Alan Esdaile

Better known as international disc jockey Johnny Mason. Currently re-living his mis-spent youth through this web-site.

Trevor Webb – Eversfield Place St Leonards 1966

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supplied by Trevor Webb

Trevor Webb… One of my Favourite photos taken 1966 by Hastings pier with view of Eversfield Place Central St Leonard’s .

Peter Houghton… I remember the cafe just behind you and that building next door must have been pulled down because i remember it was waste ground and people parked their cars there

Chris Meachen… The Lido coffee bar back there somewhere.. Hangout of ‘greasers’ where I spent a fair bit of my early teens.

Andre Martin… This must have been taken summer 66, the building behind the group with scaffolding was being demolished to clear the eyesore opposite the Pier where the Queen would visit on 14th October to see the Triodome. Yes there was a temporary car park on that site, which now is flats

Richard J Porter… Jacqui remembers it well. Her parents were Civic knees up.

Carol Paffett… Many a good evening sitting in the Lido , great coffee

The promenade and Warrior Square St Leonards-on-Sea

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photo: Phil Sellens https://www.flickr.com/photos/phil_sellens/

Mace Sinden… Yellow was popular that year

John Wilde… Mace, I think the colourist was colour blind.

Kev Towner… John, Kodachrome

Pauline Richards… What year roughly?

Peter O’Donnell… I wish it looked like that

Stuart Moir… Not a sign of p**s h***s

Clive Garrard… 1960 Pauline, that is my guess

Pauline Richards… If its 1960 then the green covered item next to phone box is my granddad s sit on weighing scales!

Christine Swain… Pauline, how lovely I was going to say late 50s early 60s By the clothes xxx

Averil Mangan… Great memories of wonderful holidays with family and friends.

Cilla Ball… Going by the cars I’d say late 50’s early 60’s. It looks lovely

Trina Ransom… Does anyone remember the fish you could ride on to bottle alley, I think it was a dolphin?

David Wallis… Trina, Jim the Jolly Fish

Trina Ransom… David, I remember my nan letting me go on it

Becky Ozdamar… Before street sign clutter!

Jayne Elizabeth… Those were the days

Julie Findlay-jones… Jayne, yes it was so much nicer

Robert Brand… Look how good the roads are then!

Reece Burton… If only it was like the picture now

Ken Robinson… Looks lot cleaner

Ellis Waghorne… Looked nice then. Now it’s a dump

Mike Higson… Remember it so well

Matt Freeborn… When it was nice

Sara Stevens… Oh wow a very very old photo of hastings seafront

Carole Watson… Shame its not like that now.

Dean Stretton… It looks better then than it does now.

Peter Ellingworth… Taken early to late fifties latest I would think- note the then newish black coloured Ford on the Warrior Square lawn side, amongst the older cars, were these not first introduced in 1952-3 ? …I’ve seen this photo somewhere before, has this one been tinted/colourised ? One giveaway would be to able to more clearly identify the buses in the background : pre-June 1st. 1959 and it would most likely be the trolleybuses. Of the three shown, the middle one has the small rounded corners of the rear platform window which they had. The traction standards that carried the overhead wiring are still in place (mainly opposite the lamp -posts and in the distance by Marine Court) – but these were not all removed until well into 1960, ( three still remain: two in the Silverhill Beaufort Rd. depot and one at the top of the High St.), although I think the sea front was made first priority of removal for asthetic reasons, so it could still be sometime post June 1959 but not, I would think, into 1960.

Wendy Lovell… Great memories, I was living in Warrior Square in the early 60’s.

Peter Ellingworth… Another clue is that all the bus roofs are light coloured – until around 1956 the trolleybuses were still in Hastings Tramways livery with dark green roofs, whereas the M&D motorbuses were light cream, so I would say post 1956 but pre1960. The statue of Queen Victoria, almost out of sight on the Warrior Square side of the road, still sports a hole made by cannon fire from a low flying Nazi plane on one of their infamous hit-and-run raids in WW2. Is this a colourised version of one of Judge`s postcards?

David McCallum R.I.P.

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More details... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66919863

Stuart Moir… RIP David McCallum

Jen Jen Pen… RIP David

Bob Searle… Just turned 90 RIP

Christine Pachner…Everyone’s heartthrob in the 60s RIP

Pete Brazier… Can’t believe we were only congratulating him on his birthday the other day! He will be sadly missed by all his fans

Alan Esdaile… Very sad. Remember seeing him in loads of tv and film roles but loved The Man From UNCLE and Sapphire & Steel and not forgetting he was also in The Great Escape. R.I.P.

Kevin Carlyon… One of my favourite programmes in the 60s, The Man from Uncle

Claire Kelly-Triance… Grown up with him

Lyn Humphrey… Sad to hear. He was in so many TV series I watched with my mates in the ’60s & ’70s, particularly Man from UNCLE.

 

Does anyone remember Battersea Fun Fair? asks Colin Bell

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photo Stewart Townsend. Cover from the 2020 book. More details… https://joylandbooks.com/books_new/battersea-fun-fair.htm

Colin Bell… After recently watching the film, ‘The Day The Earth Caught Fire’ which featured lots of memories of Battersea Fun Fair, I wondered who else has memories of this fair?

Robert Carey… Worked right on Queenstown Roundabout in 60s and always over there. Great fun.

Paul Crimin… Sure do!

Steve Thorpe… Went there as a kid, I remember the high level walk through the trees and the water splash

Alan Esdaile… I remember going on The Rotor at Battersea funfair and probably about 9/10 years old. Excited to tell my mates at school and explaining it went really fast, then you got stuck to the wall when the floor disappeared. No one believed me!

Phil Little… Used to visit Battersea funfair when I first moved to London in 1972, it was one of the cheapest things to do.

Jane Hartley… I remember going as we had friends in South London, can’t be more specific though!

Colin Bell… The best thing for me was the Schweppes Grotto with its four caves ‘air’ ‘fire’ ‘earth’ and ‘water’ i’ll never forget crossing over the ‘molten lava’ in the fire cave, it was all magical for a 10 year old. The tree walk at night was amazing with its illuminated ‘dragons’ ‘pixies houses’ and animals etc. Then when you had seen all that next to it was the Guinness Clock with all its animations, a version of which came to Hastings seafront opposite the entrance to Robertson Street in the 1950’s. Different world but brings back so many happy memories in this grim time. Stay safe and well everyone x

Rick Pentecost… I went there a few times when I was very young. I loved it! Was there a Guinness Clock,- or did I imagine that?

Nicola Dobson… Yes my dad used to take me there..loved it and the roller coaster

Peter Houghton…My partner comes from Battersea And he used to ride the rides before the fun fair opened. And he used to work on some of the stalls + worked in the cafe there

Janet Horton… I had relatives in Middlesex at the time, it would be 1964 and I was 10. They took me to the fun fair, and I went in the grottos. Magic. It was funny at the time though, because I didn’t know you glowed purple and this woman came walking towards me. I thought she was a ghost, lol. Then she said, look at your own clothes and I was glowing purple. I remember it so well, we all laughed about it for ages.

G Tatton… In reply to Colin Bell, Yes I do 1969, School trip for a week in London.
Last night was spent at Battersea fun fair. My favourite was the motor boats three times on them. There was a governor on them below the accelerator, needless to say I wound mine down on one of them. We were under orders not to use the big dipper, because of our age. I’m watching , “Up The Junction” at the moment with Susan Kendal. The movie is from 1968. All about Battersea.

Dennis Torrance… Used to go there a lot late sixties with mates apart from the Big Dipper remember the gondola ride with mates there holding on tight to boat then seeing the walls go around we all cracked up lol

Charmaine Bourton… Yes I remember Battersea Funfair = a treat for good behaviour! Two of the girls who were injured in the 1972 Big Dipper accident went to my school Ravensboure School for Girls in Bromley. I remember seeing one in hospital on “News at 10” and the other was very seriously injured but survived.

Ruby Whitman… I went on a works outing to Battersea fun fair in the 50’s. I loved it. What’s in its’ place now?

David Gill… My girl friend and I when to the Battersea Fun Fare on a number of occasions, but one sticks out as being different. I was due to go into the RAF the next week and I wanted to leave my girl friend with something to remember me by. I won a teddy bear for her to cuddle only it was 5ft tall. Can you imagine trying to get on a tram with. 5ft teddy bear. We don’t have the teddy any more but more importantly we still have each other. In October we will have been married for some 62 years. But we still have a laugh at “teddies” expense. Dave and Pat Gill.

Jean Peck… (in reply to Colin Bell) Trying to trace the magical smell in the grotto. Aitkinsons perfumery of Mayfair London had some connection. They have moved to Italy. Wonder if Schweppes would have a record of it. Never forget that magical place. Our childhood treat .

 

ABC Acoustic Blues Club – Texas Blues – Jenny Lind Monday 9th October 2023

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Mick Knight… This month we are focusing on Texas blues. Featuring music from Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie Johnson, Leadbelly, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Mance Lipscomb. Thanks to everyone for your support. Having an interest in Blues and Ragtime music and for arriving early for the best seats….

Will Cornell… (he lives in Texas) Dang! I thought this was a new joint around HERE! Alright we’re going to retaliate with a Brit Invasion night somewhere here that night.

Neil Cartwright… Ha! Andy Bannister!! Where has he been hiding? Nice to see your name again.

Who used to smoke a pipe? Alexandra Hotel 26th September 1973

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Malcolm Sharp… just shown hastings pipe group

Dave Nattress…My dear departed (long since) Dad and a smelly, ‘orrible, stink the house out thing it was too!! Was much later in my life before I discovered a bit of Dark Shag for myself. Oops! Am I allowed to say this?

Mike Vawdrey… Smoked a pipe between 1964 – 9 because I thought it made me look intellectual and lent a certain gravitas ! (along with reading The Times although I really found it very boring). In the end decided it was a filthy habit. Genuinely liked the taste of some tobaccos such as Cope’s Escudo. Digger was bit rough however. St Bruno wasn’t bad or for a milder smoke Three Nuns , Edgeworth or some of the rather perfumed Dutch blends – Holland House ? ?

Martin Casson Agency pier gigs Sep – Nov 1974

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martin casson 1974

supplied by Roger Carey

Alan Esdaile… Interesting list of thank yous at the bottom. Anyone remember The Showstopper Boutique George Street?

Dave Nattress… Don’t recall Showstoppers but of course Huckells for hideous flares, definitely dodgy shirts and maybe even platform soled shoes and boots – or maybe the shoes would be somewhere else – what a plonker. This was my smooth stage after the weekend hippie and hair not cut for like 2 years stage. Saw Budgie and Medicine Head I think they would have played the pier more than once so not sure if either of these gigs. Don’t recall the Whistle Test gig but hey what a programme on TV. I’ve got the 3 BBC Whistle Test DVD’s – one contains 2 DVD’s so 4 total, giving an incredible number or tracks. Pu them on your Christmas list!! Also quite a few tracks recorded on the hard-drive that BBC 4 has been re-playing over the last few years. I went out and many an album, (LP) after watching Whistle Test.

Pete Prescott… Hustler were a great band !

Peter Thomson… I don’t recall that one but I’m sure Huggy Leaver worked in Supertramp – in Robertson Street, wasn’t it?

David Kent… Farmers Lung rehearsed in the basement of Showstopper for a while. One night, there was some banging on the shop door and we let in two total strangers who were somewhat inebriated. One of them asked to play my guitar and jammed with the rest of the band. He made a terrible noise and broke my B string. A couple of weeks later, I saw his picture in the NME. It was John Martyn.

Mick Calverley… I was the D J at the Medicine Head gig it was a great night.

Mick O’Dowd… Remember Esperanto were a very competent band.