大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a volunteer from Northumberland on behalf of Irene Robertson (nee Dunn). Mrs. Robertson fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions, and the story has been added to the site with her permission.

鈥淛ohnny鈥� Dunn, while serving a seven-year apprentice as a piano tuner and restorer, became involved in the Edinburgh music scene when he was eighteen years of age, in 1923. He started off playing with his three friends in Mission Halls, of which there were quite a few in Edinburgh, the music ranged from 鈥淢oody and Sankey鈥� hymn tunes to Dixieland jazz. As their reputation grew, they played at private parties and dances. They had all increased their musical knowledge and, over the next few years, played multiple instruments. Johnny played clarinet and, I鈥檓 told, an excellent tenor sax, as well as his first love, the violin.

During the late twenties and thirties the 鈥渓ads鈥� became proper professional musicians and were resident bands in the Grosvenor Hotel and The Ritz Caf茅 (rather like a posh Th茅 Danson in the Ritz Hotel in London), both in Edinburgh鈥檚 West-End. The groups also broadcast for the 大象传媒, in Queen Street, and, I believe, a memorable 鈥渓ive鈥� broadcast to Australia, which was performed at 3:00 a.m.! My Father (Johnny) was approached by an Edinburgh entrepreneur called Tim Wright, apparently well-known in the music world, to lead a dance band for him at the Edinburgh Palais on a full-time basis. This eventually also covered leading 鈥淭om Wright鈥檚 Scottish Country Dance Orchestra鈥�, which played regularly at the Cavendish Ballroom 鈥� plus 鈥済igs鈥� at, for instance, Dame Flora鈥檚 Highland Ball in Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, which could lead to another story! This continued right into the early sixties when ballroom dancing, apart from private dances, died a death.

Although not officially attached to ENSA, during the Second World War Dad got a group together to entertain the forces, i.e., British, Canadian, Polish, Free French, and American. Each had rest and recreation bases in Edinburgh where they gathered.

My particular memory is of one Christmas, I think 1943 or 1944, when Dad played at a Christmas Party the American forces were holding for children. I think it was at what they called the American Legion Club but it might have been at the Overseas Club, either way they were both in Princes Street. Dad was told he could invite two children and, as I was an only child, my best friend, Marjorie Anderson, came along. It really was like Fairy Land and Aladdin鈥檚 Cave rolled into one. Food we had not seen (types or amounts) for years or, indeed, at all. For the first time ever I had flavoured ice-cream!

The biggest thrill, however, was we had Coke-a-Cola. This magic drink we had seen in films but never in reality. A huge white refrigerator filled with ice and bottles of Coke! When it was time to go home we were given bags of sweets and a bottle of Coke each. I remember Marjorie, who lived next door, suggested we ration ourselves to an egg-cupful each day, to make it last. Even when the bottle was empty, I remember keeping it for months until I could no longer sniff the lovely lingering smell and remember that wonderful party.

Dad, after the sixties, only rarely played at family parties and weddings, this on his violin, which his second-oldest Grandson, Murray Robertson, now has. Dad died suddenly, in 1977, of a heart attack. He was much mourned and he is still very much missed. I often say that he went in very good company. That week, Maria Callas and Leopold Stowkowski also passed on!

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