The Choir quickly established itself within Welwyn Garden City and began performing further afield, including concerts in London, Harpenden and Lowestoft.
More than 90 years of singing.
From a small group of Welshmen in 1935 to the choir of today, Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir has a proud musical and community heritage spanning more than nine decades.
1935
Where our story began
Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir was founded on 5 September 1935 by a group of young Welshmen who had moved to the growing Garden City in search of work.
The first meetings and rehearsals took place at St Michael's Church Hall. John Bebb became the Choir's first conductor, with W. Duckworth as accompanist and N. Shaw as secretary.
By November 1935 the new choir was ready to perform, giving its first full concert at the Peartree Clubhouse on 24 November. Within only five months, membership had grown to around forty singers.
Welsh music, community involvement and friendship were at the heart of the Choir from the very beginning — traditions which remain important to us today.
1930s–1940s
1936–1938
1938
1940–1944
1944–1945
Early success and the war years
The Choir entered the Royal Welsh National Eisteddfod in Cardiff and achieved third place in the "Exiled Choirs" section.
The Second World War brought regular performances to a halt as members served in the armed forces, Home Guard, Civil Defence or worked additional hours in local industry.
Rehearsals restarted in November 1944 and the Choir returned to public performance in January 1945. It later took part in Welwyn Garden City's VE Day celebrations.
1950s
Radio, television and the great concert halls
The 1950s became one of the busiest and most successful periods in the Choir's history.
A strong relationship developed with the BBC and the Choir appeared regularly on radio and television. Performances also took the Choir to major venues including the Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall.
Celebrity and popular concerts brought nationally known performers to Welwyn Garden City, while the Choir continued to sing extensively for charities, churches and community organisations.
Musical Director Gordon Williams, who had been one of the original members of the Choir, was a central figure during this period. He would ultimately lead the Choir for an extraordinary forty years.
1960s–1980s
1960s
1970s
1985
Changing with the times
The Choir continued an extensive concert programme, appearing at venues across southern England and maintaining its strong tradition of charitable and community performances.
Performances included massed male voice concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. The opening of Campus West in 1976 also provided an important new performance venue in Welwyn Garden City.
The Choir celebrated its 50th anniversary and Gordon Williams retired after forty years as conductor. Martin Webster succeeded him as Musical Director.
1990s–2010s
A broader repertoire and new generations
The Choir continued to evolve, broadening its repertoire while maintaining the Welsh musical traditions established by its founders.
Over the years the Choir performed under a succession of Musical Directors including Martin Webster, David Matthews, Ray Bomber, Peter Slade, Les Rayner and Juliet Arthur.
Memorable performances included singing on the pitch at Twickenham before England played Wales in 2000, corporate events at major London venues and concerts supporting a wide range of charities and community organisations.
Mary Anstey joined the Choir as accompanist in 2005 and remains our accompanist today.
2018
Men's Voices United
Faced with the challenge of recruiting new male singers, the Choir tried a very different approach.
Men's Voices United brought together men who were not already members of a choir and prepared them for a major concert in the Old Palace at Hatfield House in support of mental health charities.
Thirty-three singers took part in the project and the concert raised around £7,000 for the participating charities. Eighteen of the singers subsequently joined Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir.
Men's Voices United was not continued as an ongoing project, but its legacy had a lasting impact on the membership of the Choir.
2020
Singing through the pandemic
Covid-19 brought rehearsals and public performances to an abrupt halt, but it did not bring the Choir community to a halt.
Members continued meeting on Thursday evenings using Zoom. Singing together online proved technically impossible, so the evenings developed into quizzes, music discussions, photographs, memories and other activities which helped members stay connected until rehearsals could resume.
2024
Men United in Song
In 2024 members of WGCMVC took part in Men United in Song in support of Prostate Cancer UK.
The project brought together male singers from across the area, including many who had never previously sung in a choir.
Collectively, the project raised more than £100,000 for Prostate Cancer UK and introduced a number of new singers to choral music.
Several participants subsequently joined Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir.
2025–2026
Celebrating 90 years
In 2025 Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir reached the remarkable milestone of its 90th anniversary.
Project 90
Project 90 celebrated the memories and impact of Choir members through a series of 90-second stories — one second for each year of the Choir's existence.
Echoes of Hatfield House
The 90th anniversary celebrations included the Echoes of Hatfield House concert, attended by Lord Salisbury.
Belgium Tour 2026
The Choir's Belgium Tour in 2026 forms the final part of the extended celebrations marking ninety years of music, friendship and community.
Today
The story continues
Today the Choir is led by Musical Director Cassandra Burt, with Mary Anstey as accompanist.
More than ninety years after that first group of Welshmen met in Welwyn Garden City, the Choir continues to perform, raise money for good causes, welcome new singers and enjoy the friendship that comes from singing together.