Update 4th May 2003:

"TELEMECH"

END OF AN ERA

Those of you who have read through my record collection pages will have noticed the name 'TELEMECH" mentioned often, as the shop in
Aberdeen, Scotland, where I purchased most of Ken's records, as well as the bulk of my whole record collection. Telemech was, and is, Dave
Towsey. I remember way back around 1955/6 finding a new record shop just opening in Marischal Street and at the time it was so much in it's
infancy that the secondhand records were still in boxes on the floor on the lower level. My very first find of Ken's 78's were Skater's Waltz &
Take Me To The  Ball game, Jukebox Poka & Under a Red Umbrella and American Patrol & Casey Jones, all on the Esquire Label. Dave worked
extremely hard and
not only built the Marischal Street shop into a thriving Radio & TV business but eventually had two more shops in Aberdeen (Rosemount Viaduct)
and the one next to his home in Ellon (Aberdeenshire). It has always been a source of personal pleasure that in spite of having left Aberdeen to live
in the South Of England in 1964 I was able to keep up regular communications with Dave and always visited when in Aberdeen. Sometime in the
90's Telemech moved from Marischal Street into Belmont Street, where it remained until about a year ago when it came under Bang & Olsen. 

Sadly, Dave tells me that due to present day market forces and that radio and TV, and such, are so easily purchased in any Electrical or Computer
stores as well as buying on the Internet, that Telemech has now ceased trading. Dave has been sort-of semi retired for some time now, while the
family took care of the shops. Telemech has been a part of my life for so long that it is difficult to think that that it is no more! It came about in the
early days of the massive growth of Television. I still used a wind-up gramophone when Telemech was born and it grew through all the technical
and digital changes and was a household name all over the Northeast of Scotland, thanks to the dedication and hard work put in by Dave and the
faithful staff who stayed with him over the years.

As I write, Dave is still kept busy with the clearing up and working through the legal minefield that such a business must go through before
everything is finally concluded. I would like to thank Dave for the friendship he has shown me all these years. Whenever a new LP of Ken's
appeared he would be sure to tell me at the earliest convenience. I would like to wish Dave and his wife, Trish, all the very best for the future
and hope that they have a very long and happy retirement. They can be sure that the name "Telemech" will never be forgotten in Aberdeen and
the northeast of Scotland. Telemech never quite became International but perhaps now, through these pages, it's name will become known
world wide.

 
Dave at Telemech Aberdeen 1963                   Dave at home in Ellon Aberdeenshire 2000

Happy memories. Bill at home in Aberdeen 1963. With a new copy
of Ken's LP 'The Sparkling Touch, purchased at Telemech.

JUNE 2020

It is with great sadness that I have to report that David died in June 2020.
Another great loss in my life and the loss of a very long time friend who
will be greatly missed. It is indeed, the end of an era

===================================================

Back to Earlier Communications Link  page

Back to Home Page