The Sunderland man who almost served Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise soup with Epsom Salts

It’s true and historian and Sunderland Antiquarian Society official Philip Curtis tells us more.

Picture the scene.

It’s 1972 and Anton Petrov was sitting in his home in Foyle Street, Sunderland.

He was watching Morecambe and Wise who were appearing on the Michael Parkinson television show.

Imagine his surprise when Eric Morecambe began to reminisce on how he and Ernie once had to run for their lives thanks to Anton.

He laced the soup with Epsom Salts

Eric continued: "Anton was a marvellous character - I wonder where he is now?"

At the time, Anton was alive and living in Sunderland.

Eric explained that Anton had laced everyone’s soup with Epsom Salts when they were all working together, and Anton was a chef.

But his was even more of a remarkable story and well worth re-telling.

During the 1960s and 70s, Anton was one of Sunderland’s best-known musicians, being the resident musical director at the Sunderland Empire.

He had been appointed in 1961 after the theatre’s director, Reginald Birks, had dispensed with the Empire’s full-time pit orchestra.

Playing the piano at the Empire

Instead, Anton was taken on and he played the old Bechstein grand piano for the audience before the curtain went up.

He always wore tails with a fresh carnation in his button-hole.

He would usually get the audience’s attention by initially coughing very loudly and lifting the keyboard cover before removing what appeared to be an enormous handkerchief from the top pocket of his dinner jacket and wafting it over the piano with exaggerated movement.

He grew up in Prague

He lived in Sunderland for over 25 years, first at Roker before settling down in Foyle Street. Few Wearsiders would have known his background.

He was born in Prague, studied law and philosophy in his native Czechoslovakia, came from a musical background and was encouraged to learn the piano by his mother who was an operatic singer. At 13, Anton toured Australia as accompanist for her.

In 1939, he arrived in England and studied at the Royal Academy of Music before serving with the Intelligence Corps in the Second World War.

He fell in love with Wearside

After the war, Anton returned to his musical career. He appeared in theatres throughout Britain and, in 1957, came north to work for four years as Musical Director at the Palace Theatre in Newcastle before coming to Sunderland in 1961.

He remained at The Empire for 14 years before becoming resident pianist at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle.

However, Anton remained a resident of Sunderland having fallen in love with Wearside.

He stood four times, albeit unsuccessfully, as a Liberal candidate at the local council elections for the St Chad’s and Fulwell Wards of the town.

He taught the arts

Anton became a part-time lecturer in music and the arts. He died on June 1, 1985.

Sunderland Antiquarian Society is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9.30am to 12pm at its Heritage Centre in Douro Terrace.

Visit the Antiquarian Society’s Facebook page or its website at http://www.sunderland-antiquarians.org

Is there a Wearside character you want to tell us about? Email [email protected]