Childhood Meals, Eat It or Go Without! Was this true in your house?

childhood meals

Dennis Torrance… Very much so for me Sunday was a Day all sitting at table and everything had to be eaten before we could get down had thing about lamb after that after having it every s Sunday lol

Wendy Weaver… NZ Lamb was the cheapest meat – and then the Common Market came along and the UK wasn’t allowed that anymore. Difficult to feed the family as other joints of meat were too expensive. Kids didn’t understand the dire straights parents were in and that there just wasn’t anything else, so if we are of an age we all remember this☹️

Jim Breeds… New Zealand lamb wasn’t affected by the common market and is still in the shops today, mores the pity. Support British farmers

Dennis Torrance… Sorry not a lamb lover beef was dearest then but never had chicken or turkey yes came from poor parents but still did not want lamb rather eat spam liked that great fried

Angela Frances Gardner… I remember my brother Mike Gardner sitting all afternoon at home and school in front of a plate of cold congealed food and me rescuing him by throwing the food away! He would never have eaten it! I remember a time at my school having to swallow disgusting gristly meat with water as the nuns made you eat everything on your plate!

Liz Dees Dianto… Yes I remember that very clearly.The whole school went down with food poisoning once as well, when we were all forced to eat rice pudding !

Dennis Torrance… School dinners I remember mostly ok chocolate crunch but liver and onions a no for me but had to eat it totally wrong

Alan Esdaile… Who remembers bread and dripping sandwiches? Used to enjoy them but sounds disgusting now.

Dennis Torrance… Bread and dripping sandwiches had them at the time my mum consider it a treat for me but really like banana sandwiches still do.

Paul Redfearn… Yup.

Andrew Clifton… Bread and dripping. All the time Alan.

Wendy Belton… You have made me want bread and dripping sandwiches now 😉 and my late mother used to make beef suet puddings and bacon dumplings! Those were the days.

Keith Cowper… With a strip of Bovril of course

Tony Davis… Used to have jam and banana sandwiches – loved them. Do remember not eating dinner and it being served up again for breakfast the next morning. We used to have a bowl of dripping and I used to like the jelly that formed under the white fat.

Martin Stringer… Yes. I remember my mother asking my father if he would like dinner. He asked what the choice. She replied yes or fucking no.

Geoff Fordham… Too true!!

Alan King… eat it cold for breakfast or keep going without

Peter Millington… I wasn’t allowed down from the table until I’d cleaned my plate. I was often there at tea time where my dinner was reheated and re-plated. No pudding for me and giving it to our dog under the table only happened once! I can still remember the corporal punishment 🤢 Didn’t do that again!

Ralph Town… My favorite(not) meals were parsnips,bread and dripping sandwiches,bread and butter pudding and swede.OH the wonder that was my childhood lol.

Mick O’Dowd… Yes

Yvonne Ellis… Absolutely.

Keith Veness… Yes

Carole Prescott… Yes but mum tried to give you things you liked. She was a very good cook. The horrible experiences were at school. I hated greens but you had to finish everything or you couldn’t leave nor could the others on your table. I was always getting into trouble with those who wanted seconds. My father jokingly said “if you can’t eat something put it in your purse”. I took him literally and put the greens in my shoulder purse. My mum was furious with me the following day when she went to put in my clean hankie and dinner money! But soon saw the funny side when I repeated what he had said.

Colin Bell… That’s brought back some horrible memories of school dinners Carole, i hated beetroot still do! ugh

Alan Esdaile… I liked school dinners, or maybe it was the deserts!

Richard Downer… Chocolate Semolina here Carol. Forced to eat it at school. Looked like sick and smelt horrible. I obliged and was sick, there and then

Pete Houghton… How very true

Nicola Barfield… Very true xx

Mike Guy… Yep – that was the joy of mashed spuds, good for mixing & hiding; nowadays I eat the lot anyway & it’s a joy.

Tony Court-holmes… remember it well everything boiled with no taste

Robert Fisher… not as bad ,but i hated the smell of cabbage cooking

John Beeching… We never got the choice of going without. “You’ll eat it and like it.” I was a rebel, I ate it but secretly I didn’t like it. Small victories.

Were these three part of your childhood nightmare?

photo source: Lee Shrigley Codgers Social Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/codgers.social/

Mick Turner… Enjoyed their films!

Eric Harmer… Fun boy three ??

David Wilkinson… Fotoshopped and morphed. You never saw these three in the same room at the same time did you ??? ………

Martin Stoggell… Look at those eyes. Burn a hole in the back of the Devil’s head. From the front. A stare like that could set trousers on fire. A handy trick when you bump into people you do not want talk to.

Faith Brooker… Nope. Loved ’em all.

Ralph Town… I believe they are all born in May as well which is really spooky! Was Chris a Gemini too.Not 100% on that but I know Peter and Vincent were lol.

Rex Thinderbolt… 26th and 27th iirc

Susan Butchers… Yes great thrills I loved them all

Jim Penfold… I went to see Live and Let Die in early 70’s at Odeon Leicester Sq….front row of balcony …..as lights went down Peter Cushing came and sat next to me…..very friendly…..gave me a beautifully written autograph! Remember he wore one glove!

Clive Milburn… Oh yes, loved those early classics

Dave Nattress… Definitely recall so many horror films with one or more of these guys starring.  The photo makes them all look menacing.  Also a TV series “Tales  of the unexpected” – did one or more appear in that series.

 

The Happy Ballroom Hastings Pier And More – 27th August 1966 by Andre Martin

14053897_10208697982144976_78346672468438806_o

14100326_10208697978944896_8215947173083729479_n

The_nashville_teens

Ads: Andre Palfrey-martin collection. Nashville Teens photo source: http://beatsixties.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/nashville-teens-pop-weekly-n-05-26-09.html

Another month has just whizzed by and we are now at Saturday 27th August 1966, and it’s the Bank Holiday Weekend. In the Happy Ballroom on Hastings Pier, the summer has been going well for all and this weekend would be no exception. On Saturday night it was the resident Big Band – The Tony Strudwick Big Band, with Saturday is Party Night, all the fun and joy of the night for 5/-. The Sunday Club this week featured a group that were well known in Hastings – The Nashville Teens [ yes the same group that had hit the headlines a couple of years previous , after the daughter of a local solicitor ran off to London when the group had appeared at the opening of the Witch Doctor] Monday being a Bank Holiday had a Coffee Dance 10.30am-1.00pm all for 1/-. Tuesday it was the weekly visit from the masters of the gruntin’ and groanin’ –Dale Martin Wrestling, top of the bill this week – Mr TV Pallo v Linde Caulder. The week would be brought to a close with Dancing to The Tony Strudwick Show Band.
Friday night’s edition of Ready Steady Go would include The Mindbenders: Ashes to Ashes, Overlanders: Go where you wanna Go, Small Faces: All or Nothing and Sonny & Cher; Little Man. Keith and Cathy as ever in control with the antics of the crowd and artistes. The Witch Doctor was still following the summer season format, of records for most of the week and live music on Saturdays, this week it was the Loose Ends from Birmingham, on Sunday because this was a special weekend it was a visit from south London’s – the Herd now with a new line-up and featuring Peter Frampton. Over on the dear old Beeb – the Light programme 10.00 Saturday Club with Val Doonican,The Mindbenders, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, The Overlanders and Hayes & Wadey In chair this week to spin records and chat was Ray Orchard as Brian Matthew was on holiday. The rest of the day followed the familiar selection of Saturday programmes, in the evening the Big Show came from Scarbrough with Peter Goodwright and Friends, later we had the henry Woods Proms, Dance Music from the NDO and to end the evening Simon Dee. On Sunday similar to most weeks, the shows followed the same format, with Mrs Mills, Easy Beat, Two Way Family Favourites. Movie Go-Round featured James Stewart in “The Rare Breed” Television – Saturday it was Cricket & Grandstand, Juke Box Jury with David Jacobs and his guests – Juliet Harmer, Englebert Humperdink, Dann Ellis & Sarah Ward. Later in the evening we were treated to “ The Beatles at Shea Stadium” the August 1965 US Television Special featuring also Sounds Incorporated. Also in the schedule “Till Death Do Us Part”, The Good Old days with Leonard Sachs and Match of the Day with Ken [they think it’s all over] Wolstenholme. The Midnight Movie on BBC2 was “Privates Progress”. Sunday nights viewing included The Edinburgh Tattoo, the film matinee – Road to Singapore with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby & Dorothy Lamour. Ted Ray and McDonald Hobley led the It’s a KO competition between Ilkey & Otley, we also had European Swimming Championships, Disney Time and a Ken Dodd Show [ not sure when that finished!] and The Sunday Prom. The cultural offering on BBC2 was Mozart from Salzburg – The Marriage of Figaro. Because this was a Bank Holiday, and many did not have to work on Monday, television had on offer cricket & Grandstand, Tim Gudgin filming “Life Savers” with the RAF Rescue Service. Town & Around, United [the football soap] Billy Smarts Circus, a Brian Rix Farce and a Sherlock Holmes drama. Radio with BBC Light Programme included – Happy Holiday Time with DDDBMT, David & Jonathan, Ray Macvay Showband introduced by Tony Hall. Monday spin with Sam Costa, Going Places with the Geof Love Orchestra. The Billy Cotton Band Show, the regular music programme Swing into Summer and Keith Fordyce introduced items from the Lennon & McCartney Song Book.
Out on the waters we still had the music from Radio Caroline South – Small Faces: All or Nothing, Beatles: Yellow Submarine, Ken Dodd; More than Love, Manfred Mann: Just like a woman, Chris Andrews: Stop that Girl. Radio London Big L 266 Meters –Big O: Too Soon to Know, Small Faces: All or Nothing, Cliff Bennett: Got to get you into my life, Lee Dorsey : Working in a Coal Mine, Zoot Money: Big Time Operator. That was in a nutshell what we are about 50 years ago here in Hastings & St Leonards, for many the summer was quickly drawing to a close, schools and colleges returning shortly and the thoughts of getting more permanent jobs. In many ways we were still very lucky as the 900th celebrations of The Battle of Hastings, would continue for many weeks. The weather had improved and perhaps this would last a little longer. Until next week and we enter into the Autumn you all take great care, if you’re going out and about this Bank Holiday Weekend enjoy yourselves.    Andre Palfrey-Martin ©2016

 

Summer season at The White Rock Theatre Hastings 1985

Colin Bell… My great friend Vernon took me to see Hinge & Bracket (George & Patrick) off Piccadilly in the early 70’s before they became famous. To this day they remain the funniest live act i’ve ever seen, had me literally crying with laughter. So subtle and so hilarious.

Colin Fox… Black a White minstrel show eh? De camptown ladies sing this song doo dah doo dah

Stuart Moir… That was full of fantastic voices all blacked up like a jar of jam

Ralph Town… I saw Lenny Henry….mighty funny.

Andy Ives… I saw Lenny Henry that year too

JR’s Niteclub Holmesdale Gardens Hastings 1984

Who remembers JR’s when it was in Holmesdale Gardens?

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Only remember it under The Queens Hotel?

Gary Thomas… I remember JR’s nightclub in Holmesdale Gardens. I was just a kid and I lived next door at Clifton Court. My main memory of it was one evening Frank Bruno and his manager at the time Terry Lawless turned up in a car. Frank spent ages combing his hair and I was too shy when he eventually got out to ask for an autograph.

Martin Richter… interesting club

Jim Breeds… What’s the restaurant called?

Matt Thomas… Was never a fan of that club, very cliquey crowd

Ian Johnson… Yeah and right next door to the nurses accomodation

Carl Ridley… Remember that night. Had a pic with Frank & me sitting in the racing car. Now that was back in the day.

Tony Court-holmes… did they not have a fish tank there somewhere

Martin Richter… wasn’t the whole bar a fish-tank ?

Malcolm Sharp… Changed to the Hermitage later i believe.  I live at the hermitage, or block of flats built in the eighties, def remember a club here with that name

Gary Thomas… yep rebuilt after JR’s moved to the town centre. The link in the Observer shows the old Hermitage building.

 

 

did you have a fireplace like this?

shared from: inspired villages https://www.facebook.com/inspiredlifeuk/

Inspired Villages… No exposed brick or fancy log burners, this is what a proper fireplace looked like back in the fifties, who had one like this?

Jim Peckham… We still have one but I built a new one over it

Gerry Powell… I’m not boasting but my house in London had two! Coincidentally a builder has just bought the house next door and today removed the same.

Deborah Ewing… Still have four of them in my house now. One with a parkray coal burner in it x

Jackie Hersee… We did

Graham Matthews… Had some of those.

Paul Huggett… EXACTLY like that Alan!!

Mark Hallam… Used to have one

Martin Waghorne… Yep ripped it out.

Linda Day… Yes hated it, well gone

Gary Benton… Alan, do you remember that ugly thing Cheryl & Paul had at Ashburnham road? Paul loved it, not so sure Cheryl did?

Lloyd Johnson… We had almost the same one in Clifton road ,Ore…

Rowena Christodoulou… We still have one like this

Lance Collins… And a toasting fork

Jacquie Hinves… My nana did in Barley Lane.

Alan Vale… We had one until I removed it

Elaine Stock… we had one very similar

Ray Binnning… Almost the same as that one.

Jacqueline Marsh… Have taken many out over the years of buying and selling houses

Martin Stoggell… Looks awfully familiar

Fred Marsh… yes, with a clock on the mantlepiece with all the bills stuffed behind it

Carol Ann Bolton… We’ve still got one.

Tony Court-holmes… love them

Robert Fisher… my late father in is infinate wisdom ripped them all out.

John Coleman… Still got one!

Diane Leigh… Had one when moved in got hot water when fire alight now got brick fire place back boiler was taken out when central heating put in.

Patrick Biggs… Were they all cream and brown

Sandra Thompsett… Ours was

Michael Barrington… Still have two of them

Alan King… where’s the fire guard ?

Tony Court-holmes… in the fire station

Sophie Ash… Had exactly the above design. Without it, the room is now both bigger and happier.

The Happy Ballroom Hastings Pier, The Who & more 21st August 1966 by Andre Martin

13996116_10208663330198699_3776230147361388744_o

14047170_10208663334238800_5572518442096445249_o

supplied by: Andre Palfrey-martin collection

The month continues and we are now almost at the next Bank Holiday Weekend. However it is still only Saturday 20th August 1966, over on the Pier the entertainment continues to attract many different visitors and residents alike. This Saturday it is the return of one of the most popular regular bands that appear in the Happy Ballroom – Tony Strudwick Big Band Party Night. The big attraction for the young people comes on Sunday with a return visit from The Who – the band had been recently on major tours in France and would shortly being going to Scandinavia, their music included such standards as Heatwave, Dancing in the Street, Barbra Ann and Daddy Rolling Stone, plus I Can’t Explain, Substitute, I’m Boy, A legal Matter & My Generation. They were working on their second album at the time – “A Quick One”. Tuesday it was Wrestling and in addition to the “Sensational American Style Tag team Contest” included in the bill was the Heavyweight contest between Steve Veidor and Al Fontayne. The week ended with Tony Strudwick Show Band. Friday night [19th] it was a great start to the weekend with the visit to “Ready Steady Go” Cathy and Keith in the hot seats and presenting live in the studio Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers : Got to get you into my Life, Salena Scott : I am Yours, Manfred Mann : Just Like a Woman & You gave me somebody to Love, Twice as Nice & The Who : A legal Matter & I’m a Boy. This would also have seen one of the very first appearances of Mike d’Abo in the new line up for Manfred Mann, with Paul Jones having left earlier in the summer. The Witch Doctor following its summer schedule of groups only on Saturday Night – this week it was a visit for the Oxford group Felders Orioles and the Yes “n” No. On Sunday Night it was a Record Rave and the rest of the week advertised as “ make sure you’re in the In crowd”
Let’s take a look at what was on radio, BBC Light Programme for Saturday – 10.00am Saturday Club – Brian Matthew introduced Manfred Mann, Twice as Nice, The Fourmost, Friday Brown & The Checkmates. Later in the day on Swing into Summer included Barron Knights, Acker Bilk, Clinton Ford, Ivy League, Billy J Kramer, Pinkertons Assorted Colours, Searchers, Jackie Trent & Wout Steenhaus. With the football season being under way, another feature on Saturday Afternoon – Association Football was back followed by Sports Report. In the evening it was time for BlackPool Night with Ken Dodd, Mrs Mills and Freddie Davies. A regular visit to the Promenade Concerts would have been followed with Time for Latin and Simon Dee.
On television – BBC 1 had Cricket with Brian Johnson, Peter West, Denis Compton and Richie Benaud, followed by Grandstand. Juke Box Jury this week with David Jacobs chairing –Don Moss, Patsy Ann Noble, Meg Wynn Owen and Fred Emney on the panel. Later in the evening the programmes included Laurel 7 Hardy, Creicket, Till Death us do Part, The Troubleshooters and a Visit to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo with Tom Fleming giving the commentary.  On Sunday we had a choice of BBC Light Programme – David Nixon, Children’s Favourites, Mrs Mills and Easy Beat. The forces link up this week at noon would include London Koln and Borneo, later in the afternoon it was the Morecomb & Wise radio Show, Movie Go Round – How to steal a Million with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole. Singe something simple followed by Steptoe & Son. Sunday half hour this week came from HMPrision Exeter. A womens hour special from Moscow was followed by Jazz scene. Over on television there was “It’s a KO” between Lytham St Annes and Fleetwood, and Ked Dodd from Blackpoo was another high light of the day
Over on the Pirate ships, this week’s charts would include Big L Radio London: Small Faces: All or Nothing, Ken Dodd : More than Nothing, Beatles : Yellow Submarine, Napoleon XIV : They’re coming to take me away, Ha Ha. Cliff Bennet & The Rebel Rousers : Got to get you into my Life. Over on Caroline South – Beatles : yellow Submarine, Beach Boys : God only Knows, Lovin Spoonful : Summer in the City, Mamas and Papas : I saw her again last night, Los Bravos : Black is Black. Here we are at the end of the week, and from records it shows that the weather went from warm in the early days to wet and cooler towards the end, I do recall that we had several days of heavy rain towards the end of the month, so much so that on some of the bus routes, the water came under the doors and made the floor a little wet and slippery. The 900th celebrations continue towards their climax on 14th October, and the town was decked out with bunting and flags making it very festive. Until next week episode, all take care out in the big wide world and watch this space for events and changes that are about to take place.
Andre Palfrey-Martin © 2016

Here’s The Who a few weeks later at Felixstowe on 8th Sept 1966.

Andre Martin… OMG – Lynne that would  have been within 200 yds of my Uncles house in Felixstowe, I wonder if my Lynne cousin would have been at that.

Peter Fairless… Hastings Pier 21st August, 50 years ago, today!

Andre Martin… As you say Pete, 50 years ago almost to the minute – the headline bands would start their act around 9.00pm/9.15pm to ensure that it was completed by the early Sunday Closing hours. No quite sure if that was the National Licencing Hours or Bob Knight’s Rules !!

Jim Breeds… Thanks as always Andre for an entertaining piece. Ked Dodd from “Blackpoo” boggles the mind, though! 🙂

Andre Martin… I could say a typo – but if you have ever work with Ken Dodd, you never knew when he would end, I have seen him stretch out a 1hrs cabaret for over 3 hours ! so I left the last “l” untill the show wnds. Hope your feeling better and enjoying getting out and about.

Did you ever party all night and still go to work?

post shared from Amanda Purser, suggested by Yvonne Ellis

Eric Harmer… Oh yes. Went straight from parties to work

Alan Esdaile… Life was a gas!

Tim Moose Bruce… Be interesting if it a fancy dress party.

Julian Humphries… isnt that just called being young

Mick Turner… Yes! But you still managed to crawl to work, although not a good feeling

Pete Prescott… Yep ! That’s why I look like I do!

Janine Hemsley… Indeed

Tony Court-holmes… all the time

Dee Pavey… Yes all the time

Roy Trunchion… yep.

Mike Waghorne… I remember going to a weekend festival for 3 days in Lincoln getting back about 5am 2 hours sleep ? and up at 7am for work dont ask how I managed that day !

Elaine Stock… Yes quite often, Thur/Fri/Saturday, always went to work the following morning!

Matt Thomas… You tell me Alan, did I and was it obvious?

John Ward… Many many times.

Julie-Findlay-jones… Oh yes lol.

Jacquie Hinves… That’s what I was going to say Pete. Yes absolutely.

Graham Matthews… Oh yes, one weekend went to Toffs club in Folkestone on Friday night with a band then on to a Festival for a Film being made where I first saw Pink Floyd in 1970 aged 15, got home 6.30am Monday morning, quick clean up and cycle to work. Fell asleep going down a hill and wrote the bicycle off

Steve Thorpe… Yep, many times

Jo Turner… Too many times

Karen Sweatman… To be honest, I think I was still drunk on a few occasions!!!

Martin Stoggell… What’s work?

Kerry Jo Scotcher… Oh yes

Jules Stretton… Frequently

Jane Hartley… Yes and worked 2 jobs without sleep!

Ricky Long… Of coarse happy days xxx

Terry Har… All my life still do, well did

Jason Stainer… Yup. Early to mid 90s, DJing 5 nights a week in clubs and holding down an 830 to 5 day job.

Steve Reents… Still do every day.

Jill Lawrence… Lol yeah !!

Julie Finch… Of cause straight from party to work 12 hrs shift great times

Stuart Moir… I played till 3 in the morning many times and went to work at 9am

Read more