Botley Choral Society in 1959
At the top left corner of this 1959 photo, you'll find Ted Bishop, with a cropped enlargement below to help with the identification.
Ted started with Botley Choral Society in 1948, initially as page turner for the pianist. He joined the tenor section, and had been singing for a number of years when this picture was taken. In the front row second from the left with a music copy is Ted's mother, and to the right of her in the smart suit is Dr Pern the village doctor. Standing tall in the back row slightly further to the right is the Rev Carey, wearing spectacles. Then the photo also includes Group Captain Fulljames, G. Hume the organist, Ken Watts, and his wife, who played the piano at the time.
The piece they were singing at the time the photo was taken was "Sweet Thames run softly", by George Dyson, George being the music master at Winchester College at the time. If your eyesight is perfect you might just read the title on the copy held by the lady at front right, but then perhaps not.
If 1959 seems like a long time ago, here's a way of putting it in context: imagine in 51 years time, in 2061, one of our present younger members displaying our recent Botley Choral Society photo and picking out some of todays notables. I wonder who they might remember
Ted - thanks for sharing this with us, and we wish you many more happy years with Botley Choral.
