Arthur's last concert in April
1993
A concert in the early 1950's
ARTHUR BOWN (1921-1994)
Founder of the Boots
Orchestra
Arthur
Bown was born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, on
February 13th 1921. After picking out tunes on the family
harmonium at a very early age, and with music lessons paid for
by his two aunts, he quickly reached a high standard on the
piano and organ - sometimes playing for church services when he
was only 14. He attended the Brunts School in Mansfield from
1932-39, where he soon became a tower of strength to the school
orchestra, playing cello and violin, and eventually becoming
leader. He was also Secretary of the Music Society and one of
the first to take music as a subsidiary subject in the Higher
School Certificate Examination. Arthur joined The Boots Company
in the Quality Control department in 1940, but in 1942 he began
military service with the Sherwood Foresters and was captured in
Sedjanane, North Africa, in 1943. He spent time in POW camps in
Germany, where he played the violin and in Italy, where he
started an orchestra with instruments sent by the Red Cross.
Local residents began singing whenever he played Neapolitan
songs on his accordian!
After his release he
joined the RAMC and trained as a physiotherapist. He met his
wife, Muriel, a teacher, when they sang together in the church
choir. They married in 1945 and had one daughter, Carolyn.
Arthur returned to Boots in January 1947 and took a BSc degree
part-time, qualifying in 1949. He held a variety of posts in
Quality Control as Section Head: Nottingham Chemical (1949),
Sterile and Antibiotics (1956), Fine Chemicals (1959), Sterile
Products (1963), Raw Materials (1973) and D6 Laboratory (1976).
He retired in 1983 after 43 years' service, but still continued
to conduct the orchestra. He was also Deputy Organist at Castle
Gate Congregational Church, staging concert versions of Gilbert
and Sullivan operas there, and he ran a small choir to take part
in concerts with the orchestra. He gave up conducting in 1993
when he became seriously ill, but even when bed-ridden he
continued writing musical arrangements. He died on April 22nd
1994