Carluke Primrose was founded on the 17th September 1938 by a group of local men, mostly miners in the town's Castlehill Colliery.
A number of the founding members had previously played with another local band, Newmains Primrose Flute Band and accordingly it was felt appropriate that the new band be called Carluke Primrose Flute Band. Members saved from their wages, held sales of garden produce and door-to-door collections etc. to raise funds for the first instruments. Once formed the band registered in Grade 3 of the Scottish Amateur Flute Band Association. The outbreak of World War 2 in 1939 meant that there was no opportunity to participate in competitions and little time to give concerts. However since most of its members were in reserved occupations the band held together throughout the war years. When competitions were restarted in 1947 the band was keen to participate and in 1953 won their first prize by coming third in a Grade 3 Contest. In recognition of this event the band name was changed to Carluke Primrose Prize Flute Band. By the early part of the 1960's the band had been promoted to Grade 2 and had changed from playing the traditional wooden 'Simple System' flutes to silver flutes although these were still of the simple system design. Further developments took place in 1969 when silver concert flutes of the modern "Boehm" design were introduced. Many of the instruments purchased at that time, particularly the CC Bass, Treble G, Concert and a number of the Alto (G Bass) instruments are still in everyday use with the band. In 1971 the band won the Grade 2 Championship playing 'Overture to the Arcadians' and were promoted to Grade 1 where they have remained ever since. The following 23 years dedication to practice by the members produced a steady improvement in their musical quality and brought increased recognition and competition success. During the years to 1994 the band won no less than eleven competitions organised by the Scottish Amateur Flute Band Association. In 1978 they undertook their first visit to Belfast for the North of Ireland Bands Association "World Championship" for Grade 1 flute bands, a visit which was to be repeated on regular occasions over the following years.
| 
