Morecambe Musical Festival

A Memory of Morecambe.

From 1952 to 1959, aged 9 to 16 and at Morecambe Grammar School, I played the piano in the solo classes at the Morecambe Musical Festival - a premier event in the calendar of the Winter Gardens. It brought in thousands of people during the week; choirs, brass bands and soloists from Scotland, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Wales etc. with all their supporters, as well as local talent.
If I won my classes during the week I would appear in the grand finals on the Saturday evening and I still have all the certificates to prove it! Very daunting for a young person in that magnificent theatre and on that enormous stage. Every few years I come back and remember the Winter Gardens as it used to be in those halcyon days of the 50's. How it has all changed, especially as I had a tour round the old theatre a couple of years ago and saw how much decay had set in.
I went on to Manchester University to gain a music degree and still regard the Winter Gardens as a very large stepping stone on the way to my career as a professional pianist. The Winter Gardens - and Ballroom - will never be the same again, as neither will Morecambe itself, but I hope the limited restoration project for the theatre is successful. It deserves a new lease of life since I think it was once the largest theatre between London and Scotland with a capacity of 7000 if you included the Ballroom, on the right of your photograph, sadly now demolished.
May it always be remembered for what it was and for all the famous (and not-so-famous!) stars who trod the boards there.

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Added 29 November 2007

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I too remember the annual Morecambe Musical Festival from this era, with great fondness. My only contribution was with the choirs and recorder groups on the Thursday evening schools concert, under the baton of Sam B Wood! My brother however, was a boy soprano and entered and won many of the classes held in the theatre. I remember the adjudicator's box on a raised platform at the back of the stalls....it was all very professionally managed in a hushed and dimmed theatre. Happy Days!
Pauline Parkman

By Pauline Parkman on Mon May 9th 2016, at 10:24 am

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I remember being in the Festival about 1958-9 . I went to St. Mary’s and my Teachers who helped to do our production were Miss Burdon and Miss Connolly . We did the mime of The Willow Pattern Plate and I played the Japanese Princess escaping from her cruel Father played by Arthur Stewart and her suitor played by David Quinn . They were fighting with sticks and I was hobbling all over the stage ( on my ‘ bound feet’ with over emphasized expressions at various moments! I received a special mention in the “ Visitor” . I’ve never been able to find a copy . I moved from Morecambe in 1962 to the North East. To live with my Nana ( my mother’s family , my Mam died 1950 when I was 5.) I used to work in Euston Rd @Hargraeves and Whiticker the Jewellers and then I worked in Display at Henry’s Stores Lancaster - over the road from the Museum . Wired thing is my surname is now Henry - no connection , I remember Dances on the Central Pier and the Floral Hall and Dancing to the Organ in the Winter Gardens .I remember the crowds of Visitors in the Summer - Swimming in the Super Swimming Stadium and watching the Miss Great Britain Heats on a Wednesday afternoon , my half day from work . I remember the the big fire when the original hotel / pub name beginning with I- got it The Imperial Hotel was severely damaged . They built it again on Regent Rd . I used to live in Claremont road but moved to Hutton Crescent off Woodhill Lane in 1958 . Then it was a new build!

By barbarahenry2015 on Tue Oct 10th 2017, at 7:21 pm

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What memories these posts have stirred up!
I recall competing in the music festival in the Winter Gardens in about 1954 as part of a choir from Morecambe Grammar School, where Sam B Wood was our music teacher.
I also remember sitting in the front row of the stalls when David Whitfield was performing.
I live in Gloucestershire now, but visited Morecambe in 2008, staying at the Midland Hotel just after it re-opened, and again last year for what will probably be the last time.

By Mrs R Groves on Fri Feb 9th 2018, at 4:40 pm

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