From G.P Walker, Northend, Batheaston BA1 7ES
Dear Sir,
I am writing with respect to the sad death of George Mabuza, a popular figure in the City Center who with his Saxophone brought a bit of Bourbon Street to Bath. He could be found out in most weathers playing for pennies when lesser talents have found fame and fortune. He was a true exponent of his instrument and it was difficult not to stop and listen when he played. He earned what money he did as a busker through respect of his talent, not sympathy.
I got to know George when I started busking myself last year in Bath, and on occasion joined in my set, not for money, but just the joy of playing together and entertaining the tourists. In fact George so liked the quality of the amplifier I was using that he saved up and bought exactly the same model, so he could play a backing tape to enhance his music.
As many people know, I have been fighting a Noise Abatement Notice that banned my amplifier last October. After Bath Magistrates refused to overturn the ban I took this ridiculous decision to the Crown Court in Bristol. Unfortunately I was forced to pull out when I was ill and refused an adjournment for ill-health. In fact I believed my ill-health was somewhat due to the pressure of the Court Case and the poverty I found myself in after receiving the ban, which curtailed my busking.
When the ban wasn't lifted at the original appeal, George offered to be a witness for me at The Crown Court trial. He did so for several reasons. Firstly, he used the same amplifier as me and admitted that with his saxophone he was louder then the level I played at yet wasn't banned, secondly he was a witness when I received the Notice as he was due to go on next and would have testified that the level I was playing at was a reasonable one, and finally, it transpired that 2 of the four complaints cited against me in Court, was when I was playing with three others including himself and had photographs to prove it..
In learning of his death today I went over to the YMCA, which was the last address I knew for him. I was surprised I hadn't seen him around for a while and wanted to know more about the circumstances of his sudden death, silently fearing a suicide due to poverty.
Instead, in talking to staff at the YMCA and friends, I became rather more shocked by his death.
Apparently, unbeknown to me, George himself suddenly received a warning from Bath City Council Environmental Health Officer earlier in the year. As with me, for excessive noise. As with me, after months of happily playing away at the same volume, legally earning a living and genuinely entertaining people as he did so, the Environmental Officer suddenly decided he was "Too Loud."
Like myself, George was a law abiding citizen and didn't want to break the law. But he had also known what happened to me when I tried to legally resolve the problem. And being unable to play, his income was taken away. He didn't know quite how to re-act, especially having played for so many years in Bath.
From what I understand, George soon after began to tell staff at the YMCA that he was beginning to feel unwell and eventually after much persuasion sought a doctors opinion. He was admitted to Bath hospital, diagnosed with a lung problem and quickly transferred to Southmead Hospital. Unfortunately he became worse, was transferred to Intensive Care and eventually died on July 2nd, from I understand, pneumonia. The hospital had great difficulty in tracing any relatives.
Bath, and the world, have lost a talent. Anyone who put the change from their coffee instead of the price of a coffee into his hat should hang their head in shame. He wasn't a beggar harassing for a quid for the Nightshelter, he was a talented musician and performer who relied on donations.
But if my information is true regarding the warning from the Environmental Health Officer, never mind resignation, how about manslaughter?
Finally, if a memorial was ever due to a street performer of Bath, then George Mabuza deserves to be remembered. He lived and breathed the saxophone, and we just listened in wonder. Then a few threw pennies and walked on. Maybe the inscription on the memorial might include an apology, especially from a certain Environmental Health Officer who is not only killing busking in Bath, but possibly even killing the buskers via his actions.
Goodnight George, you will be very sadly missed, but your tunes will echo in the streets of Bath forever.
GP Walker
Alias "Grod Groddler"
(The Banned Busker Of Bath.)