A lifetime of carols for 95-year-old bandsman

For more than a century, Christmas in south Wales has featured the sound of the Davies family in The Salvation Army Band.

This year Eric Davies, at 95-years-of-age, will be out on the Abergavenny High Street raising money for good causes, continuing a family tradition that began in the late 19th century.

For Eric, The Salvation Army band is not just a hobby but a representation of his family heritage. His grandmother, Lieutenant Temperance Walkley, arrived in the valleys as an officer in 1896.

She soon married the local bandmaster, Jack Davies. Their son Arthur, Eric’s father, also became bandmaster and taught Eric to play when he was still a small boy.

Eric remembers his first public performance vividly: “My first time playing an instrument was carolling outside the chemist in Abergavenny in 1938 when I was eight years old, that was the last Christmas before the war. I was in short trousers in the middle of winter.”

He has played on the High Street every Christmas since — an extraordinary 87 years of carolling. Recently Eric played carols solo in the centre of Abergavenny for over two hours, lifting spirits and raising £700 for vulnerable people in the area.

Eric added: “I still get the same thrill playing carols as I did back in the 1930s. It is always a high point in the Christian calendar. Christ is the reason for the season. All these years later, I’m still bringing festive cheer to local people at Christmas.

“People love the traditional carols. Top of the Pops is Silent Night. That is by far the most requested Carol. Or for kids it is Jingle Bells.”

By 1950, when he and his brother Cyril officially joined the band, the Davies family made up half of the eight‑strong brass ensemble.

His father Arthur conducted, Cyril played euphonium, Eric played cornet and their uncle Harold played medium bass.

One of Eric’s proudest memories came in 1957 when invited to perform at the prestigious Bandmasters’ Councils Festival at the Royal Albert Hall − a concert featuring international bands from The Salvation Army.

In 2024, during celebrations marking 140 years of The Salvation Army in Abergavenny and 150 years in Wales, Eric received a long‑service award in tribute to a lifetime of dedication, music and community service.

And what is Eric’s secret to a long life? “I was brought up in The Salvation Army, taught to abstain from drinking and smoking. It’s kept me on the right road to the age of 95.”

The Abergavenny Corps will be celebrating Christmas with events at the local hall, Victoria Street, Abergavenny NP7 5DS.

Wednesday, 24th December – Carols by Candlelight, 5:30pm at the Hall.

Thursday, 25th December – Christmas Morning Celebration, 10:00am at the Hall.