Alan Esdaile

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

The Flirts – Calvert Youth Club and Hastings Pier 4th Dec 1965

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flirts photo

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supplied by Brian Wood, ad supplied by Andre Martin

Brian Wood… Singer – Michael Wheeler, Acoustic Guitarist (back left) – Paul Wiseman, Drummer – Steve Demetri, other Guitarist – Brian Wood. The group formed in 1965 and performed all over the country including Hastings Pier 1965. The photos were taken at Calvert Youth Club, Calvert Road, Hastings, where we practiced. Also practiced and gigged at The Ambassador Restaurant on the corner of West Street, Old Town, Hastings, which Steve’s dad owned. I now live in Hailsham and it would be good to catch up with everyone.

Linda Day… I used to see this group at Calvert I went out with Brian Wood and Paul Wiseman omg. I think im in the photo but not sure.

Mick O’Dowd… Deep Purple used to practise here as well and also at All Saints Church Hall.

Peter Millington… Love it – A PA the size of a handbag – those were the days! Don’t remember the pier gig, probably playing elsewhere with the Confederates.

Bertie Wiseman… showing my dad this now.

Alan Esdaile… I remember playing keyboards with one of Paul’s bands at Calvert Youth Club. One of the tracks I remember playing was Brenton Wood’s gimme a little sign.

Anton Hack… what’s the calvert?

Linda Day… Its a church hall in mount pleasant rd its still there

Jan Colley… Used to know them, & used to watch them with my friend Vanessa 😉

John Wilde… Wow

Johng Davis… Remember going there only lived 5 doors away

Don Henham… I took over from Brian Wood and played rhythm guitar. We formed a group called Beethoven’s section. I remember Paul and Steve the drummer. Our singer was a guy called Tich Turner from Battle who used to look a bit like Mick Jagger and loved the Stones.

More photos of the wonderful Bathing Pool holiday camp – St Leonards-on-Sea

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All photos © Hastings Public Library

Lin Wood… I worked in that snack bar with Danni.

Kat Wood… Lin, really, when was that? I worked in the gift shop the last couple of years it was open! Loved that place. There was a guy called Ken running the cafe when I was there, but remember Carrington

Dawn Mann… My sister Tina and I worked in the cafe which was run by Dennis.

Bev Pearce Smith… What’s there now please ?

Gary Benton… Bev, all that is left now is the low wall that surrounds the Princess bar terrace that you can see in the picture. My parents had interests in the business. I was pretty much brought up there.

Linda O’leary… My mum used to take me there when I was 5

Catherine Ireland… We called it Bo-Peep ?

Judy Atkinson… Catherine, that’s a nearby pub

Kurt Helge… Been there in 1966 and 1967

Judy Atkinson… I once jumped off the high diving board

Mike Waghorne… I once climbed to the top of that high board looked down & froze ! It was a long way down for a 10 year old to look at, swimming over that deep 15ft water made my stomach felt strange !

Judy Atkinson… Mike, to be fair, that middle section was always a very uninviting murky green colour and you couldn’t see the bottom.

Paul Coleman… I can remember jumping off of that top one. Nearly s..t myself! Went up n did it again tho. Lol.

Ray Barry… I remember the bathing pool very well, not sure exactly how old I was when I used to go there 12,13 something like that, and we would jump off the the top diving board and try to touch the the bottom, 17ft deep I seem to recall.

Pete Grange… we lived in Seaside Road, so was in there a lot.

Ian Maclean… Pre 60s I think, as no chalets around the top. The Holiday camp owned by Councillor Withers appeared towards the mid 60s. The council said it didn’t make money, when it let him take it over. I suppose all those people got in for nothing !

Lawrence Finch… I went there to see a friend who worked in the café/bar many times.. a really nice, old fashioned friendly place. Shame it had to close really, must have been financial I suppose.

Shirley Tabrett… I was a cleaner there weekends and school holidays, with my friends

Liz Bourn… Ian, yes, late 50’s early 60’s. We lost a great asset when it was sold off and turned into a holiday camp. The far end  was blocked off and silly children’s things were constructed. This fabulous pool used to have fabulous international galas, the pool was 110 yards long if I remember correctly . Does anyone remember the crazy stunt diving displays? Wobbler Cooper? Roller skating round the top before chalets were built? Now it’s a patch of grass which HBC want to build on. DESECRATION.

Ian Maclean… Wobbler Cooper was a swimming club member/ water polo player, a cheerful ruddy faced man popular with everybody. I , was part of the diving competition. And display team at the galas, but the fantastic shows you refer to were by the Roy Fransen Aqua show, riding bikes off of the 10 metre board plus really daring antics culminating in Peg leg, a one legged chap diving from the top of a large pair of steps on the top board into a flaming water surface. Then of course the firework display to finish with. Days I will always remember. A cynical view is the galas took a lot of business away from some councillors town centre business’s, so it had to go.

Mark Atter… Had some great times in the school summer holidays

Theresa Lorenzo-Gray… Fantastic memories of our bathing pool…sad it went

Nick Silk… I played Squash there!

Dorothy Matthews… Nothing there now, it was a crying shame it was taken away. Whoever decided it was no longer needed, was an idiot. Didn’t want to spend any money on it, rather waste money on stupid ideas that lined there own pockets. Not good for people of Hastings and St Leonard’s they didn’t count

Rene Burgess… Remember it well. Great times there with family and friends

Liz Bourn… photo 4 The nets are down – must have been a water polo match.

Dulcie Phillips… I remember it when it was still open to the public as a superb swimming facility .Also great roller skating. Fab. So sad it couldn’t be kept.

Neil Mitchell… I remember the air locks, spent the summer of 83 and 84 down the there

Adrian Bulgaria… Nearly died there. Thankfully a friend dived in the deep end and saved me,thanks Ian. Still remember sinking down, that was 40 years ago I think.

Richard Neve… Used to play squash in my lunch breaks here

Jayne Rogers… Good grief, packed!!

Johnny Greenhalf… It was nearly always packed out in the summer, even surprisingly sheltered in spring and autumn.

Judith Bereton… I worked there as a member of the entertainments team in 1968. I remember the army swimming team using the pool to practise for the channel swimming record.

 

Did anyone go on the Magic Bus coach trips in the 1970’s?

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Leigh Mitchell… No – but I’d go on one now at those prices

Rebecca Roach… What a memory – delighted to find this – I went on the Magic Bus to Athens from Kings Cross station in 1972/3 (?) stayed at The Funny Trumpet hostal in Athens – that was an experience!

R Stene… Yes. London to Athens in 1978. I was the oldest person on the ride (36) and best dressed it turned out. No head rests for three days and a memorable toilet stop for two girls on the side of the road in Yugoslavia in the snow. Lots of interesong smoking going on in the back seats.

Mike Curtis… No. Cos it was “too much”

John Wilde… Yes twice to Amsterdam.

Vicki Campbell… Yes, Athens to Amsterdam 1975. Yugoslavia we broke down near Skopje.  Pretty rough travel but the price was right! I remember how happy everyone was to cross into Austria! The fresh produce in Yugoslavia was the best anywhere.

Heather Sidery… Yes.. France and back. We we’re stopped in UK, and searched by police. Nothing found…..

Julie Findlay-jones… My uncle used to drive for them in the 70s.

David Hamblett… Went to Athens 1979, it cost £28,Should have been 3 days but took 4 as Yugoslavia police stopped the bus and took away the driver, Fantastic

Amanda Darling… David, I was on that bus too! My son was conceived on the roadside in Yugoslavia when the bus driver was taken off by the police!

Joan Hicks… I (a Kiwi) traveled Athens to London 1976. Alan was the lone driver. He had his kids Claire and Roger with him. Alan had a kidney stone attack in the Alps, so the whole busload baby sat until he came back. Also got stuck at the Yugoslavian border, the border guards demanding $200 US for a Visa I already had. Also got an unplanned day in Amsterdam. Brilliant trip. Made some good friends and still keep in touch with a couple of them. Traveled on with Alan down to Cornwall and stayed with him and his wife Flora for a few days. Happy days!

Meryl Gay… Yes, I took the 3day trip in 1975 from London via France, Italy over the ferry at Brindisi to Greece down to Athens. What a adventure. We had a puncture in France! Had many happy memories.

Peter Ellingworth… I didn’t myself but my youngest cousin Moira, sadly no longer with us having succumbed to cancer, and over from Australia at the time (1975-8) on their traditional overseas rite of passage, did so with her Canadian flat mate she lodged with in Shepherds Bush…..and ended up in Athens marrying a Greek. Did the bus go from the old coach station half way up Pentonville Rd., (now an upmarket restaurant) or from outside King’s Cross Rail station itself, most likely in York Way ?

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Flowers In The Rain the untold story of The Move by Jim McCarthy

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In the pantheon of rock history The Move have been overlooked but no longer. How do you describe The Move one of the greatest British bands to come out the 1960s beat boom? Who incorporated the hippest, pop rock and mod soul influences. All in a unique dazzling fashion. Their residency at The Marquee in London’s Soho. Marked them out immediately, as a formidable live outfit. Few (if any) bands on the fertile scene, could follow an incendiary Move set. They also had an emerging uber-talent in songwriter Roy Wood. A fast-developing songwriter. Wood under pressure, composed four top ten hits for the five-piece original band. And a later run of singles that charted until 1972. Like all great acts — the seeds of destruction may have been gestating from day one. Energy and talent was spread across the five charismatic, young men. An edgy, combustible combination. This overdue book examines their event-filled career including their crowning and most damning moment: Being sued by Harold Wilson; the extant British Prime Minister. ‘Flowers In The Rain’ sprouted all the way to the Number 2 spot in the charts. The catchy single, followed an edgy and careless publicity stunt by manager Tony Secunda. A limited-edition postcard — pushed through the door of Number 10 Downing Street. Depicting the PM with Marcia Falkender in an intimate moment. The “scandalous” image — brought the fury of the UK establishment down on The Move. Including surveillance by MI5, Britain’s homeland Secret Intelligence Service. Like The Sex Pistols furore, ten years later. The Move were punk forerunners in attitude and outrage. This book will examine in detail the High Court case. Plus, the machinations leading to Roy Wood losing all the royalties from the ‘Flowers In The Rain’ single. Along with Rob Caiger, the main archivist of The Move and their history, Jim McCarthy provides a detailed and illuminating reading experience. Photos by The official Move photographer Robert Davidson.

Now available from: https://www.wymeruk.co.uk and all good book shops.

Richard Burks… Another innovate and great band with songs (largely) that you could relate to