Drum-Major-Albert-Shrimpton

William Love was born in the “Fountain” area of Londonderry in 1908. His father who played the Piccolo in the Corps of Drums of the 10th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and lost his life during World War One.

William Love attended the Cathedral School and worshipped in St. Columb’s Cathedral near his home. He was a baker by trade, working first in a little Home Bakery just outside the ancient walled city and later in the well-known ABC (Abercorn Bakery Co.). In his early years he was an F Flute player with the “Maiden City” Flute Band, when the Bandmaster there was Eddie Long – a main who wore a “Cork-leg” which obviously didn’t detract from his ability to teach music.

The Band practised in a shed or stable, the property of Charles Jackson, a brother of the late Bobbie
Jackson who was well known for his colourful loyalist murals. Some of Mr. Love’s contemporaries can remember him taking the baton to conduct the band from the top of a large packing case, while a horse ate contentedly in an adjoining stall. William was in those early days known affectionately
as “Cowboy” Love – not because of any wildness of character but on account of his love for the then popular “Cowboy” films. Around 1935 he played in the Churchill Flute Band where his special friend
was “Artie” (Arthur) Wray who later joined the Band of the R.U.C. In those pre-war days he taught Steelstown Band for several years and seems to have been associated with Thiepval Accordion Band for a time.

His accomplishments also included playing the Euphonium in the Brass Band of the Ulster Special Constabulary. In his early years of arranging and composing music he often sought the advice of Johnny Wright who was Bandmaster of the local Salvation Army Brass Band. Later on he had a close musical friendship with the late John Murdie of Argyle Temperance Flute Band in Belfast, to whose honour he dedicated his march “The Good Companion”.

After World War Two, Mr Love’s closet links were with the Hamilton Flute Band in Londonderry’s Waterside area and his first really wellknown march “Moore Street” was named after the little street where their band hall was then situated. This march was one of several played by the massed bands of “Churchill”, “Hamilton” and “No Surrender” at a rally and fireworks display in the waterside in the Autumn of 1948. A year later “Churchill” and “Boveva” bands played “Senior Service” at a similar
function.

William Love became, in those years (the 1950’s and early 1960’s) a prolific composer and arranger of Marches, Sacred Music (of which he was very fond) Waltzes, Jigs, Loyal Airs etc. These were often tried out first in his own home by himself and Joe Hawthorn (another close friend from their days together in the “Maiden City” Band). The completed compositions were often taken to the Hamilton Band Hall where Tommy Wright and the boys gave them their first full performance. Naturally the composer was excited and thrilled to hear the rewarding sound of his own compositions blended in perfect harmony. There were critics in those days who sought to be-little William Love’s
achievements, suggesting that he copied his compositions from other writers, but a dispassionate examination of his work shows no sign whatever that this was so. Of course he arranged works by other composers to suit performance by flute and accordion bands but we are satisfied that
his compositions were all his own work.
Compositions include (in alphabetical order)
Marches
1. Argyle
2. Bond of Love
3. The Capital of Mourne
4. Charing Cross
5. The Good Companion
6. Hale and Hearty
7. Hub O’ the North
8. The Massed Parade
9. Mary of Argyle
10.Moore Street
11.Old Acquaintance
12.On the up Grade
13.Orangefield
14.Prince of the Realm
15.R.A.F.A.
16.Senior Service
17.Step in Style
18.United Nations
19.The Coronation Waltz
Sacred Marches:
1. Assembly
2. Church Parade
3. Cross and Crown
4. Cwm Rhondda
5. Jehovah Tsidkenu
6. Sagina
That being so we believe he has contributed more to the Flute Band world
that any contemporary Ulsterman. His Epitaph is worthily written in the
crotchets and quavers of his many ear-pleasing compositions.
We in the Flute Band World raise our Band caps, our flutes and drumsticks
in salute to him.
William Love was married in 1938; he took up residence in Mitchelburne
Terrace on Foyle Road, from where his music was distributed all over the
worlds to bands in Scotland, Canada, United States of America and even
Australia as well as in Ulster