Four members of a unique musical family, who have collectively contributed over 173 years of service to Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir, are standing down from their choir roles.

In nearly 70 years of performing the choir has only had three conductors, and Christine Lloyd is retiring after 55 years, the last 16 as conductor.

Husband Phil Lloyd joined the second tenors in 1964, becoming compere ten years later and secretary in 1984.

Their daughter, Jenny Griffiths, has been involved for 39 years, firstly turning the pages for her mum as accompanist, then as a soloist and became assistant accompanist in 1982 and principal accompanist in 2005. She also deputised as conductor at a Bethany Pembroke Dock concert when her mum lost her voice.

As a schoolboy, son Steve sang with the choir for several years and re-joined as a second bass in 2009, taking on website and social media roles to promote the choir.

Christine is the daughter of the late Mr W. P. ‘Bill’ Lewis, the choir’s founder conductor in 1952 and a legendary figure in Welsh musical circles. She grew up with the choir, appearing first as a teenage soloist in 1963, becoming deputy accompanist in 1966 and accompanist in 1974. On her father’s death in 1999 she became deputy conductor and took on the baton fully in 2005.

Choir concerts over the years have been memorable not least for Phil’s unique humour as compere and he has also had a key connection with the Welsh Association of Male Voice Choirs, from 1988. He became stage manager for the Association’s regular Welsh Choirs Festivals, held mainly at London’s Royal Albert Hall, and compered several of them along with other major events at the Millennium Stadium and St Davids Hall, Cardiff.

Memorably on many occasions the Lloyd family foursome have performed together in duos, trios and quartets.

This remarkably talented musical family’s departure is a major milestone in the Pembroke and District choir’s long and successful story and newly elected chairman John Hillier said: “For nearly 60 years the choir’s life has centred much around Christine, Phil and family and it is a huge loss to us and to music in Pembrokeshire.

“They have given amazing commitment to the choir and the community and have not taken any payment over all these years.

“Their collective contribution to the male voice choral tradition in Wales is exceptional and unequalled anywhere and their retirement is so well earned.

“All choristers extend Christine, Phil, Jenny and Steve our gratitude for all their dedication, and we know they will be our number one supporters as the choir enters a new chapter.”

The choir has not performed or met for practices since the start of the Covid lockdown in March 2020.

However, weekly rehearsals begin again on Tuesday, September 7 and an announcement about the new musical team will be made shortly.