Day: 19 January 2024

Manor Road Garage, Manor Road, Hastings

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photo: © Katy Howard Was Parsons

https://www.facebook.com/katy.howardwasparsons

Katy Howard… Found a little photo that brought back many happy memories of growing up in Manor Road along with my brother Ollie. My parents Peter and Diane Parsons ( sitting on van) owned the garage for many years from the early 70’s. Dad sadly passed away in 89 and mum carried on running it until 2002 when she sadly also passed away. We lived in the house above. Such fond memories of all the kids I used to play out on the street with and the men that worked there.

Graham Sherrington… amazing how a mundane old photo can be so eye catching today!

Kay Lobb… Remember your mum and dad well, Katy. And your grandparents. As soon as I saw the photo, it reminded me of bygone times in Hastings. Your mum made my bridesmaids dresses back in 1975. Lots of love to you.

Keith Veness… Worked with your Dad at Winstone Engineering

Gary Benton… I believe Bill Brewster worked there during that time.

Alan Esdaile… I remember my school friend Michael Short lived here in the house above and visited many times, back in the day.

David Martin… Katy, your dad worked for me & my dad at Winstone Engineering he was a great worker & all round good guy

Roy Truncheon… Used to use it when we lived in Manor Road.

Unnormality Records and The Good Missionaries 1980

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6. Jan 1980

Stuart Huggett… “I have thought of bringing bands down to play, people like The Fall, The Pop Group and Throbbing Gristle.”

Keith Rodway… I’d forgotten all about this! RIP Dave George.

Tony Ham… I’ve got the Good Missionaries Deranged In Hastings single, bought it from Mason’s Music.

Alan Esdaile… Looks like its worth around £20 now Tony.

Tony Ham… I was just about to say, I just looked it up on Discogs, think I paid about 20p.

Nashville Teens – The Witch Doctor 17th July 1964.

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all cuttings Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

Andre Martin…..OK Mick – time to wallow in memories – from the Hastings Observer July 1964

Mick Knights….I was there, a innocent 15 year old!!! The first steps I ever took on a dance floor were there, the tune was Pretty Woman and the young lady didn’t hang around for a second one!!!!

Andre Martin… For those of you who follow The History of The Happy Ballroom – Hastings Pier on “Bands we’ve seen on Hastings Pier “you will know that we have moved to the start of a period of change and great competition, and I could not let this week go, without posting something of what was going to happen – The arrival of The Witch Doctor. I do not intent to write a weekly blog of who, what, where and when – but this was the weekend -17th/18th July 1964, FIFTY YEARS AGO. These had been some simple trails posted in the Hastings & St Leonards Observer, but I don’t think that many people had any idea of exactly what the Witch Doctor was going to be. We were soon to find out – in simple terms it was very difference to what we had experienced in the past in Hastings & St Leonards, it brought the entertainment potential right bang up to date. The ownership of the club can be traced back to Manchester and the Chain of nightclubs called Mr Smiths, these were expanding into the South and in particular around London, operating under the name of The Witch Doctor, and for whatever reason, we end up with one in St Leonards, in Marine Court, above the Dolphin Ballroom. The Opening night featured The Nashville Teens as Top of the Bill, but what was to make even more publicity, that went national the next day, was the story of a young lady from Hastings, the daughter of a well know lawyer who ended up in London with the lead vocalist from the group and being returned home by the Metropolitan Police – have withheld the names and the file is sealed. If the readers want to find out more, I will leave that to you. With this new venue in place the entertainment scene in the area would change quite dramatically and we would become all part of this change, leaving us to this day with memories both good and bad, happy and sad.Above are a few images from the local newspaper from all those years ago, I apologise that some of the images are poor – but this was 50 years ago, and the quality of newsprint in those days, does not survive well.

Peter Fairless… Was it open long enough, with enough visiting acts, to sustain it’s own group? What do people think?

Andre Martin…The Witch Doctor 17 July 1964 – 7 October 1967 – it was closed for refurbishment and Opened as the Cobweb till Dec 1970. Lots of visiting acts, etc small compared to the Pier, maximum around about 450 [ slightly more when using the Bob Knights method counting attenders !

Peter Fairless… Is the space still there, Andre?

Andre Martin… Converted back to offices in the 1970s, when the club was moved in name to the old town and re opened as the Aquarius – the site in Marine was badly damaged on NYE 70 with a bad fire.

Terry Wallis… I think I saw Nashville Teens and may have been opening night? Mind you I would have only been 15 then, perhaps I dreamed I went! 😀

Alan Esdaile… interesting they are advertising a band 4 plus 1, is this the same as unit 4 plus 2 which one less musician?

Steve Maxted… what a gem, to see a billing of the opening night of the Witchdoctor. Andre has a wealth of information, well done.

Ronald Burgoyne… I was there.

Lloyd Johnson… I went to that gig…and Sue Penry -Davey run off with one of the group.It made the National Newspapers and she was finally tracked down to Earl’s court at his flat…They came straight from Ready! Steady! Go! for The Witch Doctor gig and they hung out in Hastings over the weekend…

 

Cliff Richard & The Shadows – ABC Cinema Hastings – 27th March 1963

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supplied by Andre Martin Collection

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 supplied by….Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

cliff 1962

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supplied by Tony Davis – gig list including Hastings inside the cd.

Phil Gill….I was there, aged 6. It was the most awesome thing I’d ever seen. Better even than when my dad’s shotgun exploded and knocked him flat on his back, which was the most awesome thing I’d seen up to then. Eight weeks short of my seventh birthday then. Used to have my copy of the programme, not sure if I do now though.

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Plummers Record Department Robertson Street Hastings 1967/1968 (then Debenhams)

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Leigh Wieland-Boys… My first job when I moved to Hastings was at Plummer Roddis in 1971, no record department then

Jim Breeds… I think there were other Plummers branches? Maybe this was an advert for that. It doesn’t say “Roddis” in the ad as far as i can see.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Ah, thought it was PR as Alan said it was now Debenhams

Alan Esdaile… Advert came from Hastings Observer. Remember the record department being on the 3rd floor, not sure what year it closed. They had 5 or 6 record listening booths, so used to be on our record shop listening tour on a Saturday. Odd memory, I remember buying Janie Jones Witches Brew single from the cheap box.

Patrick Lewis… There was a record department in the late 60’s. I remember seeing a number of Beach Boys albums which you didn’t usually see in other local record stores.

Alan Pepper… Wow ! Great ad . I don’t remember seeing this but would love to use the Time Machine and go back . Would buy anything Bluebeat or Vertigo swirl label ! Anyone else ?

Jim Breeds… in her right hand is the Supremes, but what is she holding in her left?

Richard J Porter… With thanks to Revolvy. Plummer Roddis was a chain of department stores based in the South of England which was acquired by Debenhams.
History…
Plummer Roddis started out as separate companies in the 19th Century. William Plummer started out as a draper in Hastings and in 1871 had a store at 3 Robertson Street, before opening another store in Southampton the corner of Above Bar and Commercial Street. George Roddis in 1870 was listed as a draper in Market Harborough, but by 1881 was a partner in a drapers & milliners called Roddis & Goldsmith at 1-2 Robertson Street, Hastings. In the late 19th Century William Plummer, George Roddis and Reginald Tyrrell, a Bournemouth draper, joined forces to create Plummer, Roddis and Tyrrell but in 1898 Reginald Tyrrell relinquished their partnership to concentrate on his other business Tyrrell & Green and the business became Plummer Roddis. The business continued to grow opening branches in Boscombe, Brighton, Bath, Eastbourne, Folkestone, Andover Weymouth, and Yeovil. The business was celebrated by being mentioned in H. G. Wells book Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul.
In 1927 the Hastings store was rebuilt by renown architect Henry Ward (he also designed the additions to the Brighton store), while the Southampton store and Bournemouth store were extensively rebuilt, the last work before World War II being completed at Bournemouth to the designs of the architect Jonathan Makepeace in 1938. The head office of the Plummer Roddis group was based in Sillwall Road, Brighton.
During the Second World War the Southampton store was destroyed by German bombing, and operated out of different locations across the city until a new store was completed in 1965. However, by this time Plummer Roddis had been bought by Debenhams, who invested in a new branch to be built in Guildford, which opened in 1968. In the early 1970s the stores were rebranded as Debenhams, except for the Southampton store. In 1972 the Bournemouth store was re-opened as a Debenhams by Terry Wogan, but for the store to be closed down a year later when Debenhams rebranded the Bobby & Co. store in the town. The Boscombe branch had been closed the previous year. By 2014 the only Plummer Roddis stores that operated as Debenhams still open were Guildford and Hastings. The Southampton store continued to operate under the Plummer Roddis name until 14 August 1993, when the store closed its doors for the last time. The store is now home to a teaching centre for Southampton Solent University.

 

 

SMART coffee meet no.70 Friday 19th January 2024

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The next SMART coffee meet is on Friday 19th January 2024. Hopefully you can make it and please mention it to other like minded people. We usually do one, every other month but due to Christmas, the next one won’t be until January. Thank you as always for your support and would like to wish you a very happy Christmas and healthy new year. Don’t forget if you are seeing any relatives or friends over the Christmas period and think they might have some old photos that are suitable for the website, then this would be very much appreciated. Very best wishes. Alan

Claire Lonsdale… Happy Christmas to you Alan . I hope you enjoy the festive season. Xx

Mick O’Dowd… Remember to make a New Years Resolution if you’ve not been before. Make it in 2024 and see the superman who runs the whole shabang and is known as Alan Esdaile Johnny Mason.

Colin Norton… I really hope that I can make it one day! Would love to meet everyone!