The Yorkshire Volunteers Band can trace its history back to 1860 when it was formed as as the Band of the 7th Yorkshire West Riding Rifle Volunteer Corps (Leeds Rifles), which had been formed in 1859.
Today the band forms an integral part of the Yorkshire Volunteers Regimental Association, performing throughout the UK and Europe in both concert and marching band formations.
The band maintains the long traditions of the Yorkshire Volunteers adding a touch of pomp and circumstance to any event from traditional summer bandstand concerts to country shows with everything in between.
The uniform worn by the Band was initially green, but it later adopted the 1891 pattern of Rifle Brigade dress.
The uniforms in use today are the traditional scarlet tunics of British Army infantry bands.
The Dixieland Jazz band uniform is a traditional Dixieland style incorporating the red and white Regimental colours of the Yorkshire Volunteers.
The original Regimental March was "The Huntsman's Chorus". (Click to Listen)
During the 1870's this was changed to "I'm Ninety-Five". (Click to Listen)
In 1887, when the Leeds Rifles became the 3rd Volunteer Battalion the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) (Leeds Rifles), they adopted "Ca ira" (Click to Listen) as the Regimental March. This Former French Revolutionary marching air was "stolen" by the 14th of Foot at the Battle of Famars in 1793. Drummers of the 14th were ordered to strike up the tune that the French were playing, causing confusion and dismay among the enemy.
In 1967 the Yorkshire Volunteers Regiment was formed from the Territorial Battalions of the Yorkshire Infantry Regiments:
the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire,
the Green Howards,
the Duke of Wellington's Regiment and the Hallamshire Battalion,
the York and Lancaster Regiment
In 1969 the name changed to the Regimental Band Yorkshire Volunteers (Leeds Rifles).
Subsequently, the band became known as The Yorkshire Volunteers Band and adopted the traditional scarlet tunic of British Infantry bands and has "Ilkla Moor" (Click to Listen) as it's regimental march.
After the Strategic Defence Review of 1998 the band were "disbanded", but decided to soldier on as part of the Yorkshire Volunteers Regimental Association with kind permission of HRH The Duchess of Kent, and retained the right to wear the Queen's uniform in public ensuring over 150 years of "True Yorkshire Grit".