Rex was born in Luton on the 27th February 1911 into a banding family.  Fred, his father had moved from Hebdon Bridge to Luton where he had great success conducting the Luton Red Cross Band. His next appointment was Bandmaster with Fodens Motor Works Band, Mr Halliwell being the professional coach.

In 1924 Rex and his family moved to Clifton Road, Elworth, his elder brother Alex had already joined the band some months earlier on principal euphonium, his brother Harry joined on principal cornet.

"Rex relating an incident with his father, Fred Mortimer" (72kb)

In 1925 Rex started an apprenticeship as a pattern maker in the Foden Works. Banding was in his blood as it was with all the Mortimers, after experimenting with a variety of  instruments including the trombone he finally settled on the euphonium. In 1928 Rex joined the band on 2nd euphonium next to his brother Alex. The band had just completed a hat trick at the Open, under the baton of Mr Halliwell, Rex made his first major contest debut on the third part of this hat trick, what a way to start a musical career.

In 1930 Fred Mortimer was made Musical Director of Fodens Band where he would  conduct all contests, this was the start of a great era of which Rex was to play a part, winning the National in 1930 followed by two consecutive hat tricks, all in the thirties.

These were very busy years, the band calendar always being full including a tour to South Africa, regular tours to Scotland and the south of England resulting in bandsmen being absent from home and work sometime for several weeks.

In 1950 Rex took over the Foden Quartet with great success winning several premier titles. Rex helped his father in running the band and in a conducting role as Fred's health began to fail, on his father's death in 1953 Rex took over as Bandmaster, Harry being Musical Director. In 1956 Rex was appointed to Musical Director, success came soon winning the National in 1958 on ‘A Shining River’ and the Open in 1964 on ‘Lorenzo’. Rex was the only Mortimer to win both the Open and National contest with Fodens Band – a great achievement.

The Iles Medal was awarded to Rex in 1962 at the Open contest Belle Vue for services to brass bands.

Rex also coached several other bands during this period of his musical career, one worth mentioning is Cammel Laird who under his baton won the Area in 1964, Foden’s being in 2nd place. This was not appreciated by the Foden management and he was not permitted to conduct another band in the same contest as Fodens again.

From 1956 to 1976 when he retired Rex was responsible for all band organization and personnel as well as keeping the band at a high standard.  Everything he did was without flaw and to my knowledge he seldom made mistakes. However, on our return from the ‘Men of Brass’ Canadian tour in 1961, in which I had travelled under Magistrate's Licence being under the age of 18, and was required to report to Bow Street Court on the following Monday of our return, I failed to do so; it had been a long tour lasting nearly a month and in that time the court order had been forgotten. On Monday night Rex came to my lodgings, left me £10 and told me to get an early train to London and report to the Bow Street magistrate the next day, otherwise there could be trouble! Another incident on our return from this tour, we were due to fly from Toronto to London but Rex arranged for Fodens and Faireys to disembark at Manchester at the cost of 10 shillings per man, leaving Morris Motors on their own to London. I wonder if that kind of thing could happen to-day.

Over the years since his retirement many bandsmen have kept in touch with Rex maintaining his interest in the banding world, he never lost his enthusiasm. As his health deteriorated he was admitted to a nursing home in Alsager.  There was another side to Rex, apart from being a fair snooker player in his day he was a keen sports follower and we watched many sporting events together in his room at the home. This was a change from our never ending talk about bands, past and present.

Rex’s funeral service was held at St. Peter’s Church, Elworth on 25th August and was attended by many friends and bands people. The Foden Courtois Band with their conductor Nicholas Childs played at the service.

Rex was a very fair minded man, kind, upright and honest with a great sense of humour, which on some occasions he shared with audiences, he will be remembered with affection by the many bandsmen he came into contact with.

Rex was a devoted family man and is survived by his wife, Elizabeth whom he married 64 years ago, their daughter Marjory and two grandchildren.