Fans descend on Blackpool to remember musical icon George Formby in star's spiritual home town
With a cheeky grin, a banjo-ukulele in hand and comedic songs, George Formby became Britain’s unlikely comedy superstar of the 1930s and ’40s.
And to mark the 65th anniversary of the entertainer’s death, George Formby fans piled into the Imperial Hotel for special convention.
Concerts, workshops, film screenings and memorabilia displays wrapped up a weekend of tributes to a musical icon who in equal parts was music-hall mischief and wartime morale booster.
Although he was born in Wigan, it’s safe to say that Blackpool was his spiritual home and through seaside humour and a twanging ukele he became a national institution.
Gatherings are a tradition that has played out since the formation of the George Formby Society in 1961 and shows no sign of abating if the enthusiasm of the 250 or so members present is anything to go by.
They celebrated his many lavish summer shows in the town's venues, from his pre-war heydays at the Opera House to his very last season at the now defunct Queen's Theatre in 1960.
Special songs were written for him to sing in these shows, such as Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock and Sitting On The Top Of Blackpool Tower, both of which were passionately strummed by ukulele players of all abilities over the weekend.
And there’s a surprising mixture of people at these thrice-yearly conventions, it's far from the senior citizens club you might expect.
The youngest member of the Society is one-year-old Poppy, who owns a toy ukulele and visited with her parents Helen and Andy Eastwood, both professional entertainers living near Stanley Park.
Octogenarian John Walley was there at the Imperial for the very first meeting back in 1961. Now he's considered a Formby expert and gives talks about his idol.
Recent overseas convention visitors have travelled from Sweden, Belgium and the USA. What keeps people returning year after year to celebrate the legacy of the Lancashire film star?
President Andrew Poppleton says it's a sense of camaraderie, friendliness and fun that keeps people returning year after year to celebrate the legacy of the Lancashire entertainer.
He said “Everyone who takes to the stage at the convention gets a warm, encouraging round of applause whether they're a professional player or a faltering first-timer.”
George Formby made 22 movies and hit the heights of fame in the late 1930s, becoming Britain's top box office star. Despite shooting two films a year at Ealing Studios and regular recording sessions at Abbey Road, he lived in Singleton on the Fylde rather than moving to the capital.
With the outbreak of war, he turned his attention to charity work and entertaining far-flung troops in every battle zone. He was awarded the OBE in 1946.
The next George Formby Society Convention will be May 30-31 and will celebrate 90 years since the release of his hit song When I'm Cleaning Windows.