Duke Ellington visits the Coventry store in 1972 – Memories from Trevor Bevan
Thanks to Trevor Bevan for sharing this wonderful photograph of jazz legend Duke Ellington being mobbed outside the Owen Owen Coventry store in 1972. The American pianist was the greatest Jazz composer and bandleader of his time. One of the originators of big band jazz Ellington led his band for more than half a century from 1926 until his death in 1974.
He composed thousands of scores and created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in Western music. He won several Grammy’s and the Pulitzer prize for his body of work.
Trevor Bevan remembers his days at the Owen Owen Coventry store on Broadgate fondly. He tells us ‘To the left of the photograph of the Lady Godiva statue there are some steps on the edge of the island. I had applied to become a management trainee in early 1969 and after two interviews I was informed that I had obtained the position. After the initial shock I went and sat on the aforementioned steps. I felt so blessed to have been given the chance to succeed. I have nothing but great memories of working for Owen Owen and Mr Blinco and Mr Treadgold and many others I worked with taught me so much. They sent me to do ‘the Grocers Institute’ and I became the top student with a pass rate of 98.5 percent. There was a meal held in my honor and a presentation of the great silverware which was on display outside the boardroom’
