Month: February 2022

Watchfield Free Festival – August 1975

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supplied by Clive Richardson – photo 1 Hastings Crew including Steve Nicholls, Clive Richardson and Cliff Hesselden. 

Phil Gill… Stallion played there twice, Friday and Sunday. Steve Demetri and I drove there in his lime green Lotus Europa – the hippies on the gate hated us for that when we arrived. I vividly recall us driving west on the M4 and watching a plane take off right alongside us into the setting sun, whist we listened to Jeff Beck’s tune “Diamond Dust”…it was perfect…like being in a video. One of those moments that I still treasure.
We played a set, and later, we all slept out round a campfire in the open, no tents. The rain woke us around 4am, so Steve decided he and I should go home and have a fry up in the motorway services on the way. We spent Saturday night in The Nelson and went back on Sunday, this time in Steve’s brother’s Lotus Elan 2+2. The hippies on the gate decided to hate us again, this time even more than they did on the Friday. Maybe the Elan offended them more than the Europa… It was a fun weekend.

Pete Fisher… excellent anecdote Phil!

Geoff Peckham… I enjoyed that memory, Phil.

Dr Julie Coultas… We were trekking across England on horseback in August 1975 (long story). I am currently writing up the journal from that time. Thursday 28th August 1975 – it turns out we rode through the Savernake Forest and some kind people let us put our horses and tent on their lawn for the night. They then took us to the Watchfield Festival. My memories are of a band called Stallion. Oh and also the cabbage curry we gratefully consumed while we were at the festival!!

Phil Gill… Julie Coultas, pleased you enjoyed Stallion. I was the 19 year old bass player in the band and we had a fabulous time at that festival.

Iain Cobby… Hey Phil, I remember that Lotus!

Dr Julie Coultas… Phil – I am just writing about the Watchfield Fesitval for my book. I am a bit confused as your band, Stallion, must have been memaorable for me to write about it in my horsetrek journal. Can you imagine how surreal it was for us – we had been riding across England for 9 days and then we end up at Watchfield! My journal entry says that we saw you Thursday 28th August 1975? Any memories or anecdotes from that night would be gratefully received and I would be happy to include them in my book. Sadly, our memories of that time were clouded by substances other than alcohol so it may be me who has it wrong…

 

Fractional H.P. Motors Ltd The Ridge Hastings – advert 1970’s

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Nadia Compagnone… You so wouldn’t get away with that now! Amazing advert.

Mike Cramp… Youre so right. No-one would use inverted commas around the phrase ‘our goods’ these days.

James Turner… I worked in the paint shop in the 70’s

John Gale… James, was you there when it caught fire must have been about 1978? Maybe earlier?

Sheila Maile… I worked on Armature winding for 9 months in 1972.

Nicola Dobson… I used to be Telephonist /Receptionist there

Julie Findlay-Jones… My daddy worked there for many years till he retired.

Christine Swain… I worked there Fantastic . Friends made for life from 1968 .It was a great place to work

Judy Atkinson… I worked for the sales manager there 1978/9 at the Castleham site

John Gale… My dad worked there for a bit. We both worked at the other factory on Castleham too. I worked there during my summer holidays 1977, in the Fettling room and the Foundry. I remember being there the day Elvis died.

Liz King… I worked there in the seventies doing the wages with lovely Ethnie (sorry wrong spelling) and lovely Melanie.

 

Who remembers Images the pub? – Hastings Feb 1985

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DJ’s John Dean, Simon Quinn, Terry James and Simon Veness

Steve Mann… Won the music quiz one year. Plus Thursday night normally had a bottled beer promotion

John Gale… Simon Veness was a great dj

Alan Wood… Still is on Hastings Rock

Jamie… Used to know Quinny. Was a good bloke.

Coleen Wickens… Oh my god yes lol

Peggy Harrison and Freddie? The Carlisle Hastings 1960’s

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supplied by Graham Harrison

Graham Harrison… photo of my mum singing in the Carlisle pub Hastings around the 1960`s when i was a teenager and went to see her singing.

Ricky Long… Janine, was that Freddie Scowen on pianist. Xx

Janine Hemsley… Ricky, I believe it is too xx

Ricky Long… Did a lot of gigs with Fred great piano player.xx

Andy Qunta… What a great photo to have!

Terry James R.I.P.

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Alan Esdaile… Very sad news, our thoughts go out to Mo and her family x

Malcolm Sharp… Lovely guy, remember terry in the havelock in the 80s, and doing town crier judge, rip my friend, condolences to all

Tim Moose Bruce… I remember Terry and Mo at the social club events.

Linda O’leary… Terry. Used to work in a petrol station near me years ago lovely chats we use to have sorry to hear this sad news

Merv Kennard… First met terry when he first started at c&h early 1970s. Ended up djing with him early 1980s.

Alan Pepper… So sorry to hear this sad news. Our hearts go out to Mo and all the family. Terry was such a great man and a good friend. Will be sadly missed.

 

Anna Karen R.I.P.

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photo: unknown

more information… https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60490252

Paul Cullen… So sad

Harry Norcliffe-hic… Such a shame x

Tracy Howell… Liked her r.i.p xx

Linda O’leary… Very sad

Jill Green… Rip

Margaret Trowell… How very horrifying and sad. RIP Anna

Carole Prescott… Terrible circumstances. RIP Olive.

Robert Searle… Thats horrible news RIP Anna

Barry Upton… That’s sad

Malcolm Robinson… Terribly sad

Leigh Mitchell… Oh how awful, I was only talking about her yesterday!

Carol Cooksey… So sad

Andy Guainiere… Such a sad end……….

Andy Warren… RIP. Funny lady.

Julie Findlay-jones… Oh how aweful, sleep well funny lady, you were a delight to watch.

Janine Hemsley… That is tragic

Josie Syer… Poor lady,such a horrific death.R.I.P

Alice K Blakemore…Omg such a funny lady. Be missed

Wendy McGee… So sad

Phil Scott… That is terrible news, So sad to hear this

Colin Bell… so sad

Monica Bane… So very sad

Pete Prescott… Very sad

Jacquie Hinves… Oh goodness. That’s is so terrible sad. She was a true star . I loved “on the buses”RIP.

Lyn Farkley Appleyard… This is so sad…Rip Anna. You will be missed x

Andy Qunta… Very sad!

Hayley OBrien… I ate you butler is my reminder from that comedy

Sainsbury’s Cambridge Road Hastings August 1974

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James Read… Got a lot of memories from working there over a four year period 80 – 84.

Jonathan Rudd… Ben, too

Sheila Maile… Used it all the time when we lived in town till it closed

John Gale… Started shopping there regularly in 1987 and still shop with them regularly now… Home delivery once a week, very reliable

Andy Coleman… I remember the old one, I think Nationwide is there now, used to go with my Gran to help her with the shopping. Individual counters where you asked for what you wanted and given it in bags.

Nadia Compagnone… I remember all the staff being dressed in very clean white overalls and everything being behind glass counters. No helping yourself off shelves.

Angela Frances Gardner… This makes me feel sad as I went to meet my mother there on December 7th 1983 not knowing that she had died the evening before , I found out an hour after I had gone to meet her.

Gill Harrod… Look at those opening hours – closed Sunday AND Mondays! And special late night shopping to 8pm Thursday and Friday! When people who worked in retail could have a life!

Ian Johnson… Should bring back the opening hours for the staff

Cris Kennard… I worked in Sainsbury’s Cambridge Rd prior to its opening in the 70’s to the public we had a tour of the building and basement areas. After opening we could buy any out of date food for a pittance as long as some cash went through the tills at end of shift.

Lorna Brazier… I used to work there back in 82.

Dawn… My mum used to be a Tesco fan but when Sainsburys opened she was drawn there instead, especially as the bus stop was right outside!

The Great Storm of 1987

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photos by Michael Martin and Jimmy Burke. Hastings Observer.

Wendy Weaver… Lost almost all of our roof in the 87 storm.

Gill Harrod… Todays storm certainly similar!

Matt Thomas… Gill, I don’t think nowhere near in comparison

Tara Reddy… Many roofing businesses started up that year!!

Lorna Brazier… And that’s just a small fraction of the damage across Hastings & St Leonards in 87.

Christopher Parry… I was at sea during that storm,I’m just saying. I remember those days!

Monica Bane… Great pics, Still have the newspaper from that year!

Paul Collins… Looks like a piano landed on the roof of The Cricketers

Steve Beerling… I was working on the building as a labourer in the 87 storm and remember going up ladders the next morning repairing roofs and it was still pretty blowy up on them. Pretty daunting.

Alan Frost… I had just painted the cooling towers at Gatwick when the storm hit, my manager and myself were on top of the cooling towers tieing down a sheet to stop the rain washing our paintwork off

Ian Johnson… I remember that storm I put my Grandads roof back on the next day in the rain with Ivan

Amanda Hilton… I’d been at work as a control Operator for East Sussex Fire Brigade for 6 weeks it was a massive learning curve. Nothings fazed me after that. I retired after 34 years service .

Nicola Dobson… Worst night of my life

Broadoak Studios… I slept through that one!

Neil Cartwright… Our fence picked up and flew like a frisbee into our conservatory.

Dawn… Slept through it and total shock when I woke up. My dad however, worked through the night at Beauport Caravan Site to keep everyone safe. Lots of trees down – Scary stuff!