{"id":678,"date":"2026-04-13T06:52:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T06:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/?page_id=678"},"modified":"2026-05-28T12:42:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T12:42:31","slug":"memories-by-stan-colquhoun","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/?page_id=678","title":{"rendered":"Memories – by Stan Colquhoun"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Memories of Port Sunlight Orchestra<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In February 1962, I joined the Engineering Design and Projects Department at Lever Brothers Ltd. Various clubs and societies were attached to the company including cricket, darts, bowls, an operatic group and an orchestra. As a violinist I remember playing in a small orchestra for a production of the \u2018Merry Widow\u2019 by the operatic group at the Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight. In March 1966 I joined Port Sunlight Orchestral Society, as it was then called, and later that year I was invited to take on the role of secretary. This developed into an orchestral general manager role, concert fixer as well as secretary. At that time there were about 24 players and our new subscription was seven shillings and six pence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was very embarrassing for me when fixing a soloist for a concert as I had to explain that we could not pay a fee, but I was never refused. Each of the societies attached to the company were paid
a donation annually, but this was certainly not sufficient for us to pay soloist fees. Later, I introduced collections after the concerts and the proceeds were donated to various charities. Eventually, the collections were donated to orchestral funds and we were able to make suitable reimbursements to soloists, and who were generally members of Wallasey or Birkenhead operatic societies. At that time the gallery\u2019s curator was a soprano who sang \u2018O Holy Night\u2019 at a December concert, taking the gallery staff by surprise as they were not aware of her musical talent!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It had been our custom to start the concert by playing the National Anthem which of course starts with a drum roll  This was the cue for the audience to rise to their feet.
Sometime during that period, Alan Lees was our Conductor, and at a rehearsal he said we would not be playing the Anthem at any future concerts.
At the next concert, the \u2018Thieving  Magpie\u2019  was the first piece on the programme, and this starts with a drum roll.  The result was that the audience stood up, anticipating the Anthem, while the Orchestra launched into the Overture !<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I remember a concert in November 1985 featured six soloists and a chorus, all from the Dee and Alyn Gilbert and Sullivan Society, performing selections from \u2018Iolanthe\u2019, \u2018Pirates of Penzance\u2019 and
\u2018The Gondoliers\u2019. Although the Orchestra had fewer players at that time, it still was a tight squeeze in the gallery hall. Sometimes we had instrumental soloists, one of whom was Ken Tinsley, a trumpet and cornet player who had twice been a national champion. One of his solos was \u2018Carnival of Venice\u2019, with all the clever variations, accompanied on the piano by his daughter. Ken worked in the Product Development Dept. at Lever Brothers. He told me that when going on holiday with his family, he would take his instrument with him and practice in a quiet field!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also gave concerts at Heswall Hall, Barnston Church, Port Sunlight Church, Ellesmere Port Civic Centre and Frodsham. The coach taking us to Frodsham was late and upon arriving the audience were all well seated, waiting for the start!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On another occasion, we had a request for 12 to 14 players to provide background music at an evening reception for an art society in the gallery as the guests wandered around. We had to cram into the first floor \u2018minstrel\u2019s gallery\u2019 which is above where the cellos currently play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my early years with the orchestra, our weekly rehearsals were also held in the main hall. At concerts, tea and biscuits were served in the basement. I also used to organise an end of season evening party for members, their wives and husbands. Sherry was served upon arrival, and followed by a lighthearted musical quiz in the main hall, with a buffet style meal served by caterers in the
basement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For publicity, I produced A4 sized posters and ensured copies were put on display in Wirral libraries and other public places. I got to know Monty Lister who had a programme on BBC Radio Merseyside and he kindly announced details of our concerts. On one occasion, when in need of a replacement conductor, he interviewed me about the relevant details and indeed, a conductor
was found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At one stage, all seats were taken and the audience had to stand at the sides and rear. This resulted in restrictions being applied by ticket admission only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When, at the opening ceremony of the gallery the first Lord Leverhulme announced in his speech that the hall was to \u201cbe used for music and dancing\u201d it was felt in order to secure our future concerts that the current Lord Leverhulme be approached to become our President. He eagerly accepted, though he claimed to know nothing about music! Despite being invited to the concerts he invariably could not attend because of being in London on business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The various clubs and societies based in Port sunlight all received an annual moderate donation from Lever Brothers for which I had to make a formal application by a certain time each year. However, things changed and the donations ceased. Littlewoods football pools operated a scheme whereby a considerable one-off donation could be submitted for deserving cause. A very carefully worded application was necessary. I gave the application much thought, stressing the history and the good reputation of the orchestra. Our application was favoured and we were able to buy new music
stands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was finding that the degree of responsibility was too much for just myself so a committee of six was formed, with committee meetings being held on Saturday mornings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Memories of a few players.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Hilary Easton, Polly Spencer and Warren Temple have all been members of the Orchestra for a considerable time, they will probably be able to identify some or all of the following players. At the time that the annual subscription was seven shillings and six pence, a clarinet player refused to pay until the end of the season as he did not want to lose the interest the money would earn in the bank! He was quite serious and awkward!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A violinist was also a member of Rock Ferry sailing club. Every early summer he would skipper a boat belonging to another member (a doctor) to the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another violinist was an undertaker, and permanently bore a serious facial expression of his profession!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the 1st violin players was married to the bassoonist and another violinist who joined subsequently married the otherbassoon player. I was invited to be one of the two witnesses at their wedding!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At one stage we had two pharmacists in the orchestra, with one of our 1st violinists also being an almoner at a Wirral hospital. Her cousin was Terence English who was a famous heart transplant
surgeon at Papworth Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clarinet player was Technical Director at Cammell Lairds in Birkenhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A horn player (whose daughter was then leader of the orchestra) was a regular compiler of cryptic crosswords for the Daily Telegraph. On one occasion he was approached by Diana Rigg (whose friend Elaine Page was starring in a show in London) to compile a cryptic crossword puzzle based entirely on Elaine\u2019s show. Diana wanted to present it to her close friend Elaine. He agreed to do it but It meant him studying the music and words very closely. He managed to complete the task within the date agreed, and after after sending it, he heard no more! Not only was he not paid, he was not even thanked!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To complete the family connections within the Orchestra, my son Ian became a member, playing cello for about four years and for a period of time during the 80s he was our only cellist.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CONDUCTORS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Henry Wilson was the conductor when I joined, having previously conducted a dance band. He retired after 2 or 3 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruth Lever, sister of the last Lord Leverhulme, conducted for a period off time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The orchestra\u2019s oboe player (whose name I cannot remember) conducted for a while, addressing the audience: ‘Please do not shoot the oboist, he is doing his best’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bill Maginn, who lived in Bromborough, conducted for about 6 years and left to conduct a company band at a ship builders in Barrow in Furness, having previously conducted the Birkenhead based Cammell Laird brass band.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alan Lees was a barrister in Chester and conducted for about 16 years. When needing to appear in court at Caernarfon, either Rod Hewson or Ken Sage would cover for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Entwistle conducted from 1988 to 1992,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malcom Stowell-Smith conducted from 1992 to 1998, followed by Ian Woods(1996-1998).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric Jennings (previously 1st trombone with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) conducted from 1998-2012 and the present conductor is David Straughan.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Memories of Port Sunlight Orchestra In February 1962, I joined the Engineering Design and Projects Department at Lever Brothers Ltd. Various clubs and societies were attached to the company including cricket, darts, bowls, an operatic group and an orchestra. As a violinist I remember playing in a small orchestra for a production of the \u2018Merry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-678","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=678"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/678\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":713,"href":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/678\/revisions\/713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/portsunlightorchestra.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}