John became a regular attender at rehearsals and singouts as well as contests – Mr Reliable in so many ways. He was the sort of guy who had a mischievous sense of fun and humour which came to the fore in so many ways during his membership. Memories of this are many, including his unannounced…
He was a man who it seemed always had a twinkle in the eye accompanied by a shrewd sense of humour. Always willing to put his heart and soul into a performance he is fondly remembered for taking a lead role in the ‘send up’ of ‘Wait ‘til the Sun Shines Nellie’. He had good…
A long-standing member of the Club, shortly after joining, was amazed when the guy in front of him on the risers said ‘I think I have some bad news for you’! Expecting to have an adverse comment about his singing, George Badland asked what that might be, only to discover and recall that he and…
Quite apart from singing Baritone, he moved in later years to sing Bass and also at times acted as a ‘roving’ Section Leader coaching the Leads too. Occasionally he was ‘out front’ when the Director was away or delayed in attending. Geoff was a proud member of the 1988 Bronze Medal winning Chorus in Harrogate….
Quite apart from his singing contributions to the Chorus, he served as a Member of the Club’s Management Committee; appointed Chairman in 1994; and for some time took on the role of Public Relations Officer. He won the Sides Family Trophy [ Anvil Chorus’s Barbershopper of the Year ] in 1989 . Throughout his long…
Some years ago, I am unable to remember how many, (it seems for ever) he moved back to Birmingham and joined Anvil Chorus. The Chorus was never quite the same again, John was the eternal volunteer and whenever help was needed you would find John in the middle. It wasn’t long before he was appointed…
Throughout his time as a Barbershop singer, John Ellis gave enormous and valued service both to his Club and also the Association of Barbershop Singers. He was one of the first members of the West Midlands Barbershop Harmony Club when it was formed by teachers at the then Menzies High School in Great Barr and…
Ivor often said that Barbershop had given him a new lease of singing life and he just loved being with us on the risers and, ever the performer, particularly enjoyed our public appearances and relished the challenge of Convention, so it’s fitting that the picture is of him enjoying the Sweet Pea experience at Harrogate this year….
2003 was memorable as it was the year we decided to take the Chorus abroad, to Ireland, for IABS Convention for just the second time, having sung in the Dutch Convention back in 1990. The Chorus sang really well and came away with the Silver Medal falling just three points short of the All-Ireland Ladies…
Like his brother Ken was a bass, but I think it is fair to say that Ken’s more important contribution to the chorus was his administrative role. He was a tireless worker on behalf of the chorus and became treasurer and held the post for a number of years. For many years Ken and his…
Jim from Worcestershire, would travel 80 miles return to our rehearsals, coaching sessions and singouts, rarely missing any of these and regularly being one of the first to arrive even when roadworks and accidents on the M5 did their best to delay him. He joined the Bass Section with a rich resonant voice and in…
John’s service to the Chorus includes time spent as our Secretary to the Management Team of which he was a member, as well as becoming our Chorus Manager which involves considerable contact with the members each week. For several years this also included the sometimes thankless job, of arranging our hotel accommodation for Conventions. In…
Lacy who had been a member of Anvil Chorus for a little under twenty years, sadly died on 18 April 2021 and since then huge volumes of tributes have been received by the Club and its members from around the UK and beyond, all of which reflect on his amazing rich resonant Bass voice which…
