Widnes - it just gets better and better!

[Peter Clarke]

Dear all,

I don't know how George and his helpers do it but this one just gets better and better! Not only was it a brilliant weekend, but the monsoon that suddenly appeared on Sunday morning, although appearing to be a complete disaster and creating duck ponds all over the sight, dried up and the sun came out. So did the spectators as well!
The show has changed shape over the few years since it started and this year was no exception, but mainly caused by what is obviously a very committed and expensive face lift to the Park itself. What a breath of fresh air it is, to see a what a Council can do in rejuvenating a civic area like this and what's more being prepared to put a sizeable investment into promoting such an event which is obviously very much appreciated by the community. A great pity it isn't like this in Shropshire and long may it continue. Our local steam show cost £9.00 to get in this year and the quality of exhibits certainly didn't reflect the difference in price, between this and the completely free entry, on offer at Widnes. When Council's produce best value reports, they really haven't thought it through, to my mind and the cost involved would be better employed by shipping their executives up here to see how it should be done! We have a lot to learn from this sort of lateral thinking!
What was there to see then? This year there was perhaps fewer organs but immense quality. I'm shameless and just love large organs and there was plenty to see in this category. White's was playing at it's absolute best and the highlight for me was the "Hymns and Sacred Music" concert which took place around mid day on the Sunday. I know they didn't put the advertising board out but they played it all, never the less. Nothing on earth plays "Onward Christian Soldiers" like the Gavi does and it is no less than a life changing experience to stand and listen to it. We had "Thine be the Glory", "Abide with me", "I vow to thee my Country" (a lovely Kevin Meayers arrangement) as well as "Land of Hope and Glory", "Jerusalem" and "God bless the Prince of Wales". We also had countless others over the weekend and notable amongst these was "Excelsior","The Poet and Peasant" and "The Caliph of Bagdad". You just don't need The Last Night at the Proms". Brilliant!
There was lots more though - Terry Gibson's 98 key Gavioli was right next door, along with his Fowler, "Renown" and looked after by Carl Bates and his crew. This was playing exceptionally well, after having been tweeked by David Burville. Lots of book swapping going on, a book of "La Traviata" being by far the best one in this category. Because of difficulties over stage show facilities apparently, this year saw Graham Atkinson's 110 key Gavioli hosting the dancers, rather than Terry's Gavioli, as it has done in the past. Again I heard a cracking book of the "Krasno Selo March" that I heard at the AGM this year. Graham also had his 89 key Marenghi there as well, with it's folding top scenery, when it's time to close down. Not such a precision job as Terry Gibson's folding up front, though. Mike Priestener also brought along his Marenghi, which has an awesome library of old books. Enjoyed listening to Norman Kendall's organ as well, which also has some really nice books. Enjoyed the Reeder family's Gavioli, as always, along with that lovely Voight belonging, I think to the Kirrage family. There was a host of ther organs besides, in fact so many that it wasn't possible to hear, or see, them all, let alone list them.
As usual though, it's primarily a social occasion and although it's in danger of becoming a bit of a tradition, John Nixon and I paid our usual visit to the Philharmonic in Hope Street in Liverpool on Saturday night. There is now, we saw, a notice by the entrance to the "Gents" which asks that ladies now first ask the bar staff, before visting this awesome monument to the Sanitary Industry, so as to preserve the male customer's modesty before bursting in there with there cameras! How times change - it wasn't like this a few years ago! We also visted the "Cracke" next door in Rice street and had a glass of "Wobbly Bob" (no it's not an organ book!) in the War Office. This is room where customers were sent when they became boring, about the war. We're not talking Iraq here, but the Boer War. Finished up with a delicious sort of squid stew in the "Everyman Bistro" over the road, which has been turning out excellent food for more than twenty years. Funnily enough that's in the Good Beer Guide as well! No wonder it's competing for the City of Culture! We listened to that superb version of "Duelling banjo's" in the beer tent, washed down with much damson wine. Woke up quite late the next morning to very large slices of toast and jam!
Altogether a weekend to remember - roll on next year!

Best Regards

Peter Clarke
Shrewsbury.

[Dave Stubbs]

I have placed a photo gallery of the Rally in the 'Vintage Rallies' Forum. It is located at:

http://www.dsvc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=265#265

Hi Peter.

I agree with your comments entirely and I don't think I could add much to your excellent report on the rally.

Instead, I will take this opportunity to congratulate George. Every year he says "that's it - I won't be doing another one!" and fortunately for us, despite not being in the best of health, he manages to soldier on and organize another terrific show.

The entries for the rally start arriving early in the year and eventually a huge pile of entry forms need entering into a database on the computer. My small contribution to the event involved making numerous visits to George's to transfer hundreds of entries into the database - and I was knackered by the end of that process, so I really don't know how George does it!

His phone never stops ringing in the run up to the event, with people asking if they can bring their novelty trade stall, car, organ, fairground ride, etc.

This year there were major alterations to the park, so George has been liasing with Halton Borough Council, who own the park. There was a point where we thought the event would have to be cancelled because the council were objecting to their newly restored park being damaged by heavy fairground machinery!

But they also wanted to see the park being used and they finally came round to George's point of view.

This is a Council funded event and is unique in that it is free entry to the Public.

But also, none of the exhibitors are paid a fee. There must be something appealing for all those exhibitors, without whom the event would not exist, who travel miles at their own expense, to keep making the journey to Victoria Park.

So it's hat's off to George and to Halton Borough Council for organizing one of the best events in the calendar and with any luck we will also be singing the praises of the 2007 show.


Best regards,

Dave Stubbs

[George Houghton]

Thanks Peter & Dave for the excellent report & pictures of the Widnes Victoria Park Rally.
I must say a big thank you to all the Exhibitors, without them there would be nothing to organize.
Special mention to Dave for spending days with me updating the computer data base & for typing up & printing the Group News Letter when eye trouble prevented me from looking at a computer screen.
Also for spending all day Thursday until 10pm along with Ned Kaye helping me mark out the field so that everyone would have a good spot.
Thanks also to the small squad of willing helpers who are not organ owners but never the less give up their time to assist in making my task easier.
Halton Council deserve all the praise possible for having the foresight to say yes when I approached them over 7 years ago to go along with the crazy idea of using the Park for an Organ Rally.
Yes Dave I will try again in 2007 if God spares me.

Regards
George.

[Ben Jackson]

Hi Dave,
I like the photos you took.
I'm hoping to come to Widnes one year as an organ owner or non-organ owner,I've been thinking about building an 20 note John Smith oran 65 note John Smith midi organ to had as part of my mechanical music collection.
Ben

[George Houghton]

Hi Peter.

Just to update you on the ownership of the lovely Voigt Organ.(ex Paul Kirrage)
It is now owned by Clive & Valerie Palmer who travelled all the way from Yeovil to Widnes & have emailed to say they enjoyed it so much they would like to come again next year.
We certainly hope they can make it.

Regards
George.