Frank Renshaw (Baguley, Manchester)

Frank Renshaw (b. Saturday, June 22, 1943, Wythenshawe 22, Manchester, Lancashire, England d. Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at his home in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands) was lead guitarist in a number of Manchester bands.

Renshaw was the youngest son of drummer George H. Renshaw, who played the first Ludwig kit in Manchester and lived at 9 Bramcote Avenue, Baguley, Manchester 23. He had two sisters, Miss Angela Renshaw and Miss Christine Renshaw.

Renshaw had been in Skiffle group The Swallows (formed in 1958 at Baguley Hall Secondary School, Ackworth Drive, Wythenshawe, Manchester 23). This group included Ken Wroe on vocals, guitar (}b. Kenneth Wroe, 1943), who were in the same class at school. They then formed 5-piece group Lee Shondell and the Premiers of Beat formed in 1958 in Wythenshawe, Manchester and included Lee Shondell (Wroe) on lead vocals and Renshaw on lead guitar.

Then he was in R & B group The Toggery Five (formed in ca. Nov 1963 in Stockport). On Monday, November 1, 1965 Renshaw married Miss Pauline Howard (b. Wednesday, May 28, 1947, Offerton, Stockport, Cheshire, England) at St. George's Church, Stockport. Best man at the wedding was 20-years-old Wayne Fontana on lead vocals, tambourine (b. Glyn Geoffrey Ellis, Sunday, October 28, 1945, Levenshulme, Manchester 19, Lancashire, England d. Thursday, August 6, 2020, Stepping Hill Hospital, Poplar Grove, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire, England) and maybe Barry MacCuloon was also best man or he alone was the best man at the wedding. Miss Howard was the eldest daughter of Mr. H. Howard and lived at 6 Dorking Close, Offerton, Stockport.

Two days after the wedding on Wednesday, November 3, 1965 Fontana played his first solo gig as Wayne Fontana and the Boys when they went on a nationwide tour that included Herman's Hermits, The Fortunes and famous Liverpool singer Billy Fury (1940 - 1983). This tour lasted until Monday, November 22, 1965.

The line-up of the band was,20-years-old Wayne Fontana on lead vocals, tambourine, 22-year-old Frank Renshaw on lead guitar (Gibson 335), 17-year-old Stuart Sirett on bass (b. 1948, Levenshulme, Manchester, Lancashire, England d. April 2005), 16-year-old Mike Parks on organ (b. Michael Parkes, 1949) and 20-year-old Bernie Byrnes on drums (b. Bernard Higginson, Tuesday, August 28, 1945, Prestwich, Cheshire, England).

In January 1966 Fontana formed Wayne Fontana and the Opposition with a line-up of 20-years-old Wayne Fontana on lead vocals, tambourine, 22-year-old Frank Renshaw on lead guitar (Gibson 335), 17-year-old Stuart Sirett on bass, 16-year-old Mike Parks on organ and 20-year-old Bernie Byrnes on drums. .

Info courtesy John H Warburg May 2025