Caldicot Male Voice Choir

The Choir was founded in 1963. The origins can be traced to the searing heat at the base of a blast furnace, at the new RTB works (BSC Llanwern) that was completed in 1962. Several of the workers, who would regularly harmonise in song, were to become the new residents of the rapidly developing communities of Caldicot and Underwood. Many of them had experience of singing in long established valley choirs. It was decided to try and organise a male voice choir in Caldicot and after an informal meeting in the Cross pub, Ray Hogan, Len Waters and John Grindle walked around Caldicot, knocking on the doors of fellow steelworkers to see if there was any interest. Amongst those who were recruited that night was the fledgling Choir’s first Musical Director, Ralph Hodges and subsequently an inaugural meeting was arranged and then held in Caldicot Methodist Church.