History

Reading Barbershop Harmony Club is one of the four founding clubs of the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS). Back in 1974, some like-minded men sat around, including our own Gerry Holland,  and decided to set up a society that mimicked the society in the US. At that time the American society was called the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America Inc (SPEBSQSA), later renamed the Barbershop Harmony Society (thank goodness).

Reading gave themselves a performing name of the Berkshire Barbershoppers, but soon renamed themselves Thames Valley Chorus. 
 

Travelling

The choir has undertaken many trips abroad,

 

TVC on Tour
 

Year	Destination
1992	Dusseldorf - Germany
1998	Dusseldorf - Germany
1999	Anaheim, California - USA
2001	Netherlands
2004	Dusseldorf - Germany
2007	Krakow and Warsaw - Poland
2009	Rive del Garda - Italy
2010	Pezenas - France
2011	Sligo - Republic of Ireland
2015	Dusseldorf - Germany
2017	Cork - Republic of Ireland

 

 

 

Competitions

TVC has participated in every British Association of Barbershop Singers Convention since they started in 1975. A number of videos of our performances over the years are available below. Can you help to fill in any of the gaps?
 

Convention Performances
 

Year / Venue	Songs
1975 -Brighton?
1976 - Birmingham
1977 - Leicester
1978 -
1979 -
1980 - Birmingham?
1981 -
1982 -	On The Missippi - Sunshine of your Smile
1983 -
1984 -	Meet Me In Rose time, Rosie - My Sweetheart Sally
1985 -	Keep your Sunny Side Up - when I Marry My Wild Irish Rose
1986 - Harrogate	When the Showboat Came to Town - Showboat Days/Let Me Call You Sweetheart
1987 -	If He Can Fight Like He Can Love - The Rose of No-Mans Land
1988 -
1988 -
1989 -
1990 -
1991 -	My Old Dutch - Toot Toot Tootsie
1992 - Birmingham	A Smile Will Go a Long, ong Way/Smile, Darn Ya, Smile Medley - The Masquerade Is Over
1993 - Harrogate	Mistaken - Somebody Stole My Gal/I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now Medley
1994 - Brighton	Oh! How I Miss You Tonight - Alabamy Medley
1995 - Harrogate	Gone - Play Me a Vaudeville Song
1996 - Bournemouth	Oh! How I Miss You Tonight - Play Me a Vaudeveille Song Tonight
1997 - Brighton	Sonny Boy - Jolson Medley
1998 - Harrogate	Swanee - Birth of the Blues
1999 - Blackpool	Always - Birth of the Blues
2000 -
2001 - Glasgow
2002 - Bournemouth
2003 - Harrogate	Birth of the Blues - Lover Come Back
2004 - Harrogate	If I Give My Heart To You - Wonderful Day Medley
2005 - Brighton	If I Give My Heart To You - Everybody Step/Alexander's Ragtime Medley
2006 - Harrogate	Top Hat - If You Love Me
2007 - Scarboro	If I Give My Heart To You - There's a Tree In The Meadow
2008 - Cheltenham	How Deep Is The Ocean? - Why Don't You Fall In Live With Me?/Undecided Medley
2009 - Llandudno	How Deep Is The Ocean? - Sweet Georgia Brown
2010 - Harrogate	Last Night Was The End of The World - New Ashmolean Marching Society & Students Conservatory Band
2011 - Llandudno	Raining in My Heart - That's Life
2012 - Southport	You Don't Know Me - Never Say Never Again/Taking a Chance On Love
2013 - Bournemouth	You Don't Know Me - Girls Medley
2014 - Harrogate	Who'll Take My Place - I Can't Give You Anything But Love
2015 - Llandudno	If I Love Again - Love Me
2016 - Harrogate	I'm On My Way - Brother Can you Spare a Dime
2017 - Bournemouth	Get Me To The Church On Time - On The Street Where You Live
2018 - Harrogate	Are You Lonesome Tonight? - Good Luck Charm
2019 - Bournemouth	I've Been Working On The Railroad - Brother Can You Spare a Dime
2022 - Harrogate	I've Got a Dream - If I Can Dream
2023 - Bournemouth	There's a Fine, Fine Line - Somebody To Love
2024 - Harrogate	Who'll Take My Place - Play a Vaudeville Song Tonight
2025 - Bournemouth	It's a Good Day - You'll Never Walk Alone