George Groves The Movie Sound Pioneer

George Groves' sister Hilda Barrow was very proud of her brother's achievements and was concerned that his role in the development of motion picture sound had been overlooked in the land of his birth.

So in 1993, Hilda began a campaign for official recognition in the UK.

She wrote to her MP, David Alton, who replied that he was quite an Al Jolson fan and so was especially keen to lend his support! Mr. Alton forwarded Hilda's letter onto the Prime Minister, John Major, who replied that regrettably it was not government policy to grant posthumous awards.

However Hilda's letter was passed by 10 Downing Street onto the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to see if they could find a means of recognising George's achievements.

In turn BAFTA referred Hilda’s letter to the British Film Institute (BFI). The St Helens Film Society was alerted and members interviewed Hilda Barrow to create an oral history of her memories.

On 15th January 1996 the Society invited Hilda and her family, Keith Deakin the Mayor of St.Helens, Vince Maloney of the International Al Jolson Society and Clive Garner of Radio Merseyside, plus other guests, to a special screening of The Jazz Singer at the Citadel Arts Theatre in St Helens.

In the above photograph is (left to right) Cllr. Deakin, Clive Garner, Vince Maloney and Chris Coffey of the film society with Hilda. Then on June 22nd 1996 Hilda Barrow and Bob Allen of the Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) unveiled as part of the centenary of cinema celebrations a British Film Institute plaque to George's memory at 57 Duke Street in St Helens.

That was where George had been born some ninety-five years earlier.

Over thirty guests including Gerry Bermingham, the Member of Parliament for St Helens South, were in attendance. As part of the ceremony the York Street Band who had been founded in 1899 by George's father, played their own special tribute to the man that Al Jolson called "The Quiet Little Englishman". In the above photo at the reception after the unveiling, Alan Whalley of the St Helens Star presents Hilda Barrow with a bouquet. The 93-year-old remarked: On October 1st of 1996, Hilda Barrow and family members travelled to London to participate in another plaque unveiling at a prestigious Warners cinema in Leicester Square.

This BFI plaque is dedicated to the pioneering work of both Stanley Watkins and George Groves.

Fellow Englishman Stanley Watkins worked with George at Western Electric / Bell Labs and in the early days of Vitaphone he was their Chief Engineer. Over thirty people witnessed the ceremony, including Molly Watkins (Stanley's widow), Bob Allen of the Association of Motion Picture Sound, Chris Coffey of St Helens Film Society and Peter Dobson, M.D. of Warners Theatres (UK). Over thirty people witnessed the ceremony, including Molly Watkins (Stanley's widow), Bob Allen of the Association of Motion Picture Sound, Chris Coffey of St Helens Film Society and Peter Dobson, M.D. of Warners Theatres (UK).

The plaque was situated in a prominent position within the cinema and for a few years its 1 million annual visitors were able to read these words:

"STANLEY S.A. WATKINS (1888-1975) GEORGE R. GROVES (1901-1976). The British electrical engineers who worked in America for Western Electric and Warner Bros. and played major roles in the development of 'Talking Pictures'. "

Hilda passed away peacefully in 1998 knowing she had at long last achieved her goal.

However Warners sold their cinema chain in 2003 and the new owners removed the plaque from the West End cinema.

Its whereabouts are presently unknown, although the plaque on the house of George Groves' birthplace in St Helens remains in place.