Peter Bonner Presents Jon Hiseman (27th January 1983) Hastings Shop, Rock Jazz Workshop Diplocks and The Fender Hot Squad. 1983

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supplied by Roger Carey

Roger Carey… The Fender Hot Squad was held at Bonners Music Store Silverhill and I won a Fender TShirt for correctly answering a question about Jaco Pastorius.

Chris Meachen… I remember Jon Hiseman juggling drumsticks during his solo on the pier with ‘Tempest’. Found him very impressive…

Roy Penfold… As a teenager, spent far too long in Bonners drooling over the latest kit….

Janine Anne Scott… I knew Peter very well. I’m in contact with one of his sons still, Rick Bonner.

Ann Hohenkerk… It was an amazing shop, and Pete. Garry and Rick used to run a wide variety of workshops… Great times, great fun, and happy memories of working with them!

Mick Burt… I was there

Ernest Ballard… Great hand written poster. Before the printer and certainly before computers arrived

Geoff Peckham… Mick Parker’s still around and active – he tours a lot as Gilbert O’Sullivan’s MD. I play with him occasionally in The Hopdogs ceilidh band and The Lonnigans skiffle band. Great musician and lovely bloke.

Terry Pack… Rob Burns lives in New Zealand now. He is a University Professor, and has just finished writing a book about Progressive Rock (to which I made a small contribution).

Dave Weeks… Alan Murphy. Go West, mike and the mechanics? Died too young I believe.

Phil Little… SFX were a really good band. Used to see them at The Cricketers – Oval.

Paul Watson… I remember seeing Alan Murphy with the Hot Squad at a Bonners event in Diplocks, probably the same time. Great guitarist, left too soon.

Geoff Peckham… Mick Parker’s alive and well and living in West Sussex. I play with him occasionally. Lovely chap, great musician and is currently Gilbert O’Sullivan’s MD.

Ticket office Queens Road Hastings

supplied by Matt Thomas

John Wilde… Many coach tickets purchased in there.

Graham Sherrington… Bring back the 1970’s let me make less mistakes and nearly start again. But then its that Time travel paradox is it not.

Michael Wilson… Maidstone and District coach trips in the summer holiday. Windsor Safari Park, Dover Castle

Ralph Town… Remember times we sat in there waiting for a coach to Tonbridge to see my Nan

Paul Coleman… A tour to Brighton- 8 bob! Those were the days!

Peter Ellingworth… Remember it well…..former single deck Hastings Tramways Co. trolleybus no. 45 ? re-utilised as a ticket booth/office.I believe it is under restoration for putting back to working order somewhere….will check out when time allows. Along with the Guy open top t/buses ( ‘ Happy Harold ‘ – the sole survivor- and this only because it was kept back as a maintenance vehicle until being decked out for the 1953 Coronation and used subsequently ). These were used until the early part of WW2 when the first batch of Weyman t/buses were delivered followed by the Sunbeams in 1946, of which there is a superbly restored working one at The East Anglia Transport Museum.

Tracy Birrell… Gosh, yes, this brings back memories.

Peter Ellingworth… Further to my earlier comment : The former trolleybus no. 45, currently being restored I believe , and used for this M&D ticket office, was one of a batch of 50 single deckers and 8 open top double deckers of which ‘Happy Harold’ is the sole survivor, delivered to Hastings Tramways Co. at the start of trolleybus operation from trams in 1928.
They lasted until the first batch of new all enclosed double deckers, AEC/ English Electric with the first 10 having Weyman bodywork and the remainder Park Royal were delivered in May 1940. Two single deckers were kept in running reserve, of which one 45, was eventually utilised as the above ticket office staying thus until 1972. The Hastings Observer (no doubt written by either by “an Observer reporter” or ‘Round the Memorial’ by “Vigilant” himself), almost wet itself waxing lyrical with praise at the time of the 1940 delivery : “The new enclosed double deck trolley vehicles are a delight to travel in, being the last word in passenger comfort…..and purr through our streets in almost ghostly quiet….the general atmosphere of hush appears to be infectious ” etc. etc.etc. Of the original single deckers, which I remember my Mother saying were apt to brake very sharply, most were scrapped at Silverhill depot. 18 were transferred to other operators to make up for those destroyed during bombing raids. The remainder were kept in store until the end of hostilities in 1945. And double decker ‘Happy Harold’ formerly no 3., was kept back for use as an overhead equipment maintenance and running wire de -icing vehicle before being decked out for the 1953 Coronation, and subsequent use as a novelty on the likes of summer Sunday nights between the Bathing Pool and Fishmarket. Anybody remember this ? Date of the photo? Around 1964-66 I would say.

Peter Ellingworth… Simply Google in ‘Hastings Trolleybus no. 45″ – this gives a wealth of information about this vehicle, its history and what’s happening to it with a photo taken early in WW2 ? almost opposite along Queen’s Rd. of one of the single deckers still in public service outside the old Timothy Whites. Also photos of no.45 being used as a ticket office .

 

The Cresters & The Confederates – The Witch Doctor – 24th October 1964

supplied by Peter Millington https://pet842.wixsite.com/confeds-to-jinks

Mick Knights….Now that does take me back, I was there on the opening night to see the Nashville Teens!! 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!!!!

Peter Millington… The Cresters were so under-rated, we (The Confederates) were “gob smacked” they were fantastic! They were superb and such good individual musicians.

Mike Curtis… I saw Dave Curtis and The Tremors when I was on holiday at Butlins Clacton in 1963. First live band I ever saw.

 

Do you remember the football pools?

 

Alan Esdaile… Do you remember the football pools? Having to be very quite on a Saturday when your dad was listening to the results.

Paul James… Ahahahahahahaha my stepdad always played the pools, never won anything

Gerry Powell… Forfar 4, Fife 5 . . . . my dad did them in the 60’s and let me do a line. Still do a line “on-line”. Spot the Ball was also introduced by Littlewoods and at work as a syndicate we did it weekly in the early 70’s and I came away with over £400 which went a long way to pay for my first new car, a Ford Escort Mk1 1300E in Daytona Yellow. I had to do 500 “x’s” in a small square template and around 8 others did the same so we did not duplicate. It worked.

Kevin Burchett… my dad was in a syndicate at British Gypsum when i was a teenager i think there was a bout a dozen in the syndicate and they won dad ended it up with £290 it was quite a lot of money in them days and we all got new bikes from Lappys in queens road and we rode them home to netherfield

Yvonne Cleland… Oh yes! Every Saturday. Didn’t dare speak!

Mick O’Dowd… Yep! Always brings to mind the old Spike Milligan sketch( I think) or it might have been Michael Bentine reading the results.

Helen James… Had to check them with my Dad

Alan Esdaile… Michael Bentine, Mick.

Peter Howard… I used to pick a line for my Gran. She won £100 in about 1969 but my Grandad wouldn’t let her cash the cheque because he didn’t want the bank manager to know his wife did the pools

Dave Nattress… Indeed, my parents did it for years and it was a major operation with several companies holding their own draws. Littlewoods in Liverpool? I think was Mega and another was called “Zetters” – I think – only recall this because it was a strange name/word. Parents won a few quid now and again. Spot the ball I recall also.

Lyn Humphrey… I also recall having to be quiet at 4.50 pm. Just after I started my first job, my Dad won first dividend, & we began dreaming….only to find out that the small pools companies paid out far less. His share was two grand, which was still nice, but not life-changing (& I was so looking forward to life-changing).

Mark Eason… Not “quite” a memory of mine being “quiet” back then.

Karen Sweatman… My dad promised to take us to Disney if he won. I was old enough to realise that 37 and a half pence wasn’t enough. My sister wasn’t and cried for hours

Dave Nattress… Hi Lyn old friend, well, we’re about as old as each other are we not!  My parents won a few small amounts not life-changing for me either.  Still life’s been good enough without riches so far!

Pete Prescott… I remember my dad doing the football pools every week.

Joe Knight… About 1983 i stopped

John Warner… Got 8 draws once received £125, sick.

Lyn Humphrey… Hi Dave — Yes, I too have managed without the riches thus far, but I wouldn’t mind trying some…..though I’m not sure what life-changing would be, now!

Mick O’Dowd… My parents promised me a train set if they won. 10 years of waiting for a train that never arrived (Where’s Sarah Harvey when you need her!) I finally bought my own when I started work.

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Arthur Brown – Hastings Stadium Elphinstone Road 28th August 1967

Mick O’Dowd… I was there. Never heard of him before that day. Him, along with Geno Washington stole the show!

Edward Adams… I was there as well

Derek Woodgate… I was at the Hastings show. Got the piss taken out of me for wearing a kaftan. Someone shouted hey look its Cliff Richard and Sandy Shaw as my girlfriend was shoeless.

Lisa Jane… I believe that was the first (or one of the first) dates my parents went on