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A previously unpublished image showing other members of the choir.

From an article by Winifred Bose, pictures by Gerry Bradley:
For 51 years Mr Louis Bannister has kept a diary of the activities of Burnley Municipal Choir, and now in his 84th year maintains a keen interest in the organisation, and still sings with the group. He joined the choir in 1921 and has been an active member since the choir was formed, with the late Dan Duxbury as conductor. The first concert was held on December 26th, 1920, at the Palace Theatre. The choir is now rehearsing for a "Samson-Handel" concert to be held at Barden School on January 7th, and Mr Bannister hopes to be there. Mr Bannister said: "Only three of the original members are still with us, but I have marvellous memories of the old days."

Concerts used to be staged at the Palace and Empire and Mr Bannister talked about accompanist, the late Harold Lever, and the late George Altham, who conducted the choir from 1933 until Robert Atherton took over in 1956 and still holds the position after 16 years. Mr Bannister recalls singing "The English Rose" at the new Pavilion in Towneley Park in 1929. He said "We were invited to take part along with the Imperial Choir at Wembley Stadium in 1924, and Dr Harris conducted a choir of 10,000 voices, accompanied by an orchestra of 500. The choirs came from all over Britain and the colonies. The choir remained at the Empire until 1955, when it moved to the Mechanics, then Burnley High School, and now Barden.

Contralto Mrs Edith Smith has been the choir secretary for about two years but joined in 1958 and has an original copy of the programme of the first concert in 1920. She said the biggest change was the lack of big-name conductors and guest artists which aren't affordable with present day prices. Edith said "We get a joint grant of £2,000 shared with the Municipal Orchestra, but we are not subsidised at all through rates. The chairman, Mr Ronald Bushby (a former mayor of Burnley), has held his post for many years, and has been a member for even longer. He said: "We once had about 140 members but are now just below the 100 mark." Mr Cyril F. J. Morris, a former secretary of the choir, is now treasurer. He has been a member for 25 years and remembers that there was a waiting list when he joined and the first rehearsal he attended was in the library.

When the choir celebrated 50 years of golden song two years ago, they gave a jubilee performance of Mendelssohn's "Elijah." Their first performance of this work was given at the Palace Theatre in 1927, when the principals were Carolina Hatchard, Ada Pollard, Leonard Gowings and Harold Williams.