While we are unable to meet we continue to look back at the start of the club. This is the write up from the Twelfth meeting of the club on the 9th September 1998.

“Our 9th of September meeting opened with Rebecca Postlewhite playing her last club night before she left to start university, Rebecca enthralled us with amongst other tunes April Showers, Rebecca will be back in December for our Christmas meeting but in the meantime she said she will be keeping an eye on everyone via our website on the Internet. Linda Grant was next with a few Irish Tunes and the story of the Claddagh Ring she was wearing. Tom Bennett followed her playing The Barren Rocks of Aden and Stairway to the Stars, Tom arrived at the club waving his finger at me because his daughter had told him that on newsletter number 11 the person sat in the spangly shirt on the left of the photograph was Tom Bennett, but he did not recognise himself because I had transplanted a full head of hair on him from his friend Andrew who was sat next to him, sorry Tom but I could not resist it I had to get the light balance right in the photograph by altering something! It was time for our Guest Artist Tom Alexander to start his first half.

Opening with Happy Hours Tom went on to play M.S.R. Margarets Waltz, Monti's Czardas, Whistling Rufus, Hills of Lorne, and as a special request for Agnes Mclaren he played Oil Rigger. The rest of the first half was taken up with March Hare, Highland Cathedral, Under the Double Eagle and American Savoy Medley. This took us up to the break and the usual orgy of masses of bodies all rushing round chatting, playing, giving & receiving advice and generally being very sociable, people seem to get on so well at the club that I am considering checking one evening that people go home in the car they arrived in! The raffle next is well placed to get everyone back in their seats before the second half. This started with George Hicks and Jean Southern playing a selection of their tunes including Burrasque and Oslo Waltz. I had planned to play Oslo Waltz with Walter Perrie, I was not going to be put off by George and Jean playing it first so myself and Walter played Plasir D'Amour and Oslo Waltz, we had not practiced this duet but we did finish at the same time, now that's being professional! It was time for Tom Alexander to play his second half, opening with Rumbango Tom continued with Shetland Reels, Le Manege, High Level, Dollanes Melody and a tune called Pistonette this was my favourite tune of the evening, all those triplets and the tune going on as well, I was on the edge of my seat for that one, the next tune was the one I heard Tom playing when I decided we must have him, he was playing 'Flying Scotsman' at the accordion festival while his brother went off stage for a while I decided then to try and book him for Leyland. Tom continued with Dark Island, Bluebell Polka, Jacqueline Waltz, Para Handy Medley, Cuckoo Waltz, Jigs and Reels before finishing with a Lauder Medley. Tom Alexander went down well and sold out of CD's and Cassettes. He was also selling his 'Celebration' brochure which was a brochure documenting 40 years of the Alexander Brothers as professional entertainers. We did enjoy the evenings entertainment and I am looking forward to Toms return to Leyland on 14th July 1999. After the club Tom was telling me that he really enjoyed playing that evening, he said that you could see the smiles and the enjoyment on peoples faces as he played and that really made the evening for him, he said we have a very attentive audience and he is looking forward to his return.

It has been five weeks since our last meeting so you should all have had plenty of time to practice, for myself I am currently looking at being able to play two new pieces a month from memory, If I have music in front of me then I do not know the piece properly yet. I do not like playing the same pieces every month so I am practicing hard at the moment. I look forward to meeting you all this Wednesday Don't forget to bring your accordion. David Batty “

David Batty

Hopefully that was an interesting blast from the past, now to move up to date with some items to keep you entertained during the lockdown. First a few more unseen photographs from the past of our club and players.