HISTORY OF HACKNESS LADIES' CHOIR
 
In September, 1984 Hackness Ladies' Choir was born!
 
Some  parents from Hackness  School had formed a group of singers for an event.  They needed a conductor.  Jean Stear, the School Cook at the time, suggested her husband, Ernest, who was a music teacher, church organist and choir master, and fortunately he agreed to fill the place.
 
Following that,  Ernest realised there were other local ladies who enjoyed singing and so he created  Hackness Ladies' Choir.  In the beginning there were around a dozen members, two of whom are still in the choir today.
 
The choir's first concert was given in Hackness Village Hall in the winter of 1984.
 
In the early days, Ernest was both pianist and conductor.  His deputy organist at St. Laurence's Church,  Scalby offered the skills of his wife, Monica Daniels, who is a concert pianist and so Monica became pianist while Ernie concentrated on conducting (now we had to keep our eyes on him as he was watching us all the time!)
 
The concert programmes were always interspersed with comedy sketches, readings and solos. It was from this that Ernie and Mrs Mary Blackmore came up with the idea of a pantomime.  Mary had the skills to write pantomimes and Ernie used his fine collection of old songs and adapted lyrics to suit the particular panto.  Some composers would be horrified, although the audiences loved it!
 
Mary retired, but not to be thwarted, a small group of choir members wrote and produced pantos, some with a recognizable title and others quite different.  Have you heard of 'The Frogs, The Crows and The Big Black Tree'?
 
From the very start it was decided that any profits made from performances would be given to local charities, and this continues today.  It is estimated that the choir has donated over £16,000 to many grateful organisations. 
 
The choir continued in this form for many years until Ernie decided it was time to hang up his baton, at the age of eighty-something.  Fortunately for the choir, Monica was willing to take on Ernie's role of conductor as well as pianist and so we continued.
 
When Monica retired, the choir wondered if it could continue.   Mary Winstanley and Valerie Barker helped out for some time.   After an advertisement for a Conductor in the local press,  Ralph Earwicker came forward as Musical Director and Frank James as Accompanist. 
 
Under their direction the choir continues to thrive - so after 34 years,  long may it continue.
                                                 
 Update;
At the end of 2018, the fabulous Frank James decided to retire.  His shoes, have been difficult to fill.  However we have managed it!  The delightful Elise Curran has become the choir's new accompanist  and has proved her self well up to the task.  We look forward to a long and happy partnership.
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This is what people have said about us, (or to us!).

Comments received following a concert:
"Thank you Hackness Ladies for the wonderful concert you gave us tonight, it was so polished as I said it showed how much you all enjoyed your singing.... Thank you once again for a wonderful night."
(Queen Street Entertainment Group September 2017)

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Letter to Ralph Earwicker from the Captain of North Cliff Golf Club
On behalf of those who attended the concert by Hackness Ladies Choir at North Cliff Golf Club last night I would like to express our thanks to youself, the choir and Frank James for an excellent evening's entertainment enjoyed by all.
​The raffle raised £131.00 and was well supported by your members who took away most of the prizes! The total raised on the evening was over £300.00 for St Catherine's Hospice.
My Vice-Captain came to the evening not knowing what to expect and was amazed at the quality and variety of the singing.  He even said to Lorna that he didn't know that she could sing!
​Once again thanks for your support.

​On behalf of Scarborough Friends of Cancer Research, I wish to thank you most sincerely for all your hard work in putting on such an enjoyable concert.  I received so many appreciative comments afterwards – everyone was so full of praise for the choir.  Will you please pass on my thanks to Ralph, Frank and the choir. 
 The event raised £1280.05, our best result to date.  I do hope that the choir will be willing to perform at Irton again next year and I will contact you shortly when I have spoken to Judith at the Garden Centre.   I am thinking that Wednesday 28th November would be a suitable date.
Many thanks once again.
​(email received from the Secretary of Scarborough Friends of Cancer Research UK following the concert at Irton Garden Centre, November 22nd 2017) 

Thanks received following the Louth Concert
​To my fellow compere and "The Girls", belated greetings and thanks for teaming up with Carillon at Louth for that memorable concert.  Your first choir trip away:  may it be the first of many!
It was such a pleasure to be able to sing with you under "Maestro" Ralph - your Gershwin selection still lingers.
​Let's make an opportunity to sing together again.
Wishing you all continued musical success.
In song
​David (Bongo Dave!)

Hackness Ladies Choir CONCERT FOR A JUNE EVENING June 27th
Thank you H L.C. for a lovely evening. . A gem stone of an evening with music which included organ playing and clavinova playing, plus a choir who sang their hearts out.
There was lots of good humour, funny tales of Our Albert, a Humpty Dumpty song and performances which cannot be forgotten. All of the music was good, well thought out and interesting. It included songs as well as hymns of happiness and praise a wide and varied programme.
The choir were dressed in white blouses black skirts or trousers and each with a beautiful floral scarf. They made a lovely sight as they sang a wide variety of music ranging from African folk tunes to English and American pop.
Frank James was the Choir pianist and organ player . His playing of the organ was a treat for us all. to listen to and to realise once again how fortunate we are to be able to listen and to sing with live organ music every Sunday morning in a chapel which was specially designed to enhance the sound of singing voices and organ.
A big thank you is given Ralph Earwicker, the choir conductor, who added a touch of class and professionalism to the evening.  (Review of our concert at Seamer Methodist Chapel 2015)