The Swift Family on the Costa del Sol, october 1967
In the garden in Marbella from left to right, Elfriede, Lindy
(daughter) and George.
The text from the newspaper:
GOOD LUCK!
A full life lived and a family reared, Elfriede and George Swift
decided to retire peacefully in Southern Spain. They had been attracted
to the sunny coast by their eldest son who has business connections in
Fuengirola.
George began his career as a trumpet player at the age of ten when he
joined the small Bolden Colliery band near Newcastle in England. He
then played for the St. Hilda Colliery band which made its name by
winning the world championship for brass bands on five successive
occasions and was compelled to become professional
After four years in Germany with the Bernhard Ette band, George
received a call from Jack Hylton who offered to pay his fare if be
would return to play for him in England.
So five more happy, hard-working years passed until the war broke out.
George joined the Regimental Band of the Irish Guards and was soon to
bring cheer to North Africa, Italy and many other saddened countries.
Thus, as a travelled experienced trumpeter, he was chosen by Mantovani
to play in his orchestras and trumpet concertos for the British
Broadcasting Corporation. Henceforth, for three months in every year,
he travelled with Mantovani to America.
It is little wonder George and his wife, Elfriede, felt it was time to
relax. In April 1965, they left their home in Stanmore, Middlesex,
George with his second son, Turner, trailing a
twenty-foot caravan (leaving its site for the first time in ten years)
and Elfriede with her daughter, Lindy, drawing a well-packed little
trailer.
The Journey took eleven days, every one of which was heralded by a tyre
burst, but spirits stayed high, George acting as Pied Piper with his
trumpet through all the Spanish villages. The children gathered round
in their hoards and, to his amazement and secret delight, plied him
with wine.
Because of the tremendous loads they were moving, George and Elfriede
wisely mapped out a quiet route, taking secondary roads wherever
possible, and finally found themselves rather westwards in Seville. So
far as they could see, the last lap was simple; eastwards to Ronda and
down to the coast. They were amused and somewhat puzzled by the “Good
lucks” cheers cried by passing motorists. As the road deteriorated and
became a more donkey track, they understood why. The perilous descent
to the coast was still before them.
Somehow, they limped to the camping site in Marbella. They had planned
the business as a quiet source of income which would run itself. How
wrong could they be! Who wants to look after laundry on holiday! George
and Elfriede work non-stop — washing, ironing, dry-cleaning, servicing
the machines. No-one would guess they had come for a rest.
Meanwhile, Turner continues at Highgate Public School in London while
fifteen-year-old Lindy, having mastered Spanish, is now perfecting her
French at a local school.
George is never far from his trumpet - in his spare moments - and apart
from playing in the Marbella's bullfights, has a dance band on hire for
parties. He is still in demand across the Channel and last month was
called to play as soloist in Ian Hamilton’s Concerto for Jazz Trumpet
with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London's Royal Festival Hall.
“Trumpet virtuoso” George Swift is all Britain's newspaper, the Daily
Mirror, could find common with bullfight fanfares and the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra.
Thanks to Denis Edwards for
the newspaper
facsimile!
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