Frank Ella

His ability to play the piano, organ and accordion and all styles of music made him much in demand by everyone from the local amateur dramatic society to local schools, charities and churches in the Goole and Marshlands areas.

In 2006, he was awarded the MBE in the New Year Honours for his work for charity and the community. Over 20 charities supporting causes from children to cancer and elderly people were listed as being helped by him.

He was known as a happy man who was always busy with the church and with music which took over the last 20 years of his life, although he still helped especially at harvest time on the farm where he was born and brought up which is run by his twin brother, Tom.

Mr Ella was born at West View Farm, Ousefleet, near Goole, the twin son and one of three children of a local farming family.

He went to school locally and when he left at 15 worked full time on the family’s mixed farm, although he and his twin brother were already working there on Saturday mornings. Frank Ella was noted for being good working with the pigs.

His gift for music emerged as a small boy and he was given piano lessons at the age of eight, but he aspired to play the organ at Whitgift Methodist Chapel which the family attended, so he taught himself. When awarded the MBE he attributed his success to the inspiration of his music teacher, Kathleen Chambers, who introduced him to local amateur dramatic societies and encouraged him to be involved in their shows, especially as he had a good voice.

In later years he was musical director of Goole Amateur Dramatic Society, and also ran the local Marshland Singers and Christ Church Singers.

Mr Ella was also a tutor for piano and keyboards, teaching firstly in a local organ shop and then visiting as many as 40 pupils in their homes.

He organised concerts locally, visited Goole Hospital to play each week and went round residential people’s homes playing his accordion. He also took festival services at locals schools such as Harvest Festival and Carol services.

He once said: “If you can leave the audience with a smile, you’ve done the job right.”

Mr Ella’s faith was also an important part of his life and he became a Lay Preacher on the Goole Methodist Circuit, although he also travelled much further afield. He was an interdenominational man and would visit and help at all the churches in the area.

He never married, and is survived by his twin brother Tom, sister Kathleen and four nephews.