Day: 1 March 2025

The Skatalites – Hastings College dance at The Dolphin Ballroom 1st March 1968

by

Catherine Ireland… Love them

Pete Fisher… Probably would have been down the youth club back then (can’t remember which one) dancing to quite a few ska hits with my mate and his mod/turning skinhead friends…weird and pretty sad that such a cool fashion/music scene morphed into the hooligan thing…played on the same festival bill as the Skatalites a few times in the 2000s, so got to see them live at last…

Mick O’Dowd… Such a good band. Underated. Saw them on Pier on an all-nighter. Fab! Still going today.

Alan Pepper… Wow ! Love to have been there . Wonder how many witnessed this gig ?

Chris Wilson… I was there. The College also had the Skatalites at a Christmas gig held in the restaurant area at the college, probably Xmas 1967. Both gigs were amazing, hot, sweaty, great. I saw them at Concord 2 in Brighton about a year or so ago too. Brilliant band even though most of the surviving members must be in their 70s/80s!!

Colin Bell… I have written many times over the years in my columns & reviews how i could never get into Ska/Reggae, but i have a soft spot for The Skatelites & their ‘Guns of Navarone’ single it brings back fond memories of when i first became a DJ in 1968

Mick O’Dowd… Fantastic band and still touring the world today. Saw them on the Pier.

Who else was born at Fernbank Old London Road Hastings?

by

3rd March 1977

Ian Cramp… My kids were born at The Buchanan

Steve Cooke… Oh yes, I was. Photo explains a lot about me I feel. Very Hammer House!

Steve Mann… Me

Paul Crimin… Why does a book by Charles Dickens leap to mind when I look at the picture of this building?

John David Martin… And me

Terry Corder… No me, I was born in St. Helen’s Hospital, but I used to pass Fern Bank twice a day going to and from school.

Samantha Blake… I was in 1967 x

Andrew Blake… I was in 1969 and so was my other half in 1973

Alan Esdaile… apparently the nurse dropped the scissors with me, when the chord was being cut.

Pauline Richards… Am not admitting to the year!

Ann Graves… My daughter was born there in 1969

Chris Meachen… My birthplace in 1955… Dad was a bus conductor, & would get his driver to stop in old london road, then run up to give mum flowers or chocs..

Stephanie Blackledge… My sister Nicky Dann

Nicola Dobson… I was born there in 1952

Tony Davis… I was

Margaret Trowell… Husband was born there in 1945.

David Edwards… Yep!

Sam Rosewell… My brother was born there in 1972 and I remember being taken there to see him and my mum! I think my dad may also have been born there in 1949

Read more

Who remember Embassy Vouchers?

by

Ian Quinnell… Yep, and Kensitas vouchers too

Jeff McCall… I went up to London to College in 1971 and bought my tools with Embassy vouchers and ended up sharing a room with a guy whose father worked in Sheffield for the Embassy voucher scheme!

Wendy Weaver… Players No.6 vouchers. Friends used to give them to me to add to the amount.

Jon McCallion… Yep remember them well

Chris Wood… If I remember correctly you had to smoke about half a million cigarettes to have enough to buy a folding deckchair which you needed cos you couldn’t breathe and needed frequent rests.

Paul Coleman… Yeh. Had hundreds of ’em. I obviously smoked too much! Lol.

Nigel Ford… Players No6 vouchers for me. I was surprised to find I had enough, being only a social smoker (school bus, pub etc…!) to get a car blanket. Very handy for my cold Triumph Herald 12/50 back seat….

Conan Howard… had loads of goodies from the catalog , back then there was a catalog shop in Lewisham that you could visit

Colin Gourley… Just found my dad’s 12th Edition of Embassy catalogue in good condition