Billy Cotton(1899-1969)

Billy's first contact with music was as a boy chorister at St Margarets, Westminster, After the first world war came along, he gave a false age to a recruiting sergeant and found himself in the Dardenelles at the age of 15, but when this was discovered, he was shipped back home where he went off and joined the Royal Flying Corps and became a pilot, He often talked about those days which were clearly some of the happiest of his life but always a key note was one of enthusiasm and never one of nostalgia, After the first World War, he worked his way to the top the hard way While he was trying to get established, he worked as a bus conductor and played football for Brentwood and Wimbledon and also did some boxing. By the late 20's, he was at the top of his profession as a band leader His success allowed him to indulge in his three passions - flying messing about in boats and motor racing, becoming one of the great personalities at Brooklands and his trophy case in his house was tangible evidence of his skill as a driver. He was indeed top of the bill in everything that he did He first broadcast as far back as 1924 at the Wembley exhibition and his radio show became as much a part of the English tradition as Sunday lunch,