The first picture was taken at East Riddlesden Hall, a favourite haunt in the early days of the revived waits, on one of our first performances. It shows the founder members from left Alan Radford, Alison Hilton, Pam Radford, Bridget Hilton and Pat and Chris Butcher. The instrumentation is rauschpfeiffe, recorders, harp, nakers and crumhorn. We were performing on that occasion with The Arbeau Dancers.
In 1985 we went "medieval" for performance with the Capriol Historical Dance Group.
The next was taken inside East Riddlesden Hall at a Christmas performance, and includes Simon Pickard who subsequently re-established the Gloucester Waites.
The following illustration shows four of the Leeds Waits, including new member Spencer Morris, in new blue and gold livery, on a 353rd anniversary performance of their Christmas Eve entertainment for Sir Arthur Ingram and his household at Temple Newsam, Leeds, in 1993. To be sure to be heard as we played outside the door to announce our arrival, we played rauschpfeiffes and tabor.
We played at Fountains Abbey on a number of occasions, including this occasion in 1993, where we included Julie Rayner in our number. A large double harp is shown, but we were singing at the time, a performance style we occasionally use.
The next picture is of the Leeds Waits at Elsecar Heritage Centre in 1995, including in our line-up the late Columba James on hurdy-gurdy. Other instruments are sordune, cittern, English bagpipes and nakers.
In March 1996 the Waits performed at the Royal Opening of the new Royal Armouries Museum, an event broadcast live on BBC Radio. The picture shows us, at least from the waist down, entertaining both Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony and Queen Elizabeth I (aka Una Stubbs) facing us. We processed the latter with rauschpfeiffes, nakers and tabor, but (out of site) at the time of this photograph we are playing recorders and harp.
Perhaps a better picture of us on that occasion is shown below, the line-up including Jonathan Bynoe (the tall one), on harp, rauschpfeiffes and percussion.
A little music at a conference reception, a common type of performance.
In 2002 we played for Ripon Local History Group, at Ripon of course. We were to have played in the Assembly Rooms but that was being redecorated for a royal visit, so we performed at a local coaching inn instead. For that event, we were joined by our occasional "country" member, Paul Ukleja playing cornett, and our new recruit Glenis Ridy on rauschpfeiffe.
In 2004 we made our first trip abroad, to Den Bosch in The Netherlands for the First International Festival of Town Pipers. We played at a number of historic venues including the Zwanenbruidershuis. New members playing on that occasion were Caitlin and Derek Richardson, on cornett and tabor respectively. The other instruments are hurdy-gurdy and soprano and alto shawms.
Also in 2004, we discovered the grave of Thomas Crawshaw, the last of the pre-1835 Leeds Waits, who died in 1858. Although he died a pauper, according to a press report the local musicians gathered at the funeral and played at the graveside. Three of us went, on a bright but frosty November morning on the anniversary of his death, and played once more in his memory. It was a very moving occasion.
We marked the 300th anniversary of Marlborough's victory at Blenheim by recreating the celebration ball at Temple Newsam with the historical dance group "Greensleeves", with a trio of violin, baroque flute and triple harp.
On official duty, escorting the Lord Mayor of Leeds at the Leeds International Medieval Congress.
The Second International Festival of Town Pipers was held in York in 2006 in conjunction with the performance of the York Mystery Plays. Here we are playing in St. Helen's Square, on sackbutt, shawm, cornett, tabor and curtal.
Another picture from the festival in York, performing outside Barley Hall.
Yet again in York, at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate on Heritage Days 2007, with Jonathan Ridy percussing.
Entertaining in the undercroft for a reception and banquet at the Merchant Adventurers' Hall in York.
Here are three of our number performing for "Light Night" in October 2007, at the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Leeds city centre Note how superbly our livery colours blend with the colours of the altar.
Here we are playing outside the Guildhall in Lincoln, at the Third International Festival of Town Pipers in June 2008, with Derek on his new bass sackbut.
Although the historical waits were all male, the revived Leeds Waits is an equal opportunities "employer". Conclusive evidence is provided by this picture taken at Exchequergate in Lincoln.
The White Rose Ball in 2008 was baroque, so a week after the Town Pipers' Festival we had moved on a century and a half in music, instrumentation and fashion.
Back to the renaissance for Light Night 2008, playing from the first floor landing of the magnificent tiled double staircase at Leeds Central Library.
The Waits back at Beckett Street Cemetery in November 2008, visiting the grave of former wait Thomas Crawshaw to unveil a gravestone on the 150th anniversary of his death.
Playing from the minstrels' gallery in the 13th century great hall at Crook Hall, Durham.
