Gerry Russell has lived and worked in Bolton for over fifty years and was one of the five people responsible for the design and building of the town’s World famous Octagon Theatre, which opened back in 1967.

Born in 1944 in the West Midlands town of Wolverhampton, Gerry was involved in the design of the initial lighting and sound systems for the Octagon Theatre from the outset in 1965 whilst still a student at Loughborough Teacher Training College. When the Octagon Theatre was completed and opened remarkably quickly, by 1967, Gerry was the theatre’s first ever electrician and stayed in the post for two years until he had decided that Bolton would be his permanent home for life and needed a fresh challenge as a young man still only in his mid-twenties. By 1982 Gerry had started his own business in Bolton, G N Systems, which he ran very successfully for over thirty years until retiring in November 2013. 

Gerry is very proud, honoured and delighted to be the President of Eagley Band.