Does anyone have information on the "German Bands" which entertained in Victorian England ?

Question

In researching my cousins' family history I hve found that an antecedent was a member of a German Band. These were itinerant musicians who performed in towns, particularly holiday resorts, in the 19th century. No matter how old you are I am sure you will know the old music-hall song "Down at the old Bull and Bush", which contains the line "hear the little German Band". The band in which I have a particular interest played in Worthing, Sussex around 1870. At least three of their number married local women.

Answer 1

Sorry I can't help you with the particulars, but most German travelling bands came from small villages in the Southwest of Germany, one of the locally famous villages they used to travel from is Hangard (in the German federal state Saarland, not in Northern France), another one is called Schnappach in the same area. There were quite a few other places in the Palatinate(Pfalz) area.

Maybe that will help you in further enquiries

Answer 2

50-cent