EXCELSIOR - Treorchy Male Choir

EXCELSIOR 37
the Controller of the Household making arrangements. But once again these
were scuppered with the death of the Duke of Clarence, the Prince of
Battenburg and that of Sir Hugh Ponsonby.
Major Walter Quinn took up the suggestion again and finally on January 25th
1898 – more than two years since Treorky’s visit – an official letter came from
Quinn inviting them to appear at Windsor. It was closely followed by a
telegram from Sir Walter Parratt, the Queen’s Organist, directing them to
appear in evening dress – and not “Sunday Best” as had been Treorky’s way.
While Treorky had taken Dr Joseph Parry as their guest of honour to Windsor,
Tom Stephens invited his good friend Eos Dar, the famous Pennillion Singer
and multiple-winner at the National Eisteddfod of Wales. Ironically enough,
six members of the Glee Society had previously sang with Treorky and
appeared with them before the Queen in 1895.
On February 22nd 1898 the Choir left Ystrad train station to a huge sendoff.
Along the hillsides of Penrhys and Gelli people waved at the royal singers
while crowds gathered at Pontypridd and Cardiff to greet the choristers
through the windows of their saloons of the Great Western Railway carriages.
They reached Windsor at 6.10pm, settling into their accommodation at the
White Hart Hotel and enjoying tea in the dining room where Mabon struck
up “Crugybar” and the Choir sang for a few minutes before Tom Stephens
ordered silence for fear they would lose their voices. He did, however allow
them a rehearsal of “God Save the Queen” before they departed for their
rooms to don their evening dress and white gloves, also bearing breast badges
to say they’d won the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd.
At 8.45pm they formed a procession up Castle Hill and entered through the
Grand Entrance to be met by Mr Miles of the Lord Chamberlain’s
Department in the cloakroom. Then they were led up the grand staircase to
St George’s Hall where an orchestra had been erected and six tiers of seats for
the Welshmen. A group of 36 gilded chairs in six rows were placed for the
audience with a low armed black oak chair, richly upholstered, stood in the
centre alongside a small table holding a pair of opera glasses, a magnifying
lens and a copy of the concert programme bound in red borocco.
Mr D. Jones sat at the grand piano and Percie Smith was sat at the American
organ. Punctually at 10pm the bells chimed and the doors opened into the
hall. The Ladies and Gentlemen of the Household, with Lord Edward
Clinton, Controller of the Household appearing to signal the Queen’s
approach. They all rose to the majestic strains of the National Anthem. The
Queen, bent over, walked slowly. Her right hand was resting on a stick, her
left holding her Indian attendant. Dressed in black with a flowing white head