Throughout 1966 Jennings continued to act as sole UK distributor and agent for Thomas organs. Parts were shipped from California to the Vox Works in Dartford and the organs assembled and checked there.

At some point in the second half of '66, Jennings began work on what would become the "Riviera" - a sort of hybrid console / portable organ designed for use by "groups". Most reviews classed it under that heading at any rate. A prototype was shown at the Frankfurt Fair of February 1967.

Shortly afterwards, in February 1967, Jennings and Thomas announced the end of their arrangement. The decision must have been arrived at fairly quickly as JMI had only recently advertised (in late January) for a new sales person for its Thomas Division.

Evidently what lay at root was Thomas's desire to expand. From March 1967 the British music trade press hosted a veritable flood of large-scale adverts for Thomas organs. Perhaps underlying this decision was a feeling, implicit or explicit, that Jennings was unable or unwilling to push Thomas products forward in a sufficiently determined way. Royston's troubles, reported with increasing concern in trade circles from early January '67, may have played their part too. JMI's fortunes had been firmly tied to the company since early 1963, when Tom sold it a controlling interest. By December 1967 both Royston and Jennings were on exremely shaky ground.

Whether the parting with Thomas in February 1967 gave rise to a sense of relief (on both sides) is difficult to judge. It should be said though that the two continued to collaborate in Italy through E.M.E, a venture that produced among many other things Vox organs for sale in the UK, Europe, and the USA. A slightly unexpected consequence of the break was that Jennings came out with four new console organs. It is likely that these were designed around left-over Thomas parts, presumably with Thomas's permission. They may even have been Thomas organs in their entirety, but with new names: the "Casino", "Carousel", "Carnival" and "Concerto". These were exhibited for the first time at the Russell Hotel Trade Fair of August 1967.

A page on the Trade Fair can be found here. In company with the four new console organs, JMI also presented the new Vox Super Continental II.

Advert placed in the music trade press to coincide with the Russell Hotel Trade Fair, August 1966. Quite something to have a range that sells itself and makes a profit to boot.

A sweet but quite peculiar ad placed by JMI on behalf of Thomas in November 1966. Note the runner at foot - "Thomas Organ Division. Jennings Musical Industries".

Advert placed by JMI in the music trade press, January 1967. Two months later, JMI and Thomas announced that Thomas was going it alone in the UK and that Jennings would no longer act as its distributor and agent. J. Harris was in fact Geoff Harris, head of the Thomas Organ Division at JMI.

Music trade press, March 1967.

On to Vox Organs, at the London Trade Fair, August 1967.

Documents relating to Vox AC30 amplifiers, 1966.