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Teledisk

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Teledisk  were custom record makers, offering to record you for a small sum, for which you would receive a small number of the recordings, double-sided and pressed on standard shellac. To be honest, the quality of the recording and pressing varied considerably and some are really dreadful. The labels were either blue or red (as picture here) depending usually on the type of fare being offered. The records date from 1935 and are, as you'd expect, extremely rare.

The company was at Crewdson Road, London SW9 and the proprietor was Cecil W. Nixon. Nixon had already been making bespoke recordings, on aluminium discs , using the name "Ronnie Records".  During 1935, the Teledisk period, he would "issue" these as Teledisk records, such as the one found by Norman Field, the image is the last one on the right. However, outside of thet period, he just used the "Ronnie" name, though I don't know the origin of this name.

It would appear Nixon used aluminium  blanks to make all his recordings, and this accounts for the very odd grooving on Teledisk records, where it is just as likely you will be playing between the groove as in it! This is due to the way aluminium discs are cut. Actually they are not cut, in the way a wax or lacquer disc is, where material is removed. With aluminium, you are just displacing the material (known as embossing), which results in a "ridge and furrow" rather like medieval farming!

The catalogue numbering system is a little complicated. It is thought that the last two digits of the number are sequential, while the first two refer to different series. The two main series revolve aroung the year: 1935, with one series starting "19" and the other "35". However, there are still a lot of gaps in the listing (as you will see) and this theory could yet be blown out of the water if and when more records in the main 1900 and 3500 series are found.

At this point I must mention father and son team Edward & Steve Walker, both of whom have spent many years between them researching this label; not an easy job given how rarely they turn up. Without their research, this page would be a lot poorer.

So, for now, I will list the different catalogue ranges separately.
Plesae email me with details of any records you have that aren't in this listing, or for which you can provide extra information not shown.



Above image courtesy Megan Wisdom


Courtesy Norman Field

Please e-mail me if you have any additions or corrections to this page.
Thanks to the following who have contributed to this page:
Philip Hutchinson, Mike Langridge, Dave Mason, Edward Walker, Steve Walker.

Page last updated on: January 18, 2021

Firstly, the 100-series. The label is a deep purple.

Cat No Matrix No. Title Artist on Label
101 S-141 What I Believe, part 1 Ernest W. Oaten
S-142 What I Believe, part 2: Further Experiences Ernest W. Oaten
102 S-143 What I Believe, part 3: Positive Assurance; The Value Of Home Circles Ernest W. Oaten
S-144 What I Believe, part 4: Death - A Junction Not A Terminus Ernest W. Oaten
103 S-145 What I Believe, part 5: Deeds, Not Creeds Ernest W. Oaten
S-156 What I Believe, part 6: Religious Implications Ernest W. Oaten

The short-lived "Light Blue Popular Series (2/- each) is shown here.

Cat No Matrix No. Title Artist on Label
750   Storm Clouds Premier Piano-Accordion Band (directed by Richard Ellis)
  Tango In E Minor Premier Piano-Accordion Band (directed by Richard Ellis)
751      
     
752   Linden Lea Albert Jones (tenor, with piano accmp by Gilbert Stacey)
  There Is No Death Albert Jones (tenor, with piano accmp by Gilbert Stacey)
       

Now the 1900- series. Teledisks are very scarce, but these are the red labelled "Dance Series" ones which usually turn up. They cost 1/6.

Cat No Matrix No. Title Artists
       
1930      
1931      
1932      
1933      
1934      
1935      
1936      
1937      
1938 S-147
S-148
Bugle Call Rag
Canadian Capers
Al Bowes and his Melodians
1939 S-151
S-152
It's Home
Because Of Once Upon A Time
Howard Baker and his Band
1940 S-154-R

Your Head On My Shoulder
Stay As Sweet As You Are
Streatham Ice Rink Orchestra (directed by Hal Griff)
1940 S-154-R
S-161
Your Head On My Shoulder
Blue Sky Avenue
Streatham Ice Rink Orchestra (directed by Hal Griff)
1941 S-155
S-156
The Mouth Organ Chorus (Will Hyde)
Savoy American Medley (arr. Debroy Somers)
Tom Bishop & Harry Simmons (mouth organs) (of Jac. E's Harmonica Masqueraders)
1942      
1943 S-159
S-160
Blue Danube (waltz)
Serenade (Toselli)
Jac. E's Harmonica Masqueraders
1944 S-166
S-167
That's A Plenty
Blue Moon
Rex Owen & his Band (at the Kew Palais de Danse)
1945   Blue Moon
Yeah! Man
The Cavendish Band (directed by Robert Leach)
1946 S-178
S-179
Dancing With My Shadow
After The Storm
Joseph Swindin and his Boys (at Bradford, Yorks.)
1947 S-182
S-183
Blue Smoke
That Babe Is Stuck On Me
Stan Atkins & his Band (from Islington Town Hall)
1948 S-184
S-185
Keep Moving, selection parts 1 & 2 Doug Fisher and his Original Arcadians Band (from Gaumont British Club)
1949 S-194
S-195
Squidge
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (Liszt)
Joe & Al Fenton (guitar duet, with organ accmp)
Joe & Al Fenton (banjo duet, with piano accmp)
1950      
       
1980      
1981      
1982      
1983      
1984      
1985      
1986   Orient Express
Smoke Rings
The Six Savillians (at the Saville Ballrooms)
1987      
1988 S-197
S-198
What A Diff'rence A Day Made
Nobody's Sweetheart
Norman Stanley and his Band
1989      
1990 S-222
S-223
Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet
Seein' Is Believin'
Stan Atkins and his Band
1991 S-225
S-226
For Me, For You
Dinah
John Rendell and his Band
1992 S-229
S-230
Dinah; Whispering
She's Funny That Way
The Novelty Trio (with Cyril Killinger, piano)
Cyril Killinger (piano)
1993      
1994 S-279
S-281
Red Sails In The Sunset
Leave Me With A Love Song
Stan Atkins and his Band
1995      
1996 S-287

S-289

Scottish Medley (intro. Banks Of Allan water; The Corn Rigs Are Bonnie, O; because He Was a Bonnie Lad; Strathspey; Colonel Stuart Reel)
Irish Medley (intro. River Shannon; St Patrick's Day; The Minstrel Boy; Boys Of Wexford; Leg Of A Duck Jig)
Pipe Major Edward Massie McLean (bagpipes)
1997   Good For Nothing
If Your Father Only Knew
Bill Airey-Smith and his Swingin' Spiders (at the Spider's Web Roadhouse, Bushey)
1998      
1999 S-416 or 424
S-417 or 425
We're Just A Great Big Happy Family
Jane (waltz)
Cas. Braithwaite's Alexandrians Dance Band
  NOTE: The confusion pver the matrix numbers on the above issue is due to the fact the label of the example seen shows S-416 & S-417, but the record itself has both sets of matrix numbers pressed into it, suggesting some sort of remake session. [Thanks to Mike Langridge for this informaion.]

Next the 3500- series which are blue labelled "concert" series. These cost 2/6.

Cat No Matrix No. Title Artists
       
3529   Love's Last Word Is Spoken
I Hear You Calling Me
Pat Milsom (soprano) acc by Doreen Milson (accordion)
Jac. E (musical saw) & Doreen Milsom (accordion)
3531   Miserere, Il Trovatore, act IV
Dear Love Of Mine
Elaine Longmore (dramatic soprano, with piano by Gilbert Stacey)
Albert Jones (tenor, with piano by Gilbert Stacey)
3530 S-162

S-163
Over The Moon, vocal selection, part 1 (Paul Burgess) (intro: Over The Moon; New Hearts For Old)
Over The Moon, vocal selection, part 2 (Paul Burgess) (intro: S.O.S.; Finale)
Esmee Finlay (soprano) (with piano accmp by Nigel Burgess)

Pat Myrgatroyd (baritone) (with piano accmp by Nigel Burgess)
3531      
3532 S-180
S-181
Sugar Baby
Take a Lesson From The Birds
Doreen Latimer (vocal) with Margaret Davis (piano-accordion)
3533 S-186
S-187
When I Grow Too Old To Dream
I Believe In Miracles
Jimmy Forsyth (of Wembley Lions Ice Hockey Team) (with piano accmp by Hal Griff & Freddy Brain)
       
3551 S-210
S-212
Memories
My Mother
James Coleman (vocal, with piano accmp)
3552 S-211
My Hope
Gentlemen, The King!
James Coleman (vocal, with piano accmp)
3553 S-203
S-204
Robbin' Harry
Love In Bloom
Dennis Gilbert (the 13 year-old boy xylophonist) (with piano accmp)
3554   Marianne
Through The Goal
Charles Went (accordeon)
       
3565   Though It Is Only A Dream
When I Grow Too Old To Dream
Barry Jones (tenor)
3566 S-251
S-252
Wayfarer's Night Song
The Lute Player
D.L. Hughes (bass-baritone, with piano accmp)
3567   The Legion Of The Lost
When a Soldier Falls In Love
Eddy Reed (baritone, with piano accmp by Gilbert Stacey)
3568      
3569   The Legion Of The Lost
When a Soldier Falls In Love
Eddy Reed (baritone, with piano accmp by Gilbert Stacey)
3570   For My Country
Swiss Military March
The Went Brothers (button accordion duet)
3571   Rhythm Melody
Syncopasia
Don Stasnley (piano) (and composer)
3572   Black Eyes
Souvenir Of The Ukraine
Teledisk Light Orchestra (cond. Gilbert Stacey)
       
3579 S-363
S-364
Melody In F
The General's Fast Asleep
Don Stanley (piano)
       

The A-series was described as made for The Anglo-International Concert Direction.  These cost 3/6 for 10"  records and 5/- for 12". 

Cat No Matrix No. Title Artists
       
A-2880 (12")   Allegro (Valentini)
Le Cygne (Saint-Saens)
Jacuqes van Lier (cello, with piano accmp by Enid Brook)
       
A-3100   Songs My Mother Taight Me (Dvorak)
Standchen (Serenade) (Strauss)
Mme. Elena Liarosa (piano accmp by Enid Brook)
A-3101   Gruppe Aus Dem Tartarus (Schubert)
Nacht Und Tartarus (Schubert)
Mme. Elena Liarosa (piano accmp by Enid Brook)
A-3102   Dido's Lament (Purcell)
Morgen (Strauss)
Mme. Elena Liarosa (piano accmp by Enid Brook and cello by Jacques van Lier)
     

The LP- prefixed series were specially recorded for the Labour Party (see image). Thanks to Dave Mason (via Mike Langridge) for providing this information. These cost 2/6. From aural & visual evidence of these records, it  would seem that these are not recorded or made by Teledisk, but are Crystalate contract records.

Cat No Matrix No. Title Artists
LP-1 S-188

The Red Flag (Connell)

Harold Kelly (Baritone), Maud Ward-Cowdery (Contralto) with The Four Comrades Male Voice Quartet, Band of the Musicians Union Labour Chorus and Organ.

S-190 Hark! The Battle Cry (Salt)

The Four Comrades Male Voice Quartet, Band of the Musicians Union.

LP-2 S-189 The International Harold Kelly (baritone)
S-192 The Banner Of Freedon (Keir Hardie)

Maud Ward-Cowdery and the Labour Chorus, with Gilbert Stacey at the organ

LP-3 S-191 England, Arise (Keir Hardie)

Four Comrades Male Voice Quartet with the Band of the Musicians’ Union

S-193 Jerusalem Maud Ward-Cowdery (contralto) & the Labour Chorus (organ accmp by Gilbert Stacey)

The following are, or are reported to be, un-numbered. I will list them by matrix number and show the coupling on the right. Those marked * are aluminium discs

Matrix No Title Artist on Label Coupling.
       
S-139 The Lion And Albert, part 1 (Marriott Edgar) Musical monologue s/sided
       
S-196 Moonglow Bill Trethowan and his Semiquavers S-197
S-197 St. Louis Blues Bill Trethowan and his Semiquavers S-196
       
*931 Song Of Love (K.M. Cordiner)
Mother Dear (K.M. Cordiner)
Gilbert Stacey   [931 is a "Cat No.", same both  sides]