Apart from pictures we have some strange things in the archives, for example a set of these QSL cards from an amateur radio enthusiast:
An amateur radio QSL card from G8NL - proud to live near Besses bandroom!
We also have some indicators of how serious banding was many years ago. This is a copy of a contract with Harold Jackson who joined the band from Black Dyke in 1937 aged 20. He was a pupil of Willie Wood and was a renowned soloist at the time. He was paid £3 a week plus other amounts to play with the band. It may not sound a lot now but it was enough to exist off then. We should point out that £3 a week is infinitely more than any of the current players get paid!
Harold Jackson's £3 a week contract made on 2nd April 1938
Here he is Harold Jackson, you will see him in some of the band pictures of this era wearing glasses like below:
