15/06/2024
What a night we all enjoyed on our last evening when we finally closed the doors of the Yorkshire Ukulele Circle. A capacity audience was there to share with us the music and memories of fifty glorious years in the company of the founding member, Dickie Speake and Lionel Owen who was also there on day one. Other long-term members were me, Charlie Amos and Les Ellis. My membership goes back to January 1992 and I can not remember ever missing one meeting in all that time.
As the Master of Ceremonies I was privileged to open the proceedings with some words and then one of my all-time favourite songs, "I Promised to be Home By Nine O'clock." I was then followed by Tony Lister, Kevin Staniland, The Two Tom's (Fletcher and Stratford), Dale Norman, Steve Thomas, Daz Barry accompanied by Frances Lister, Andy Poppleton, Ian Walker, our founding member, Dickie Speake who said some words and entertained us with the wooden uke before finishing with a shortened version of "Chinese Laundry Blues." Bruce Cox then gave his usual entertaining chat and a song and finally lovely Cathy Staniland closed the first half with another sweet song from her vast repertoire.
We then all enjoyed a great supper after which I forgot to thank the lovely ladies who prepared it but Cathy saved the day and my blushes by thanking them herself.
We then had some words from our old friend Les Ellis who spoke on behalf of the club and then back to the entertainment with long-distance travellers Lewis Clifton and Stuart Lowther demonstrating just why they are the top players in The George Formby Society these days. Those talented chaps were followed by Huddersfield's Paul Gardner and then Frank Ledwood performed a lovely ukulele song that was quite new to me.
In short, the entertainers were brilliant, the food was great and the audience was reminiscent of the happy days when it was standing room only when the Uke Circle held their meetings some years ago.
Our lovely barmaid Ann was presented with flowers and all in all, it was a glorious end to our residence at the club.
It was nice to end the last night after fifty years when Lewis Clifton and Stuart Lowther performed “The Umbrella Man” the old Flanagan and Allen hit that Dickie Speake and Dennis Mitchell made so popular at Carr Gate and Mirfield over many years.
It closed the history book of the Yorkshire Ukulele Circle in the best possible way.
Peter Pollard – 15/06/2024
