Historian John Taylor takes a look at another famous local figure from the past in his series for Total MK...
Able to play almost any instrument, being best known for the saxophone and the saw, John William Charles Pool (Jack Pool), was born at Great Linford in 1912 on June 15th. He was the son of Charles William Pool, born in 1894 on July 21st, and his wife Maud, nee Mills, who, born in 1890 on December 29th, was one of the 10 children of John Willcock Mills, a bricklayer at Wolverton Works, and his wife Jane (nee Mapley.)
Charles and Maud had married in 1911 and made their home at 6, Station Terrace, Great Linford, where Jack attended the village school.
His father was employed at Wolverton Works as a labourer, and joining the NUR in 1914 would see some 25 years of service in the smithy.
Jack would also find employment at Wolverton Works for some 45 years in the Millwright’s Shop. Then at a car factory in Coventry, before illness intervened.
Through his musical talent he early became well known in the district playing at various local events with his band, to include in November 1933 at a special Tea Concert and dance in the Labour Hall, New Bradwell; March 1935 at the New Bradwell Girl Guides dance in the Labour Hall; February 1936 at the Wolverton Girls’ Friendly Society gathering, for their annual social and dance at the Church Institute; and in June 1938 at the Winslow British Legion holiday dance at Odd Fellows Hall.
Then in 1939 on Saturday, December 23rd he and his band provided a programme of music at the Memorial Hall, Great Linford, on the occasion of the wedding at the parish church of his sister Doris Jane to Harold Norman Mynard, of St. James Street, New Bradwell.
Born in 1919 on July 9th Doris was employed as a French polisher, whilst Harold, born in 1916, was a bricklayer. Having latterly been a resident at the village almshouses, in early 1940 Mrs. Pool’s mother, Jane, came to live with the family at 6, Station Terrace, due to a breakdown in health.
However sadly she died that year on Saturday, March 9th, some 30 years after the death of her husband, with the funeral held at Great Linford parish church.
Following the outbreak of war Jack joined the RAF but through his musical talents appeared in January 1942 at the ADC Theatre at Cambridge, performing saxophone solos plus classics on the musical saw in the RAF’s successful revue ‘Out of the Blue.’
Then in August during the special ‘holidays at home week’ in Cambridge he appeared as ‘LA/C Jack Pool’ with Josephine Bradley and her dance orchestra, not only as one of the musicians but also contributing items on the musical saw.
As for more local performances, in November 1944 at a Sunday concert at the Progressive Club, New Bradwell, he performed saw solos and joined with Jack Gayton in phono fiddle numbers. Indeed after the war he would perform phono fiddle and saw solos at the same venue in January 1946, the year in which a son, Michael was born to his sister, Doris, and her husband.
With the war at an end he recommenced employment at Wolverton Works, and continuing his musical prowess was a popular member of the local Rhythm Aces band.
However especially through his expertise with the musical saw his renown was now more widely known, and, having been given an audition by the BBC in 1946, in April 1947 he was asked to perform 5 minutes of saw solos in the children’s hour in a broadcast from the Birmingham studio on Monday, May 19th.
Having arrived at the studio at 2.30pm for rehearsal, amongst his selections he played the Desert Song.
Then in 1949 on the evening of Friday, March 18th he was one of the five artists chosen to broadcast live from the Aeolean Hall, in Bond Street, London, on Opportunity Knocks. With Hughie Green as the producer many people had written for tickets, and being welcomed by Dennis Main Wilson, Jack and his fellow artists were introduced to Stanley Black, whose dance orchestra comprised almost 40 musicians.
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As his sponsor Mrs. Patterson of ‘The Walnuts,’ Wolverton Road, Newport Pagnell, introduced him, and following the broadcast all the participants were invited to hear a recording of the radio programme at the recording studios in Bond Street, with the performance repeated on the Monday.
In his day job Jack was still employed at Wolverton Works but in July after many years in the smiths shop his father, Charles, retired. As for Jack, with his continuing fame on Saturday, August 12th 1950 he contributed solos on the saw between 5pm and 5.55pm on the BBC Home Service.
This was part of a variety programme produced by Miss May Jenkins, whilst in more local performances in January 1952 at a variety concert arranged for the pensioners of Haversham Estate and the village he performed several of his musical saw pieces.
Sadly, early on Tuesday, June 15th 1954 his father Charles, having been bedridden for the past 14 months, died at his home of 6, Station Terrace.
Then having been ill since Christmas, on August 6th 1972 Jack also died at 6, Station Terrace. He was aged 60, with the funeral held at Great Linford church.
He had never married and lived with his widowed mother, who died the following year.
His sister, Doris, died on May 23rd 2000, buried at New Bradville, with her husband having passed away in 1994.
