Recording my Harmonies in the Studio!

It’s just a very quick blog tonight as I get ready for the weekend. Last Monday I was in the recording studio working with my musical arranger Richard Whennell on  harmonies as I picked up my new musical arrangements of the songs “Busy Doing Nothing” and “Apple Blossom Time” which I plan to show case at my Bletchley Park Concert on the 6th August. https://bletchleypark.org.uk/event/fiona-harrison/

When ever I commission a new arrangement I always make sure I record a rehearsal CD at the

Canal Festival Saturday 30th July 22!

same time which helps me to learn my songs correctly and quickly in time for performance. Richard never cease to amaze me with his skill and quality of musicianship. I quite surprise myself sometimes at just how many bespoke musical arrangements I have in my repertoire, but then again it’s a life’s work and I’m still commissioning. I like to be different at it’s important to stand out from the crowd. The trick is finding those forgotten gems that every-one knows but haven’t been sung for a while and bringing them back to life.

This Saturday I’m performing for  The Leighton Buzzard Canal Festival. It’s the first time I’ve done it and I’ve been invited to perform my Pearly Queen Show “Underneath the Arches” at 3.20pm.

Bletchley Park Concert Series Saturday 6th July 22!

The event is taking place at Tiddenfoot Waterside Park, Tiddenfoot Lake, Leighton Buzzard LU7 2AE and we are all keeping our fingers crossed for dry weather. https://www.leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk/council_events/linslade-canal-festival/

I’m looking forward to it very much as I have a great show planned and then straight afterwards I’m performing at The National Museum of Computing which is also located at Bletchley Park for the staff BBQ. I have a quick turn around and a complete costume change as I go from Pearly Queen to Vintage Glamour.

That’s all my news for now but if you would like to know more about the events I’m appearing at just click on the enclosed links and I look forward to seeing you.

Toodle Pip and Bye for Now! 😉

Linda and I at Brinsworth House!

It’s been a difficult week this week which started with the tragic news of my dear friend Lynda Styan passing away. I’d known Lynda for ten years and the news came as a great shock. She only went into hospital on Tuesday and she sadly passed away on the Friday after the doctors diagnosed ovarian cancer. The cancer had spread to her kidneys. The awful thing about this disease is it’s almost impossible to spot, which was why it wasn’t picked up on sooner. Lynda had been suffering with chronic back pain for months and now it’s clear what the back pain actually was.

Dinner and Coffee with Lynda!

We are all going to miss her enormously. She was my pal and the nicest person you could possibly meet. We would often meet up and have a girly natter over dinner about show business. I’m so pleased we managed to meet up on 22nd June which was literally only three weeks before she died. The world is going to be a poorer place with-out her and I feel very privileged to have known Lynda, and was able to call her my friend. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lynda’s family at this sad time.

I first met Lynda ten years ago and as soon as we met we hit it off straight away. Like me she specialized in performing the music of yesteryear and we had so much in common. Lynda played the ukulele and her forte was performing the music of the 1920s. She also covered other periods from Music Hall to the 1960s and had the most beautiful red hair which she liked

Lynda Styan and I with our friend Yanto at The Poppy Appeal!

to wear in a 1920s bob. The last time Lynda and I worked together was in Birmingham last November when we were singing to raise money for the Poppy Appeal at New Street Station. We also worked together at Brinsworth House which is a residential and nursing retirement home for theatre and entertainment professionals. The house is owned and run by the Royal Variety Charity and they are very choosy about the people they have to perform there. So when Lynda asked me if I would like to do a show with her there I jumped at the opportunity.

Over the years Lynda had played at some fantastic events and venues which included The London Palladium, Goodwood Revival, Twinwood Festival, 100 Club – Oxford Street, The Imperial War Museum, The Savoy Hotel and The Downton Abbey Ball, Regent’s Park Hotel to name but a few. She was also seen on Britain’s Got Talent  where Simon Cowell said she had a “Very authentic nostalgic voice and act”.

On Stage at Stanbridge Lower School!

Professional to the end Lynda didn’t want any-one to be left with-out entertainment so this week I’ve been working with

her friend Steve Forward to cover her shows and inform people of her passing. Today I was in Berkshire performing the Swinging 1950s and 60s where Steve was singing for a summer garden party in Mill Hill. Both of these shows were Lynda’s bookings so I’m pleased in a small way we can be of help and keep her torch shining.

I’ve been working extremely hard this week as I’ve had my own shows to cover, plus a mountain of paper-work to get through. On Wednesday  I had the pleasure of performing at Stanbridge Lower school for their end of team 1940s Vintage tea party. Last year we were out n the play-ground but this year we were in the school hall due to the summer heat. The children were terrific as I got them all to sing-along.

Getting Set to Perform my Wren’s Show at Bletchley Park!

I’m going to leave my blog here tonight as I need to get to bed. Next Saturday I’m on stage for the Leighton Buzzard Canal festival performing my Pearly Queen show at at 3.20pm and then I’m straight over to Milton Keynes and to The National Museum of Computing to sing for their staff BBQ at Bletchley Park. I’m also opening Bletchley Park’s concert series on the 6th August with my Wrens show and I’m back in the recording studio to pick up some new songs for that show next week.

Time for bed – Keep Following Toodle Pip and Bye for Now! 😉

Out and About at the BCLM!

As you can see I’m a little later than normal with my blog this week largely because I’ve been extremely busy and I’ve had some sharp turn arounds. This week I opened with a “Song for Summer” in Kettering, then a “Magic of the Musicals” in Northampton, it was the turn of my “Stars and Stripes” show in Bicester on Friday and I will be concluding the week with a “Hooray for Hollywood” in Bushy this coming Sunday. So something different for every-day of the week which keeps things fresh and exciting.

Hooray for Hollywood in the Radio Shop!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of performing at the Black Country Living Museum’s 1940s event. It’s an amazing venue and we couldn’t have wished for better weather as the sun shone down all weekend. I had been booked to perform 3 x 45 minute shows daily plus a 60 minute Saturday night dance set so seven shows in total. The museum had put together a wonderful line up of acts which included The D-Day Darlings and the D-Day Juniors, George Formby, Winston Churchill and my personal favorites Flanagan and Allen.

On stage with Flanagan & Allen!

Special congratulations needs to go out to the Black Country Living Museum for staging such a great event and for their brilliant organizing and professionalism. I was also extremely impressed with the D-Day Juniors who were very professional, well schooled, disciplined and were a delight to see thanks to the dedication of D-Day Darlings lead singer Katie Ashby.

I’d been looking forward to this event for ages and I was keen to document the weekend. These days you have to be adapted at turning your hand to everything which was why I took the decision to engage a professional photographer. I was very fortunate to find Mark Slater who did a fantastic

Meeting Up with Wintson Churchill!

job for me photographing the event and my shows which included seven costume changes.

When it comes to photos the obvious one is me standing in front of a microphone singing which after a while I think photographically gets a bit boring. Yes it’s important to have these sort of shots but it’s much more interesting to be shot in costume on location. The Black Country Living Museum isn’t short of character and Mark and I made the most of the opportunity visiting the different shops, buildings and war time scenarios which were set up across the sight.

Gi Jive with Dancers!

Thanks to Mark’s skill and the museum granting us access I now have a fantastic collection of photos which I will be sharing with you all on my social media pages. In fact a few of you may have seen some  of Mark’s shots on my Facebook pages already and I’m thrilled to have such a fantastic collection.

Normally when I’m at events I usually have to do my own sound but on this occasion we had a sound crew and it was great to work with John and Tyler who looked after our stage. BCLM had arranged for two stages and I was working the Park Stage

On Stage with Katie Ashby of The D-Day Darlings!

which to my mind was much nicer than the main stage which was down by the canal and surrounded by black coal dust. At night time they also lit braziers which blew across the main stage which must have been difficult for the D-day Darlings to  sing through. The Park stage was clean and airy and we had all the stall holders around us making the space colourful and interesting. My dressing room was also right next door which couldn’t have been better and we had a steady flow of visitors all weekend. Perfect!

I always say variety is the spice of life and I made a point of performing seven non repetitive

Time for a Game of Cards between Shows!

costume shows over the weekend. I opened on Saturday with my ATS “We’ll Meet Again” show which always goes down well although the shows which attracted the most interest were my “Stage and Screen”  and Saturday Night Lindy Hop show “In the Mood”. It’s lovely to see people up dancing, especially afterwards when they come up and say how much they have enjoyed my performance – and how nice it was to hear some-one singing something different!

A lot of thought goes into my shows not only on my uniforms and costumes but I also spend a

Roping in Sound Crew Tyler and Dan (Who was last Passing from the main Stage!)

great deal of time in the recording studio working with my musical arranger Richard Whennell on new musical arrangements. Although the internet has made music accessible the problem is so much of what is being performed has become over played making artists acts predictable.  I’ve been plugging away for years and I forget sometimes just how much music I have, all of which are custom made arrangements. I had a count up after the weekend and including my medley arrangements I performed 147 numbers which doesn’t seem like it at the time but it just goes to show how much music I cover in a

The Man from the Ministry!

weekend.

I currently have a couple of new arrangements in production, which I hope to pick up very soon. “Busy doing Nothing”  from a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (Try saying that with national health teeth). This was from a 1949 film starring Bing Crosby and Rhonda Fleming plus a full arrangement of In Apple Blossom Time. I hope to get these through in time for my performance at Bletchley Park on the 6th August but if not I will have them in time for Stonehurst Farm’s 1940s  event on the 13th & 14th August. More

One of Harry’s Shots from TNMOC

news on that later so keep following my blogs.

Talking of Bletchley Park I had the pleasure of working with Harry and Suzanne of H100 – Photographer at The National Museum of Computing on Monday. I wouldn’t normally arrange a photo shoot straight after a big event but the TNMOC is extremely busy and getting a slot to do a shoot at all isn’t easy when they have such a busy time table. I felt very privileged they gave us access and this wonderful opportunity. I wanted to get a collection of working photos of

Taking Down Morse Code at TNMOC!

me as a Wrens by the early war time computers Tunny and Colossus. Sadly we couldn’t get any shots of me with the Bombe as it’s encased in perspex but the other shots have come out extremely well thanks to Harry’s skill. My plan is to use these shots in a music video along with Marks photos from the Black Country Living museum.

I’m investing a great deal in my photography this year  and once I have the shots I’m able to divide them up and use them for different social media

Just Arriving for Work at Bletchley Park!

behind the scenes projects which I will be working on with my web-designers over the next couple of years.

Time is beating me this morning and I must crack on. I have a heap of paper-work to do today which I mustn’t put off. Next week I have a run on 1950s & 60s shows plus a special 1940s tea party to perform at Stanbridge Lower School which I’m looking forward to very much.

Keep Following Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

Out and About Shopping in Warwick!

Once again I’m in something of a dash tonight to get everything ready for the weekend and my performances at The Black Country Living Museum’s 1940s event, 9th & 10th July. For those of you who haven’t caught my previous blogs I’ve been booked to perform 3 shows daily and for those of you who like to dance do pop along to my Saturday night 8.15pm show where I will be performing all those wonderful Lindy Hop classics from “Cho Cho Ch’ Boogie” to “There Ain’t Nobody Here but us Chickens”.

Over the weekend I will be performing a mixture

Dressed for the 4th July at Wroxall Abbey!

of sing along songs in uniform from the 1940s and the very best of Hollywood. So if dancing is your thing please  make a point of popping along to my 3.30pm “GI Jive” and 8.15pm “In the Mood” shows on Saturday and my 1.30pm “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” show on Sunday. So I hope I have scheduled in something for every-one. Please see my full show list below :-

Saturday 9th July – 11.30am ATS “We’ll Meet Again” 1.30pm 40s Hollywood Glamour “Stage and Screen” 3.30pm US WAC “GI Jive” 8.15pm Evening Dance “In the Mood”.

Paul & I Having Lunch in Warwick!

Sunday 10th July – 11.30am Wrens “The Fleets in Port Again”, 1.30pm Hollywood Glamour “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” 3.30pm WAAF “Straighten Up and Fly Right”

These last few days I’ve been busy performing “Stars and Stripes” shows to tie in with the 4th July. It’s all change from a few weeks ago when I was busy performing Prom “Happy and Glorious” concerts to tie in with the Jubilee and now it’s a vocal trip across the pond to America with everything that is razzmatazz!

Meeting Up with Miss Fanny De Light!

Last Sunday Paul, Poppy and I were in Warwick attending the Warwick Vintage Carnival. It was a great event where I was able to do a little shopping and meet up with fellow vintage singer Miss Fanny De Light. Fanny performed a wonderful mix of vintage classics which I really enjoyed and afterwards we stayed over at the Wroxall Abbey Hotel in Warwick.

A wonderful Gothic mansion with an interesting history I was keen to find out more. The early origins of the estate dates back as far as 1146 A.D, when a group of Benedictine nuns were founded by Hugh Fitz Richard of Hatton (Lord of Hatton). Hatton had provided over 3,000 acres of land to the church, to form a monastery known as the Priory of St. Leonard. It’s original remains, still sit directly opposite the Abbey.

All Set to Head off to The Vintage Carnival!

In 1544, following the dissolution of monasteries by King Henry VIII, the estate was awarded to Robert Burgoyne, a commissioner of the dissolution.  Following the death of Robert Burgoyne, the estate remained in the Burgoyne name, passing down from generation to generation. His son, (also Robert Burgoyne) and the High Sheriff of Warwickshire, demolished part of the church, however, built the Elizabethan style Mansion House.

In 1713, the Burgoyne family finally sold the estate to the renowned architect Sir Christopher Wren. Wren used Wroxall Abbey as his own

One Man and His Dog at Wroxall!

personal retreat with members of his family often staying at the house. Once again, the estate passed down through many generations of the Wren family. Records of the estate show that the Theodisa Wren was the final member of the Wren family to be in possession of Wroxall Abbey.

Following Theodisa Wren’s marriage to Chandos Hoskyns of Harewood in 1837, Wroxall Abbey Estate was sold to James Dugdale in 1861. During his tenure, James Dugdale built a new Mansion House in the Gothic style as well as new formal grounds and gardens. The estate was inherited by James Broughton Dugdale who subsequently died 1932.

The estate was leased to The Laurels School and eventually purchased in 1963, when the school ultimately became known as The Wroxall Abbey School for girls. It remained a school until 1995, when the estate was purchased by the Quinn

Wroxall Abbey Hotel!

family ahead of planning permission for commercial use as a hotel. From 2000, the estate has been operating as a hotel with Trinity Hotel Ltd, taking over the estate in late 2020.

The grounds at Wroxall Abbey are beautiful which is ideal for Poppy as she enjoyed her walks there immensely. I shall leave you with a few photos from the weekend and I look forward to seeing you all at The Black Country Living Museum.

Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

Stepping Out in Dudley at the BCLM!

I’m afraid it’s just a very quick blog tonight as I’m getting ready to head off to Warwick tomorrow morning to attend the Vintage Carnival. I’ve been extremely busy these last few weeks and I’m looking forward to having a little down time to potter about and maybe buy something special at the Vintage Market. I’ve a number of vintage events to perform at over the next couple of months and I’ve been working closely with my dress maker Judi to see everything is fitting right and we are all good to go.

I have a number of dresses in production at the

The Black Country Living Museum!

moment and I’ve also been busy with my needle making hats so when I step out on stage everything will match and look perfect. One of my favorite past times is browsing Etsy and I’ve just treated myself to a new look late 1940s early 50s hat which is coming to me all the way from America. I’m looking forward to wearing it this August at Stonehurst Farm’s 1940s event and afterwards I will be staying on to do a photo shoot. I will tell you more about that a little closer to the time so in the mean-time keep following my pages.

The Museums Famous Radio Shop!

This week I’ve been out and about attending meetings and I’ve been booked by The Poplars Garden Center in Toddington to perform for a special afternoon vintage tea on the 23rd August. I will be performing a mixture of songs from the 1930s, 40s & 50s and I’m looking forward to the event very much. It’s the first time the garden center has done something like this so we are all hoping it will be a great success.

I was also up in Dudley last Wednesday tying up all the loose ends for the Black Country Living Museum’s 1940s event which will be taking place on the 9th & 10th July. I was last there in December performing for their Christmas Nights and I’m really looking forward to performing the 1940s for them. I can confirm I will be performing on The Park Stage and my shows for the weekend are as follows:-

Meeting Up with David in the Motor Bike Shop!

Saturday 9th July – 11.30am ATS “We’ll Meet Again” 1.30pm 40s Hollywood Glamour “Stage and Screen” 3.30pm US WAC “GI Jive” 8.15pm Evening Dance “In the Mood”

Sunday 10th July – 11.30am Wrens “The Fleets in Port Again”, 1.30pm Hollywood Glamour “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” 3.30pm WAAF “Straighten Up and Fly Right”

If you can make it along it will be delightful to see you and this time I will be working along side the D-Day Darlings who I’ve had the pleasure of

All Set for Next Weekend!

working with a couple of times before. For more information about booking please click the link below

https://bclm.com/back-home/

Keep Following and Toodle Pip!

Meeting the Horses!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of performing for the Horse Trust in Speen just out-side of Princes Risborough. It was my first visit there and I had been engaged to sing for their “Horses Hounds and Heros” event to tie in with the run up to Armed Forces day. My brief was simple to sing a selection of vintage songs from the 1920s through to the 1970s while people were taking tea in the marque.

I love doing these sorts of events because they are easy for me to do and it’s just a case of selecting charming songs while visitors enjoy the

On Stage for the Horse Trust!

ambience and take refreshments.  I also love to people watch and take in the atmosphere while I’m singing. I’d been booked to perform 3 x 60 minute music sets over the course of the afternoon. The time very quickly flew by as I mixed my music and made sure visitors heard a selection of popular tunes form various decades. I confess I only have two horse related tunes in my repertoire, the most popular one being the “Ascot Gavotte” from “My Fair Lady”,  which visitors thoroughly enjoyed when I performed it in my second set.

Between Sets at the Horse Trust!

I’ve lived in this area for years and I’m astonished I’d never been to the Horse Trust before. When I was a little girl I was mad about horses and I was interested to find out it little more about the Trust.

For 135 years The Horse Trust’s Home of Rest for Horses has specialised in providing retirement and respite for working horses and ponies. These hard-working equine public servants have served our nation in the Police, the Army or with charities which use horses to help people. The Horse Trust also provide sanctuary to horses,

Horses on Parade!

ponies and donkeys who have suffered from cruelty or neglect and who are in desperate need of specialist treatment and care.

At the end of afternoon there was a special parade where visitors were able to see and find out more about each horse who in many cases had had distinguished carees serving the Police, Army and the Royal house hold. It was a lovely afternoon and I hope very much I shall have the pleasure of performing for them again in the future.

Making New Friends!

This week I performed the last of my “Happy and Glorious” shows of the season and now it full steam ahead with the Summer and 4th July “Stars and Stripes” shows. I’m getting ready for the Black Country Living Museums 1940s event on the 9th & 10th July and have a number of show plans to complete not to mention out-fits and uniforms to prepare.

I can confirm I will be performing on The Park Stage and my shows for the weekend are as follows:-

Dressed for the Last of My Happy and Glorious Shows!

Saturday 9th July – 11.30am ATS “We’ll Meet Again” 1.30pm 40s Hollywood Glamour “Stage and Screen” 3.30pm US WAC “GI Jive” 8.15pm Evening Dance “In the Mood”

Sunday 10th July – 11.30am Wrens “The Fleets in Port Again”, 1.30pm Hollywood Glamour “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” 3.30pm WAAF “Straighten Up and Fly Right”

I look forward to seeing you!

Yesterday I had the honor of attending a special remembrance afternoon as friends and family came together to remember musician Barry Castle. I met Barry by chance in 2016 and we immediately struck up a rapport. It was lovely

Getting Set for Black Country Living Museum’s 1940s Event!

to hear his daughter Stephanie speak about Barry’s life and see some of the family photos which included shots of his air craft Sprite and Muso which Barry had built and designed himself.

Barry Castle was a remarkable man and played french horn. He had enjoyed a long and distinguished career playing all over the world for all the top names in show business which included every-one from Maria Callas to Freddie Mercury. Sadly he passed away on VE Day the 8th May earlier this year and he will be sadly missed. I know I will miss him immensely. I use to play to him my new musical arrangements and tell him about the pieces I was working on in the recording studio.

Dressed for the 1940s

We use to have long chats about music and I remember him telling me he started his professional career way back in 1957 when he got a job as the resident french horn player at Covent Garden. During that time he played for 9 Ring Cycles which if you know your Wagner is no mean feat. The opera plays over four days and is essentially four operas in one.

I always used to love listening to his stories about being on tour with Frank Sinatra and playing for new up and coming artists in the recording studio such as Tom Jones. Incidentally he told me he was still waiting to be paid his royalties for “Delilah” which made my chuckle! He also played on the Morecambe and Wise show that famous sketch with Shirley Bassy and the boot along with “There is Nothing like a Dame” which stared all the news readers and was classic 1970s TV of the time.

Barry also made up part of Frank Sinatra’s final tour in 1992 which took place at the Barcelona stadium. When I was in Milan I was able to visit La Scala and bring back the new back stage extension plans for Barry to look at. I thought he would be interested having played at the opera house many times. He had also played on countless original film scores from James Bond, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Star Wars to Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark .

I can’t tell you how proud I was to know him and to speak to some-one who knew Richard Bonynge. Richard Bonynge was married to Joan Sutherland and did many wonderful musical arrangements for her including an overture to “The Merry Widow” which Lehar strangely never included as part of his original score. My father adored the Operetta “The Merry Widow” and it was listening to this overture as a child which first inspired my interested in musical arrangements and singing.

I hope Barry was looking down on us all on Friday and enjoyed the occasion as much as we did appreciating his legacy, and what a wonderful treasure chest it is too. RIP Barry and thank-you for all you have given. Your music will live on forever!

That’s all my news for now thank-you for following Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

Dressed for a Day at The Races!

I feel very proud I’ve been able to work continuously right through from the beginning of May to now. I have my last Jubilee show scheduled for the 24th June and then I’m straight into “Stars and Stripes” shows with the run up to Independence day.

It’s been an extraordinary couple of months and I’m looking forward very much to performing at The Black Country Living Museum on the 9th & 10th July  when I’ve been engaged to perform for their 1940s event. I will have more information about my shows at the end of this month, so keep watching my pages and I shall tell you more about that nearer to the time.

This week I have been predominantly preforming “Happy and Glorious” shows but with a few variations as the season rolls over.  On Tuesday it was the  return of one of my best sellers with the “Magic of the Musicals” and today it’s been “A Day at

Meeting Up with the Queen for Jubilee!

the Races” to tie in with Ladies Day at Royal Ascot. It was good to have a change as I selected my most glamorous numbers and performed out in the garden.

This Sunday I’m performing for the Horse Trust at Speen in Princes Risborough for their “Horses, Hounds and Heroes” event. I have a full program of songs to sing over 3 x 45/60 minute sets and I’m looking forward to the event very much. Tomorrow I have my first day off in four weeks and I need to spend the day programming and prepping for my forth coming shows. I still have

Her Majesty and I!

costumes to sort out and cases to half pack in preparation for next month.

Keep Following Toodle Pip and Bye for Now! 😉

Getting Ready for The Queen’s Platinum  Jubilee!

It’s been an extraordinary Jubilee weekend as people up and down the British Isles joined together to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Even now I can’t quite believe just how many shows I’ve performed over the last couple of weeks and I still have bookings for my “Happy and Glorious” show which will be taking me through to the 17th June.

It’s been amazing, and I’m thrilled I’ve been able to take part in so many fabulous events. It’s great to see people out celebrating especially as the weather was  good for the duration and we didn’t

On Stage in Slapton!

get any rain, although it was a little touch and go on Sunday.

My Jubilee weekend started on Thursday afternoon when I was booked to perform a private show in Northampton before I made it down to Slapton to sing just prior to the lighting of the brazier. Slapton had gone to town and had invested in a marquee and a lorry which made for a fantastic stage as I played out across the recreation ground. I’d like to say a big thank-you to Dave Mann for recommending me to sing at this event and for doing my sound so splendidly.

We’ll Meet Again with Mike’s WW2 Ambulance!

I first developed my “Happy and Glorious” show in  2016 to tie in with the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations. Since then the show has been a good seller and this year I added in a few additions and a little bit of Rock and Roll, which has been going down very well with my Jubilee audiences. It certainly did in Slapton and later in Leighton Buzzard as local dances came and joined in with my music.

On Friday I opened the Leighton Buzzard’s Jubilee Fayre in ATS uniform and performed a

Leighton Buzzard in Full Swing!

selection of songs from the 1940s before introducing the Leighton, Linslade Mayor Farzana Kharawala and Simon Marshall who is the president of the Leighton Buzzard Rotary club. Special guests also included representatives from twin towns Coulommier and Titisee-Neu-stadt in France and Germany. The Rotary club were the people behind the organizing of Friday’s event and I think they should all feel very proud as the High Street and Parsons Close Recreation Ground was packed with visitors enjoying the Jubilee festivities.

https://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/people/massive-turnout-for-rotarys-platinum-jubilee-fayre-in-leighton-buzzard-3720097

The Finished 40s Hat – Phew!

I had been booked to perform 2 x 45 minute sets and I came back with my “Happy & Glorious” show later in the day wearing my new 1950s inspired Jubilee dress. We couldn’t have wished for better weather and much as I would have loved to have stayed longer, straight afterwards I had to jump in my van and drive up to Sleaford to perform for their 1940s event which was due to take place on the Saturday.

It’s been something of a military operation fitting every-thing in but it’s about being organised which I’m very good at. I never like to waist a

Opening the Show in Sleaford!

minute and even with my tight turn arounds I was able to get my show programming done between sets and finish my 1940s hat in time for Saturday’s show. As soon as I hit my B&B in Sleaford I started sewing and was able to get my Jubilee hat completed by mid-night.

I had been looking forward to Sleaford very much as it was a new event for me and I had not been to the town before.  The event was held at the William Alvery School at Eastgate and it was extremely well supported as people flooded through the gates. I had been booked to perform

Having Fun Between Sets!

3 x 45 costume shows daily and I opened up at 11am with my ATS “We’ll Meet Again” show, after introducing the mayor Linda Edwards and the town crier John Griffths. For my second 1940s glamour set I came back wearing a navy blue vintage suit and closed with my Proms show “Happy and Glorious” concluding with “Land of Hope and Glory” and the national anthem. Not forgetting my newly stitched 40s topper hat!

Many visitors came in costume and there were prizes for the best dress. There were also a

Meeting Up with The Best Dressed!

number of vintage vehicles on display and a chance to experience a 1940s war time air-raid shelter. Sleaford town Council very kindly provided me with an inflatable stage but by the end of the day it became necessary to deflate it as concerns were growing it might take off with the strength of the growing wind. In the end all was well and a great time was had by all.

You can find out more information about the event and what was going on around Lincolnshire during the Jubilee weekend by clicking the link below from Lincolnshire World.

Model railways and 1940s weekends to parades and street parties – weather fails to deter jubilee celebrations around Sleaford | LincolnshireWorld

Out and About in My New 40s Hat!

Next day I was back home and at mid-day out performing in a village not far away called Little Gaddesden. Straight afterwards I made my way over to the village of Ellesborough and met up with Paul Marsden and his little dog Poppy. We had both been booked to perform for Ellesborough’s Jubilee event which was in full swing when we arrived. Despite a drop in the temperature the rain stayed off and we closed the event with a mixture of Big Band and Swing and patriotic favorites. Paul delighted audiences with his Sinatra style vocals and Poppy enjoyed being

Meeting Up with the Mayor and Adrian!

out and about and her free complimentary sausage.

Thank-you to ever-one who worked so hard over the jubilee to make each event such a great success. It was a pleasure and an honour to perform for all of you. I shall leave you with a few of my favorite photos before I head off to my next show in Northampton.

Keep Following Toodle Pip and Bye for Now! 😉

Paul, Poppy and I Between sets in Ellesborough!

Getting Ready to Rig at the Ellesborough Show!