Some Biographies
 Name:
Ken Underhill
Background:
"After spending a few years in the Glasgow Philharmonic
Choir, we moved to Uttoxeter. I consulted the National Association Handbook,and
tried a number of local choirs."
The Choir:
"I eventually settled for the G.M.V.C., It is a 48
mile round trip for practices twice a week but the Professionalism,of
the Choir, enjoyment and friendliness make it all worthwhile. An added
bonus is the Ladies Section, which gives my Wife an interest, along
with other Choristers Wives, and lot of enjoyment in supporting the
Choir."
 Name:
Geoff Hampson
Background:
"I live in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. At home
I have a wife and three grown-up sons. In my spare time I also enjoy
walking and still manage the occasional game of badminton."
The Choir:
"Joining the choir was like going full circle for
me. I first started singing at the age of seven in the church choir.
I also sang at school and entered the local music festivals singing
solos and duets and in the school choir at Junior and Senior levels.
At about 17 I stopped singing and played badminton until I was 50. Through
all that time I missed singing and always intended to go back to it..
I went to listen Gresley Male Voice Choir with a view to joining and
on my very first visit was very impressed. Since joining I've missed
very few practises or concerts and was very honoured when asked to help
in some of the events in the Centenary Year."
In a choir that was born in a mining community Geoff is currently the
only member emplyed in mining, as a shift charge engineer at Daw Mill
Colliery, although some six or more members receive their pensions from
the industry.
 Name:
Bernard Arnold
Background:
"I was born in the town of Hinckley, Leicestershire,
educated locally and continued further education at the Westfield Academy
of Learning, noted for it's excellance. On leaving school at the age
of 18 I joined the National Service, completing with distinquished service
in the 1st. Battalian Royal Leicestershire Regiment, taking in Gemany
and the sunny climes of the Sudan and Cyprus. My return to civvy street
enabled me to persue various careers, taking in hosiery, knitwear, clerical,
engineering, painting and glazing, including work in the mining industry."
The choir:
"I am pleased to say, in my retirement, I am still
able to pay my Subs' (just) into the Gresley Male Voice Choir, an organisation
to which I am pleased to have been with for 20 years. I was a member
of a choir in Leicestershire until joining Gresley and travel a 40 mile
round trip to sing with this Derbyshire choir. I very much enyoy singing
and also greatly appreciate the camaraderie with my fellow choir members."
 Name:
Peter Bates
Background:
"I was born in Church Gresley but have lived a few
miles away at Woodville following my marriage. My wife Hilda and I have
just celebrated our Golden Wedding anniversary. My working life has
been spent in the retail trade. Working for the Co-operative Society
in different outlets in the locality for a number of years before taking
on the post of Subpostmasrer in the village, a position I held for 27
years until my retirement."
The Choir:
"Music has been my life from my early days at Primitive
Methodist Chapel Choir in Church Gresley. I have taken part in many
augmented choir's in the area for special occasions at various churches
and am currently a member of Leaside Singers mixed choir and the Swadlincote
Messiah Choral Society. I am very proud to be a member of the Gresley
Male voice choir which I joined in 1945 on the recommencement of rehearsals
after the war. I am currently the longest serving member in the choir's
history and was honoured to receive a Life Membership Award from the
choir some years ago."
 Name:
John Wilton
Background:
"I was born and bred in Church Gresley and still live there
today. As a teenager I Joined the choir at the Park Methodist Chapel
(where the Gresley Male Voice Choir was formed in 1904).
On leaving school I served an apprenticeship with the National
Coal Board and following that spent eight further years as a colliery
mechanic. This was followed by a spell of differnt jobs including aero
engine testing at Rolls Royce. In 1977 I took a step into the unknown
to become an Industrial Sales Engineer in the steam generation and process
industries and to my surprise remained in position until 2000 when I
was able to take early retirement."
The Choir:
"I am helping to maintain the tradition of Male Voice
Singing in the district and on a personal note continuing my family
links with the choir following my grandfather Richard Clark, who was
a founder member and later my great uncle Leonard Clark, a former conductor.
I feel privileged to be part of an organisation where comradeship and
friendship has always existed around the common interest in singing.
I have lots of musical memories that I will never forget from the spectacular
to emotional, exciting to uplifting, and of course some sad ones."
 Name:
Simon Claringbull
Background:
" I live in Ashby, Leicestershire with my wife Claire.
I enjoy walking and a spot of five-aside football. I am a Civil Engineer
and am employed by Eon UK. I work in an 'in house' consultancy which
specialises in asset management, design of plant modifications, fault
diagnosis and problem solving relating to heavy industry structures
and buildings."
The Choir:
"Like other members, I started singing whilst at school
and became a member of the school choir at the age of seven. I had a
break from singing between the ages of 18 and 25 and then joined the
GMVC. I became interested in joining the choir having sung in the Swadlincote
Messiah Choral Society with the Gresley choir members. I then attended
a Celebrity Concert and was very impressed by the quality of singing.
When invited to join I jumped at the chance, as it was a real privaledge".
 Name:
Roy Atkins
Background:
"I was born and still live in Newhall in South Derbyshire
with my wife Janet. We have a grown up son and daughter and did live
just over the border in Staffordshire for a while but Janet and I decided
to return to our native village after four years. The International
Rubber Company Pirelli provided me with training as a Mechanical Engineer
and appointed me to various positions. I took early retirement after
45 years from the post of Tyre Development Manager when the department
was relocated to Carlisle in Cumbria.
The Choir:
"I started singing at Sunday school and sang my first
solo at about the age of 8. By the age of ten I was invited to join
a concert party with my brother who played the piano accordian.
Following an invitation from a member at my local church I joined the
Gresley Choir at the age of 14. I continued my membership and enjoyed
sometime in the second tenors before joining the first tenors.
I was very honoured to be appointed as chairman of the choir, a
position I held for 38 years until retiring at the end of the choir's
centenary year in 2004. I have had the pleasure of singing under internationally
renowned musical directors at massed choir events in addition to three
very worthy directors of GMVC. The choir has given me some wonderful
and most memorable experiences through the years and I look foreward
to many more"
 Name:
Malcolm Till
Background
"After recently retiring following 33years as Purchasing
and Contracts
Officer in the NHS and prior to that 8 years in the Coal Industry I
am able
to concentrate on choir activities and in my other main interest - steam
railways and railway history"
The Choir
"Brought up in Church Gresley, the birthplace of the
choir in South
Derbyshire I first joined the choir in 1958 and , apart fropm a break
in the
1970's for family and work commitments, I have remained a member. After
serving for 15 years as choir secretary I became Chairman in January
2005.
It has been a great experience to sing with the choir in many notable
concerts and venues large and small as well as enjoying the comradeship
of
fellow choristers"
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