Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
Today I have been to a memorial concert in memory of a former neighbour of mine, Tony Moss, who was a co-founder of the Cinema Organ Society and Vice President (I believe) of the Cinema Theatre Association. Tony had an incredible knowledge of cinemas and cinema organs, and has left a collection of 25 000 pictures to the CTA, as well as a mass of other memorabilia.
When I was tiny and my dad had recently started work as a teacher at Loxton Street, he also became organist at St Mark's Church, Washwood Heath to make a few pennies and exercise his talents. When the The Beaufort Cinema, opposite the "Fox and Goose" was but a few years old (it was opened in 1929) and they had a resident named Reginald New. My father got to know him very well, and I have quite a few recollections of "Uncle Reggie", although he soon moved on to the Regal, Beckenham, not far from where he grew up or where I live today. He used to do tours of different cinemas round the country, and he usually came to see us when he was in Brum. The last time was in 1958, when he was far from well, and rheumatism made it painful for him to play. Unlike many cinema organists at that time he had had a full musical training and was a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists - he was as much at home with the classics as busking a selection of popular tunes.
As I remember he was replaced at the Beaufort by Eric Spruce (Uncle Eric to me of course), but I see from the Cleggs' "Dream Palaces of Birmingham" that the organ was removed to the Parlophone studio in Abbey Road (yes, where the Beatles did their stuff) in 1937.
Cinema organists were among the biggest bearners in show business in the 1930s.
My dad occasionally did a night at a cinema before the war, but he also played the piano on the radio a few times, always popular but sedate stuff. He made a bit more work for himself demonstrating Hammond Organs for a Mr Richards, who had a showroom in Islington Row, by Fie Ways.
During the war he volunteered for the RAF to be able to choose what he did, and was posted in Bournemouth for two years entertaining British and Canadian airmen, many of whom were mentally shattered after their experiences. He got to know an outstanding African organist Fela Sowanda, whose playing was magic.
After the war my dad was demobbed and was more involved with church organ work, including demonstrating and opening organs which were being removed from cinemas and installed in chapels and churches - I remember Chadsmoor Methodist Church near Hednesford in 1947 and Hurst Green Methodist Church in 1948-49. He did only one gig I can remember, shortly after he was demobbed, at a cvinema in Wednesbury, billed as "Alan Walker, the International Swing Organist" (he had just come back from India).
Hearing a cinema organ played live today for the first time for about 50 years I couldn't help think it was a rather terrible noise, and my wife Barbara thought the same. I have spoken to other people tonight, and some of them agree that the cinema organ could make an awful noise. Why did organists have to play like that, when the instrument could make some beautiful sounds?
Peter, 23.07.05
When I was tiny and my dad had recently started work as a teacher at Loxton Street, he also became organist at St Mark's Church, Washwood Heath to make a few pennies and exercise his talents. When the The Beaufort Cinema, opposite the "Fox and Goose" was but a few years old (it was opened in 1929) and they had a resident named Reginald New. My father got to know him very well, and I have quite a few recollections of "Uncle Reggie", although he soon moved on to the Regal, Beckenham, not far from where he grew up or where I live today. He used to do tours of different cinemas round the country, and he usually came to see us when he was in Brum. The last time was in 1958, when he was far from well, and rheumatism made it painful for him to play. Unlike many cinema organists at that time he had had a full musical training and was a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists - he was as much at home with the classics as busking a selection of popular tunes.
As I remember he was replaced at the Beaufort by Eric Spruce (Uncle Eric to me of course), but I see from the Cleggs' "Dream Palaces of Birmingham" that the organ was removed to the Parlophone studio in Abbey Road (yes, where the Beatles did their stuff) in 1937.
Cinema organists were among the biggest bearners in show business in the 1930s.
My dad occasionally did a night at a cinema before the war, but he also played the piano on the radio a few times, always popular but sedate stuff. He made a bit more work for himself demonstrating Hammond Organs for a Mr Richards, who had a showroom in Islington Row, by Fie Ways.
During the war he volunteered for the RAF to be able to choose what he did, and was posted in Bournemouth for two years entertaining British and Canadian airmen, many of whom were mentally shattered after their experiences. He got to know an outstanding African organist Fela Sowanda, whose playing was magic.
After the war my dad was demobbed and was more involved with church organ work, including demonstrating and opening organs which were being removed from cinemas and installed in chapels and churches - I remember Chadsmoor Methodist Church near Hednesford in 1947 and Hurst Green Methodist Church in 1948-49. He did only one gig I can remember, shortly after he was demobbed, at a cvinema in Wednesbury, billed as "Alan Walker, the International Swing Organist" (he had just come back from India).
Hearing a cinema organ played live today for the first time for about 50 years I couldn't help think it was a rather terrible noise, and my wife Barbara thought the same. I have spoken to other people tonight, and some of them agree that the cinema organ could make an awful noise. Why did organists have to play like that, when the instrument could make some beautiful sounds?
Peter, 23.07.05