So, the party’s over. The sheet music has been put aside and Alastair McQuoid has laid down his baton.

Sadly the Queen’s Island Victoria Male Voice Choir is no more. It was formed in 1912 and was one of four choirs drawn from the men from the ship yard.

Apparently some worthy lady arrived to recruit singers from the 15,000-strong workforce and a wonderful musical tradition was born. One of the choirs formed in later years was the Harlandic which, with the company’s permission, was named after the Harland and Wolff telegram code word.

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Like the shipbuilding industry itself the choir has been on the decline due to age and ill health and as Alastair points out, the culture too has changed with young people more inclined to join operatic companies, favouring modern music, rap and pop.