About Grenoside Singers

Choir History

Grenoside is a village 6 miles to the north of Sheffield, on the borders of the Pennines and with open countryside and moors to the north and west. The roots of the Grenoside Singers go back a long way. A choir called the ‘Sheffield Orpheus’ disbanded in 1951 and the Grenoside Male Voice Choir was created by some of the members.

The new choir immediately established an excellent reputation for a very balanced sound and, with the motto to "derive pleasure by giving pleasure", the choir became quite famous taking part in some high profile concerts. They sung in the Albert Hall and York Minster and shared the stage with some of the top brass bands in the country, including H.M. Royal Marines, Black Dyke Mills and Brighouse and Rastrick. Membership peaked at over 70 voices but from the mid-1990s, membership fell steadily as singing for men seemed to be no longer “cool”.

In 2006, with only 20 active members remaining, the difficult decision was taken to disband the Male Voice Choir but to create a new choir, The Grenoside Singers. The new choir was formed at the beginning of 2007 and has been a huge success with current membership running at over 50 voices. The choir always welcomes new members.  

Our Chairman

Alan Walton's singing career started with Wombwell Main Male Voice Choir. He was told to "sit with the baritones to see how you get on" and stayed there for 23 years. He sang in the Massed Male Voice Choir (1000 voices) at GMEX, Manchester after only 3 weeks in the WMMVC, but clearly enjoyed it because since then he has sung in massed choir events in York Minster, the Free Trade Hall 5 times and Bridgewater Hall twice (both in Manchester), Leeds Town Hall and many times in the CISWO Concert at Sheffield City Hall.

Alan was elected Chairman of Wombwell 10 years ago, but sadly the choir was unable to attract new members and it declined. Despite also joining Grenoside Male Voice Choir 5 years ago, Alan staunchly supported Wombwell until it finally folded on November 2007.

When Grenoside Male Voice Choir opened its doors to female voices and became Grenoside Singers, Alan was delighted and he became Chairman of the choir in 2008.

Our Musical Director

Chris Lamb: Chris joined the Grenoside Male Voice Choir as Musical director in 2003 and continued with the choir when it became the Grenoside Singers 4 years later. 

"My life from the age of 4 has been driven by music. My family acquired a piano and I asked if I could have lessons. So off I went to Mrs. Goslings in Upperthorpe and paid the princely sum of 2 shillings and 6 pence. That weekly half-crown was, I believe, a sound investment, as my love of music and eventually singing became one of my life’s passions.

From the age of 13 I was involved in amateur dramatics and eventually directed Hillsborough Amateur Operatic Society for 28 years. My career paths throughout life have been varied to say the least, and although in one of these careers, my duties as a police constable kept me busy, I maintained my interest in music.In later life I was presented with the opportunity to study and obtained my Bachelors degree with Honours. Subsequently I became a classroom teacher in a very large secondary school where I taught music at all levels for 17 years. During my studies and teaching career, I have taught from reception age to private pupils enjoying music in their retirement. I successfully obtained my Masters degree through the Open University in 2003.

In that same year I was asked by my old school teacher, George Shaw, to go and help the Male Voice Choir as his brother John, the then Conductor, was ill. This was a temporary arrangement as they were going to interview for a new Conductor within weeks. They enjoyed my approach to making music and asked me to stay. I enjoy taking the choir to new levels when making music and ensure we have fun during rehearsals."

Our Accompanist

John Mellor: John is now in his second spell as accompanist with the Male Voice Choir and Grenoside Singers.

"I started learning to play the piano soon after my sixth birthday, whilst living in Cornwall during the war. My mother, being one of seven sisters, did not have the chance of learning a musical instrument, although she was a keen choir member and wanted to give her children the opportunity she had missed.

I began organ lessons at the age of 14, an instrument I have always immensely enjoyed. I was the organist at two churches in Huddersfield before gaining a scholarship to study chemistry at St. Peter's College, Oxford, where I sometimes deputised for the organ scholar, George Pratt, who later became a professor of music at Huddersfield University.

After our marriage in August 1965, my wife Margaret and I travelled to Africa and taught at two schools run by the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, and returned to the UK in 1978, moving to Sheffield in the following year. I was accompanist for the Grenoside Male Voice Choir for 14 years when John Shaw was its conductor and am the organist at St Peter's Church, Ellesmere.

A few years ago I did a part-time music and worship course at Cliff College and am particularly interested in the use of music as an aid to worship."