The undisputed champion. Gladney was the son of the bandmaster of the 30th East Lancs Regiment and was a professional musician who for over 30 years was a clarinettist with the Halle Orchestra. His record at the Open is quite phenomenal. At least 113 bands were conducted by him (it may have been more, but the records are not complete) and he won the title on no less than 19 occasions, between 1873 and 1904.

He took bands by the score at the contest, including winning four of the top five places in 1875 with the bands he took on the day. He conducted all the best bands, including the great Meltham Mills whom he won over £4000 in prize money with between 1871 and 1883 and recorded the first hat trick of wins by a band between 1876 and 1878 with them. Personally he won the contest four years in a row between 1875 – 1878, repeated the feat between 1884 – 1887 and then topped it all by winning the Championship for six years in a row between 1899 and 1904.

John Gladney conducted the Black Dyke Mills Band from 1888 to 1908.

John Gladney’s contest and adjudication record can be found on Brass Band Results

Dates:
Sunday, January 1, 1888 to Tuesday, December 31, 1907