90 Years Young - Frank Eatwell

Frank Eatwell, 4-2-1930 - 22-11-2020 An appreciation from Roger Trobridge.

For most of his 25 years of active committee work, Frank was the membership secretary and welcomed everyone and helped them when he could.

I spoke with Frank after he retired and here is his story in his own words.

Frank wrote: I was born in 1930. I joined the Army aged 18 in 1948 and served until 1969, with postings in many countries. 90 YEARS YOUNG Like many of my generation, I took up the harmonica when I was in the Forces. My first harmonica was a Hohner Echo de Luxe, Roger Trobridge tremolo tuned. Most players vamped, playing chords and melody. I couldn’t, but I could pick out a tune and soon Chairman 2000-2012 realised the need for sharps and flats. I bought my first chromatic when serving in Hong Kong, a 10-hole Thorens (Crossbow), but Between 1980 and 2006, when Frank stood down from the then I found my first 3 octave chromatic, which became my instrument of choice. I was soon playing popular tunes, and I bought my first harmonica record - ‘Comedians’ Gallop’ by Jerry Murad and the Harmonicats. committee, almost I was self taught, but I got lots of musical help from the Regimental everyone in the NHL Bandsmen. The Army Radio broadcasts featured Ronald Chesney would have met and Sidney Shaw, and my knowledge and technique improved a lot. Frank, either when On my return to the UK from Hong Kong, I joined the Hohner Song they joined the NHL or when he was on the Band League, which soon became the NHL. I became aware of great players like Jim Hughes, Douglas Tate and Dave Beckford but never met any of them until the 1980s as the Army kept sending NHL Help Desk at our me abroad. I formed a five man group, the Harmonica Hoboes, festivals. when I was in Germany, and we performed in the NAAFI clubs and hospitals. It was a wonderful time until I was asked to go to the Far East again. An Army padre asked me if I would go with him to small units and play hymns for them. I found it a very profound experience. I was fascinated by steam engines, and I built a small one when I was in the Army. After leaving the Army I became a founder member of the newly formed Banbury Steam Society and spent many happy days taking part in the Original Bloxham Rally in Banbury – one of the biggest and best traction engine and steam roller shows in the country. After leaving the army in 1970, I had very little contact with any other harmonica players. I rejoined the NHL in 1979 when John Tyler was in charge and I began to attend all the functions. Hohner passed the NHL over to John Walton in

Top: Frank in a quartet at an event (possibly ad hoc mid1990s). Above: Frank with Gerry Ezard and Clive Moles.

Top Left: Steve Jennings presenting the St Paul Trophy to Frank in 1995 for his contribution to the NHL. Bottom Left: Frank was fascinated by steam engines, and he built a small one when he was in the Army. 1981, and I organised a Harmonica Day at Stratford on Avon in 1983. Later, in 1986, I restarted the NHL Open Harmonica Championships which had stopped about 10 years earlier. It was held in St Paul’s Church Hall in Banbury, and excerpts from the event were captured in the BBC broadcast by Nick Baker – “Blow, Suck: Life and Times of the Harmonica” (1988). Since then I have been active on the NHL and IHO committees, and I still give lessons. I used to play with Chic Bolton in a pub in Leicester. I don’t play as much these days, for health reasons, but every day I continue to get letters on harmonicas from members and people I have met.

I visited the USA on several occasions. In 1977 I went to

Nashville and then I was part of a group of NHL members, including John Walton, Jim Hughes, Colin Mort, Frank Stevens and Norman Ditchett, who took part in an event organised by Cham’ber Huang in Silver Bay, in New York State in 1985. The following year I attended Al Smith’s course on chord harmonica in California, and I attended the SPAH Conventions in Detroit in 1989 and 1991 and in Chicago a couple of years later. My final visit to SPAH was in 1989 to St Louis. I made many friends on these trips, as well as at the World Championships organised by Jim Hughes in Jersey in 1987, and many, like Al and Judy Smith, stayed with us on their visits to the UK. It is a wonderful thing to be a member of the world wide harmonica family. Roger Allum met Frank at the Bristol Festival in 2005, and they remained friends. Roger wrote the following for Frank’s funeral, which had music by Larry Adler and Tommy Reilly. “Frank was an incredibly kind person. Although his life was fraught with difficulties, he maintained good humour and with Ann by his side, they both overcame many adversities and lived to tell the tales. Great people. My Sunday evenings will never be the same. We used to spend many hours away on the phone, reminiscing and musing over articles we had read and shared, countless repair tips and set music challenges for various instruments we would either purchase or had obtained over the years. A great friend who will be sadly missed.” Frank forgot to mention that he had won several cups in the Trio competition as well as being awarded the St Paul Trophy in 1995 for his contribution to the NHL. I remember him most for the Welcome pack he prepared for new members which contained useful information and contacts as well as the NHL badge which we used to include in those days. He liked helping people.