, a gambling club, the market, the ‘Whe Whe’ turf or the cinema. The most popular could be found in the Mucurapo Street area which was notorious for gang-wars or clashes between rival bands. During one of these battles a man was stabbed to death and at a later date stabbing was of frequent occurrence. The numerous lanes and alleys that border Mucurapo Street forebode danger when that street became dark. Many battles were contested by ‘hit and run’ methods. When officers of the law intervened, easy escapes were made by those acquainted with the environment. The most common was along those alleys that led to the cemetery where the culprit could safely hide among the graves.
Panman “Billy”
The band called Pearl Harbour was organised by “Billy” a lad from John John; an area renowned for producing some of the best panmen in Port of Spain and the whole of Trinidad at that time.
In Port of Spain, “Billy” was an outstanding panman. Why did he settle in South? No one could guess. We did not bother to check his character for he was a butcher who was regularly employed in the abattoir at Kings Wharf, San Fernando. “Billy” was a pioneer who left his home to instruct and lead the junior panmen in South, but we find it unusual for a person to depart from his home, from all his friends who loved him, and from the bright city lights to live in a rural district. “Billy” could have been employed at that time in Port of Spain, work in general, being difficult to get then. The position was worse for a panman who was looked upon as an outcast. Another reason that might account for his absence was that he had been evading a warrant for an alleged crime. Crime was not foreign to his environment, and panmen were regarded as criminals and treated with much suspicion. It was not unusual for the police to apprehend steelbandsmen merely for the fun of putting them in distress. It was the same treatment meted out to the dogs that strayed on the streets without being licensed.
Perhaps the law operated to give them protection in the cells or in prison. In their minds they were at war with those responsible for imprisoning them for offences they did not commit. As “Billy” gathered his bundle of clothes, he remembered his ‘pan’, a ‘ping pong’ with three or four notes that he brought along. This was the first time that a steelband instrument was seen or heard in South. Many ‘old stagers’ who claimed that they had authority on music, denounced this modern form of music. Their criticisms were that they could not hear any melody from the beating of the pan, but they could distinctly hear intolerable noise, which, in their opinion, was deafening and tasteless. [9]
Views of the younger generation were different, for they loved and adored the “pan-music” from its inception.
“Billy” was encouraged by this gesture and was delighted to have the opportunity to improvise, and this developed his talent to such a degree, that it made him the pioneer of steelband music in South. The rhythmic tunes that he would beat out on the pan fascinated us. It was a pleasure to hear the melody in Mary had a little lamb; and Allan Ladd this gun for hire a song from a film in the movie in which Allan Ladd played the leading role. “Billy” was a genius of pan music of that era. He devoted long hours to mastering his art which was ‘par excellence’. His friends and contemporaries emulated his finesse to such a degree that their standard improved with amazing rapidity.
Panmen entered into open gang-war at that period. They knew that they were counting danger. “Billy” was so fearless that he toyed with death, and as a result was killed by a blow in the head from a rival steelbandsman. Among South panmen especially, “Billy” remains a legend. This was in the year 1955.
Those members of Pearl Harbour who made persistent attempts to break down the anti-steelband barriers were “Captain Meadow”; “Dollar”; “Tall Boy”; “Cross Eye”; “Black Fred”; Preddie; Arthur Theodore alias “Panther” who was also a popular ‘Wild Indian’ player; Spence; and Vida who was the first panwoman of the Southland.
In those early days a steelband was comprised of twelve to fifteen members. The instruments were two biscuit drums, called ‘bombs’, three ‘bomb-kettles’, two ‘ping pongs’, two iron men, two buglers, a flagman and the Captain in control.
The Second San Fernando Steelband
The second and third Southern bands appeared during 1946. The second band, of which I was a member, comprised many Upper Coffee boys. Our band carried another war-time name, that of Battan, an island in the Philippines which was invaded by the Japanese. A movie filmed on this invasion showed Robert Taylor playing the leading role, that of sergeant Bill Dane. Because our boys were enthused over this film - for we were great film lovers - we decided to name our band Battan.
The band was formed in ‘Champs’ billiard-saloon, at Upper Marryat Street. The building was there, and is still owned by the Ali family. Our stay there was short as it was impossible for our band to function properly in a billiard saloon.
Central Coffee Street became our next venue. The location was where the Electric Ice Company is now situated. Our yard was called ‘The Base’ and all discussions and decisions concerning the activities of the band took place there.
Champions come and go; our remarks about their prowess sometimes appear contradictory when we make comparisons between champions or ‘stars’ of [10] different eras. In boxing we feel certain that Muhammed Ali is the greatest heavy weight boxer of all times. In former times the same opinions were expressed, regarding such champions as Joe Louis, Gene Turney and Rocky Marciano.
Cricket lovers became confused when they had to determine who was the greatest of the three ‘W's’ - Worrell, Weekes and Walcott. At football, Julie Ramirez, the black marvel of Peru was fantastic, Stanley Matthews of England was incomparable, Johann Cruyff of Holland, the best in the world since King Pele has retired.
These arguments, of which we cannot be sure, when making our assessment of the ‘greats’ in their particular field, vex the memory and stultify the wit. “Billy’s” successor was none other than our distinguished captain Herman “Teddy” Clark. He repaid that honour by showing, as far as he could, all the virtues of a philanthropist. “Teddy” was a great boy who was really devoted to his band. In South he seemed peerless. Detractors may say that he was a big fish in a “small pond” but he resigned among talented men who would not support erratic statements.
“Teddy’s” virtues were outstanding in many ways. When placed in a difficult or dangerous situation, he displayed great courage. He possessed unusual mental adroitness and quickness of perception with which ordinary mortals are not endowed. His versatility seemed colossal and he possessed great energy and inexplicable all-round skill, which enabled him to excel in physical combats, such as wrestling, boxing and street fights.
“Teddy” was always in search of new ideas. He would make regular trips to Port of Spain to consult the best pan man in John John. They were the originators of pan music. They had more experience in pan-tuning.
In the South “Teddy” encouraged us to stage ‘open-house’ sport meetings at nights on the main road known as Coffee Street, a street not as busy as it is today. Races in which the participants ran barefooted became so keen, that those interested parties who were non-members of our band, participated in the events to test their speed and ability. These races were supported by side-bets, so that a runner who was successful for a night, might leave with winnings of around five to ten dollars. This was an impetus for maintaining fitness. Teddy suffered the fate of most steelbandsmen of our time; he blossomed out like a flower and then soon faded into oblivion.
Our Vice-captain Norman “Youth” Curtis, must be accorded special praise for putting up a strong resistance against persons with anti-steelband tendencies. He was able to convince the ‘Older Heads’ that the idea that we were hooligans, ‘bad-Johns’ and even rogues, was a myth.
“Youth” who was a natural mixer, invited our critics to examine our character and behaviour towards society. “Youth” was intelligent and diplomatic. He wanted the principles of equality and fair-play to be extended to everyone. “The [11] rule of law, and that of Natural Justice must be observed if we are to have freedom before the law” was his favourite maxim. “Youth” was one of the lads who dabbled in everything but above all he loved the steelband.
Norman “Youth” Curtis ( See right ) may have missed his vocation in life. Perhaps, he would have been an able youth leader in our present Government. “Youth” dissuaded them from maintaining the prejudice which our predecessors held against panmen, and poor people in general. He Believed that progress in Trinidad depended on co-operation between rich and poor, black and white, and all the cosmopolitan races of the country. We were a special type of people with a culture of our own. We felt that if prejudice was rampant between the aristocracy and the grass roots, then the country should no longer be recognised as the ‘land of the calypso’.
From time immemorial, we were known to love one another. Why should [we] now have conflicts among ourselves? No one could understand.
At that early period, before the steelband had reached such heights, “Youth” stressed the need for co-operation between panmen. “Youth” was not emphatic about the value of the steelband, when appealing to the majority of influential people in the South. His pleadings did not fall on deaf ears. We all know that everyone has a right to choose his friends and associates, but what [was] desired and what “Youth” tried to accomplish was [mutual] respect for each other.
Our boys were given good deals, in that our panmen were regularly employed to supply our music for local fetes. Even at the occasional aristocratic party, our hosts were proud to declare to their tourist friends that ‘our culture’ must be the most fantastic in the world.
The allusion that pan music plus Carnival is the greatest show on earth, has to be true. In our own small world in the South, the name Norman “Youth” Curtis would remain immortal; as that of Mannette, and “Spree” Simon of the North.
The name Battan struck awe and jealousy in the hearts of rival panmen. Resentment arose not only from the fact that the principal figures forming the core of the band dressed immaculately, in everyday life and were also the pride of the opposite sex. These foundations members, the ‘hot boys’ of The Coffee, and of Battan were the Copeland brothers Mack, Percy, and Raddy; the Cardinal brothers Mickey and Edward; Allan Bishop, Babsie White, “Fats” Bishop, “Chicken” Blackman, “Chinkson” Howard, “Golab” Belgrove, Reynold “Little Brave” Gaskin, “Sonny Squires”, “Sonny” Nurse, “Boston Blackie”, and “Decker” Weeks. The Copeland brothers had the opportunity of having had tuition in mastering the drums and wind instruments under the jurisdiction of their father, who was a Captain in the South Salvation Army at that time.
Captain Copeland was a good musician. His family, including his wife, could have played many of the instruments which were in use in the Salvation [12] Army, and Mack Copeland reigned as the best-dressed ‘Wild Indian’ player in Trinidad, for many years.
The Third San Fernando Steelband
It is not surprising then that the number of members of which a band was composed, increased by sixty per cent, in the space of about ten years from its inception. In the South, there emerged a third band called The Snow. It was made up of about twenty five members, led by Sline David, who was popularly known as “Pepe”. As the bands grew bigger more pans were needed to keep ‘the extras’ busy. With a few members in control of any organisation, quick decisions could be made and finally settled, but with a larger body of persons, opinions might become complicating. This was what in fact happened and the name of The Snow was changed to the Cross of Lorraine and with a further change, it was consequently called the Free French. About five hundred yards separated Free French from [the] Battan base; therefore causing the rival between these two Coffee-bands to be very keen.
From this band San Fernandians are proud to lay claim to having produced one of Trinidad's greatest panmen. This lad is Theo “Black James” Stephen, a member of the Trinidad All
Stars Steel [Percussive] Orchestra [TASPO] that visited England. This orchestra, a combination the best in the island, was conducted by Sergeant Griffith, of the then Trinidad Police Force. Though equally proficient panmen were left behind when our contingent left for England, we were certain that “Black James” would make the grade. History will record that he was selected to play with TASPO while still comparatively a boy.
At that period Free French could have competed with honours against any band in Port of Spain. South panmen who were once regarded as well ‘below par’ in the standard of steelband music, [had] made meteoric progress in this form of culture. The pupils have at last attained the standard of their masters.
Special credit has to be given to Emile “Zola” Williams who in the early days of the Cross of Lorraine, functioned prominently in all the activities of the band. He was and still is a dominant figure in the structure of the band, the status of which has reached incredible heights.
Emile “Zola’s” loyalty is unquestionable, as is evidenced by the fact that he is still a member of Free French. He showed extreme enthusiasm in welding friendship among the Free French, and his name was always associated with any success which the band might achieve.
The Forth San Fernando Steelband
The fourth [San Fernando] band called Royal Air Force from the Kings Wharf, was comprised mainly of butchers who worked in the abattoir on the waterfront. These panmen were also good fishermen who took the opportunity to go fishing on a grand scale whenever they did not have to slaughter animals. Pearl Harbour, Battan, Free French and the Royal Air Force remained the major bands for a considerable length of time. [13]
Later San Fernando Steelbands
Many smaller bands emerged while the music improved, as a result of competition among these new bands, which were gradually gaining prominence.
Among them were the Rising Sun of Jarvis Street, and they comprised boys from ‘around the hill’ led by Victor Barker - who is now living permanently in Canada. Texas form Mon Repos led by Boysie Perry. Southern Marines of Marabella skippered by Milton Lyons. The original Hatters of Broadway led by “Bigger” Braithwaite. [Finally] the Cocoa Boys of La Bream captained by Belgrove Bonaparte. These bands held ascendancy over other bands from South for more that ten years. This was the full range of Southern steelbands that existed in South Trinidad for the first decade. [ BACK to [Ref1 Ch2] [Ref1 Ch3] ]
The panmen got great amusement by playing their music as often as time permitted, for the entertainment of their friends and admirers. Every band hoped to be acclaimed ‘the best band of the year’ at the Carnival competition and day after day the panmen practised for long hours, They hoped to discover in their notes, a refinement that might be equalled only by the harp or the violin. A retrospect will show that around 1946 Battan was the most enterprising band of all. Our leaders were resourceful enough to seek professional status. They must have been surprised when their first request was heeded. They were accepted to play their pans at a christening, and then at a wedding. Fees of twenty to forty dollars [TT] were quite a lot of money in those days. From that time steelband music became so popular at such functions that all bands had their share of work. Battan had paved the way for the professional steelband men of South, thus the ‘breakthrough’ which is regarded as common-place today was a novelty for them.
Running a Steelband
Since I was one of the ‘Old timers’ of Battan, details concerning the band’s activities remain fixed in my memory. They band was conducted on the principles of a sporting club, therefore our officers were by the members at a general meeting. We obtained a book which outlined the rules by which private clubs were to be governed and every member learned these rules thoroughly. “Captain Teddy” was the organiser of our club and band. We would elect standing officers, such as President, secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer, captain and vice captain.
The band also had a management committee and a disciplinary committee. This organisation clearly indicated to its members that rigid checks, regarding their conduct in general would be made on them. Disciplinary measures might be severe if any member committed a heinous offence. All depended on the circumstance of the case.
If one of our members was provoked to the point that caused him to commit a crime that a reasonable man might commit, that member would be supported by the band. Our motto was that all members must try to avoid civil as well as criminal offences, irrespective of extenuating circumstances. [14]
The band had a banking account. It was a current account and certain officers were appointed as signatories for the withdrawal of any cash which we might require for the use of the band.
There were also fixed dates for meetings and payments of subscription fees, as well as fines for any misdemeanours, and levies for non-attendance of meetings. In short, Battan was regarded as a special type of steelband.
In The Coffee and the South as a whole, people became aware that our boys were fulfilling a need and they did not hesitate to pay homage to our gallant efforts. Fate had decreed that the barriers should be completely removed. College students and certain factions of those blessed with opulence from birth, started to befriend us. They started to speak to us on the streets and in the market place and later on, students visited our base where they showed interest in learning to play the pans although at first they were reserved and played a passive role since they were not sure as to whether we considered them welcome guests. Then, having been convinced that we appreciated their presence and that our friendship was genuine, they made applications for membership into our band and they were warmly accepted.
Many years ago, the Dixieland steelband, for example comprised chiefly of college boys and boys of the upper middle class status, visited England and parts of Europe. For several weeks they put on many shows; West Indian artistes residing in London, having volunteered to take part in the programmes, were amazed at the grand performances of the band.
Steelband music originated in the little district of John John in Port of Spain. This was the original home of the maestros of pan and they achieved a similar breakthrough into the society of aristocrats.
I must mention two other persons who did yeoman’s service in helping to establish recognition of the steelband in South. They were Mr Peter Forde a member of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union, who worked at the Forest Reserve Oilfield; and the youthful Joe Baritoe, who attended Coffee Street EC School which at that time was mixed.
These two men guided us along other avenues, all with the view towards progress of youth. We followed their instructions and emulated their exemplary conduct. Battan soon became the pride of The Coffee and all other bands of that era, had to concede that we were the best organised band.
There was a particular football match called ‘bandit or barefooted football’ that our boys would never forget. Battan opposed the Usine Ste Madeleine Village team that sported such stars as Andrew Carty; the Charleau brothers of whom Delbert played for Trinidad as wing half for many years; Denton Lewis, the South left-winger at that time; and “Bumpy” Sandiford. In this game we lost 26 - 0. [15]
Battan supplied the Southern Amateur Football Association San Fernando representative eleven, with such players as Ralph “Chicken” Blackman, Mack Copeland, Reuben “Coolie” Shearwood and Kenneth “Golab” Belgrove.
This is part of the history of South Panmen. [16]
© 1979 Donald “Dan” Seon
[(1) Pops, Bitterman, Battersby, Spree, Fish-eye, Barker and Ossie. “Spree” Simon was not in fact listed in Kitchener’s famous calypso which is named The Steelband. This error serves to reminds us that this text was most likely written from memory, with very little reference to other written material; not that much would have been available to consult anyway. It is however pleasing to note that where the names remain out of sequence to their places in the rhythmic meters of the original song-verses; Seon’s line scans characteristically rhythmic and rhyming, but sadly errant; pointing to a topic of a near paragraph.] BACK to [ Spree ]
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