Museum Personalities
Chairman: position currently vacant
Treasurer: Alan Purdie
Formerly in a management position with the Royal Commonwealth Society, in 1992 Alan joined the Royal British Legion and was involved in the organisation of the annual Festival of Remembrance at The Royal Albert Hall, as well as the Veteran’s participation in the National Cenotaph Ceremony and the Legion's Annual Conference, until his retirement in 2015.
With an interest in military music beginning in the 1960s, Alan is a past Chairman of the UK (Founder) Branch of the International Military Music Society and is currently the Branch Secretary.
Formerly in a management position with the Royal Commonwealth Society, in 1992 Alan joined the Royal British Legion and was involved in the organisation of the annual Festival of Remembrance at The Royal Albert Hall, as well as the Veteran’s participation in the National Cenotaph Ceremony and the Legion's Annual Conference, until his retirement in 2015.
With an interest in military music beginning in the 1960s, Alan is a past Chairman of the UK (Founder) Branch of the International Military Music Society and is currently the Branch Secretary.
Editor: Colin Dean
Colin worked for thirty years as a Chartered Insurer in the life assurance and financial planning industry. Redundancy proved a blessing as he then had the massive privilege of working as Band Secretary with the Irish Guards. He retired in 2013 and is now the archivist at Kneller Hall.
He is a past Chairman of the International Military Music Society UK (Founder) Branch and the author of a recent biography of Lieutenant Colonel ‘Jiggs’ Jaeger of the Irish Guards, and the centenary book for the Band of the Welsh Guards.
Colin worked for thirty years as a Chartered Insurer in the life assurance and financial planning industry. Redundancy proved a blessing as he then had the massive privilege of working as Band Secretary with the Irish Guards. He retired in 2013 and is now the archivist at Kneller Hall.
He is a past Chairman of the International Military Music Society UK (Founder) Branch and the author of a recent biography of Lieutenant Colonel ‘Jiggs’ Jaeger of the Irish Guards, and the centenary book for the Band of the Welsh Guards.
Dr. Graham Wells
Graham joined Sotheby’s in 1969 and shortly after founded their Musical Instrument Department as a separate entity. He was appointed a Director in 1977 and during his career was responsible for the cataloguing of well over 50,000 musical instruments.
He retired in 1999 but continued to act for Sotheby’s as a consultant and also as an independent consultant and valuer and has carried out the valuation of most of the major collections of musical instruments in the UK.
Following his retirement he studied for and was granted the degree of DPhil. at the University of Oxford. Since 1998 Graham has been the Chairman of the Galpin Society for the Study of Musical Instruments, the senior academic society in the field of organology.
Graham joined Sotheby’s in 1969 and shortly after founded their Musical Instrument Department as a separate entity. He was appointed a Director in 1977 and during his career was responsible for the cataloguing of well over 50,000 musical instruments.
He retired in 1999 but continued to act for Sotheby’s as a consultant and also as an independent consultant and valuer and has carried out the valuation of most of the major collections of musical instruments in the UK.
Following his retirement he studied for and was granted the degree of DPhil. at the University of Oxford. Since 1998 Graham has been the Chairman of the Galpin Society for the Study of Musical Instruments, the senior academic society in the field of organology.
Mike Boxall
The son of a father who started his Army career as a Band Boy and the grandson of a clarinet and bassoon teacher, Mike comes from an Army and music family. Working as an instructional designer writing computer-based training courses, his hobbies include writing and music making.
Lacking the application to become a real musician, Mike plays the B󠅩b flute in a Regimental Association Corps of Drums. He is a member of The Corps of Drums Society and The International Military Music Society and regularly contributes articles to both their Journals.
The son of a father who started his Army career as a Band Boy and the grandson of a clarinet and bassoon teacher, Mike comes from an Army and music family. Working as an instructional designer writing computer-based training courses, his hobbies include writing and music making.
Lacking the application to become a real musician, Mike plays the B󠅩b flute in a Regimental Association Corps of Drums. He is a member of The Corps of Drums Society and The International Military Music Society and regularly contributes articles to both their Journals.
