George Formby Society

Ron Beddoes started making Banjoleles late in life in the 1970's when he retired from being an engineer and mechanic for British Rail. Most of his Banjoleles were called "New Concert" with an NC logo, but he made a few "Alan Randall" special models, (Alan Randall was a George Formby tribute act). 

Ill health caused him to stop and he is now dead.

Phil Cartwright started making Banjo Ukuleles in the early 1990's. He made personalised models as well as Abbott copies and was still making instruments in 2012 but I'm not sure if he is now? He use to have a workshop in Cinderford but again I don't know if he has now? He use to make Banjoleles for the George Formby Society but I think he stopped doing so well before 2012?

He certainly was a Banjo repairer and I have even seen it suggested that he looked after all of George Formby's instruments, I'm not so sure he actually made them though? Some people say he made the one they own, (as in the ones pictured here), but in a lot of cases it seems he just introduced GFS members to luthiers who actually made them.

George Kempton came from Dartford, Kent where he had a music shop and started making Banjos around 1968. He was a trained clock maker and was an aircraft fitter for the R.A.F during his national service which is where he learned his engineering skills. He mainly made Tenor and Plectrum Banjos but he did made some Banjoleles, (apparently he was a friend of Jack Abbott's and learned a bit about Banjo making from him), including the Banjolele used in the film Bugsy Malone and some that he branded Kemptone. Sadly the shop went out of business in the mid 70's which stopped most, if not all of his production and certainly put an end to his ambition of batch production of Banjoleles.

From Prestatyn, North Wales he was a general luthier and instrument repairer making Guitars and Banjos, who started making Banjoleles in 1991. He made reputedly very good copies of a lot of the popular pre war Gibsons, Ludwigs and Abbotts. All his instruments were issued with with a Certificate of Authenticity. I have not seen a Ukulele made by him

Richard Shellard was a luthier specialising in Violins but also doing many other instrument repairs. In the mid 1970’s he was asked to make Banjo Ukuleles for The George Formby Society members and he made a few but stopped when Ron Beddoes took over. He called his range of Banjoleles Shellard Supreme and they all had an angled resonator grills and a teardrop design in mother of pearl on the headstock.

He died in 1985.

After retiring from his occupation of Template Maker, Fred was persuaded to start making Banjoleles. He specialises in replicas of the Ludwig Wendell Hall Ukulele Banjo and was still working in 2011.