A lovely image from something I didn’t know existed at all – Brownhills Coperative Orchestra in, I think, the 1950s. Image very kindly supplied by John Bakewell, who is the dashing young lad back right holding the double bass.
Something very interesting popped up in the week that I think will engage the older readers particularly, and is a lovely one for the pre-Christmas period: A photo of the Brownhills Co-Operative Society Orchestra.
I had no idea it existed at all. I of course knew about the Brownhills Co-Operative Choral Society operating from the same place – which won many awards and was famous for decades; David Evans has written extensively about that fine history here many times over the years.
Yet I don’t recall any mention of an orchestra at all. John Bakewell wrote:
I used to play double bass with the Co-op orchestra that rehearsed each week in a room above the shop. Has anyone got any memories of this orchestra?
John added:
I’m second from the right at the back with the head of a double bass next to me. The society had their own instrument which meant that I could go straight to rehearsal on the bus from Cannock after finishing work in the council offices.
David Evans also observed:
Possibly a young Ray Cooper, back row second from right… Viola player. Isabel Cooper, his wife, front row, by the clarinet player…
So can we help John identify more of the people in the image, or share recollections of this clearly very fine group of musicians?
The musical history of Brownhills is illustrious – truly – and also remarkably diverse, so it surprises me I’ve not noticed this orchestra before.
Can you help please? If you can, comment here on the blog, find me on social media or shoot me an email to BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Thanks, and particularly to John for shining a light on another bit of our otherwise forgotten cultural heritage.
The Co-op Hall, the upper floor used for a number of purposes, including the Labour Exchange. It stood where Farm Foods is today. A cracking 1980s image by Brownhills George, and posted on Panoramio.
RSS - Posts
Yes, I think that is Ray Cooper. He was a Police Constable at Walsall and his nickname was ‘The Fiddler’ He was also a very good swimmer and a life saving instructor His beat was the Delves and he was very well known in that area. He lived at Shire Oak and passed away a few years ago.
Hi Bob
I wonder if John also played in the Staffordshire County Youth Orchestra whose conductor was the County Music Adviser, Miss Maude Smith ?
kind regards
David
Hello Bob
I confirm that what David Evans said. It is Ray and Isobel Cooper in the photo. I am their son, Tony. My mother will remember some of the other members too. I will ask her when I see her.
Kind regards
Tony Cooper
Hello Tony
many thanks for your kind reply
with my best wishes
David
Hello David.
You mentioned that you thought it might be me in the photo of the Brownhills Co-op Orchestra.
I hadn’t seen the photo at the time and I wasn’t in that orchestra.
Well I’ve now looked at the photo and it is me.
The photo is of the Walsall Co-op Orchestra, we used to meet every Sunday afternoon in rooms above the shops in the arcade on the corner of Goodall St. and Bridge St. in Walsall.
That’s me, extreme left on the back row. I would be about 14 years old at the time.
Next but one to me on the back row is my violin teacher Mr Holford. He used to play in a dance band and lived on Shire Oak. The man in front of me was Edgar the pianist and the man with glasses just behind Mrs Cooper was Arthur Schevan, he played alto sax and clarinet. He also had a dance band and they played regularly at the primrose in Walsall Wood which was on the site where Barons Court now stands.
I was a pupil at the Walsall Wood secondary school at the time but was not allowed to join the school orchestra for some reason when it was formed. I remember being a bit put out at the time but consoled myself with the fact that I played in a proper orchestra.
Later as part of a captive audience of the school orchestra I was glad that I took no part in it !!
Lovely memories of a carefree time in life.
Hi, Thank you for this photograph and for the interesting information from Derek. I can confirm that the man in the centre at the back (glasses, tie and holding a violin) is Samuel Holford (my grandfather). I understand that he lived on Great Charles Street and later in Shire Oak. He had a greengrocers shop before the war. I’m not sure of the date or the identity of the musicians, but I have a photograph of him playing in the “Peerless Dance Band” (I’ll email the photo to Bob, in case it’s of interest)
Hello David………..I am delighted to read your comments and eagerly await a photo of the Peerless Dance Band……I have heard the name but know very little about them.
kind regards and my sincere thanks
David Evans
I think that the photo of the co-op orchestra was taken in about 1956.
I’m not sure what the presentation was in aid of, nor can I remember many of the names.
There were about another six players in the orchestra who were not in the photo.
Four of us in the photo lived on Shire Oak and this reminded me about others with musical interests who also lived there.
Almost opposite me in Lichfield Road was Mr Smith who was the conductor of Aldridge Town Brass Band.
A couple of hundred yards up the road was a man who played the church organ at weddings and funerals. He played at our wedding but I can’t remember his name.
Almost opposite him lived Mr Saddler who played the saxophone in a dance band.
A few years on and actors Sonia and Arthur Crosbee lived on Shire Oak, she played Brenda Brown in Crossroads and was also in Z cars and Howards Way. Us lads might remember her better as the Pink Lady in the TV adverts at the time.
Who knows who we might have rubbed shoulders with on Shire Oak over the years.
Derek Blakemore.
Hello Derek..church organist..Mr Langford, perhaps?
Hello David.
That’s the man. I don’t know why I couldn’t remember his name. Perhaps I had other things on my mind at the time.
Regards Derek
Pingback: Music without peer… | BrownhillsBob's Brownhills Blog