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Islesburgh Community Centre, taking its name from Islesburgh House where it was based, came into being in 1946. Initially there was an Islesburgh Concert Party, out of which was formed the Islesburgh Band in about 1949. Tom Anderson was its leader and leading light for most of its existence.

The Islesburgh Dance Band

With a core line-up of Tom on fiddle, Alice Sutherland on piano, Violet Scott on accordion and Willie Johnson on bass, the band played regularly at dances and concerts all over Shetland throughout the 1950s. Others in the line-up through the band's existence included drummers John Kerr and Drew Robertson, accordionist Frankie Sinclair and pianist Tom Georgeson.

The band made recordings for the BBC in 1954, 1959 and 1960, broadcast on the famous weekly 'Scottish Dance Music' programme. They made several visits to play at Delgaty Castle in Aberdeenshire for Clan Hay gatherings, latterly in smart band uniforms.

Tom Anderson left the band in 1957, bur the band carried on without a fiddler until its final performances in 1963. The last line-up was Violet Tulloch and Frank Sinclair - accordions; Alice Nicolson - piano; Willie Johnson - bass; Drew Robertson - drums.