George Formby Society
Musical society
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The George Formby Society was created after the death of British vaudeville entertainer George Formby in 1961. A small group of his fans, brought together by an ad in The Stage placed by Londoner George Wilson,[1] met together in the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool to form the George Formby Society.[2]
The first meeting drew a lot of attention, and many celebrities of the day were there, including Arthur Askey. Three conventions are held at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool each year, and a one-off meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nottingham, in November 2026.[1] Members are not required to have any musical ability to join.[1] A live backing band performs at each convention, currently led by musical director Matthew Richards[1]
The society publishes a regular magazine, The Vellum.[3]
In 2011 the society celebrated its 50th anniversary, and today it has more than 700 members worldwide.
George Harrison was a fan of Formby, a member of the society and an advocate of the ukulele.[4]
The various branches perform at local events and have regular meetings.[5] On 21 April 2018, the Society played at the Royal Albert Hall at The Queen's Birthday Party with guest artists Frank Skinner, Ed Balls and Harry Hill.[6]