ARTHUR Attwood wrote in The Gazette in January 1987 that “the town has never seen anything before quite like [Basingstoke Male Voice Choir] the band of singers who carried the name of Basingstoke to distant places.”      

The choir celebrates its 50 th anniversary this month, as it was on March 20, 1964 that the very first BMVC rehearsal took place. It happened in the kitchen of Coombehurst School under the leadership of A V Woods with his daughter Maureen as the accompanist and Gazette historian Mr Attwood included a photograph of this historic occasion with his piece.

Nine singers attended the first rehearsal including Steve Armstrong, Denis Padwick and Graham Reed. Rehearsals soon moved to the schoolroom behind Immanuel Church in Wote Street where, as BMVC's 40th anniversary publication The Long and Winding Road revealed, facilities were "pretty primitive; in the winter Idris collected old wooden fruit boxes from the Lesser Market to burn in a Tortoise stove."   

The choir was the idea of local motorcycle policeman Idris ‘Taffy’ Roberts who, as Mr Attwood elaborated, “had visions of hearing in Basingstoke the kind of sound that male voice choirs made in his native Wales.”   

Current BMVC chairman Mark Offord commented: “The popular story at the time was that if a man was stopped for some minor motoring offence he would be given the option of being reported or joining the choir.

“From this small beginning, the choir has grown in its 50 years, travelled the world and made many friends all over Britain.”

The Long and Winding Road continued: "The first public concert was given in aid of Emmanuel Church Funds. There is no record of the items performed except the firm choir memory that the very first item was Deus salutis. It was a horrendously wet night; memories are somewhat vague, but it is believed that the audience and choir were about eight apiece." 

In its 50 years, BMVC has made many appearances in The Haymarket – the first in February 1965 – Carnival Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and at festivals in the UK and beyond.   

To celebrate its 50th anniversary year, BMVC will sing with old friends Bristol Male Voice Choir at United Reformed Church, London Street, in Basingstoke on Saturday, April 12.

Tickets are available from Tony Eaton on 01256 327033.