Happy Birthday Glendale!
Glendale Accordion & Fiddle Club 40th Anniversary
by Ernie Gordon
B&F November 2013
Glendale Hall, Wooler was the venue for the Club’s 40th Anniversary celebration which took place on Thursday, 26th September 2013. The actual anniversary date was January 1973 but owing to the tragic loss of our Secretary and Events Organiser, husband and wife team Sheila and Ron Smailes in October 2012, the celebration concert was delayed until the start of the new 2013/14 season.
The original idea to form a Club in Wooler way back then came from Robert Whitehead himself, a mere slip of a lad in those days, so it was most fitting he should take centre stage on this occasion with his 5-piece band.
It was because of Robert’s passionate desire and determination, together with the help from a likeminded group of local enthusiasts, that the Glendale Accordion and Fiddle Club became firmly established and, during its 40 year history, has continued to maintain its high standard of administration and presentation with a succession of devoted and dedicated Committee Members, who over the years, can lay claim to bringing many top names in the world of Scottish accordion and fiddle music to entertain the people of Wooler and Glendale.
Special guest for the evening was Mr Ron MacDonald, a Portree of Skye man, and button-box player at that, the Club’s very first MC and Chairman right through until the late 1980s, who spoke eloquently of his fond memories with stories and anecdotes of good humour and happiness the Club’s activities generated in those early days.
Foe example, as with most Club nights, the first half was performed at the appointed venue but the second half was normally a repeat performance at Ron’s house nearly where guests artistes, committee members and friends alike were all treated with special Cheviot hospitality by Ron and his family when the musical ‘Jamboree’ invariably ended up amidst many empty tea / coffee cups and assorted bottles but just in time to hear the dawn chorus! Ron also made special mention of Robert Whitehead and pianist Alan Brown, who were the Club’s very first Committee Members and performers way back in 1973. Jim Johnstone was the first guest artiste followed by Jimmy Lindsay then furthermore, as if from a built-in archive record from ‘Who’s Who’ in the Scottish accordion and fiddle library, Ron made mention of such greats as Jimmy Blue, Ian Powrie, Andrew Rankine, Bill Black and The Alexander Brothers, to name but a few, but also of Glendale’s very own Will Atkinson, Willy Taylor, John Dagg, the three Wilson brothers, Robin, Tom and Jock (all drummers), Willie Weddle and Ron Purves with son Geoff, ‘Wiggy’ Brown and Ian Wilson – all of whom, and a great many more were, to a greater or lesser degree, instrumental in the making of the Glendale Club. Ron MacDonald emphasised further the supporting role played by Robert Whitehead, not only at the early formation of the Glendale Club but of his continuing interest, support and involvement with the Club all the way through to the present day and, for good measure, read a rather apt poem of his own composition, ‘An Ode to an Ode Man’, which he’d dedicated to Robert on his 50th birthday. As a token of the Club’s appreciation, chairman Jimmy Straughan presented Ron MacDonald with a bottle of Highland ‘Lucozade’ but I just happened to notice a game bird portrayed on the label!!
The concert got underway with a medley of popular tunes from Netta Harvey on piano followed by a couple of skilful, slick fingered sets from Leonard Brown, also MC for the evening, and with yours truly on the Tremolo mouthorgan playing, and paying, a tribute to the late, great, Will Atkinson.
And so, it was very fitting that Robert Whitehead and his Danelaw Scottish Country Dance Band should be guest artistes for the Anniversary Concert, namely, Alan Brown – piano (original club Member), Graeme Whitehead – second accordion, Andy Kain – Fiddle and David Ashbridge – drums.
Throughout the first half, and all of the second, they produced a very appropriate and distinct blend of a Scottish-Border-Northumbrian tunes of varied times, titles and flavours, far too numerous to mention in detail, and all interspersed with solos from Graeme and Andy plus some really grand tales from Robert with mention of yet more famous names such as Arthur Spink, Angus Fitchet, Rob Gordon, Freeland Barbour with The Wallochmor and James Reavey from Newcastle (ex World Champion), plus many other happenings and hilarious experiences during his many years associated with the Glendale Club. One particular tune played by the band does rate a mention however, that being ‘Andrew’s March’, composed by local retired musician, accordionist john Dagg, yet another long term stalwart of the Club, who was sitting in the audience and replicated every note, even with his now painful fingers!
One very notable achievement for which the Club is extremely proud is that it sports the only two Englishmen to have annexed the Scottish Adult Solo Accordion Championship Winners Trophy with Robert Whitehead in 1968 and Leonard Brown in 2012. Another notable feature associated with the Glendale Club over the years is the wonderfully appetising, all inclusive, buffet at the interval, plus the very good ‘watering hole’, all provided as usual by Brenda, Anne and Gordon, serving everyone’s hunger and thirst needs during the evening’s proceedings.
Listening to all the nostalgic talk in the hall throughout the evening simply proved to me that many of our generation still don’t really need a mobile phone to Tweet or Twitter! The well made, deliciously tasting anniversary cake was made by our Treasurer, Caroline Cumming with our long term stalwart, original Club Member and previous Club Treasurer (15 years) and now President, Margaret Dickson doing the honours with the cake cutting ceremony and the imitation champagne toast was proposed by Ron MacDonald, wishing the Glendale Club well for another 40 years. It was also the perfect occasion to welcome and indoctrinate our new Club Secretary, Jean Auchterlonie, to the Glendale – Heart of the Cheviots – Accordion and Fiddle Club.
I wanted to get up and sing the old music hall ballad, “We’ve bin togevver nar for forty years anit down’t see a digh too long” – but they’re all the Cockney words I can remember!
The original idea to form a Club in Wooler way back then came from Robert Whitehead himself, a mere slip of a lad in those days, so it was most fitting he should take centre stage on this occasion with his 5-piece band.
It was because of Robert’s passionate desire and determination, together with the help from a likeminded group of local enthusiasts, that the Glendale Accordion and Fiddle Club became firmly established and, during its 40 year history, has continued to maintain its high standard of administration and presentation with a succession of devoted and dedicated Committee Members, who over the years, can lay claim to bringing many top names in the world of Scottish accordion and fiddle music to entertain the people of Wooler and Glendale.
Special guest for the evening was Mr Ron MacDonald, a Portree of Skye man, and button-box player at that, the Club’s very first MC and Chairman right through until the late 1980s, who spoke eloquently of his fond memories with stories and anecdotes of good humour and happiness the Club’s activities generated in those early days.
Foe example, as with most Club nights, the first half was performed at the appointed venue but the second half was normally a repeat performance at Ron’s house nearly where guests artistes, committee members and friends alike were all treated with special Cheviot hospitality by Ron and his family when the musical ‘Jamboree’ invariably ended up amidst many empty tea / coffee cups and assorted bottles but just in time to hear the dawn chorus! Ron also made special mention of Robert Whitehead and pianist Alan Brown, who were the Club’s very first Committee Members and performers way back in 1973. Jim Johnstone was the first guest artiste followed by Jimmy Lindsay then furthermore, as if from a built-in archive record from ‘Who’s Who’ in the Scottish accordion and fiddle library, Ron made mention of such greats as Jimmy Blue, Ian Powrie, Andrew Rankine, Bill Black and The Alexander Brothers, to name but a few, but also of Glendale’s very own Will Atkinson, Willy Taylor, John Dagg, the three Wilson brothers, Robin, Tom and Jock (all drummers), Willie Weddle and Ron Purves with son Geoff, ‘Wiggy’ Brown and Ian Wilson – all of whom, and a great many more were, to a greater or lesser degree, instrumental in the making of the Glendale Club. Ron MacDonald emphasised further the supporting role played by Robert Whitehead, not only at the early formation of the Glendale Club but of his continuing interest, support and involvement with the Club all the way through to the present day and, for good measure, read a rather apt poem of his own composition, ‘An Ode to an Ode Man’, which he’d dedicated to Robert on his 50th birthday. As a token of the Club’s appreciation, chairman Jimmy Straughan presented Ron MacDonald with a bottle of Highland ‘Lucozade’ but I just happened to notice a game bird portrayed on the label!!
The concert got underway with a medley of popular tunes from Netta Harvey on piano followed by a couple of skilful, slick fingered sets from Leonard Brown, also MC for the evening, and with yours truly on the Tremolo mouthorgan playing, and paying, a tribute to the late, great, Will Atkinson.
And so, it was very fitting that Robert Whitehead and his Danelaw Scottish Country Dance Band should be guest artistes for the Anniversary Concert, namely, Alan Brown – piano (original club Member), Graeme Whitehead – second accordion, Andy Kain – Fiddle and David Ashbridge – drums.
Throughout the first half, and all of the second, they produced a very appropriate and distinct blend of a Scottish-Border-Northumbrian tunes of varied times, titles and flavours, far too numerous to mention in detail, and all interspersed with solos from Graeme and Andy plus some really grand tales from Robert with mention of yet more famous names such as Arthur Spink, Angus Fitchet, Rob Gordon, Freeland Barbour with The Wallochmor and James Reavey from Newcastle (ex World Champion), plus many other happenings and hilarious experiences during his many years associated with the Glendale Club. One particular tune played by the band does rate a mention however, that being ‘Andrew’s March’, composed by local retired musician, accordionist john Dagg, yet another long term stalwart of the Club, who was sitting in the audience and replicated every note, even with his now painful fingers!
One very notable achievement for which the Club is extremely proud is that it sports the only two Englishmen to have annexed the Scottish Adult Solo Accordion Championship Winners Trophy with Robert Whitehead in 1968 and Leonard Brown in 2012. Another notable feature associated with the Glendale Club over the years is the wonderfully appetising, all inclusive, buffet at the interval, plus the very good ‘watering hole’, all provided as usual by Brenda, Anne and Gordon, serving everyone’s hunger and thirst needs during the evening’s proceedings.
Listening to all the nostalgic talk in the hall throughout the evening simply proved to me that many of our generation still don’t really need a mobile phone to Tweet or Twitter! The well made, deliciously tasting anniversary cake was made by our Treasurer, Caroline Cumming with our long term stalwart, original Club Member and previous Club Treasurer (15 years) and now President, Margaret Dickson doing the honours with the cake cutting ceremony and the imitation champagne toast was proposed by Ron MacDonald, wishing the Glendale Club well for another 40 years. It was also the perfect occasion to welcome and indoctrinate our new Club Secretary, Jean Auchterlonie, to the Glendale – Heart of the Cheviots – Accordion and Fiddle Club.
I wanted to get up and sing the old music hall ballad, “We’ve bin togevver nar for forty years anit down’t see a digh too long” – but they’re all the Cockney words I can remember!