In 1896 we find the first reference to the choir named as 'Haverfordwest Male Voice Party'. It would appear that the various male voice groups must have decided to come together under the baton of Mr James Adams to give their first public concert at the Shire Hall on 27 March 1896.

The Western Telegraph on 8 April 1896 had this to say about the concert.
'The party consisting of 50 voices, under the leadership of Mr J. Adams, evinced the result of minute and careful training. The voices were good and well balanced, produced good tone, and had good attack and precision.'

After this kind review the choir decided to go in for competition and entered for their first eisteddfod at Narberth against Whitland and Narberth but it was not to be a fairy tale start as the home choir won.

This did not stop them from entering the Letterston eisteddfod in June but, already, there was a lack of enthusiasm as although they could muster 50 voices for their first concert they had great difficulty in raising the required number of 30 voices for the test piece...

The local paper gave no more coverage of the choir which seems to have gone into hibernation or would prove to be a short-lived affair but they came back into the news in December with a concert in Shire Hall... The local press took a great interest in the newly formed choir and the 'Guardian' even ran a leader reminding members that they had a duty not to miss a single practice...

On 4 May 1897 Haverfordwest held what seems to be their first eisteddfod. The eisteddfod was held in a marquee in Jubliee Gardens and the press report justified three headlines: 'Great Battle in Choral Singing: Haverfordwest v. Tenby: Honours Divided'. Pembroke Dock and Llanfyrnach choirs never turned up and the battle was between Haverfordwest (55 voices), Milford Haven (36 voices) and Tenby (52 voices). The test piece was 'Martyrs' and the winners were Tenby...

In May 1897 is reported the first Annual General Meeting of the Haverfordwest United Choral and Male Glee Societies, a joint meeting as probably so many men were members of both choirs. Here again this was very fully reported and the address to the meeting by its President, Dr. Greenish organist and choirmaster of St. Mary's Church, was reported in full. He mentions in passing that 'competition was not always art... and now that they had made such a fine start they would keep themselves together'.

Although the 19th century goes out without any mention of the choir it seems that a male voice choir could be produced at any time and for any occassion. The following report on the launching of the Royal Yacht 'Victoria and Albert' at Pembroke Dock in May 1899 is worth repeating.

Although Pembroke Dock did not enter a choir for the eisteddfod in 1898 a male voice choir of Dockyard employees was present 'in the gallery' when the Duchess of York arrived at 4.50pm to carry out the launching ceremony and during the presentation to her on the royal dais, 'the male voice choir under the conductorship of Mr J Hancock, gave a spirited rendering of The Sailors Chorus.'

After a service by the Dockyard Chaplain Rev. George Goodenough supported by the choir of the Sailors' Chapel, the male voice choir next broke forth in the chorus 'Heave Ho' lending a truly nautical ring and after a pause the Duchess moved forward to launch the 'Victoria and Albert'. This was when the trouble started. Although the Duchess of York moved forward 'deftly' and smashed a bottle of wine over the bows, the 'Victoria and Albert' refused to move, so the choir sang 'The Miller's Chorus'. She still remained static, so in despair, the choir performed again with 'Comrades in Arms'.

This final item did the trick as the Captain Superintendent handed the Duchess a hammer whilst he (brave men!) held a chisel, the 'handle of which she struck till the rope crossing the bows was severed' and at 5.45 pm the 'Victoria and Albert' entered the water. It must have been the first time that 'Comrades in Arms' had been used to launch a ship and no doubt the ears of the anxious shipyard workers were 'sweetly charmed' when 'stealing o'er the breeze' came the welcome sound of the 'Victoria and Albert' hitting the water at long last.