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The 1930's
On the 5th September 1935 a group of young
Welshmen made the decision to form a Male Voice Choir. They
knew that among the 10,000 inhabitants of Welwyn Garden City,
a town fifteen years old, were a goodly number of Welsh families
like themselves. So, in the first instance the group met in
St Michael's Church Hall to form a committee and to get down
to some serious practicing. The Secretary was Mr. N. Shaw,
the conductor John Bebb, and the accompanist W. Duckworth.
By November they were ready to "give
a turn" at the Peartree Clubhouse for a Labour party
function. The first full concert was given at the Peartree
Clubhouse on November 24th. The Choir sang seven songs and
had three soloists, Miss Shepherd, Mervyn Wieck and John Bebb,
each singing two items.
After only five months the Choir was forty
strong. 1936 saw two concerts at the Welwyn Theatre, and the
beginning of Popular Concerts at the Peartree Clubhouse, which
were started by Mr. Frank Murphy, (to occupy youngsters who
would otherwise wander the streets on Sunday evenings!)
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The
Choir at Murphy's Garden Party 1936
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By 1937 the Choir, dressed in dark lounge suits and bow ties
were singing away from their hometown; London, Harpenden, and
on the pier at Lowestoft. For the first time the Choir used
the Cherry Tree Ballroom for a concert in 1938. The local newspaper
reported that the "Male Voice Choir was on the map".
This without doubt was the beginning of the Celebrity Concert.
There were to be many more and these continued through 1939
until October. It also established a pattern of inviting celebrity
guests to perform. 1939 saw the inclusion of Mr. Evelyn Bebb,
BBC Singer, and Mr. Gwyllum Phillips.
Also in 1938, the
choir entered its first competitive Music Festival at Ware
and felt they did well. So much so that by August they were
off to Cardiff to the Royal Welsh National Eisteddfod to sing
in the "exiled Choirs" section and gain third place.
The Garden City had rallied to support them and provided cash
to cover some of the cost of the journey and other expenses.
A Welsh Society was
formed in the town in 1939. The Choir became closely
linked with this in many ways, particularly at St. David's
Day celebrations and in its love of Rugby. The Choir saw the
thirties out by singing at the Granada Cinema, Slough, which
proved to be an outstanding success.
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The Welwyn Thalians Production
of C.B. Cochran's "Anything Goes" 1937
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After five years the Choir was in a strong position. It had
keen members, it was raising a lot of money for charities (£300
in four years), it was now having an annual outing and an annual
dinner and was organising a host of social activities for the
town, not least, four dances a year at the Cherry Tree Ballroom.
1939 was to finish with a sad note. The Choir's secretary Mr.
Norton Shaw died at a young age and the Second World War began.
How would the Choir continue?
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The 1940's
Whilst 1939 and the outbreak of war had
no immediate effect on the Choir, it is hardly surprising
that 1940 with the real onset of the war had a marked effect.
However, January 1940 saw the Choir back
at the Granada Cinema Slough, with people unable to get in!
Other cinemas were asking for them, but these engagements
were refused simply on the grounds of cost to the Choir. Transport
costs outweighed any remuneration the cinema companies would
give. The Choir certainly needed money. To raise this they
instituted celebrity concerts - one a month - at the Cherry
Tree Ballroom. The first was held on March 3rd 1940. It raised
£8 4s 6d! The room was so packed, that the Choir gave
up its seats. The two soloists were George Matthews and Teifion
Williams. In April, Tudor Davies sang by permission of Sadlers
Wells Opera Company.
Then at yet another concert Colleen Clifford
and Dorothy Davies, both regular BBC broadcasters appeared.
The Choir performed at the Welwyn Theatre
in order to raise money for the Lord Mayor's Red Cross Fund.
This was in May. The concert was broadcast to the troops with
the help of the local firm of Murphy Radio.
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Poster from 1940
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On May 26th the Choir performed for the
last time for a few years. This was to the troops on Ascot Race
Course.
Dunkirk had been
and gone, the Battle of Britain was underway. The Choir was
either to serve in the forces, Home Guard or Civil Defense
or work overtime in the factories. Roll on the end of the
war in 1945!
The years 1940 to
1945 whilst not singing years still retained the organization
of the Choir. The committee met regularly. Dances were organised.
Often the proceeds were used to provide comforts and cash
for Choir members serving in the forces.
On October 24th 1944
an announcement was made in the Welwyn Times:
"The Male Voice
Choir, conductor John Bebb are recommencing practises at the
Cherry Tree Ballroom on Sunday November 5th 1944 at 11am"
The Choir was back
in business and on the 9th January 1945 it gave a concert
for charity.
The celebrity concerts
were restarted. All four hundred tickets were sold a month
before the first concert and it was everything back to normal.
VE Day was celebrated
in Welwyn Garden City. There was an open air service, with
the Male Voice Choir, the Town Band and the Music Society,
all taking part.
In July the Choir
appeared in the Central Hall, Westminster celebrating the
Labour Party's win in the national Elections. Clement
Atlee found himself on stage whilst the Choir were singing
and made a quick departure!
The Choir was making a swift recovery, or
so it seemed, but an extraordinary meeting in October 1945
made far reaching decisions. John Bebb, the conductor was
not well, and was replaced by Gordon Williams, the assistant
conductor. The Choir's committee became more streamlined.
The rules for the Choir were laid down. Strict attendance
was the most important one.
Mr. A.W. Simms was now chairman and T.S.
Owen secretary. John Bebb, had been a worthy conductor. Before
living in Welwyn Garden City he had originated from the Rhondda
Valley. He had become an outstanding soloist. He sang with
the Welsh Male Voice Choir and toured America. He should have
traveled back to England in the Lusitania with the Gwent Male
Voice Choir. Fortunately for him he delayed his return. The
Lusitania was sunk , drowning many of its passengers. The
Choir honoured John Bebb with a dinner and gifts. They were
truly grateful for his vision in forming such a choir. 1946
opened with the Choir looking for a wider audience. The secretary
wrote to various bodies, including the BCC to seek bookings.
In February, Mr. Leslie Woodgate, a representative of the
BBC, arrived to hear them practise. Later in the year, the
Choir sang on the BBC Welsh Home Service. It was to be the
first of many such broadcasts. In 1947 the Choir was to perform
on Television. Unfortunately this was canceled. The country
had a fuel crisis and some may still remember the cruelly
cold winter of 1947!
Celebrity concerts continued at the Cherry
Tree Ballroom. The social side of the Choir did not abate,
with days out, dances and dinners with just the odd pint now
and then! The Choir traveled to sing in Gravesend, Christchurch
and Denham Studios where they provided backing music for a
promotion cartoon on "Wales".
And so it was with 1948 and 1949. Celebrity
concerts provided four more events. Concerts were given in
Ware, Lewisham, and Chesham. A new secretary was appointed
in 1948, Mr. E. Davies, and the chairman was Mr. Alexander
Brooks.
The Choir now ordered newly arranged pieces
by Mr. Idloes Own or South Wales. These were often to provide
centre pieces for the Choir in the coming years. All was set
for the furious fifties - a hive success and activity.
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The 1950's
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The
Choir 1950 at the Cherry Tree Ballroom complete
with new uniform: blazer, maroon badge with gold
stag, and grey pin striped trousers
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The busiest years ever. At a time when the country celebrated
the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the Festival of Britain,
the Choir celebrated its 21st Anniversary.
The BBC and the Choir
struck up a partnership which grew and grew. The Choir's appearances
all over the south of England, as well as the Royal
Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall continued apace.
A priority in the early part of the 50's
was to acquire a uniform; blazers, striped grey trousers,
a stag on a maroon badge and buttons that required cleaning!
All these purchased at the Welwyn store.
Celebrity concerts continued at the Cherry
Tree Ballroom almost monthly in the early 50's. They were
very popular, bringing a succession of national artists to
the people of Welwyn Garden City. Artists such as Gladys Ripley,
Bruce Dargavel, Nancy Thomas, Olive Castelle, Doreen Hume,
Campoli, Edgar Evans, Roderick Jones, Mavis John, Owen Brannigan,
and John Heddle Nash. However, a further development came
about in the Popular Concerts which in many ways were very
similar to the Celebrity concerts - same venue, start and
finish by the male voice choir, but when the guest artists
were introduced there was a difference; the audience were
treated to local artists. So in June 1951, Jean Gaddie, soprano,
Ron Klein, violinist, and the Peartree Girls Choir were the
performers. Such concerts continue throughout the fifties.
The Choir used agents who booked them for
shows in Tottenham, Kilburn, Islington, Walthamstow, Ipswich,
Southend, Colchester ad Tonbridge Wells.
Always there were the fairly local concerts
for charities and social groups. Concerts were given for the
Old Folk in Stevenage and Potters Bar; those in hospital at
the Three Counties Hospital, Arlesey; several churches in
St Albans, Hatfield , Hitchin, Letchworth, Biggleswade, Welwyn
Garden City, Codicote, Harlow and chesham; the National Children's
Home in Harpenden; the RAF Association and for the Welwyn
Garden Development Corporation for the Coronation Year. This
last event was held in a marquee at "The Campus"
along with the Town Band and Music Society.
The Choir continued its association with
the Welsh Society in Welwyn Garden City both in social events
and at the St David's Day concert that always included a number
of items in Welsh.
So far those listed could be counted as
routine concerts! Specials came from different directions.
Each year, The Royal Naval Association held a Reunion at the
Royal Festival Hall. In 1956 the Choir were there to lead
community singing but in 1957, 1958 and 1959 they were there
with their own slot in the programme, along with massed Marine
Bands and artists of the calibre of Vera Lynn, Robert Easton,
Bryan Johnson, Norman Evans and Peter Cavanagh.
Also in London, but at the Royal Albert
Hall, the Choir appeared regularly at the London Welsh 1,000
voices festivals around St Davids Day: a rare honour.
The real breakthrough, however, came in
February 1951. The Choir were invited to sing for the BBC
"Home Services". The local report in the Herts Advertiser
captured the atmosphere:
"Most nerve racking moments were
those which preceded the broadcast, with the minute hand of
the clock slowly coming down to 7:30 the red lights started
to flicker, and the remained stationery. The Announcer (Lionel
Marson) stepped up to the microphone to introduce the choir.
The silence was broken and the choir was 'on the air'".
That was in 1951. By 1959 the choir was
in a regular series performing every other week. Along side
this were television appearances in a variety of roles. Leslie
Woodgate, Billy Cotton (Junior) and Glyn Jones all became
closely associated with the Choir. They in turn were guests
at the Annual Dinner at the Cherry Tree Ballroom.
The work load that the Choir took on was
enormous. In the year 1959 to June 1960 there were thirty-four
engagements. And still the Choir had a strong social life
- outings, dinners, Christmas family mornings at the Cherry
Tree and its dances continued.
The organisation was huge and so committees
to determine the finance and general matters, social events,
concert planning, met very regularly. Through these years
Mr. A. Brooks and Mr. T.S. Owen were the Chairmen, Mr. E.
Davies and Mr. G. Doyle, secretaries, and Mr. A.J. Herring
and John Eccles, the original Managing Director of the Garden
City company, were Presidents. Without doubt the key figure
was the conductor. From 1945 Gordon Williams had been the
conductor. This continued throughout the 1950's with a short
break in 1956-7 when he worked in Hull. The assistant conductor
Mr. Ivor Davies took over for a short period. Gordon Williams
was a tireless worker expecting much of himself and of the
Choir also. He was heard to say to one wayward member "I
am here, and the accompanist is here for the start of a practice,
so why can't you be?". There were always two practices
each week and when special events came along - every night!!
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Gordon
Williams, conductor for 40 years
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Gordon arrived in Welwyn Garden City in
1935 from Treforth, a village near Pontypridd, looking for
work. He was employed at Herts Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and remained
with them for many years before moving to ICI. In Wales he
had sung as a baritone under the batons of Sir Walford Davies,
malcolm Sargent and Sir Adrian Boult, and had conducted his
own choir. At once he joined the Silver band in Welwyn Garden
City. When the Choir was started , he became one its first
members under J.L. Bebb. When he took over the leadership
of the Choir in 1945, he set out his requirements. Every member
should attend rehearsal, and rehearsal should be frequent
and regular. He restricted the Choir to thirty members, and
for many years insisted that to be a member not only should
they sing, but be a competent reader of music. My 1960 the
latter rule was being relaxed a little. He was to continue
as conductor until 1985, a period of forty years inspired
leadership.
So 1958 was to finish on a very high note.
This, their busiest year ever, saw them as Radio and Television
stars, bringing the name of Welwyn Garden City to the ears
of millions.
Even so there were niggling concerns. The
musicians union "EQUITY" was complaining that amateurs
were depriving them of some of their living and Inland Revenue
were seeking taxes from the choir! Oh, and finally - the uniforms
were threadbare, so the choir were now in evening dress, complete
with bow ties.
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The 1960's
For Britain the 60's meant the Beatles,
Flower Power and commercial growth. "You've never
had it so good" years. In Welwyn garden City the
Male Voice Choir continued it's progress and adapted to change.
On a programme for a concert in 1965 the
choir was able to boast: forty celebrity and popular concerts,
one hundred Radio and TV appearances, fourteen concerts at
the Royal Festival and Royal Albert Halls, and a prepared
repertoire of two hundred songs.
The popularity of the choir did not wane.
Its concerts continued to be as varied and challenging as
ever, even though their London agent Mr. Conyers died in 1961.
The LCC were to continue booking them for Town Hall concerts
and summer outdoor concerts in West Ham, Edmonton, and Kilburn.
Such concerts lasted into the mid 60's.
The Royal Naval Association, lead by Lt.
Commander Leslie H. Maskell, continued to engage the Choir
at its annual reunions at the Royal Festival Hall and later
in the Fairfield Hall, Croydon; with the Choir singing alongside
the Royal Marine Band, Cyril Fletcher, Vic Oliver , "Hutch",
and other stars of stage and TV.
Other opportunities afforded themselves.
Through Padre Hyde, an Evangelical preacher, they provided
musical items at a number of religious occasions in oxford,
Brighton, London and Guildford.
They sang on a pier at Southsea and the
Guildhall at Portsmouth. They dressed as miners and sang in
the Dorchester Hotel, London, for the Institute of Fuel. In
Watford they entertained the Highland Games Society, at Chelsea
they cheered up the Chelsea Pensioners. They sang on the stage
of the Princess Theatre, Shafsbury Avenue and they helped
Stevenage Male Voice Choir celebrate its tenth anniversary.
And still they visited the Royal Albert Hall. During these
years they contributed to the National Townswomens Guilds
performance of "The Miracle" composed by Englebert
Humperdinck, but perhaps the greatest achievement was to provide
the vocal interlude in the National Brass Band Championship
Grand Concert alongside seven leading National Brass Bands
including Fairey Aviation, CWS Manchester, and The City of
Coventry. No wonder the choir's conductor tells of hot sweaty
hands and a racing heart as he took the stage!
What happened to their enormous commitment
in the 50's to the BBC? Two changes took place: Equity closed
its ranks to amateur non union members performing. The choir
felt that to join Equity would be too expensive for them.
Their long time contact with the choir, Glyn Jones, died and
with his death the Radio and TV appearances almost disappeared.
Just one last effort was made on the "Let the People
Sing" series of concerts but this didn't prove very successful.
That was in 1963.
Life was never dull! Can you imagine in
1964 all the Choir, in a booked coach, driving to Aylesbury
to perform for the supporters of the League of Hospital Friends,
to find the concert canceled. Someone had forgotten to tell
them!
The choir's efforts for charity were enormous.
They gave concerns to huge audiences and to the smallest.
The College of Further Education was open and running at Campus
West. A number of concerts were given, one for the Friends
of the new Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in the town. For the
elderly and for charity the choir traveled to Kimpton, Potters
Bar, Old Welwyn, Arlesey, Bletchly, St Albans, Watford, Dunstable,
Hertford, Letchworth, Wolverton, Woolmer Green, Langford,
Croxley Green, and more.
Welwyn Garden City wasn't forgotten, though
the Popular Concert disappeared and fewer Celebrity Concerts
took place. Expenses, simply, were too great. The Christmas
Concert was introduced in its place and this has persisted
until the present time.
The Choir, started in 1935, was now thirty
years old and many of its original members were still singing!
One committee member remarked "The choir will be defunct
in five years if younger members are not found".
Perhaps too pessimistic but there grew an uneasiness in the
choir, that all was not well. Attendance was not as good as
it had been at practises.
Some concerts were given with a shortage
of choir members, and the Musical Director spoke of "Dead
Wood". Recruitment campaigns began and were successful,
but slowly the Welshness of the choir was diluting.
Another problem for the choir was finance!
In order to promote Celebrity Concerts, cover the cost of
transport and refreshments, the Choir charged for their services.
Where money was raised for charity - this charge was minimal,
but to exist, the choir needed money. However, the Inland
Revenue saw this as a business venture, and accordingly demanded
taxes. In 1960 the treasurer submitted balance sheets for
the previous five years. He received a bill for £45.
Not serious it seemed, but when in the year the amount required
was £85 and the Choir's assets £148, new strategies
were needed. Some of the Choir's activities had to be rethought.
Money mattered. The 60's, though, were good years.
Hard work, enjoyment and plenty of recognition
in a wide variety of venues.
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The 1970's
The 1970's as far as the Choir was concerned
brought some major changes.
Welwyn Garden City itself was in the process
of change, with its development of the Campus West site and
the Choir's "home". The Cherry Tree Ballroom, was
changing its function. The Choir in 1975 celebrated its fortieth
year. Its round of concerts continued perhaps in a more moderate
way and a hard advertising campaign was embarked upon to recruit
new singing members.
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The
Choir in the 1970's
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Certain functions continued as before -
the Christmas Concert, the Christmas morning choir and families
get together, the St David's Day function at the Trades and
Labour Club, the Annual Outing and the Annual Dinner and Dance.
A close association was established with Philip and Ruth Madoc,
TV Personalities, Ruth performing as a soloist at many concerts.
Without doubt the highlights for the Choir
were the participation in the 1,000 Voices Concerts at the
Royal Albert Hall in 1974 with the massed Welsh choirs and
then in 1978 with the 1,000 English Male Voices. The association,
with the Snowdown Colliery, Aylesham, Kent, its families and
its choir, ran through this period of time providing good
comradeship.
Jerry Trumper, George Downing, and George
Woodcraft acted as the secretary to the Choir, each for a
short period. Alan Wells was a major influence within the
Choir. Gordon Williams continued to be musical director and
Eric Ford the accompanist.
With the opening of the Campus West Theatre
in 1976 and the closing of the Cherry Tree Ballroom in 1977
(it was to become a restaurant), new ventures had to be tried.
The first Christmas Concert in 1977 at Campus West was, in
Eric Hill, the Art Critic's words:
"It was a lovely evening. The whole
evening had style and was an example of presentation. I know
the choir rehearses twice each week, but it shows in two ways.
First, the standard of performance and second, the loyalty
far beyond the normal."
When, however, the practices were moved
to the Woodhall Community Centre they were to be only once
a week, whereas previously they had been on Sunday mornings
and Wednesday nights. A sign of the times?
The town saw Campus West as a cultural opportunity
and instigated "Music 76" with many local musical
organisations taking part in a week of programmes. The Choir
sang on two nights. "Music 77" was reduced to one
night. Again Eric Hill spoke his mind in the Welwyn Times:
"Unlike Topsy it hasn't growed!
From the possibility of a Festival we have been reduced to
a nigh of music. The main reason given is that all the societies
are to busy, which I acknowledge but do not accept."
What a wide variety of engagements the Choir
still undertook; the Royal Festival Hall for the Remembrance
Service for the Far East POW's Club; a number of Masonic engagements;
concerts at St Albans, Dunstable, Knebworth Park, Cuffley,
Newbold College, Reading, Hertford, Buntingford and Luton
where Vauxhall Motors held its first Mass Voice Concert involving
eight male voice choirs.
Whilst 1975 celebrated forty years of the
Choir's existance, perhaps it was not the Choir's most glorious
year. The Choir was looking for new choristers. It was reshaping.
However, that year, it presented a fine concert at the Cherry
Tree Ballroom. Its first song "Comrades in Arms"
was the first song sung by the Choir at its inaugural concert
in 1935. The quest soloist was Janet Hurst, soprano. Other
soloists were a Barber Shop Quartet of Bert Thomas, Bob Downing,
John Punter and George Woodcraft. Other soloists were Gomer
Rees and Jack Williams. The chairman was Alan Wells and the
conductor was Gordon Williams with Eric Ford as Pianist. The
comment in the paper read:
"This fortieth anniversary was a
satisfying and entertaining event which allowed the audience
to relax and truly enjoy music of the voice."
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The 1980's
The Choir was now approaching fifty years
if existence. There were still original singing members of
the Choir attending rehearsals as they had in 1935. Gordon
Williams the conductor joined as one of the original members.
The majority of those in at the beginning, however, were long
retired or moved away from the area.
New members were encouraged to join but
the original character of the Choir was gone. No longer was
the choir mainly Welsh. No longer was the Choir from a tightly
knit community. Choir members now had work, which took them
out of town and it was not always easy to be at every rehearsal
or concert.
So how did the musical director teach and
perfect new musical pieces when he had a floating choir? The
answer was with difficulty.
From the heady days of the late 50's and
early 60's when the Choir had more than thirty engagements
in one year, the 1980's started with nine concerts.
The Choir was coasting along but the committee
was working hard to build its strength of numbers of concerts.
1984 saw twelve concerts culminating in the Campus West Christmas
Concert when Gordon Williams felt that the choir produced
"excellent quality". The year also had a very worthwhile
joint concert with the Snowdown Colliery, Kent. The friendship
was to continue until the colliery's closure. Gordon Williams
had now conducted the choir for forty years! This had been
a mammoth task by any standard - a really remarkable achievement.
The June concert at Campus West was to be his retirement concert
and the Celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Choir.
Martin Webster who had been accompanist
for three years took his place. Martin was a local Headmaster
and a Yorkshireman. This had to be a further break with that
Welsh tradition. Nevertheless, the Welshness continued and
St David's Day provided a challenge for the Choir to learn
several songs in Welsh and to sing them to the Welsh Society.
There were other changes. The evening dress
had been changed for a red jacket and black dress trousers.
By the end of the 80's each member of the Choir had been provided
with a standard white shirt, a blue sweater with a new choir
logo on the chest, a black bow tie and a chance to purchase
a blue silk tie with the choirs logo.
From the days when the Choir raised its
running costs from dances at the Cherry Tree, the money now
came from different sources. These included the Christmas
concert; internal and external raffles; and a new policy,
for the Urban District Council of Welwyn and Hatfield, to
give Community Grants to assist the Choir in the purchase
of equipment and to help with the hire of the Campus West
and The Forum, Hatfield. This proved to be an enormous help
to the financial running of the choir. At the same time organisations
were able to book the Choir and all the profits could go to
charities. Under the baton of Martin Webster the second half
of the 80's included concerts with the Welwyn Ladies Choir;
Vauxhall Motor Choir in a massed choir night or "Friday
Nigh is Music Night" a concert in Broxbourne Civic Centre
with Richard Whitmore as Chairman; a concert The Hertford
Castle Hall with Richard Baker as announcer; a lunchtime concert
in Ely Catherdral; a concert at the Forum, Hatfield with Hatfield
Town Band; and, maybe the outstanding experience of the eighties:
a trip to Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, to sing to the Dowlais
Male Choir, its family, and people of the town. A large and
responsive Welsh audience!
The Choir was now back to almost forty singing
members. The musical director still found difficulty introducing
new music to the Choir with members not able to commit themselves
to regular rehearsals. However, with plenty of homework by
the Choir members both word learning and note memorizing,
the standard was maintained. A steady programme of about fourteen
concerts was performed each year. Concerts were given using
soloists from within the Choir, Gomer Rees and George Woodcraft,
in particular, and from other sources. A group of young recorder
players from martin Webster's school, gave delightful recitals.
Ray Bomber, the Choir's accompanist, often became clarinet
soloist and Ray's daughter and Martin's son performed as a
singer and French horn player. It became the norm to use young
artists. For one or tow concerts, professional artists would
be used, Joyce Farrell with he husband acting as accompanist,
and Juliet Artur, being such artists. Even in such cases these
two sopranos were local young ladies. The Choir was back on
a good strong course.
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The 1990's
It will really require a story writer of
the future to look back at the nineties and make a true assessment
of these years as far as the Choir is concerned. However,
it certainly presents no problems to give details of ifs activities
and changing fortunes.
The 90's started off well for the Choir
with its Musical Director, Martin Webster, taking a masterly
hand, directing, encouraging, and admonishing forty or so
expectant faces, watching his every move. He was ably helped
by his accompanist Ray Bomber and fully supported by the committee
and President, George Wells.
The Choir continued to practise weekly at
the Woodhall Community Centre , and regularly met for a social
evening with friends and partners at one of the local hostelries.
The Annual Dinner, with invited guests continued
as usual. Well attended Annual General Meetings checked the
year's business. Finances were healthy. A new electronic keyboard
was purchased, new music added, and there was a renewal of
the red jacket uniform where necessary.
The change of Choir members, if anything,
accelerated in the 90's. Men's workplace and security of job
became far less sure. Consequently their jobs changed location
- jobs went out of existence by the thousands, and men took
early retirement. It had an effect on the Choir. Attending
practises and concerts became more difficult.
The task of Musical Director was more frustrating
and the Choir secretary's patiences was tried to the extreme!
The Choir reached the forty members mark and whilst forty
never actually sang in the same concert it came close - thirty-nine!
A wide variety of engagements were accepted and averaging
at fourteen a year these provided more than enough work for
the Choir. In 1992 the fifteen concerts involved forty-five
different pieces of music. Soloists for the smaller concerts
were taken from the Choir. Ray Bomber (clarinet), George Woodcraft
(bass), Gomer Rees (tenor), the longest serving member, Martin
Webster (monologues), were regular performers but other were
also prepared to take part, so much so that several talent
nights were arranged to audition members for the Choir.
For large concerts, outsiders were hired
and these proved to be highly successful. Glynis (soprano)
and Peter (piano) Farrel; Juliet Artur (mezzo soprano); Mark
Townend (trombonist); Deborah Kemp (soprano); Glen Houston
(flautist) and Laurence Sale (xylophonist) were all engaged.
The Choir has excellent venues in which
to sing: Ashridge Conference Centre, where the Choir sang
twice, is a magnificent mansion in the heart of Ashridge Park;
Broxbourne Civic Centre; St Albans Abbey; The Gordon Craig
Theatre Stevenage; The Annual Christmas Concert at Campus
West, Welwyn Garden City; The Grosvenor Hotel, Park Lane.
A host of fine churches in Welwyn Garden City, Hoddesdon,
Hertford, the villages of North Hertfordshire, St Albans,
and Hatfield also provided venues. They sang to the elderly
in their nursing homes and Parent Teacher Associations in
their schools. As a result of these concerts thousands of
pounds were raised for charities.
One or two of these concerts need a special
mention. The community in the upland village of Kelshall near
Royston have delightfully converted the old village school
into a community centre. The Choir visited it several times
and always enjoyed the hospitality and occasion.
There are many excellent groups of musicians
in Hertfordshire. From time to time they join together to
put on joint concerts. The Choir in the 90's were involved
in a number of such events. They joined forces with the Welwyn
Ladies and sang at St Mary's, Welwyn. They joined the Stevenage
Ladies at St Georges Church Stevenage for a Christmas Concert,
and they shared a concert at the Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage
with the Welwyn Garden City Band.
The Choir combined with the Stevenage Male
Voice Choir and the Vauxhall Motors Male Voice Choir to present
an excellent concert in St Albans Abbey which raised £1,200
for the Dr. Banardo's organisation. At Campus West, the Choir,
with David Kossoff, raised a considerable amount of money
for Cross Roads Care.
And how could the Choir lose its Welshness?
It couldn't. Besides singing to the Welsh Society in Welwyn
Garden City each year, it took on an engagement at the Grosvenor
Hotel, Park Lane, where alongside the band of the Irish Gaurds,
a fanfare of Welsh trumpeters, an Irish tenor and a Scottish
piper it entertained two hundred and fifty American guests
with a selection of Welsh songs sung in Welsh.
In the 80's the Choir visited South Wales
and sang to the people of Dowlais. In 1993 the Dowlais Male
Choir returned to visit and sang in the Forum, Hatfield. This
was a splendid evening. The Welwyn Garden City Choir and their
wives provided hospitality that went on until midnight, and
the Hospice Care for East Herts benefited by almost £2,700.
The last that was seen of the eighty plus
Dowlais Choir was of them boarding their coaches carrying
large parcels of food to be eaten on the way home!!
Yet, within all this pleasure, good music
and excellent comradeship, a change was to take place that
none expected. The concert given at St Mary's Welwyn in June
1993, to raise money for the Danesbury Appeal, was to be Martin
Webster's last. He had decided to leave his Headship, take
up as the keeper of a restaurant near the Lake District, and
leave the Choir.
The concert was one of the Choir's best.
Even a power cut which reduced the church to candle light,
could not take the excellence from the evening.
There was a big farewell to Martin and his
wife Gill and then it was back to new beginnings. David Matthews,
a Yorkshireman, living in Welwyn, was appointed Musical Director
and a new era was begun which really brings us to the Diamond
Jubilee Year of 1995 - an exciting prospect! Many concerts
are planned, events and publications arranged.
There are still original members of the
1935 choir living in Welwyn Garden City. Gordon Williams is
in his mid-eighties, his mind sharp as ever, take a keen interest
in everything the Choir does. Most of all, the Choir itself
continues, bringing pleasure and enjoyment to many and providing
for itself a brand of friendship which would be very hard
to replace.
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The New Millennium
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