The band were saddened to hear that Jimmy Eaves passed away on the 15th December after a long stay in hospital.

“Jimmy started playing cornet with the Lytham Brass Band some time in the 1950s, unfortunately, this was the decade the Lytham band folded. He was asked to come to Freckleton Brass Band and joined early in the 1960s playing both Bb and soprano cornet.

In the late 1970s and 1980s he played soprano cornet with the Dutton Forshaw Band (Blackpool Brass) and then he temporarily retired. Jimmy loved marches so he was asked to return to Freckleton on Bass Drum – his first response was not printable, but gradually he came round to the idea after the drum was deposited at his home! On march days with Jimmy on drum you were never far away from a laugh and joke.

After surgery on his foot to amputate his big toe he gave up marching joking he could now only march in circles, however, for a while Jimmy played with the Freckleton Has Bins as the drummer on their mobile bandstand.

Jimmy will be remembered not just by the Freckleton Band but most bands on the Fylde who he played for or helped out at some time. He made many friends wherever he played and his friendship and sense of fun will be sorely missed.”

Mark Rossall