'That's my cousin,' Mum told me as the man on the radio
began singing.
'Who is he?'
'Sid Buckman. My cousin.'
This conversation, if it could be called that, took place
some time in the late 1940s and was the first time I had heard of Mum's cousin.
As you will realise, they weren't good at keeping in touch.
Over the years I garnered various bits and pieces of
information which, as it was before the computer age, was word of mouth - from
Mum.
What I gathered of Sid's childhood was that his father died young,
his mother couldn't afford to keep him so he became a Barnado's Boy. Which is
where he learned to play the trumpet and, I presume, to sing.
In the 1920s he was playing with a small group until spotted
by Billy Cotton (Mr. Wakey-Wakey). Sid stayed with the Cotton band until Billy
was taken ill and the musicians dispersed. Then Sid's expertise and talent were
fully recognised by the American bandleader Roy Fox. As well as being lead
trumpeter and vocalist Sid was Fox's right hand man. With this band he made
numerous recordings, some of which are now available on CD.
Unfortunately at the end of the 1930s due to Roy Fox's ill
health, this band also 'dis-banded'.
I believe that during the war years Sid played with various
bands and, by the time Mum brought him to my attention, he was with the Charlie
Shadwell Band which was a part of the BBCs 'backbone' of bands.
It also toured the
country and in 1953 was doing a summer season in a huge tent on the green in
Paignton, Devon. Which is when I met him.
We went to a matinee and in the interval went to the stage
door. One of the musicians came out, took a look at Mum and said, 'You must be
Sid's sister.' Both with prematurely white hair and the same blue eyes.
Sid eventually retired and died in 1981.
Does musicianship run in the family? I play piano, have
played guitar and done my share of singing.
Sid's Mum was my grand-dad's sister bearing the name Linley.
If you know your musical history.....
Soprano Elizabeth Linley married Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Her composer brother was a friend of Mozart and her father founded the Bath
Opera and helped fund the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (before it burned down!).
No, I'm not sure whether we are direct descendants but you
never know what you might find in your history.
