Shrewsbury Male Voice Choir

The History of the Choir

Late in the year of 1959, a small group of men gathered round a piano in the Lion Hotel, they had enjoyed a convivial evening and were in a mood to sing. They so enjoyed themselves that on the suggestion of one of the men - Mr Harold Hunt - they decided to try to form a choir. Mr Hunt had been a member of Rolls Royce Derby Male Voice Choir, and he missed his singing when he moved to Shrewsbury. Rehearsals began under the baton of Harold Hunt and early in 1960 under the title of 'Rolls Royce (Shrewsbury) Male Voice Choir'. They gave their first concert at Pulverbatch and soon became a busy and popular choir. Soon after formation they made two appearances at the Granada Theatre with Ivor Emmanuel and other stars of the theatre. In 1964 they first sang at the Shrewsbury Flower Show, singing with the massed Guards Bands, and still regularly present concerts there as well as taking part in the Grand Finale. In the mid sixties, Betty Pickering L.R.A.M. a singer of some renown from Huddersfield took over the baton, and many competitive successes were achieved, the choir twice competing at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. In 1974 they made their first LP record, and by this tirne, the Music Hall concerts of 'Brass and Voice' had been firmly established as an Annual Event with bands like Black Dyke, Brighouse, Fodens and rnany others including a series of concerts with our special friends Lt. Col. Keith Boulding and the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals. We are grateful for the musical arrangements they have made for us to perform with them. In 1978, the Choir formed part of the inaugural English Massed Male Voice Choir in the Royal Albert Hall and more recently, regularly appear there as members of the Welsh Association of Male Choirs in the 1000 Voice Concerts. The Choir can boast some of the original members are still within its ranks. The acquisition of the company by Perkins forced a name change, but in 1990, the Perkins Engines Male Voice Choir, as it was then known, dropped its links with the Company and became the - SHREWSBURY MALE VOICE CHOIR.