"1st St Marys Male Voice Choir"
Later known as 'Mebyon Syllan'

Founded in 1972 and based on the 'Bude Lifeboat Singers', the humble beginnings in the gent's toilet on the quay after a disco, showed no sign of the popularity it would enjoy for around 25 years. 3 or 4 of us would utilize the 'acoustics' in the 'gent's' and practice a few of our own harmonies but we noticed that each time we did so, the numbers would grow, until every disco night, 12 or 13 of us would meet there and sing until the early hours. Sometimes we would leave the girls in the disco and disappear half way through, only to get an 'ear bashing' when they came out. It was suggested that we form a choir and practice properly, so in the autumn of 1972 when the disco closed for the winter, we started meeting in Tommy Hick's barn at Maypole farm. After a couple of years the quality of singing improved to a standard which allowed us to put on concerts in the Town Hall. Using the money we collected, we were able to enjoy annual w/end trips to the mainland ,where we renewed old friendships in Bude and Newquay. (which are still enjoyed to this day). Unfortunately, several of our members have now passed on and the choir was officially disbanded in 1993.

This is a collection of photos all taken in the 1970's. Some in Bude, some in Torrington and some locally.

click on thumbnails for enlargement.

Alan Price, Kit Guy, Johnny Bennetts, George Mudge, John Bolitho	Mike Sherris, Kit Guy, Tom Hicks with Gerry in front, Mike Day, Fred Elms with me over his head, Dave Langsworthy and Dave the Milk	Kit & Tommy	Terry Bale, Tommy Hicks and Fred Elms	Paul Hicks, Me, Kit & Tommy
Me, MIke Sherris, Gerry, Paul Hicks, Dave Langsworthy, Ian Davison. Ross Williams in front.	Chimp's tea party at the 'Grosvenor House' hotel, Bude.	Practice night in the Mermaid 1972	After practice night in the Mermaid	Sporting our new 'Rally Jackets' 1973
Carnival 1975 in the Park	Ian Davison's wedding 1972

To those who swelled our ranks over the years, but who passed on to the big choir in the sky.
Below

R.I.P.

Tony Armstrong	Chris Pratt	John Thompson	John Mudge	Skipper Williams - Tommy Hicks - Kit Guy
Ross Williams	Dave Earle	Nigel Stebbings No Photo available.

Tresco 2006

Some of the remnants of the old choir invited to join 'Bone Idol' (Scilly's latest male singing group) on a trip to the New Inn in 2006.

Below = Some more photos that have been taken over the years.
(The quality isn't much good owing these being copies of copies.)

Outside the 'Grosvennor House hotel', Bude. Approx 1976

The lounge at the Grosvennor

Me & Dave Langsworthy. Choir day out to Tresco 1978

Newquay RC.

Murty singing a rude song in Torrington.

And this one was taken in the Atlantic in 1993 to celebrate the choir's 21st anniversary. Anyone who had ever sang with us was invited. Unfortunately there were about a dozen who couldn't make it for one reason or another. If only I could have got them all together at the same time.