‘The company is still about Jim and what he stood for’
tHE CoMPAny that was to grow into a world icon began in1962, when Jim Marshall began building amplifiers in the back of his West london music shop. He had listened as burgeoning young guitarists including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Pete townshend and Ritchie Blackmore told him how they could not find the more powerful sound they wanted. they wanted tone… they wanted loud. Jim discovered that pushing the valves harder inside an amplifier would produce the harmonically complex tone that the musicians were looking for. He set to work with his team on what was to become the archetypal rock guitar amplifier: the JtM45, which created the ‘Marshall Sound’. Success led to his decision to move to larger premises as the demand for his amplifiers grew. in 1967, as london County Council was looking to create space by moving manufacturing companies out of the capital, they arranged a visit for Jim to a small town that was already welcoming several similar-sized manufacturing companies. Council representatives took him on a tour of the town; Corby, in northamptonshire. “they took Jim up the M1 to show
him how close it was to london in terms of travel time but Jim said it was too far,” says Marshall Amplification managing director Jon Ellery. “on the way back, the motorway was closed so they came back through Bletchley down the old A5, which used to run directly alongside the Denbigh industrial estate. He saw some factories that were to let and said ‘What about one of them?’ the rest is history.”
Jon Ellery with Marshall amplifiers manufactured over the years at Denbigh West.
over the years the company has worked to help the local community. “Jim had a very troubled childhood health-wise. He suffered from tuberculous bones, which meant he was in constant pain, and left school at 13. that is why we try to associate the Marshall brand with youth,” says Jon. “it is one of the things that Jim was passionate about.”
Great Brickhill that helps disadvantaged children through the opportunity to learn to ride and care for horses. Marshall sponsors Milton Keynes Athletics Club and was an original sponsor of Milton Keynes Dons FC when the club first arrived in the city. “there is much more that Milton Keynes and Marshall can do together,” says Jon. “it is a great place to be.” Such was the importance of Marshall Amplification to the growing city of Milton Keynes that in 2009 Jim became the third recipient of the Freedom of the Borough, joining former Milton Keynes Development Corporation chairman lord Campbell of Eskin in 1982 and the former Royal Greenjackets regiment - now the Rifles - in 1998. He has since been joined by MK Dons chairman Pete Winkelman and Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull Racing. Jim passed away in 2012. “He was so
Jim Marshall receives the Freedom of the Borough from Mayor Cllr Jan Lloyd in 2009.
Marshall Amplification has been a long-standing
supporter of Milton Keynes Boxing Club. “Jim’s father was a boxer and he loved boxing so we continue the association because Jim always felt it was a great way for disadvantaged children to become involved in sport,” says Jon. the company also works with Ride High, the charity based at
Support the cultural celebration of
Milton Keynes City orchestra launched its 2016-2017 season with a Movie Music Matinée in november, featuring music from many best-loved films spanning the generations: Superman, Harry Potter, out of Africa, Chariots of Fire, Star Wars, Schindler’s list, the Great Escape. the concert played to a huge and enthusiastic audience, setting the scene for a great season into 2017. All 2017 MKCo concerts have been chosen as MK50 anniversary celebration main events for their performance quality, diversity and for the first-class soloists they bring to perform with the city’s own professional orchestra, under the baton of its internationally famous
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musical director Damian iorio. there will be performances from amazing soloists from around the world, featuring Classic FM favourites Craig ogden playing the Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez, Mr Ji lui performing in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Raphael Wallfisch, one of the most celebrated cellists, performing the Haydn Cello Concerto no.1. the marvellous violinist Anna liisa
Bezrodny will return to Milton Keynes to perform the Mozart Violin Concerto and Hyenoon Park, a sparkling new talent, will perform Beethoven’s Violin Concerto on June 9, before the Proms in Campbell Park on August 18 closes the season.
MKCo chairman Marian livingstone says: “We are working with business partners in Milton Keynes, corporate organisations, foundations with music connections and philanthropists to celebrate MK50 and work towards a sustainable future. “We are acutely aware and
saddened by the reduction in public sector funds nationally and locally for the arts and particularly classical music. We are working hard to make our concerts and outreach work compelling and rewarding to a wide range of organisations in order to maintain and grow our position as a major cultural pillar for Milton Keynes.”
Marian Livingstone
unwell but he was still coming into the office twice a week until six weeks before he died,” Jon recalls. “His passion was his work and working with him was great. He would spend time with people, he would
sign autographs and that was because people loved the Marshall brand.
“Jim is still the epitome of the company. For me he and the business are still intrinsically linked. it is still all about him and what he stood for and my job is to make sure we continue the Marshall name in his memory.”
01908 684116
www.mkco.org info@mkco.org
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