Gillingham Band

Gillingham Band Exchange Visits With Hille Germany

Saturday, January 24th, 2009

Since 1983 the band has continued to exchange visits with the Musikzug Viktoria Hille from Germany, in 2008 it celebrated 25 Years of exchange visits.

The exchange was originally arranged by Fred Tranter Gillinghams long term past Musical director and Friedhelm Schutte Hille’s Conductor.
On the 9th of July 1982 Fred wrote to Friedhelm after returning from a visit to Germany with another band where he met and discused the possibility of exchanging visits. In his letter he suggested that Hille should vist Gillingham in 1983 and then Gillingham should vist Hille in 1984. This was then agreed by Friedhelm and the first visit by Hille to Gillingham was made on the 29th of July 1983.
They arrived on Friday the 29th 3.00pm at the Leisure centre Gillingham where they met there hosts for the first time. 67 people came on this first visit. They took all of there instruments in to the centre and then went to the hosts homes for a meal. At 7.00pm they assembled for a Grand concert followed by a disco and a general social.

On the Saturday afternoon at 2.15pm there was a march through the town starting from the Royal hotel stopping for two short stops at the old peoples homes. At 8.00pm there was a Barn dance arranged at Milton Farm. On the Sunday they met in turners lane for a trip to the coast for a picnic lunch and a concert at a garden centre at Owermoigne they then visited Lulworth cove and stopped in a county pub for refreshments and entertainment. On the Monday there was a visit to Bath for shopping and when they returned in the evening there was a farewell party at Milton Lodge. They departed Gillingham the next day.
In 1984 Gillingham made its first visit to Hille  in 1986 Hille returned to gillingham. After this there has been returned vists in 1987, 1989, 1991,1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002  2004, 2006, 2008
The origin of the Hille Band lies in a rifle club which was founded in 1911 with the name “Viktoria” Hille after the English Queen. In 1957 a fanfare group was formed. In 1967 this fanfare group was reformed into a band which is known by its present title. The band is a member of the federal Association of the German Wind and Folk Music Bands. State of Westphalia – Lippe, District Minden Lubbeke.
The Band consists of approximately 40 members aged from 10 years to 70 years old.  Hille is a large district and has about the same population as Gillingham. It is situated in the state of Westphalia the district being Minden – Lubbeke and like Gillingham the area is mainly agricultural.
Musikzug Viktoria Hille Conductor:  Stefan Flore 
Stefan was born on the 10thof November 1959 in Bielefeld and has been married since 14th of August 1985. In 1966 he went to the primary school in Bielefeld then on to the secondary modern school in Bielefeld in 1969, and in 1974 he went to the commercial school in Bielefeld In 1976 he attended the academy of music in Detmold. In 1983 for two years he had lessons with Prof. Jan Schröder in Hannover. Between 1988 - 1990 he went to the academy of music in Trossingen, This is as well as working. He was also conducting, teaching bands and young musicians.In 1997 he attended the academy of music in Trossingen for the “Course for music school manager”
1980 - 1981 temporary help as 2nd horn player at the city theatre in Oldenburg 1981 - 1982 temporary help as 3rd/2nd horn player at the philharmonic orchestra Bielefeld 1984 - 1985 he was an independent music teacher
1985 - 1986 he played 1st horn for the police orchestra in Kiel 1986 - 1990 he was a teacher at the music school in Oldenburg 1989 - 1991 he was a teacher at the music school in Friesland 1991 - 1995 teacher at the music school in Oldenburg 1991 - 2003 conductor at the “Blasorchester der Stadt Oldenburg e.V.”Since 1995 he has been manager at the music school in Hille and also conductor at the “Musikzug Viktoria Hille” Since 2002 he has had his own private music school.
 
A Brief History of Hille
The first documented mention of the place name Hille comes from the year 1170, although it can be presumed that the founding of the village occurred substantially earlier. Artifacts allow one to conclude that the settlement history extends back to about 1000 AD. Settlement areas sprang up very early that today are districts of the old townships. In 1568 the district Neuenbaum (literally Newtree) as “Nienboom” (in low german) was named, in 1652 the designation “Witteloh” for Witteloge was made, and in 1662 the district Brennhorst “Bramhorst” was named. There the first extracurricular (vocational?) school was built next to the existing village school. By 1221 there was already a church in Hille, and around 1550 the Reformation took place. The oldest portion of the current church was built in the year 1523. On the 26th of August, 1564 Market Rights were conferred on the district. Since then every year on the last weekend in April and on the second weekend in September, the traditional Hille market begins. Through the Hille harbor there is a direct connection to the middle land canal. There about 90,000 metric tons of goods are transported every year. The oldest business enterprise is a former agricultural distillery from the year 1721. Here, spirits such as the recognized “Hiller Bastkorn” (probably hemp essence) as well as the “Hiller Moorbrand” (literally Moor Fire) are produced.

Hille Moorbrand Factory
 

In the town center lies the “von Oeynhausen’sche Hof” (or farm manor) This former knights seat from the 17th century is a protected landmark since 1984. Of another knight’s manor.

The Hille coat of arms, although created only in 1957, is appealing. The cattails signify the moor, the peat of which was so important to the economic life of the community in earlier days. The windmill sails represent the many windmills of the area that are still to be seen today. The silver and red colours harken back to the royalty in Minden with which Hille has always been associated.
Hille is very famous for its Wind mills and there are many to see in the area. 

Hille has a moor, very good for walking, there are many trails.

By Nigel Perrin