It all started in Church Street in 1974. We still rehearse in Church Street today, at the West End United Church.

Arnold Jones

Fred Cornford

Fred Cornford was cycling along Church Street in Wolverton one summer’s day in 1974, minding his own business, when a car pulled up alongside him.

In it was Arnold Jones, the conductor of the Wolverton Light Orchestra and quite a few local choirs. In short, Arnold was instrumental in the amateur music scene in Wolverton and the surrounding area.

He stopped and wound down his window.

“I’m thinking of starting a Gilbert and Sullivan Society. You wouldn’t like to come along and chair the first meeting for me, would you?”

If you did that in Church Street these days, there’d be a queue of impatient drivers in no time, but this was 1974, so they were able to have a chat.

Fred of course agreed. After all he chaired council meetings, so this could hardly be worse and, of course, he loved to sing.

Inevitably, it turned out that Fred didn’t just chair that first meeting in the Wesley Centre – he ended up as chair of the society. Arnold was, as we’ve said, very active in the musical life of the town and Fred was already a member of a choir he ran, so that was where they turned for members.

Although they were well used to singing Sullivan’s music in the choir – G&S was as popular in the 70s as ever – it was something of a shock, for some at least, to discover that there were dance moves to master and dialogue to learn.

The newly formed society chose HMS Pinafore for their first production in May 1975 at the College of Further Education in Stratford Road.