Durham Girls

The Durham Girls drum & bugle corps was originally formed by John Jarratt as the Durham “All-Girls” high school bugle band in the fall of 1948.

Before long, the girls had reached championship caliber in the Waterloo Musical Festival “Open competition”, winning their division in 1952 and for four years in succession, between 1955 to 1958. During this period, in 1953, the corps converted to a trumpet band within the Durham high school. They were later crowned the Canadian Nationals “All-Girls” drum and trumpet champions in 1958 and finished runner-up the next year.

The Durham unit continued to perform within the region from 1960 to 1968 and as the corps phased out with the closing of the school, reorganized under the leadership of Gayle Magwood as the Durham Girls drum and bugle corps and support from the Durham Kinsmen Club. In their inaugural season, they finished as the 1969 Provincial Novice champions and were the National and Provincial Junior Girls Standstill champions in 1970 & 1971.

After a year of parades and exhibitions, the corps returned to the field as members of the 1973 Canada Junior C Circuit (CCC), placing 3^rd and competed in the Canadian Nationals “Class C” division from 1973 to 1977, placing 5^th in 1975 & 1976, and 4^th in 1977. From 1978 to 1982, the Durham Girls participated in the Canadian Nationals “Cadet Class”, where they ranked between 3^rd in 1981 to 7^th in 1978 and performed in the 1980 DCI Canada “Cadet Class” championships, finishing 3^rd.   

In 1983, they reverted to parade status and disbanded in 1984. The Durham Girls Alumni made a special appearance as part of the 175^th anniversary of the founding of Durham in 2017.

Durham Girls Facebook; Paul Legault (DCX)