I wanna tell you a story, This ordinary looking end terrace house in Bromley belonged to my aunt in the 1940s. When I first remember her she worked as a cashier in Kennedys fish shop in Bromley high street, why then did she have a baby grand piano in her front room? At the time I didn't think anything of it except that it was a nice toy to play with.
I subsequently learnt that she had been a silent picture pianist in one of the Leicester Square cinema's, which explains the autograph book she left with lots of entries from the old film stars, received at premiers I assume, anyway she was obviously made redundant when the talkies came in, hence the job in the fish shop - a bit of a comedown I would think.
But that's not all (I'm afraid) fast forward to the '60s, my girlfriend, soon to become my wife, worked in a insurance company in London and was telling me about another employee who had a theatre organ built in his house, for any enthusiasts his name was Len Rawle who became famous when he was featured in the John Betjeman film "Metroland" and became a well known organist.
His father was well known for salvaging organs from defunct cinemas as was Len and the organ in his house came from came from one of the Leicester Square cinemas, quite likely the one my aunt used to play in.
A few years ago we met him at a concert at the St Austell Organ club, he remembered my wife and his wife came from Sevenoaks the area we used to live in.
Isn't that interesting? No? delete it then.
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