[ Billy Thorburn and his Music ]
Currently no information available. Band was seen in the 1937 British film 'Talking Feet'
Let's watch the Billy Thorburn Orchestra playing   "No Regrets"  . (film clip by: unknown)

      [ Troise and his Mandoliers ]
For more information, please see the Pasqual Troise, entry on our Composers Database. Band was seen in two 1936 pictures: 'Pathetone Parade of 1936' and 'Sunshine Ahead'.

  "British Bands of the 1930s"   Here's a Film Clip: A British Pathe collection of popular acts. Hang on until the last band Sid Millward and his Nitwits. The first band is 'Troise and his Mandoliers', followed by a magician, and ending with Sid Millward and his Nitwits. (film clip: deejay830)

      [ The Two Leslies ]
Currently no information available. Band was seen in the British made 1936 picture 'Sunshine Ahead'.

      [ Billy Ternent Orch. ]
Here's an album photo of Billy, and the Liner Notes from the Savoy Records, Ltd (SAV203CD) album entitled: "The Unmistakable Sound of Billy Ternent and His Orchestra, are below."
"The Billy Ternent Sound" - Something quite unique in British Dance Music, it introduced a new definitive phrase to the English language, it denoted a certain style of musical excellence in arranging and playing dance music. His first job was playing with a trio at a cinema in North Shields at the age of 12, and by the age of 16, he was conducting a cinema orchestra for the 'George Black Theatre Circuit' on his native Tyneside. By 1923, he made his first broadcast with his sextet at "Fenwick's Tea Rooms" in Newcastle, and shortly after, moved south where he worked at the "Kit Cat Club" in London's Piccadilly."

"In 1927, Bill joined the famous Jack Hylton and was to become the band's chief arranger and deputy leader of that great Hylton Band of the 1930's. In 1940, when WW2 broke out, Bill took up residence at Bristol Studio as the leader of the BBC Dance Orchestra. In addition to fronting this orchestra, he accompanied many of the top wartime radio show's, including Variety Bandbox and ITMA, where he also composed that show's famous signature tune, "It's That Man Again"."

"The Billy Ternent Orchestra was enormously popular over many years with regular BBC Radio broadcasts, and he was first choice at the Royal Albert Hall for the 'International Ballroom and Latin American Dance Championship' at its' inception in 1953."

The personnel of Ternent's mid-1953 orchestra included:
Saxes: Ivan Dawson, Dennis Walton, Bob Humphries, Bill Humphrey, Brian Wicks
Trumpets: Harold Luff, Eric Todd, Stan Howard
Trombones: Jack Davies, Hughie Akehurst
Piano: Reg Guest
Drums: Tommy Callaghan
Bass: Les Pearce
Guitar: Terry Walsh
Vocals: Eva Beynon, Terry Walsh, Johnny Webb

Recently (2002, in private correspondence), one of the bandsmen (Jim Eccleston), has advised that the lead trumpet was Harold Luff, and the Baritone Sax was also in the Royal Guards Band and had an occasional conflict. Jim Eccleston was good friends with Bill Limb (trumpet with Joe Loss Orch.) The Ternent band did much work for the BBC Picadilly Studios, where they also did the Bob Hope Christmas Shows.

      [ Sidney Torch Orch. ]
b. 1908, East London, Eng., U.K. d. July, 1990
Early on, Sidney had gotten some good training by working in the old silent movie houses as an organist/pianist. During WW2, he served in Britain's Royal Air Force, and following his discharge, resumed his musical career, but this time as a bandleader, -whose music could be found on British Parlophone. He fronted mostly 'studio' bands, often with the same sidemen, with such names as the New Century Orchestra, Queen's Hall Light Orchestra, and then his own Sidney Torch Orch. Under Torch's guidance, the bands were always well drilled and displayed a high degree of musical competence.

In 1947, working mostly at the EMI Abbey Road Studios in London, he recorded a 'private' series of 'mood music' records for the 'Francis Day & Hunter Mood Music Library'. But over time, after the public had heard them on radio shows and as film scores, some of the titles did become commercially available.
Among his best recordings are:
"A Canadian In Mayfair", by Angela Morley (1953)
"All Strings And Fancy Free", by Sydney Torch (1947)
"Going For A Ride", by Sydney Torch (1950)
"High Heels", by Trevor Duncan (1950)
"Just One Of Those Things", by Cole Porter (1952)

      [ Phil Tate and his Orchestra ]
b. April 28, 1922, Bramley (near Rotherham), Yorkshire, England, UK, d. Dec. 9, 2005, UK. Age: 83. né: John Philip Tate.
At age 8, he began violin lessons, and later taught himself the clarinet and saxophone. While still a pupil at West Leeds High School, he formed his first band, 'The Five Quavers'. During WW II, he worked an RAF radar mechanic, ending his service as leader of the RAF Silver Wings Dance Orchestra. After being demobilised, the 12 members of the band stayed together and became "Phil Tate and his Orchestra" with a residency at the Leas Cliff Hall, Folkstone. While there, the band also appeared in the film "Green Grow The Rushes" (starring a very young Richard Burton).

In 1950, Phil Tate became co-resident at Hammersmith Palais. His band, which shared the billing with Lou Preager's orchestra, featured the unique blend of three flutes and five saxophones. He also signed with the Oriole label and began recording ballroom dance music and, with the launch of commercial television in 1955, made regular Friday night appearances on the Associated Rediffusion show Palais Party.

In 1960, Tate left Hammersmith to take up residency at Mecca's newly-refurbished Ilford Palais. Forbidden to play any rock or pop music at Hammersmith, opening night at Ilford was a near disaster. Tate later told interviewers: "I realised that unless I took drastic action I should be in trouble. So I borrowed a stack of new pop records and immersed myself in them. I hired a vocalist and a guitarist and replaced the piano with an electric organ. It was touch and go, but it worked" While at Ilford, he made regular television appearances with the band on the BBC's 'Come Dancing', and also hosted the weekly radio show 'Non-Stop Pop' on the BBC 'Light Programme', in which he interviewed current pop stars, including the Beatles.

In 1963. Tate moved to the Locarno Ballroom, Streatham. In 1964, when the 'Light Programme's' broadcasting hours were extended to 2 am, he added a string section to his orchestra and played a format of soothing, late-night music. The programmes continued for several years under the title 'Music Through Midnight'. In 1965 (and continuing until 1992) Tate began writing and conducting the music for the Miss World contest accompanying stars such as Bob Hope, Andy Williams and Sacha Distel. In 1967, he gave up full-time band-leading to run Mecca's agency, booking entertainers for Mecca dancing and the Cunard Line. He was appointed managing director of Mecca Agency International the following year.