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The News, Wednesday, October 28, 2009
REMEMBER WHEN by Chris Owen
Cyril in tune with music
The recent Remember When feature about Frank Stocker and his band sent Donna Inseal straight to her albums and these pictures of her late grandfather Cyril Brown.
Apart from playing in Stocker's band Donna said he was also a key member of the Alf Holman, Jimmy Harris, and the Maurice Frolic groups.
She said music was his first love and he played several instruments saxophone and violin, but he also happily raised a family of three while his wife was a daily child minder.
They also fostered many children over 45 years whilst living at 31 Fraser Road, Southsea.
Donna, of Farlington Road, North End, said: 'Cyril was a surgical boot maker before working at Stoneham's shoe repairer in Albert Road.
`I wonder if it was coincidence that he followed this line of work for he caught infantile paralysis (polio) when he was about 18 months old.
`He wore a raised calliper as a child but not in his adult years and unfortunately curvature of the spine become an issue - a crutch had to be used in his later years but that didn't stop him fulfilling his dreams as he packed his instruments and crutch into his scooter and sidecar and off to the gigs he went.'
She said her grandad was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the mid-1970s and he died on November 29, 1987, at the age of 78.
Bands
Frank Stocker
Cyril is second from the left
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Maurice Frolic
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The Ace Old Time Orchestra
Alf Holman
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Wally Gresham
Colegians - Wally Fry
September 1939 on South Parade Pier
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Jimmy Harris
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Arthur Ward
Sunshine Holidy Camp days.
Teddy Wilcox Band with Teddy 3rd from left, Cyril 2nd from left
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Assorted other bands
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