Music has been in my life as long as I can remember. We sang in the car all the way to Grandma’s house in Owen Sound, and around the fire at the cottage with Dad on the guitar.
Our mother got us singing when she couldn’t handle our squabbling doing the dishes every night.
We learned everything from old parodies, to the Irish Rovers and Peter, Paul & Mary (Meter,
Maul and Perry, my father used to call them), and a host of others.
We had a fabulous theatre in our high school, complete with red velvet chairs and a full back stage area that allowed for some pretty elaborate set changes. Through my years there we did
Bye, Bye Birdie, Li’l Abner, Pirates of Penzance and a host of variety shows. When I graduated,
I received a plaque that read “Barbara Lewington, for the Many Positions She’s Been In”. I ran
with a very cheeky crowd but it was definitely the highlight of school!
I served on the Board of the Grimsby Chamber of Commerce in the 80's and chaired the Frontier
Days Festival in ‘85 & ‘86. Throughout the ‘90's, my career allowed me to travel all over North
America hosting educational and networking conferences for businesses in the
telecommunications industry.
On the home front, we are a blended family with five children, 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild. It wasn’t always easy, but it was crucial that they were raised as siblings and they maintain that bond (as much as distance allows) to this day.
When my mother came to live with us in 2007, I knew she had to have something to do and, since theywere always active in the Seniors Centre in Milton, I took her over to sign her up thinking she might enjoy joining the choir with my mother-in-law. I waited outside while she checked it out and, when she came out, I discovered we were now both Grimsby Seniors Club members and had joined the choir! Well, I never looked back and am so thankful for my fellow members I consider my dear friends.
Most
of my working career has been in theatre. My career at Massey Hall
started humbly with working in the box office after a short stint as an
Usher in the early 1970’s. My financial career started at Roy Thomson
Hall with my entry into accounting studies. In 1997, I was designated as
a CMA [Certified Management Accountant]. This followed with positions
of increasing responsibility in finance and a move to the O’Keefe Centre
for the Performing Arts [subsequently the Hummingbird, then Sony, then
Meridian Centre] as a Director of Finance and Personnel. After many
years with O’Keefe, my final position, beginning in September 2013, was
at the SHAW FESTIVAL, the 2nd largest repertory theatre in North
America, as Director of Finance and Administration until my retirement
in June 2024.
My involvement with the Celebration Choir began with attending the choir
where my wife, Joyce, is a member. When a request for a Treasurer came
up she volunteered me for the position. Joyce and I have two girls,
Laura and Olivia, both of whom live in Toronto with their partners.
Laura is a para-legal managing a legal office and Olivia is a registered
nurse working as a neo-natal nurse in the Hospital for Sick Children.
We will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year.
Other local organizations that I support include the Knights of Columbus
Council 4917 based in Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church and the West
Niagara Badminton Club who will be using the West Niagara Secondary
School gym for the 24-25 season. I look forward to getting to know all
the people involved with the choir and looking after the financial
records and reporting for the choir along with providing financial
advice for the Board’s consideration.
I was born in the North West of England in an old mill town - Chorley - about 25 miles north-west of Manchester and 30 miles north-east of Liverpool. I am an only child and have many happy childhood memories surrounded by love and friendships. Friends are still an important part of my life.
After School, I attended the University of Liverpool and was awarded a Bachelor of Education. I began teaching in 1972 at a high school not too far from my home. I remained in the same school for 21 years teaching History and English. Modern world history, was and still is, my passion, particularly World War I. I was honoured to lead students to the First World War battlefields of France and Belgium on seven occasions.
My love of music began in early childhood. Sunday evenings were family music times when we would all sing and listen to the radio or records. My love of classical music began in elementary school when we listened to a radio broadcast of The Bartered Bride. I was hooked.
I had my first singing lesson at the age of 7 to help with a stutter - it worked!. I took vocal lessons on and off well into my 40's. I sang in collage choirs and choral societies all over North West England.
I married in 1972 and have two childeren and four grandchilderen. This October we celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary. We moved to Canada in 1993 and have lived in Grimsby ever since. Once settled, I immediately joined Chorus Niagara and sang with them for 20 years.
Before retiring from working at St. Joseph's School here in Grimsby, I was the choir director and we perfomed many concerts as well as productions of Oliver and the Pirates of Penzance. I'm now the choir director at St. Joseph's Church 9am mass.
I joined Grimsby Seniors Choir in 2013 and am now enjoying my duties as Assistant Librarian. I love this fantastic group of singers. The music, the friends and, of course, our inspirational leader, Jenn.
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