Pan Player, 1st President Steelbands Association, Campaigner
Sydney Gollop of Crusaders steelband was indeed a crusader, in the truest sense of the word, for the rights of panmen. In 1949, Gollop sat on a government-appointed committee on steelbands chaired by Canon Farquhar. He was instrumental in ending all steel-band competitions sponsored by individuals, in an effort to quell the violent clashes that often resulted from faulty judging. He also helped to organise the first Steelband recital to accrue funds for the Steelband Association, as well as to benefit Winston "Spree" Simon who had been injured in an accident. Gollop led a bicycle crusade through the streets of Port-of-Spain, advertising the recital by placards on his chest and back.
Sydney Gollop was the first president of the Steelbands Association. It has been reported that he was appointed president at an evening open air street meeting, in the South East quarter of Port of Spain in 1948
(1). He remained at that post until 1957.According to Prince Batson, "He, Gollop, literally held the steelband bull by its horns and raised it to respectability."
© 1995 Dr Felix Blake: Pg 182 & 183; THE TRINIDAD & TOBAGO STEEL PAN: History and Evolution[Presented without permission; permission being sought.]
1. Paragraph incerted in text. This reference is a matter of research for these pages
