“1975 started off on a bad note for the choir. The local Labour Party had organised a function to celebrate the fact that Alan Williams, MP for Swansea West, had completed 10 years “in the house”. Our wives were invited to attend but were treated very badly right from the beginning of the evening. We were disgusted, told the organisers so and walked out without performing. Another little experience in the school of life.

At the AGM held on 22nd January, Edmond John stepped down as chairman after doing a splendid job for 4 years and Ken Hutin was appointed as the new chairman of the Gwalia Singers. Also at this meeting some major changes to their constitution were agreed and Derek Turner was appointed as the choir’s first Public Relations Officer. We also agreed to purchase choir envelopes as well as headed note paper – what professionalism!!

Our annual concert at Bethlehem Chapel, Fforestfach, on 7th May saw the choir engage its first guest artiste with a “big name”. This was Wynford Evans, a tenor from Swansea who was, at that time, on the threshold of a promising career. Wynford has, of course, since then become a world famous tenor. I will never forget him “dragging” on his Woodbines in the chapel vestry before going on to sing and saying that he really ought to try and give them up.

At an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 18th June the choir established the principle of honoraria for both conductor and accompanist. The amount was set at £30 each per annum. The musical staff were now “professionals”.

On the 2nd August we had a memorable visit to Llanbadarn Fawr, Llandrindod, where we gave a concert in the local church as part of their Flower Festival. The church was “dripping” with flowers and it was such a hot evening that I gave the boys permission to sing in shirtsleeves – unheard of before. A beautiful trip ended with us being provided with a sumptuous cold meat salad dinner in an open barn lit by old fashioned oil lamps on a wonderful balmy August night.

Now a milestone (not a Barbershop Quartet) in the choir’s history. After agreeing some 2½ years earlier to enter the competitive field we entered the Eisteddfod at Knighton on 4th October. There were 6 choirs competing. We had 18 members on stage; all of the others were between 40 and 56 members. We came 4th with 172 marks with the winners, Newport & District M.V.C. gaining 178 marks. So under the circumstances we had done well. We sang the 23rd Psalm as the test piece and Kalinka (soloist – Vernon Simons) as our own choice. We, I particularly, learnt a lot from that first competition. To show how “green” I was in those days is summed up by the incident when we arrived one of the stewards said to me “do you want a rehearsal” and I said “no than you we know the both pieces well”. I received a strange and telling look from him which seemed to say very clearly without the spoken word “what a plonker”!!

Finally, Dilwyn Williams topped the attendance register that year with 100% attendance. Vernon Simons was a very poor second with a mere 98% record – he missed 1 practice (with apologies to the Conductor of course).

So 1975 was again a full and memorable year. The Gwalia Singers were now even more popular and well known and continued to be in great demand for concert work.”

In September 1991, Bryan Myles continued with part 4 of the choir’s history:

“The 5th December, 1975, was the famous “HOY” concert at Pontardawe OAPs. Don Childs was brilliant in his solo giving it all the “HYWL” any conductor could ask for. The story is too long to relate here but any of the newer members who wish to know the details can ask any of the long service boys who will, I’m sure, relate the story in all its glorious details.”

Also of note

• The choir discussed their first trip to Mannheim in 1976. This was the choir’s first venture “abroad”. It was felt however that the choir should not enter into an exchange arrangement and avoid “reciprocal obligations” on this, their first venture. There was a special “Ways & Means” committee set up to investigate all aspects of the trip. Later in the year it was decided to cancel the trip because the numbers of choristers wanting to travel was too small. An invitation had also been received to attend the Toronto Festival but this was declined and the choir voted by 18 votes to 2 that they should not consider any foreign trips until the membership had risen to 30.
• At this meeting the choir set down rules for an Annual Dinner: “the date should be regular, preferably the week after the Annual Concert”; “The format should be a Dinner Dance”; “Attendance to be limited to members, wives, and official guests”; “A Top Table should exist of officers and speeches limited to the Chairman, one official guest and the Musical Director (if he wished)”
• The choir also discussed making their second “Gramophone Record”