Choir’s singers come of age...all 780 years!
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date published: 21 September 2009
IN perfect harmony . . . back row, from left, Wilf Murphy, Alan Mellor, Arthur Wilson, Margaret Hood, Marjorie Richards, Fred Jones (chairman), Jill Bromley, Elaine Shaw, David Baird, Norman Hill, Phil Shaw. Front row from left, Hilda Roseberry, Sylvia Andrew, Thelma Jones, Joan Youd, Brenda Buckley, Barbara Williams, Eve Dale, Nancy Murphy, Sylvia Smith and Margaret Jones
LONG-SERVING singers at one of the oldest choral societies in the country have notched up a staggering 780 years of being in fine voice.
The song goes on for Oldham Choral Society as members celebrate its 125th anniversary this year.
And it’s also a milestone for 21 of its singers who have been awarded long-service medals for 780 years of singing with the society between them.
A lapel pin incorporating the letters OCS has been commissioned to mark the anniversary.
It has been created in sterling silver for the 20-year award and a prototype made in nine carat gold for the 30-year award.
It was designed by Nick Potts, a tutor in jewellery making at Bury Crafts, with the final casting done in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.
The letters OCS have also been seen in other places in the borough this summer to celebrate the milestone, most noticeably at West Street and Mumps roundabout where a garden has been planted.
There was also an exhibition charting the history of the society at Gallery Oldham, which has now gone into the borough archive.
Rehearsals are under way for the final concert of the celebration year, which will be an evening of Gilbert and Sullivan favourites from “The Mikado” and the “The Gondoliers”.
It takes place at Middleton Arena on Sunday, November 8 at 7pm. Tickets, costing £10 are available from the Arena on 0844 855 4020 or from 01706 644 217.
The society is a large, non-auditioning choir, which is always open to new members — especially tenors.
Rehearsals are held on Mondays at 7.20pm at Oldham Baptist Church, Chaucer Street. For more details visit the website Oldhamchoral.org.uk or call the secretary 0161 330 1596.
