1898 :

Contesting regularly with good results under professional conductor Willie Heap. Awards included two second prizes at two contests on the same day, Ilkley and Armley. But at Armley the executive deducted £2 off the award for not playing up to the field.

A report on Yeadon contest (first prize out of 26 bands) states "On Saturday last the members of the Band played out, in the morning, en route to Yeadon to take part in a Band Contest." The tradition of playing out from the Bandroom and back again in the evening if successful at the contest was customary for the following 50 years.