Testimonial

It is with great sadness that we report the death of our Founder and Chairman,
Mr Christopher Shiner, on 14 June 2003.

Chris, as he was generally known, lived all his life in the Bournemouth area and was a well known personality in the musical theatre.

He won an Art and Music Scholarship to Canford School, and while still there was appointed to his first organ post, aged 16, at St Hurbert’s, Corfe Mullen. He later became organist at Canford Magna, where he remained for 15 years, during which time he gained his associateship to the Royal College of Organists. Whilst at Canford Church he co-produced and played pantomime dame in many pantomimes and also formed the Festal Choir.

Whilst still in his teens he joined the Wimborne Gilbert & Sullivan Society as accompanist and with them played many principal roles. He went on to conduct the Bournemouth G & S Society and the Poole & Parkstone Operatic Society, and over 40 years accompanied or conducted all the local operatic societies at all the theatres in the area, whether operetta, gang shows, revue or pantomime.

After a period in the family building business, where he learnt skills which enabled him to build his own bungalow and later restore four Dorset cottages, he became art and music master at Ringwood Grammar School in Bournemouth, later becoming Deputy Head. After the school closed in 1976 he taught piano, organ and singing from his own home.

From 1980 to 1994 he was a governor of Merley First School and Chairman of Governors at Allenbourn Middle School, Wimborne.

One of his proudest achievements was founding the Western Association of Ballet Schools in 1975, which has produced over 30 full-scale productions in local theatres involving thousands of children. In the early days Chris accompanied the dancing on the piano himself, but latterly has confined his role to that of Chairman and co-ordinator, as well as designing the posters and programmes. Sadly he was not around to see his last brainchild “Dance of the Planets” which was performed in November 2003.

His life may have been cut off in full flow, but he leaves behind a legacy of endless pleasure and service to the community and ……the show (and WABS) must go on!!