Malcolm's happy life in great place to grow up
Malcolm Appleby was a familiar face at Boyes stores in Scarborough for 40 years until his retirement in 2004. The 62-year-old conductor of the Scarborough Concert Band spoke to reporter James Hanley about his life of work and music – and recalled the time one of the famous Boyes monkeys escaped.
IT WOULD be unthinkable for most youngsters to have to part with their train set, but for Malcolm Appleby it was one of the best decisions he ever made.
He explains: "I came home one day from secondary school and told my mother I wanted to learn the clarinet.
"My late brother, who was doing national service at the time, brought home an old clarinet which was held together with elastic band.
"It got to the stage where it became unplayable, so when I heard a girl at school was selling hers for 10, I sold my train set to pay for it.
"My mum and dad couldn't afford it so something had to go. It sounds ridiculous today but it was quite a bit of money back then."
In 1961, while still at school, he joined what would become the Scarborough Concert Band and the rest is history.
Born and bred in Scarborough, Malcolm attended Northstead Junior School, where he first learned to play the recorder, and then Scalby School.
He said: "The 50s and 60s were the best times for Scarborough. The summer holidays seemed to last forever and the North Bay was always heaving.
"Plus there was the open air theatre in those days, which was quite a spectacle.
"Scarborough was a great place to grow up and it still is a great place."
The father-of-one worked for the Co-op in Castle Road as a grocer after leaving school, before joining Boyes in 1964 aged 18.
"I started off as a junior salesman and then moved up to handyman in charge of the electrical department," he said. "And then when the Eastfield site was built in 1971, I became the first warehouse manager.
"After a short spell there I went off to work in the DIY department with the buyer as a merchandiser, and then ended up becoming the deputy buyer of DIY products."
Malcolm, 62, retains fond memories of his long stint with the company.
"It was wonderful," he said. "Boyes was a wonderful company to work for – a wonderful family and I couldn't have wished for better employment.
"For 99.9 per cent of the time it was a pleasure going to work."
The first few years of Malcolm's employment coincided with a memorable period for the company, as the famous Boyes' monkeys – Jacko and Dinah – were on display in a cage on the first floor of the Queen Street store – and pulled in the crowds.
"They were displayed at the back of the store, where the DIY department is now, although they were moved around in the early days.
"When I was little I used to drag my mother along to see them like all the kids used to.
"The company's idea was that you would bring your parent and, as the monkeys were the furthest end of the store, they would buy something from the shop. That was the ploy – and it worked."
He added: "These days I suppose Boyes wouldn't be able to keep them, but they were very well look after.
"Jacko used to escape at times, although he never used to get very far. We used to have a net to catch him."
Malcolm intended to retire when he was 60, but the tragic death of Boyes manager Andrew Hansell in a car crash in 2002 persuaded him to accelerate the process.
He said: "Andrew was such a great lad and was only 29 when he died. The store was devastated, as well as the family.
"I think it shocked a lot of people. I was travelling around a lot and I realised that anything could happen to you.
"I thought to myself that I wanted to do 40 years' service and then if I could afford to retire, I would."
And Malcolm, who has one sister, Sylvia, can't speak highly enough of early retirement.
"It's lovely. I would certainly recommend it," he said. "I've been retired for four years now and it's incredible where the time goes."
A self-confessed "homebird", Malcolm had never ventured abroad until two years ago when he travelled to France on a pilgrimage to the grave of his grandfather, Alf Temple Appleby, who was killed during the First World War.
He explained: "In 2000 my wife made some inquiries and got some information, then the next day I rang the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
"It took me six years but in 2006 I finally went to visit him. My wife found out about this Birmingham firm who were organising special tours of the battlefields in France.
"I went across with them in March 2006 and went to visit him in a small village cemetery."
He added: "It was a very emotional experience.
"It's a strange thing when you tour these sites and when they mentioned figures of the young men who were lost or killed it's quite horrendous, and I think it is that that gets to you.
"You are stood there weeping for a man you don't really know. I don't even know what he looked like but, as someone said to me, he was my father's father and if he hadn't been born then I wouldn't have been born – it's that blood connection."
Malcolm, of Beechville Avenue, made a return visit this year, but found the experience even harder.
"I thought I wouldn't feel any emotion this time, but it was even worse.
"The hardest thing is coming away from the grave because if he was buried in this country you feel you would go and visit him more.
"You feel you are paying a visit to this person and I always feel he is thankful for me coming, that he hasn't been forgotten and had not died in vain. That's the memory I came away with."
In 2003 Malcolm had big shoes to fill when he replaced the long-serving Alan Horton as conductor of the Scarborough Concert Band, which this year celebrated its 40th anniversary.
But there's no doubt where his priorities lie – with his daughter Joanne, 28, and Carol, his wife of 40 years.
He laughed: "We met at Boyes – she was a Saturday girl. It was renowned for married couples!
"I have been very lucky because I've enjoyed my work and have a good marriage, a sound marriage, and believe you me, my wife has had to put up with a very temperamental, awkward man at times.
"But at the end of the day I firmly believe whatever happens in the marriage you have got to work at it, otherwise it doesn't work.
"My wife has been my rock, along with my daughter, and I am very proud of them both."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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