Imperial George.
After the excitement of the last meeting with Frank Skinner and the BBC would this meeting be as flat as a pancake? It was different certainly, relaxed, yes, interesting, yes, friendly, yes...and it actually began with the words...
“Absolutely brilliant and thank you for that” which was not a reference to the weather, but a comment made by the BBC Radio Lancashire’s Maria, who had dropped in for an interview and impromptu concert before the meeting had begun. Her programme was reviewing life in Lancashire and as George was, and still, is Lancashire’s most famous lad. It was a good place to start. Let’s hope her listeners were tuned in. John Walley and Gerry Mawdsley filled her in with facts about the society, its membership and other interesting titbits. Their conversation covered topics such as whether it was necessary to have an accent when singing. Gerry put her right on that one – ‘it helps to have a Lancashire accent, but is not necessary’ and she plonked a uke, whilst John held her mike; role swapping or what! They ended by singing about a stick of rock.

So what did happen to those sticks of George Formby rock given out at the last concert? Had they been sucked, licked, chomped and demolished? The members had lots of different replies...
Unfortunately Teddy Alexander didn’t get one....
Sean Rutter, wouldn’t open it as “It’s a souvenir and part of the memorabilia.”
Joe Hearson was horrified at the thought and was definite about “not eating it”.
Alan Chenery revealed that “his wife gave it away to all her friends”.
Jane Partington emphatically declared, “Of course not!” And has put it with a tin of Uncle Joe’s mint balls (out of date).
Pam Baddeley said, “It’s too precious to eat and will be preserved forever as George Formby memorabilia”
One member (nameless) has it in the kitchen next to Glasgow Rangers, which have gone a bit soft-the rock not the famous football team.
Peter Pollard admits to sucking it and he’s still got some left “in the cupboard”....and Frankie, well she actually admits to eating it! Other members have merely preserved the label.

During the weekend, ‘Windows were cleaned’, Lampposts leant on and sticks of Blackpool rock eaten. As compere John Walley remarked, the society is full of ‘great friends and wonderful characters’ Teddy Alexander told me a really lovely story about a caravan site...and an impromptu concert... and then there were the comic ‘off the cuff’ remarks. It was these comments from members which made the meeting both on and off the stage so memorable.
“I don’t really know this song so I need to practise it!”
And then there was the classic ... “At one time all I had to tune was my uke, now I have to tune in my hearing aids as well!”
“I don’t know where to put my hands so I’m feeling my way!” (from a member with no microphone to hold) . There was Cyril Palmer’s funeral song, sung purely to “keep our spirits up in the afternoon.” Sean’s dad kept promising to play ‘the bones’ and actually did late on Sunday. He made us wait for it! Now will September bring a repeat performance? Yes!!

Through it all, the band kept playing – probably just as well! The audience enjoyed it, and like the audience at the guillotine in France many years ago, they knitted, they talked, they ate, they drank, they played electronic games, they embroidered and at one point Alan Chenery was nipping around on his wife’s chair, minus L plates. Neil, Vivien and Andrew were amusing themselves by concentrating on their new card game – not a game of patience (although that was required) not bridge and not poker, but sorting out membership cards. It kept them amused. How times haven’t changed! John tells me that the membership fee throughout most of the 1960’s was one guinea (£!.1/-)
There were some changes though – it wasn’t the same band all the way through. It was a new band on the Sunday afternoon. Dickie said, ‘It was to give them a chance as they are the future and it gives us a rest’. But in the next breath admitted to being bored when he wasn’t doing anything...you just can’t please some people. And did you spot that Tony wasn’t playing his usual guitar? Had he forgotten it, or should the absent Chris have brought it?

Some questions are still hard to answer. How many acts has Alex watched in the last 30 years and how many people have watched him filming? But did you also realise that Alex ‘doesna play’ and has never been up on stage but is ‘a good watcher’. Some questions have been answered, such as where Peter’s bones come from. Peter makes his own bones from hard woods such as oak, the harder the wood the better the sound, – probably simpler than grave robbing.
In a side room as hot as a Turkish bath, the sales table was busy- laden with ukes, some that had ‘seen the world’ as well as ukes which were made to ‘see the world’- a suitcase special from Ken Smith, to beat the extra baggage costs, so that members would never be without (their ukes) Useful I suppose to enable members to ‘busk’ on holiday! He also had a special one off price for GF members. Ken calls it ‘Air mile Andy the Prince of Ukuleles’. And then there was the butterfly shaped uke – described by Gerry as being like ‘as bosom’ but actually known as a bongo uke! Nice to keep abreast of things!

The shop again did extremely well with Peter’s DVD and convention DVD’s being quickly sold out. Kitty’s raffle also raised £152.50. Four new members made their appearance on the Saturday’s meeting, but were nowhere to be seen on Sunday. Let’s hope they return in September.

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