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Photos by Don Nicholson, story by Mike Sterling To Comment on this article Click Here |
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In preparation for the Saturday July 30th Concert at the Southampton Town Hall an upright named Piano journeyed from the basement of the United Church on Victoria Street in Southampton to the stage in the Town Hall. It was just a matter of freeing old Piano and assisting in the expedition. The United Church has a new Grand Piano and allowed the Marine Heritage Society to obtain old Piano for the concert and forever. See the details of the concert in the right hand column Old Piano just needed a chance at freedom and it would play again or so it promised using its best low voice. We found that a hard to reach back door was the only way for Piano to escape without special miracles.
Piano on the lawn of the United Church executing its famous 'tandem move' We obtained two steel conveyors from Martin's Home hardware to assist in our move up and beyond first base camp deep in the bowels of the Church. Up the back stairs Piano came on a conveyor pulled by the Marine Heritage pickup truck. Once on the lawn we used the two conveyors in tandem to reach Victoria Street.
Tandem move complete and transfer to Dolly in progress It seemed that rather than use the conveyors down High Street, we should transfer Piano to a dolly supplied by Don Nicholson. We had six helpers to make the ascent. Two were Marine Heritage summer students James Langdon and Callan Strickland. The other four were Don Nicholson, Joe Sholtes, George Gilmour and Mike Sterling.
6'5" Callan breaks into song to hearten Piano, while 6'4" James listens intently during the great stall on High Street Moving down Victoria Piano made a legal left turn on to High Street and headed west. All was going well until Piano got between the Bakery and Doug Fryday's office whereby the dolly lost a wheel. Joe Sholtes took over traffic control like an English Bobbie using his past military experience. Callan not wanting to waste time, started to play Piano. He was out of practice. Bruce Martin saw Piano's plight and produced instantly two heavy duty dollys. Piano was on the move again. Reaching the elevator at the Town Hall was no problem, but Piano was out of shape and his bulk was too much and again Piano freedom was denied.
George Gilmour comforts Piano before the first attempt to move above 'second base camp'. Note the nasty angle Not to be denied Piano moved on to the steps of the Town Hall. Looking up the intrepid six saw that the only way to move up and beyond the first level of steps was to utilize the conveyor method again and in tandem no less. This was not bad, but a first time for all concerned including Piano.
Beyond Second Base Camp, Piano pauses and Callan again tickles a tune out of Piano James enjoys the whole thing while others higher up make fast to the Hillary Step Piano looked up the open entrance to the Town Hall and urged the crew to not give up. It was anxious to get to its new home. There were two more very steep levels of steps to ascend and then the stage itself, sometimes called the Luce Stage. The crew of six seemed discouraged, but two more volunteers appeared providentially. They were musical people and friends of the semi-retired Piano family One was David Archibald featured in the upcoming concert and Eric Luce artist and 'play anything' musician. The newly formed eight had enough straps and pitons to insure a relatively safe trip up, but the angle was very steep and people viewing the journey with telescopes from H'way 21 were alarmed
Joe and Eric Luce tell Piano to step lively, but carefully up onto the summit where the Chantry Island Light and Keeper's Quarters await. Reaching the concert hall floor, the end was in sight. The Luce Stage was the last obstacle, but it was like climbing Everest. Piano had passed the Hillary Step and the summit was looming, but still illusive. Again the conveyor worked like Oxygen on Everest. The Luce Stage was traversed with ease. Piano was home and Eric Luce played "What a Friend We have in Jesus" It seemed appropriate as Piano was in good spirits and tune and glad to be alive again
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