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Ted Pudney Orchestras

The Second World War came along and Ted signed up to do his duty as a rifleman with the Army Service Corp. His army pay book said “he can hit anything he can see”. He left his young daughter Margaret and his first wife Margarite (“Lovey”) to await his return. When the war was over in Europe the army found that Ted besides being a crack shot was also a musician. With thousands of soldiers waiting to be repatriated there was a need for entertainment so Ted was “volunteered” into the Robert Farnham Army Orchestra. He also played in other army dance bands. Eventually he was returned to Canada. Before resuming his “civvy street” life he took a group of army musicians to Radio City Music Hall for a talent competition which they won.

Back into civilian life Ted started his Ted Pudney dance band once again playing all the old haunts to crowds glad to listen, dance and enjoy themselves once more. Time can never seem to stand still and eventually Rock and Roll came along and the days of the Big Bands were numbered. Their bigger size and costs were replaced by smaller groups and eventually the “canned” sound of the disc jockey. The big bands were to recede into distant golden memories.

Ted then turned to another of his many talents – salesmanship, becoming Used Car Manager for London Motor Products. By now he was married for the second time, unfortunately again this was not meant to last. However this is when he bought the 55 acre property north of London where they could keep their horses. They both hunted with the London Hunt Club and Ted enjoyed competing in the show jumping ring in events sponsored by the London Hunt Club. This he did with his usual success. Disastrously one night driving home he crashed his car into a cement bridge abutment at Birr. Lucky to survive at all he nevertheless spent much time hospitalized and in a long depressing recovery. He returned to the car business but was still bothered with ill health. At this time his second marriage was dissolved.

In 1960 while teaching some people to ride he met his third and last wife Jacqueline Talbot. Although there was a great difference in their ages the marriage was to be a lasting and loving one. Both he and Jacqueline continued with the horses and Ted now returned to his music although part time. The Chateau Gai Orchestra was having problems and asked Ted for help. Ted had a chance to return to his first musical love the sounds of the Guy Lombardo Band. He wrote a book of arrangements in the Lombardo style, took the place Carmen would have played and rehearsed the Band. The band played weekend engagements and Ted’s enthusiasm had returned. After a few years Ted again put together a band of his own “The Canadians” with Graydon “Hoppy” Hopkins acting as business manager as well as playing in the sax section. Again the band played weekend engagements . There were many late nights that turned to early mornings with Ted jamming with his fellow musicians. During this time however his doctor advised that he should not continue with the car business because of continuing trouble with a severe duodenal ulcer. In those days it was thought to be brought on by stress. So Ted again changed his profession. In trying to find something not “stressful” he turned to his other passion, horses, and decided to become a farrier, shoeing horses. Being the ultimate perfectionist he again was not satisfied with the average but became known for his ability to make shoes and help horses that had problems with feet or legs. He was much sought after and welcomed by many of London’s horse owners. After many years at this profession and after another car accident Ted’s health began to fail and he died in 1980 after a long struggle with emphysema and congestive heart failure. He is buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery within sight of the country property he loved so much. His wife Jacqueline, now a professional artist, still resides there running her “Valley View B&B” and now working with Ted’s favourite breed of dog – the German Shepherd, competing in the Schutzhund Sport.

One of Ted’s fondest memories that he related to Jacqueline was of rehearsing his band at the Stork Club where Louis Armstrong had been brought in to play. In those days you had to have a Canadian band playing opposite the ”foreign” band . Ted was rehearsing and glancing out at the dance floor caught sight of Louis with a chair turned backwards and resting his chin on his hands on the back of the chair. He finished the number and came over to Louis asking him what he thought. Louis said he had been walking by outside, had heard the music and thought if was “The Man” playing by which he meant the Guy Lombardo band. Coming from such a great musician with such a good ear Ted felt he could not have received a finer endorsement of his success in producing the Lombardo sound. Guy Lombardo was Louis’ favourite band - as Louis put it “they play the mel-o-dy”.

Sometimes now on a quiet night as the wind blows through the trees at Valley View you can almost hear the faint strains of a clarinet solo or some sweet Lombardo melody, old memories never die!

Photographs of Ted Pudney Orchestras - Scroll through them by means of the side arrows