On the 31st October a contingent of Caldicot Male Voice Choir choristers was pleased to sing Happy Birthday to the last surviving founder member, George Maddocks on the occasion of his 100th birthday celebrations at the Choir Hall in Caldicot.
George was among those small group of people who had started work at the giant Llanwern Steelworks and decided to form a male voice choir way back in 1963.
Present day choristers formed up with George in the front and he was presented with a birthday card on behalf of the choir by Chairman Leon Jones before breaking into wishing George ‘Happy Birthday’ in song accompanied by John Nicholson on piano.
So many men during the years have been grateful to those first few choristers who walked the streets, knocked on doors, cajoled and persuaded colleagues in the workplace to join in the beginnings of what was to become arguably one of the leading choirs in Wales.
The photograph below, proudly displayed on the wall at the choir hall is believed to have been taken in 1963 and shows George, aged about 38 in the front row, second from the left.
