In 1956, a year after the St. James Hawkey Hall was opened in Woodford Green, the Wanstead, Woodford & District Music Society was founded; its purpose was to organise live performances there by visiting professional musicians.
From this Society the Woodford Orchestra was started and organised by Joan Francies (a committee member of WW & DMS). The first musical director, Paul Shepherd, was succeeded by David Wookey who conducted the first concert of the Woodford Orchestra at the St. James Hawkey Hall in December 1963.
The next year Bill Grant became the resident conductor, with rehearsals being held on Sunday evenings.
The Hawkey Hall ultimately proved to be too large to fill, so in 1965 the Orchestra broke away from the Society and became an independent group.
Clifford Prowse (a viola player, who had been a founder member of the Orchestra) became the Secretary. The Orchestra was then run as an evening class which enabled it to afford a professional leader – David Thompson, a violinist from Covent Garden.
One of the early concerts included Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.4 with John Lill as soloist, and Frank Shipway on timps!
In 1967 Bob Turner joined the viola section, and apart from a break in the 1980s, Bob played with WSO until 2011, making him the longest serving WSO member.
Clifford Prowse died in 2002 at the age of 92; his daughter, Sandra, remembers vividly the after-concert parties held at their family home. Her mother, Ruth, cooked a great selection of dainty food and the house was full to bursting with musicians, celebrating that evening’s success!
In 1973 Clifford left to become General Administrator of the Forest Philharmonic Orchestra. Unfortunately several WSO members followed him to the Forest Phil. and the Woodford Orchestra ceased to function.
In 1975 John Rippon re-formed the Orchestra, with James Harding as Conductor. Jim especially remembers the lively rehearsals and the general camaraderie.
It was at this time that the name of the Orchestra changed from Woodford Orchestra to Woodford Symphony Orchestra, and Gladys Hodgson joined, becoming Leader of the Second Violins, a position she retained for the rest of her life.s
Also around that time Alan Baldwin, who was hard at work promoting the Orchestra, introduced Keith Gurry to WSO. For Jim Harding’s second concert Keith played a Beethoven Violin Concerto, the beginning of a long and very joyful relationship with WSO. Keith very sadly died in 2012 leaving all WSO members with so many happy memories, both of his time as a soloist, and the last five years of his life, (following his retirement from the BBC Symphony Orchestra), as the Leader.
It was Jim Harding who first introduced David Silkoff to WSO, the beginning of another long and happy relationship.
Clive Fairbairn took over from Jim for a few months until Anthony Orchover replaced him. Anthony bought Ken Bloomfield with him; Ken was the secretary until he died in 1988.
Geoff Abbott followed as conductor, then Ian Head.
In 1977 a new rehearsal hall was sought. Andrew Ferrari one of the violinists was also the son of the owner of Avon House School. Mrs. Ferrari kindly offered the use of her school for rehearsals and WSO remained there for many years.
In 1983 Edward Markson became Conductor, with Reginald Crick (who had retired from the Covent Garden Orchestra) as Leader. (Edward is seen conducting a rehearsal in the photograph below, with Reginald as Leader; beside him is Oswald Geach, who succeeded Reginald as Leader)
It was Edward especially who encouraged the mid rehearsal coffee break as a sociable part of the evening.
From 1993 to 1996 Tim Litchfield was Conductor, in the newspaper cutting below, which reported Tim’s last WSO concert, David Silkoff (professional pianist) is seated at the piano.
Tim was followed in 1996 by Paul Servis (who died so tragically later that year). Alexander Chaplin took the post for a short time, followed in 1997 by Philip Norman, who became WSO’s longest serving conductor.
Philip retired in 2020.
Guest Conductors have included WSO members Patrick Crotty and Robert Taylor
Past Leaders of WSO include Patricia Stone, Susan Sheppard, David Thompson, Reginald Crick, Oswald Geach, Chrystalla Yiallouri, David Billington, Beat Schweizer, David Joysey, Keith Gurry, and Catherine Fox.
The music played by WSO in the past, as well as traditional symphony concerts, has included a concert with the London Transport Choir, evenings of Opera Excerpts, Vivaldi Concerts, other Choral Concerts, Charity Concerts, String Workshops, Local Music Festivals as well as a series of Workshops and Concerts for pre-school children and their families, sponsored by the BBC Performing Arts Fund. Also smaller ‘pop-up’ concerts of the WSO Ensemble in Churches as far afield and Old Harlow, Ilford and East Ham.
In 2000 WSO joined Epping Phoenix Choir as part of the European Choral Project to mark the Millennium. Two very successful concerts were performed at St. John’s Church in Epping and at the St. James Hawkey Hall in Woodford Green.
Music has been composed specifically for WSO by Oswald Geach (Suite for Winds, 1985) and Maxwell Lewison Sharpe (On the Banks of the Roding, 2004) (left.)
Philip Norman composed string and wind pieces for the Ensemble, and inn 2005 WSO performed the World Première of David Arditti’s Comic Overture.
One notable soloist was Alfia Nakipbekova. Alfia was born in Kazakhstan, studying at the Moscow Conservatory studied under Rostropovich; she came to England in 1981 and was one of the final pupils of Jacqueline du Pré. In 1988 WSO was very privileged to have Alfia play Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D. Alfia, with her two sisters Elvira and Eleonora later became very successful as a trio, know now as the Bekova Sisters.
Keith Gurry, Michael Rumsey Violin, Karen Tickner Flute, and Oliver Gledhill Cello, were also amongst past soloists
Past members of WSO have included retired professional musicians, a WSO Chairman who had been awarded the George Cross for Gallantry (not for playing in WSO!), a film actor and a very talented homeless violinist who lived in a London hostel and had to sleep with his violin under the bedclothes to prevent it being stolen.
Thanks to Joan Wheeler for the work that she put into compiling the WSO History.