Background

Basildon Choral Society celebrated 40 years existence in 1998. The society was founded in 1958 though the first concert did not take place until 1959. John Simpson, Head of Music at Fryems Grammar & Technical School, was the first musical director and the society was indebted in its early years to the trustees of Langdon Hills Methodist Church who allowed them to perform in that building.

In its early years the Society was inevitably closely tied to Langdon Hills and Laindon, an established community with its own history and rich traditions of amateur choral and operatic activity. A glance at one of the early programmes revealed the prominence of many personalities from "old Laindon". The late Charles Carter, organist at Langdon Hills Methodist Church, accompanied the choir and the late Dorothy Hollands took the soprano lead in the 1960 performance of Faure's Requiem. Dorothy continued to sing with the Society for many years and those who knew her and remember the lightness of her voice can testify to its appropriateness for the Faure.

The April 1960 concert was advertised simply as "A Concert of Choral Music by Purcell, Haydn and Faure " with seven "indigenous" soloists - 3 sopranos - Janet Watson, Dorothy Hollands and Ivy Wheeler - 2 contraltos - Elsie Treserdern and Elly Ellis - a tenor - Raymond Wood - and a bass - David Curtis.