Piano (and other instrument lessons)

[fsharpminor]

I guess there must be a good few of us on here who had piano or other music lessons. I was taught piano by Mary Binns in Victoria Rd from just before my 6th birthday in 1953 right up to past Diploma level in 1965 when I left for University (to read Chemistry!) What prompted this post was trying to remember other teachers who were active at that time. Certainly there was Jack Smith , who I think taught piano and singing, and also conducted the Vocal Union. There was a lady up Lawnswood Rd called Miss Loach (?Lucy) and there was Ellis Riley in Devonshire Street. I think there must also have been at least a couple of violin teachers aslo. Anyone recall them ? And what about other instruments ?
For the record I also had organ lessons form Roland Windle at Temple Street.
Back to Miss Binns - I have very fond memories af everything she did for me. Not just piano but the theory as well, all pupil's had to do theory. There were normally about three in her house at any one time, one on the piano and two doing theory. Lessons were on 2 shillings and you were there for about an hour. I think she was still only charging 2/6d when I left her, 13 yrs later !
She also did a lot of charity work for the NSPCC, and was active at Lund Park Methodists. She had a black labrador called Buster, and cats as well.
Later on I think Maureen O'Hara (nee Pinchbeck) took on some of Mary's pupils. She was taught also by Mary and I think did ALCM a year or two before me.


Does anyone else have recollections of music lessons ?

[haggiles1947]

Roland Windle was the music teacher at Holycroft School. A little chubby man.

[parkwoodgirl]

I started piano lessons at the age of 7 with Miss Cooper who lived in Thwaites Brow. during the war i went to Lucy Loache in Exley head - After the war I went to Miss Loache (later to be Mrs., Thomas) not only for piano lessons but also to learn shorthand and typing. She worked at Widdops with my mother in the canteen. She and her husband retired to Morecambe in the late 1950's

[Admin]

My Mum was aslo a Piano Teacher having been taught by Maud & Ellis Riley. Mum taught like most piano teachers from her home at 78 Mornington Street. The war intervened and ruined her livelihood......she joined the NAFFI and met my Dad. By all accounts she was a wonderful pianist..........

Jan

[susan]

I think a Mrs Hugget taught in the Long Lee area

[bridgebabe]

Mrs Edna Hugget was a peripatetic pianist within Keighley schools in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Lovely lady and loved within her schools.

[keighleyboy]

I suppose this is a case of delayed action from 'fsharp's' original input some fifteen months ago. Something's got the memory going!
I began my piano lessons in th '50s with Leslie Whitfield, who was also a music teacher at Holycroft school, and who lived on Sunny Hill Mount up Oakworth Road. In cold weather, he would put a paraffin heater on in the front room, and I'll never forget the smell of it. He went to live in Harlow new town in Essex.
Then I went to Ellis Wright who either was or had been the organist at Ingrow Church, and lived at first, half way down Lidget at Oakworth, and later moved to Sykes Head at the top of the hill. I think the name of the house was 'Newhaven'. Sadly, only this year I heard of his passing.
As for Lucy Loach, she lived at the house below us in Grafton Road overlooking the park (No. 87), and her husband, Harry (slightly disabled), travelled to Morecambe each day on the train.
She had a grand piano, and I can remember hearing some of pupils next door who couldn't put both their hands down together!!
Jack Smith was born 29Sep1901 and died 19May1996. His wife was Gladys, nee Williams, and I have heard it said that according to welsh tradition, she couldn't take him home to her family until she'd married him. They lived in Summerhill Drive at Steeton. He retired from Keighley Vocal on 03 Sep1982. He was the organist and choirmaster at Wesley Place Methodist Church from 1930 until I don't know when. Apparently, he was denied the status of cathedral organist because he didn't have a 'school certificate' He used to come to our house and tune the piano - the going rate at that time in the '50s was 17s-6d. He came in an old Austin with rod brakes, reg MPH 126, and when he'd done the piano, my mum would make tea, and he'd play 'Moya my Girl' for her.
I remember Roland Windle. Yes he was a plump guy, and I'll always remember him for stuffing his handkerchief up his coat sleeve. He was born on Damems Road at Ingrow on 01 May 1923, the son of Joseph William Windle and Edith, formerly Whitaker. And he could make that organ at Temple Street talk as perhaps it had talked before.

[fsharpminor]

Thanks for those recollections , much of which has jogged my memory. Yes Jack did play at Wesley Place Meths, Roland Windle (my teacher) at Temple St Meths , and I became organist at Fell Lane Meths when I was 13 in 1960, then at Lund Park Meths (my own church) on the death of Will Sunderland (Grafton Rd) in 1963. For 22 yrs now I have played at Hoylake Welsh Presbyterian Chapel. The Welsh branch of the Presbyterians didnt unite with the Congregationals to form URC as the English Prebyterians did. There are quite a few Welsh Presbyterian churches in England (english speaking), mainly around the borders with Wales.
I think we have covered most of the piano teachers now, but what of other instrumnets, eg violin ?

[keighleyboy]

Go steady on the violin. You'll be getting us involved with Aggie Bailey from Utley!!

[les972]

Come on keighleyboy, if you know Keighley well you will know that Agnes lived at Beechcliffe and not Utley. I said in a different message about some snobby woman who had moved to Eelholme View street and was telling people in the pub that she lived at Utley. She was most indignant when I told her that Eelholme View street was and always had been in Beechcliffe all the way down to Ronnie Myers anglers shop which was the last house before the cemetery.
I wonder if anyone else remembers the shop.

[5sizefive]

My piano teacher was Mrs Crossley who lived on Holmewood Road Off Fell Lane. She chaged 2/- for half an hour. my brother had his lessons with Mary Binns then Jack Smith.

[keighleyboy]

Yer spot on, Les. Agnes BAILEY was born 28 April 1911 at 21 North View Street, Beechcliffe, daughter of John and Ruth Hannah BAILEY, nee PICKARD. She was married to John EMMOTT, son of John Hammond EMMOTT, at Keighley Parish Church on 26May1943 by the curate, the Rev. E.C. BIGGINS.
Her maternal grandfather, Edward PICKARD, was also a monumental mason, and his father was a quarryman, so it seems that blood in their bones.

[keighleyboy]

.......sorry.......should have said STONE in their bones!

[les972]

I was president at Beechcliffe club which was a men only club and we had a temporary steward behind the bar. I walked in and there's Aggie as large as life with a pint in her hand. You should have seen the stewards face when I said "come on Aggie you know you're not allowed in here" he swore blind that he thought it was a man.

[angler]

I well remember the shop as I worked with Ronny. He was a reguler at the Beechcliffe Club.We used to go Fishing together. he sold fishing tackle His partner in the buisness was as far as I can remember Jimmy Duncan I also knew Aggie Bailey as I sent my son to her for Guitar Lessons but I had to stop him going as she would send him to the shop to buy Cigaretes as soon as he gave her the money.Do you know that she had a Burglery and the theives took 3 violines It was mayself who found them Hidden under the footbridge but they were ruined as they had been left out in the rain and were wet and twisted but Aggie claimed on her Insurrance She also had Garages to let down Cemetery Lane where the new house now stands, I did hear that she was once married can any one confirm this? It was said that she was married to a man who owned a retail store. in Keighley but I am not sure if that was right or not Angler

[keighleyboy]

Have a look back at my posting of 26 July on this thread, and you'll see that Agnes BAILEY was well and truly married. Her husband was a potato merchant, and his father, John Hammond EMMOTT of 46 Mannvile Road in 1911 was a wholesale fruiterer. Even HIS father, Isaac EMMOTT, who lived in Turkey Street in 1871 was a Green Grocer.

[maryb]

John Hammond emmott born Kly @ 1870 married minnie Holmes 1893 they had Edgar @ 1894
Hannah 1897
John 1904/5.
J H Emmott was a Wholesale friuterer in 1911 at 46 Manville Road Kly he died 1934 and left effects £14,705 to his widow Minnie and son Edgar now fruit merchants and Hannah Emmott spinster,no mention of John Emmott.
John Emmott born Kly 4/8/1904 died Kly 1971 is this the one who married Aggie Bailey??

Maryb

[fsharpminor]

Possibly not. That may have been John (known as Jack) Emmott who had the grocers shop at the junction of Grafton Rd and Upper Hird Street, for many years, certainly thorugh the 50's and 60's. I knew him well as a small boy delivering mothers order on Friday night.

[maryb]

There was a John H Emmott a fruiterer up Russell st 1959 in telephone directory.

It could still be son of John Hammond Emmott if the marriage to Agnes didn't last.

Maryb

[elfremar]

I also had piano lessons from Mary Binns for a while,and before her I had them from Mr Sugden who lived at the bottom of Manville Grove.I also had elocution lessons from Winifred Gill on Broomhill Avenue.They cost half a crown,and after a while I got fed up of Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran,and stopped going but pocketed the half crown.Of course my mother was informed and I got into a little bit of trouble

[Admin]

Jul 10, 2011 8:10:06 GMT susan said:

I think a Mrs Hugget taught in the Long Lee area

I believe Mrs Huggett lives just below me on Thwaites Brow Road.....I gave her a lift to her church last week to play music at a function..........

Jan

[sean1981]

When I was 10 my parents said they had a special birthday present for me, I waited in anticipation until being told it was piano lessons. it felt like a let down.... but I still play and value this now.

I was sent to Mrs Mason, Leeming, Oxenhope who was very good. I believe her husband, Tommy, was organist at St Mary's church in Oxenhope.

The weekly trip mean catching a bus on Hebden Road, Haworth and having something to eat at grandma's who lived a few doors away from the Masons.

While standing at the bus stop one winter's night a man who always caught the same bus said to me, 'look at that, you may never see it again.' I looked to the north and there were coloured curtains moving in the sky. Northern lights. I would have been around 1955.

John

[dmd]

I also had piano lessons from Miss Binns. I didn't keep it up and probably only went for 2-3 years. My Mum wanted me to learn as she was a pretty good piano player herself. She played for the kids at Parkwood School for many years and at Holycroft for many more years after that as part of her job as an NTA. She was also the choirmistress at Exley Head Methodist and a member of KVU.