125 years of singing in harmony

OLDHAM Choral Society is on song and going strong as it celebrates its 125th anniversary.

And it has drawn up a packed programme to mark the milestone — from an exhibition at Gallery Oldham to a celebration service at Oldham Parish Church.

The thriving society has 130 members who travel from as far as Yorkshire, the Lake District, Wigan and Preston to rehearse at Oldham Baptist Church, Chaucer Street, on Monday evenings.

One of the leading choirs in the North-West, it was founded on March 17, 1884, as Werneth Gentleman’s Vocal Society. The word Gentleman’s was dropped from the title in 1890 when women were admitted.

It became Oldham Music Society in 1896 before adopting its current title in 1978.

The choir ceased during the First World War, before resuming in the early 1920s, and many leading artists have performed with it over the years. They include Norman Allin, Heddle Nash, Kathleen Ferrier and Isobel Baillie.

Legendary soprano Dame Eva Turner was patron for a period, with the position now held by renowned Oldham tenor Jeffrey Lawton.

The choir has also had some long serving conductors and it has grown under current musical director Nigel Wilkinson, who had has just completed his 10th year.

Fred Jones joined in 1975 and has been president since 1992. The 70-year-old from Moston said: “It is like a great big family and we do have a lot of social activities as well as the singing.

“I am very privileged to be part of something like this, especially as we have got a very good reputation out of all the choirs.

“We are known for being a sociable, welcoming group and we are called the ‘Daft Oldhamers’ by some! We don’t hold auditions — if you want to sing you are welcome to join. Usually, if somebody isn’t up to the mark they realise it themselves.”

The choir holds three or four concerts a years, plus appearances at charity events, and its repertoire ranges from songs from the shows to great choral works by Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn.

In 1997 the choir visited Ireland to help celebrate Waterford Brass Band’s 75th anniversary while members have also sung with co-operative choirs as far afield as New York, Finland, Malta, France, Prague, Bratislava and Vienna.

This year the society will visit the Isle and Man and Mr Jones added. “It’s wonderful. I have seen places and had experiences I would never even think of, including dinner at the British ambassador’s residence in Vienna after a concert.”

Eve Dale (73) from Chadderton joined after her sister, who cared for her following the death of their parents, spotted an advert in the Chronicle in 1961 appealing for singers.

Despite worrying that she did not know anyone, her sister persuaded her to go and she said: “I had an audition, which they don’t do now, and we were rehearsing ‘Hiawatha’.

“You could never perform ‘Messiah’ until you had performed in a previous concert. You used to get people who would join just to perform it.”

She enjoys the friendships and performing different types of music, adding: “I know my sister would be very proud that I am still singing.”

The exhibition at Gallery Oldham runs from March 21 to April 18 and will include programmes, photographs, minutes of meetings and other memorabilia.

People who have items of interest should e-mail society archivist Philip Johnson at philjohnson1313@tiscali.co.uk