Victor Harold Ward Maestrovox Designer

Coronation Model Click to ENLARGE

Larger Speaker Grill than the Consort Click to ENLARGE

Maestrovox Coronation Click to ENLARGE

This unknown model (Serial number 1759) surfaced in April 2009 when it appeared on Ebay Australia, We can find no records of a model being made in this black case style although the serial number suggests that it is most likely a variation of the Consort or Coronation, it resembles the Orchestrain but is definitely not that model. Its a really unique version at this point in time.Purchased by an anonymous collector, it is now safely in the Netherlands.

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Joy Ward Playing the Maestrovox Coronation Click to ENLARGE This is the front cover of the brochure for the Maestrovox Coronation. Seated at the piano is my mum, Joy Curtis (Joy Ward at the time) aged 22. She was a well known singer who worked with many top acts of the time including the Peter Knight Singers.

Maestrovox Coronation Brochure Click to ENLARGE The Maestrovox Coronation was I think the culmination of a number of models.	Maestrovox Coronation Click to ENLARGE Look how simple it was to place under a piano and face the speaker in the direction you wanted it.
Maestrovox Coronation Brochure Click to ENLARGE Text of the brochure for the Maestrovox Coronation.......	Maestrovox Coronation Brochure Click to ENLARGE ......text Continued.    Note how It folded down into one easily transportable box.

Maestrovox Stand - British Industries Fair 1952

Seated is Broadcaster & Renowned Organist, Frieda Hall, who demonstrated the Maestrovox at the Fair

B.I.F. Click to ENLARGE

British Industrie Fair 1952 Click to ENLARGE 1952 Clippings "British Industries Fair" held at London, Olympia. The Maestrovox took the biggest order of the whole show!

Stanley Black Endorsed the Maestrovox Click to ENLARGE

Stanley Black & Maestrovox   Pianist Stanley Black endorsed the Maestrovox Consort. The Consort in this brochure is in fact the Consort De-Luxe version, which had a larger amplifier, not shown,  which had a 7 to 8 watt output. This model was aimed more at the professional market. GNS - This stands for Guineas - A Guinea was a former British gold coin worth 21 shillings (£1.05p in todays money) so 63 GNS. would have been £66.15p in todays money.

Maestrovox Consort Click to ENLARGE Note how the Consort sits on a single pole, I feel there must be other attachments which support it against the underside of the piano. I gather from research that a lot of musicians ended up making or adapting a more convenient stand.

Stanley Black Maestrovox Consort Brochure Click to ENLARGE Stanley Black Maestrovox Consort Brochure Vic Ward, lived at  Le Vallon, Lower Road, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire when he designed the first Maestrovox. He had a shop in the Swillett where he sold and repaired televisions and radios.

Link: Click here for Stanley Black's Biography

Maestrovox Prototype ? Click to ENLARGE	Maestrovox Prototype & Vic Ward Click to ENLARGE

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Maestrovox Orchestrain   This version of the Maestrovox was attached directly to the keys mechanism of the piano so that when you played the piano, it automatically triggered the Maestrovox!   ' Mechanical Midi ' !!!! The Orchestrain boasted the following sounds - Violin, Viola, Cello, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, English Horn, Orchestral Horn, Bassoon, Cornet, Oboe, Flute, Arabian Flute, Piccolo, Bagpipes, Hawiian Guitar, Electric Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Harpsichord, Theatre Organ, Church Organ, Musical Saw.	Maestrovox Orchestrain Click to ENLARGE Maestrovox Orchestrain Brochure - Front Cover
Click to ENLARGE Orchestrain Brochure Page 1	Click to ENLARGE Orchestrain Brochure Page 2 Maestrovox the company was jointly financed by a friend of Vic, R.G. Hewitt, a local Estate Agent. I can find no more information about Mr Hewitt, If you know anything about him, please let me know.
Click to ENLARGE Orchestrain Brochure Back Cover.	Carroll Gibbons, Composer, Bandleader & Arranger Click to ENLARGE

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Thorpe Park - Surry Click for Thorpe Park Web Pages Thorpe Park - The Connection Vic Ward descended from ‘The Wards of Egham’. His grandfather was a landowner & agricultural engineer who farmed the land that is now 'Thorpe Park’ in Surrey. The family owned most of Thorpe Village. When Vic’s grandfather died, the estate was to be divided equally between his 3 sons, however, Vic’s own father. Richard Ward, died just a few days later, Vic was 12. Vic maintained that his uncles colluded with his Mother’s solicitor to cheat her out of his Father’s share. They did pay her a good sum of money and she got to keep some cottages, but it was only a fraction of what she should have had. Shortly after accepting the advice of her solicitor, he then suddenly expanded to become a large London firm! A fat bonus from the uncles? Sadly, Vic’s mum (Ethel) became a heavy drinker and before long the money & cottages were gone. The remaining land and properties were progressively sold by other Ward descendants, the gravel pits were dug and eventually along came Thorpe Park. A picture at the park’s farm, (once a Ward farm) is of a man with a striking resemblance to how Vic looked in his latter years, we believe it to most likely be a relative.

The Pianomaker - No.480 Vol.41 June 1953 Click to ENLARGE Advertisement from The Pianomaker

Pianomaker Advert - No:480 Vol:41 June 1953 Click to ENLARGE   No.480 Vol, 41 June, 1953

Pianomaker Article - No.480 Vol.41 June 1953 Click to ENLARGE Article from 'The Pianomaker' June 1953 No.480 Vol.41 Maestrovox Consort Click to ENLARGE

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The Original Maestrovox.   This was the first model produced which was exhibited at the British Industries Fair held at London Olympia in 1952. This is a newspaper advert cutting, publication unknown.      Carroll Gibbons (1903-1953   playing the Maestrovox at the British Industries Fair in 1952. Carroll was a famous composer, bandleader & arranger.

The Original Maestrovox Click to ENLARGE

Carroll Gibbons at the BIF 1952 Click to ENLARGE

Strange Sounds By Mark Brend   Published in 2005, this book is all about unusual musical instruments - it has quite a long chapter on similar piano attachment keyboards like the Solovox, Clavioline and Univox. It also gives the Maestrovox a mention. Link : Strange Sounds by Mark Brend

Vic Ward's TV & Radio Shop Window Click to ENLARGE	In his workshop Click to ENLARGE	Still tinkering, even in retirement Click to ENLARGE
Vic loved to joke around Click to ENLARGE Vic told great stories, loved to laugh, told loads of jokes and generally enjoyed his life as much as he could.	He had a passion for cars Click to ENLARGE I think this is outside his house in Chorleywood. The car is a 1948 Ford Anglia	Vic & his Minor Bird Click to ENLARGE Vic loved animals and was especially fond of aviary birds, this was one of his talking Minor Birds.

Melody Maker May 17th 1952 Click to ENLARGE	Original Melody Maker Picture Click to ENLARGE
Frieda Hall   Seated  is renowned  organist Frieda Hall, on the right is my Grandad, Vic Ward. In the centre is the American who placed an order at the B.I.F for 1000 Maestrovox keyboards and I think the man on the left was Mr Hewitt who co-financed and Maestrovox Ltd. Link: Click here for links to Frieda Hall	B.I.F Photographers Slip Click to ENLARGE The B.I.F. photographers slip for the photograph used in the above Melody Maker Advertisement

Frieda Hall - Organist Click to ENLARGE Frieda Hall (1913 - 2002)

Frieda Hall & Unknown! Click to ENLARGE At present I have no idea who Frieda is talking to in this picture, If anyone knows who he is, please let me know!

Another unknown! Click to ENLARGE Do you know who this is? It's at my Grandads house, I know that much!

Toc H Click to ENLARGE The TocH Quartet, Gibraltar 1954. At the piano, with a Maestrovox Consort is Sgt. Peter Longman. On accordian is Sgt Mike O'Regan. I have recently been in contact with Mike and although he cannot remember the names of the bassist and drummer he does remember that Peter had to save hard from his army pay to buy the Maestrovox. Mike described the Maestrovox as the 5th Member of the quartet and remembers it being very quirky, needing to be re-tuned between each number!  Peter has now died, but Mike would like to hear from the drummer or bassist, or their families. Mike's email is jmike.oregan@ntlworld.com

Beckato's 'Rialtone' Dance Band Click to ENLARGE Beckato's Rialtone Dance Band - No Maestrovox here, that's because this picture was taken in the 1920's! Seated at the drums though is a very young Victor Ward, On the banjo is Cyril Ruffell, I have no idea who the others were or how successful the band was. I'd love to know though! Vic didn't stay playing drums, perhaps his interest in electronics took over! Link: The Toc H Quartet

Elsie Tjick Sumatra and Vera Markovitch Click to ENLARGE Elsie Tjick Sumatra at the piano and Vera Markovitch, both of the 1952 Yugoslav National Ballet. Publication  unknown. That's Vic in the background.     For some reason I called my grandad 'Gordon' or 'Gordy Vic', I also nicknamed my grandma 'Pampy' !

Maestrovox Coronation Ad Click to ENLARGE Advert for the Coronation from 1953, Weekly demonstrations were held at the Steinway Hall, St Georges Street, Hanover Square, London every Tues/Wed/Thurs from 2 till 5pm

Maestrovox Coronation Ad 1953 Click to ENLARGE

Henry Hall & Ronnie O'Dell Click to ENLARGE Bandleader - Henry Hall (1898 - 1989) & Ronnie O'Dell at the Piano

Link : Click here for Henry Hall's Biography

Link : Click here for links to Ronnie O'dell

This Heat Albums Feature Maestrovox	This Heat   The band 'This Heat' were together from 1975 to 1981 and used a Maestrovox Consort as a major feature on their albums and tours. This Heat Link: Hear Maestrovox Recordings
Charles Hayward Click to ENLARGE	Charles Hayward   Charles Hayward played the Maestrovox and drums with 'This Heat' He has kindly written a detailed account of his Maestrovox experiences which is a really interesting read. Link: Charles Hayward's Maestrovox Experiences

Link:'This Heat' - CD Boxed Set (Features Maestrovox) Link: Charles Hayward's Maestrovox Experiences Link: Click Here for Google Links to Charles Hayward

Link: 'This Heat' Biography Link: Click Here for Google Links to This Heat

Maestrovox Circuit Diagrams Click to see Diagrams Maestrovox Circuit Diagrams & Components Maestrovox Valuations Page Maestrovox Recordings Wikipedia Page This Heat - CD Boxed Set (Features Maestrovox) Charles Haywards Maestrovox Experiences The Toc H Quartet 1953 Stanley Black's Biography

Strange Sounds by Mark Brend (mentions the Maestrovox) Carroll Gibbons Biography Henry Hall Biography Squuezytunes - More Maestrovox Info Squeezytunes Maestrovox & Clavioline Google links to Ronnie O'dell Google links to Frieda Hall Google Links to This Heat Google Links to Charles Hayward

MODEL	SERIAL NUMBER	OWNER	COUNTRY
Consort	452	PJ Peeters	Netherlands
Consort	467	Debbie Curtis	United Kingdom
Consort	1040	Lars Westin	Sweden
Consort	1167	Bruce Brand	United Kingdom
Consort	1193	Name Kept Private	United Kingdom
Consort	1225	Thomas Donofrio	USA
Consort	1259	Rod Sazio	United Kingdom
Consort	1280	Nigel Bailey	United Kingdom
Consort	1289	Lars Westin	Sweden
Consort	1360	Ed Leckie	Australia
Consort	1419	Name Kept Private	United Kingdom
Orchestrain (TBC)	1633	Greg Bean	Australia
Consort	Awaiting Confirmation	Mick Andon	United Kingdom
Coronation	Missing	Gabor Tarjan	Netherlands
Consort	Missing	Greg Middleton	United Kingdom
Consort	Awaiting Confirmation	Vernon Woods	New Zealand
Unidentifiable -Most likely a later version of the Consort or Coronation.	1759	Name Kept Private	Netherlands

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