2021 – 2022 REVIEW

A review of 2022 must start with a look back at the latter half of 2021 when in September of that year, we finally managed to get a convention in Blackpool. Everyone throughout the world suffered such a dreadful time with the COVID pandemic and September 2021 was the first time that we were allowed to meet in sizeable numbers in Blackpool. When we bade each other a fond farewell at the end of the November 2019 meeting, who would have thought that we would have had to suffer such a long delay before meeting again?

2021 AGM

At that first meeting after lockdown, the idea was suggested at the AGM, that forthcoming conventions should be visually streamed so that members not attending the meetings could share the entertainment. It was agreed by the committee that trials would be held to find out if this might be possible. To many members, this seemed to be a strange way to develop the GFS and ensure that it would prosper in the future, especially after just missing the whole of 2020 and the first two meetings of 2021. Six conventions out of the GFS calendar had seen memberships decline and streaming the future conventions to those who could not or would not attend, seemed a strange way to boost the membership back to pre-pandemic levels. The trials duly took place but in the end, it was voted not to pursue this venture by an overwhelming majority of the assembled members at the 2022 AGM.

VOTING

One other development from that meeting was the suggestion that members throughout the GFS should be allowed a vote at future AGMs and this was again taken up by the committee for further investigation. This has now been put in place and postal votes to any member in any location are now possible by requesting a voting slip in a stamped, addressed envelope.

HONOURS

Three members worthy of mention were granted Honorary Membership in 2021. Dennis Lee, Matthew Richards and Dale Norman all have played their part in the George Formby Society over many years. Congratulations to all three of them.

ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE VELLUMS!

Six publications were available to the members in 2021, the four regular issues of the Vellum magazine, a pictorial supplement to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the birth of the GFS, and a newsletter in November as our distinguished editor Tony Thornton had to suffer a spell in hospital which delayed the Winter issue. Tony wasted no time once he returned home and duly delivered his 101st edition of the magazine. No other editor can claim such a record and after creating his first magazine in Winter 1996, Tony is still going full steam ahead with the Winter issue of 2022 being Tony's 105th Vellum magazine!

BRANCHES

Sad news was received in late 2021 that long-term GFS member Malcolm Palmer passed away. Malcolm founded the Stourbridge branch and whilst the Stourbridge members could celebrate their thirtieth year of existence, they mourned the loss of the man who started it all in 1991. Other branch news in 2021 was the Sale branch moving to a new venue with a new leader in Mike Rotheram. The previous venue unfortunately was forced to close and branch leader Alan Newton decided to take a well-deserved retirement at the same time. Fortunately, Mike came to the rescue and became the leader of the branch and found a new venue just over two miles away. Branches at Liverpool and Blackpool closed which of course is a great shame. We also held the Grand Ukulele raffle draw but for the first and hopefully the last time, it was held in our front room in front of a video camera owing to the pandemic restrictions.

FOUR CONVENTIONS AT LAST

2022 finally allowed us to boast of four conventions held in Blackpool with the late November meeting being heralded by many as one of the best, most enjoyable gatherings in recent years. We were back in The Lancaster Suite for the first meeting of the year, a room that many would agree is perhaps too large for our conventions to be held in but one notable development was that the audio mixing desk was finally returned to its natural place at the rear of the room. The rear centre of the room is without doubt where the sound can be best monitored to ensure that the performers can deliver their best performance. We remained in The Lancastrian Suite for the following two meetings before November and The Washington Suite where it is hoped that we will be now permanently situated for the foreseeable future.

THE PLATINUM JUBILEE

The June convention was memorable in that we celebrated Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Stuart Lowther and Lewis Clifton organised a very entertaining Saturday evening concert with the dress theme being à la the Royal Albert Hall weekend in 2018. GFS members are always ready to dress up and once again they did not let the side down with many in the audience and all the Saturday evening performers dressed in style! The Stourbridge branch also celebrated our Queen's Platinum Jubilee as did members of the Yorkshire Ukulele Circle. The Uke Circle should have been a GFS branch if Bill Logan had been a bit more amenable in early 1974 when a request by Yorkshire members Dickie Speake and Joe Cooper to start a branch of the GFS was flatly refused. Thankfully the Uke Circle was born and in 2024 will celebrate its 50th year of existence.

AWAY DAYS

Not only did we have the luxury of the four Blackpool conventions in 2022, but we also enjoyed the three-day Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza when the GFS talent was again enjoyed by the many thousands of holidaymakers in the famous Welsh resort. Caroline Stewart also organised another Goathland meeting and funds raised amounting to £1,240 were again donated to MNDA in the memory of Caroline's dear friend and always a much missed GFS member, Lesley Fowkes. Haydock Park racecourse also witnessed the return of GFS members to watch The George Formby Birthday Handicap, won by Above It All with the prize presented by GFS Vice-President Dennis Lee, resplendent in a very smart suit and a nice sporty trilby. Dennis in the trilby tipped at just the right jaunty, racing angle, could have been mistaken for the richest bookie on the course! Another wonderful weekend was spent in Morecambe when we returned to the iconic Winter Gardens for a very enjoyable one-day meeting in August. Plenty of players and a good attendance ensured that a return to this historic theatre will surely not be too far away. Another notable feature of 2022 was an exhibition to celebrate The Argyle Theatre, Birkenhead where GFS member Paul Robinson was invited to attend to represent the Society. “Twice Nightly At The Argyle Theatre” was the title of the exhibition and was held in June. The GFS website also supplied some images for the exhibition.

THE FUTURE

The AGM of 2022 came around and four new names were added to the committee for 2022 - 2023. Stuart Lowther, Cathy Staniland and Jim Makin were making their debuts and Peter Pollard was returning having previously served for over twenty years, was back after a five-year break. All four were involved in a vote but all four were unanimously voted for. Steve and Sue Langford continued throughout the year to manage the GFS Shop, producing much needed funds to help our Society to survive what is sure to be testing times. Since lockdown we are once again enjoying the best of the George Formby Society but the future not just for our Society but for the whole of the country is very uncertain in many different ways. We all said an emotional farewell to our beloved Queen Elizabeth II and what with raging inflation, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, strikes in many vital services, and severe energy price rises, there appears to be uncertainty everywhere. The George Formby Society is now in its sixty-second year and it is to be hoped that members will continue to support the Society in 2023. The Covid pandemic decreased the membership and the new committee is doing their best to endeavour to find new ways to attract not just ukulele players, but all lovers of George Formby and his music.

NEVER FORGET

There is no doubt that we are an ageing group, but that has been the case for many years. With ukulele clubs all over the place and with countless ukulele/Formby groups on social media, we have competition from many different sources. Never forget that the one thing that binds our group so tightly together is the fact that we are The George Formby Society. We have been giving pleasure to countless people for over sixty two years and have kept George’s name from being completely forgotten by the media or the masses. We have some brilliant younger members who I know will do their very best to ensure that the GFS will continue its great work in celebrating the name of one of Britain's greatest entertainers, George Formby. Peter Pollard - January 2023