T-A-O-S

Memories...

Diamond night (60th Anniversary evening, September 2007), what a wonderful achievement for the T.A.O.s., their 60th show, did they imagine all those years ago that it would last so long.

Frank Burch, one of our founder members and a life member must be so proud of the heights that the society has aspired to. After spending a wonderful afternoon with him and reliving a lot of his memories, which was a joy for him and a delight for us, we took ourselves off to the museum and viewed the first photograph album containing wonderful programmes and reports dating back to 1921 when originally it was Heathcote Amateur Operatic Society. This then became the T.A.O.S. in 1927, the last show at this time performed in 1935.

Our present society was reformed in 1945. The earliest photograph of Frank was in 1948 when he played the part of Jack Point in Yeoman of the Guard. One review in the local newspaper for Iolanthe in 1950 stated "Frank Burch's conception of the Lord Chancellor (a very just and kindly old gentleman) was a striking one, he excelled himself in singing the difficult 'love un-requited robs me of my rest', his trio with the Earl of Mount Ararat (Leonard Haighton) and Earl Tolloller (Fred Rendell) he sang with zest and skipped and hopped with abandon. He was a tower of strength and could not have been more aptly cast."

Also in the programme was the name of Derrick Emmett who performed in the chorus with his twin brother Ernest. Derrick went on to become chairman of the T.A.O.S. and also the T.J.O.C. Our first sight and sound of Derrick was in Summer Song, when he was painted black and stroking a white rabbit, one of our first of many happy memories. How proud Derrick would be to see his daughter and lovely grandchildren on the stage performing in Annie Get Your Gun, this continuity has run the whole of the 60 shows; what a legacy! During a lot of these shows his wife Beryl would be seen providing teas with other members wives, including Eve Burch who, according to Frank, over the years made hundreds of Scottish pancakes.

During these years there have been many changes and thousands of memories, we hope the society will continue for another 60 shows, bringing happiness, friendship and more wonderful memories that it has given to both of us.

Long live the T.A.O.S.!

John & Edna Browning.