A Syncopated Sensation

In our last blog we discussed some the early events held at the Caird Hall. There is one event that we’d like to look at in a bit more detail. At the Caird Hall Management Committee meeting on 21st December 1921 there was a complaint heard from Methven Simpson. They had organised for an Orchestra to perform at the Caird Hall between 21st and 26th November. Trouble was that due to the fact that the Hall wasn’t fully complete yet (the main entrance and pillars hadn’t been finished) there was still work going on in the building. Methven Simpson wanted a refund as the performances had been interrupted. The Orchestra that had performed was called the Southern Syncopated Orchestra and they had come all the way from the United States of America and were credited with bringing Jazz to the UK.

The Southern Syncopated Orchestra was originally called the New York Syncopated Orchestra when it was formed in New York in 1918. The following year they began touring the UK. The leader was African American composer Will Marion Cook, who had written several Broadway musicals. The orchestra was made up of 30-40 black musicians and singers, mostly from America but some were from the Caribbean, Africa and a few British performers were part of the roster. Hattie King Reavis noted soprano singer from North Carolina was one of the performers, also Evelyn Dove from London, although she apparently went by the name Norma Winchester. Buddy Gilmore, the famous jazz drummer, also performed with the Orchestra.

They had performed in Dundee before their Caird Hall appearance. On 24th May 1920 they played the Forrester’s Hall on Nicoll Street. They were on for a weeks run with two performances each day. The band was made up of strings, brass, two pianos, banjos and drums. A report in the Courier described how players not only sang whilst they played but also whistled, danced and even juggle with their instruments. The Courier also described the band as “one of the most joyous and interesting ones we have ever listened to”. The conductor was Lieut. Egbert E. Thompson. Hattie King Reavis was unable to perform but in her place was Miss Mabel Wadham. Edgar Fawcett played the cello, Cyril Mickens on cornet and Buddie Gilmore was on the drums. The Courier correspondent called him “literally a marvel…Not only is the technical skill marvellous, but Buddie’s humour is triumphant. His performance is indescribable and every body should go and see him”.

Its safe to say that the week residency at the Forresters Hall in 1920 was a great success, so the group were booked by Methven Simpson to return in the autumn of 1921 once the Caird Hall reopened. Unfortunately things did not go well for the Orchestra. They continued their tour around the UK, which had become a “Farewell Visit”. They played the Lyric Theatre in Glasgow for 2 weeks from 19th September 1921. They were then booked to play the La Scala Theatre from Monday 10th October. On the evening of 8th October 32 members of the band boarded a steamer named the Rowan, bound for Dublin. An autumn fog had settled on the Firth of Clyde making conditions difficult. Just after midnight it collided with two other vessels and sank. The first ship was an American vessel of 6000 tons (the Rowan was only 1500 tons). Distress calls were issued and the lifeboats summoned. After just one lifeboat was lowered to the water the Clan Malcolm, 5994 tons and bound for Liverpool, hit the Rowan and almost cutting it in two. Unfortunately it hit the starboard side – where the lifeboats were being lowered.

The SS Rowan

There were about 93 people on board in total and only 77 were rescued. The HM destroyer Wrestler was nearby and sent to rescue the survivors – an action that saved many lives. Unfortunately amongst the dead were 8 or 9 members of the band (reports vary the number), including the drummer Peter Robinson, who died on the Wrestler on the journey back to Greenock. He is commemorated with a blue plaque in London. Frank Bates a singer with the band also died, and also has a blue plaque. The band leader Egbert Thompson found himself on a raft in the water and managed to hold three rafts together to stop them drifting. He also saved a 14 year old boy named Edward Spears, who was given mouth to mouth resuscitation onboard the Wrestler. Another member of the band was on a raft with a Mr Heenan, due to the swell and currents couldn’t get near the Wrestler. Eventually they had to jump into the water, despite the freezing temperatures, and swim with the raft towards the ship’s searchlight to be rescued. Heenan said he had “never seen a cooler man in his life”.

The Orchestra also lost all of their belongings and instruments in the crash. It was reported that a lucky member of the band missed the boat and made alternate travel arrangements to Belfast. Benefit performances in their aid took place at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow on 14th October and at the Empire Theatre on 16th October. Musicians and companies in Glasgow made many offers to loan instruments to the orchestra.

This short Pathe news reel was taken of some of the surviving members once they finally arrived in Dublin. Yes despite the tragedy, they had to continue with the tour. Their stint at the La Scala in Dublin was pushed back just one week until 17th October. Their ranks were bolstered by new members, but I can’t help but think how hard it must have been for them to have continued, with only just a few days to recover. Not only had they been through quite an ordeal but they had lost their colleagues and friends. But the show must go on I suppose. They remained at the La Scala until 29th October, and then went on to play in Derry 31st October to 6th November. One final stop in Ireland was at the Ulster Hall in Belfast, where they performed from 7th to 19th November.

The Caird Hall shortly after it opened for events in 1921

On 21st November, just 6 weeks after the tragedy, they made their return to Dundee. Their run in the Caird Hall was a massive success. The headline in the Courier called it “A Treat for Music Lovers”. The Evening Telegraph reported that on the first night “the audience last night encored practically every number”. Hattie King Reavis made a “delightful” appearance this time round. Male singers included Bert Marshall, Fred Archer, William Taylor, Farley B Gradey and Chalres Chivers and James Ansley. Not only was the music unusual to Dundonian ears, the whole style of performing was different. The band were enthusiastic, nowadays we might say that they were feeling the music. They were also funny and entertaining. The Courier said that “the funniest member of the band was the gentleman in charge of the kettle-drums, who acted throughout in the drollest and most quaintly humorous fashion.” On the adverts for their performances they were described as the “Greatest Musical Entertainment in Europe”

After playing the Caird Hall for a week, they went on to play the Music Hall in Aberdeen, the City Hall in Perth and then to the Usher Hall in Edinburgh for 2 weeks. Sadly whilst in the capital, there was a dispute between members of the band and the organisers. Nine members refused to play and a replacement conductor was needed. This seems to have been related to payments. There is no further mention of the band in the newspapers after 21st December 1921 and they seem to have fizzled out after their Usher Hall performances. Some of the performers returned to the US whilst others formed new bands and stayed in the UK.

However their influence remained for much longer. The Southern Syncopated Orchestra is credited with bringing or at least popularising Jazz music in the UK. The term was used before 1919 but certainly became more popular after their tours. From 1921 there are numerous reports of various other syncopated orchestras performing in and around Dundee. These included the Masonic Syncopated Orchestra, Birmax’s Syncopated Orchestra, Whitehall Syncopated Orchestra, Mr Reid’s Syncopated Orchestra, Prices Syncopated Orchestra, Alexanders Syncopated Orchestra, Balgonie Syncopated Orchestra, Miss MacPhersons Syncopated Orchestra, Joe Morrison’s Syncopated Orchestra and Duncan’s Syncopated Orchestra. Its highly unlikely that any of these bands had any black members and were probably just copycat bands. They appear listed in the newspapers until the 1930s.

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