Bill Crossland

40 key, 1920....

Brendan Dalley may be able to help, I will send his email by PM

The Swaledale Squeeze is organised by the ICA - details here: http://www.concertina.org/yearly-events/

Stephen has more of a facebook presence these days

Two pictures of the Tottington Band, no dates - any suggestions?

Yes - it doesn't make them any faster to respond though!

Yes there is quite a mix of reed sizes in there, you can see the low G and the low F side by side in this picture and they are significantly different in size.

No, it's double action - you can see the valve of the opposing reed which is conventionally mounted on top of the reed pan, situated under the left end of the pipe.

Pictures of the Tottington Bass, including one of the underside of the elaborately engineered left hand reed pan. As well as being built on two levels to accomodate two depths of chamber (16mm on one side to 25mm for the lower notes) it has an underslung pipe constructed for the lowest reed (low E, rather than Low C). Dave Elliot tells me that this isn't unusual on bass instruments, but you can only admire the techniques by the Victorians/Edwardians who put it together.

There is a Tottington picture here: https://www.google.com/search?q=tottington+concertina+band&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=3JzPUVGqmBDbdM%3A%2Cuy3MnOq5rJMwmM%2C_&usg=AI4_-kSKvu_MS3tclLSLCADbe5Hs3gt5yw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjH35zCwanfAhWLVBUIHdOrBqIQ9QEwA3oECAUQCg#imgrc=tl0F0UXqLrLZ1M: And a brief reference here: https://www.google.com/search?q=tottington+concertina+band&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=3JzPUVGqmBDbdM%3A%2Cuy3MnOq5rJMwmM%2C_&usg=AI4_-kSKvu_MS3tclLSLCADbe5Hs3gt5yw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjH35zCwanfAhWLVBUIHdOrBqIQ9QEwA3oECAUQCg#imgrc=3JzPUVGqmBDbdM:

I've recently been lucky enough to work on two Lachenal Bass anglos, both originally sold into Concertina bands. The first, in Bb/F is internally inscribed "Pride of Wooton" and has a Liverpool suppliers plate inset into the end. Serial number 174,914. The second went from Astley's Concertina Emporium, in Oldham, to Tottington (Lancashire) Concertina band, and is in C/G, serial 151,069. The current owner has some history of the band, which he believes was formed around 1900 in Tottington Mill, moving eventually to a band room in Sunnywood Lane, Tottington. It was recorded as late as 1938 by the BBC, performing in concert along with the Brittania Coconut dancers. Both are great fun, and go some way to explaining Cormac Begley's upper body development.... I wondered if anyone has any history relating to either of these bands.

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=20265

The film about Noel is now available on the TG4 player here: https://www.tg4.ie/en/programmes/noel-hill-aisling-ghear/

Hi Chris I use a 40 Watt laser to cut through anything up to around 5mm, but bear in mind that the burning action does not leave a square cut, but a wedge shaped one, which is OK for boxes where they are to be covered, but not too good for exposed surfaces or precision fitting. No doubt a higher power one would give more cosmetically acceptable results.These laser cutters are on ebay very cheaply and are easy to use.

The last mobile number I had for Sean is 061603071, and an email ofearghail7@gmail.com. I believe he is doing the concertina repair session at Consairtin in Ennis this year as well.