photo © Hans Peters / Anefo. Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on 13 December 1972
The Real Things!
Leigh Mitchell… I thought the same thing (or is it things?!)
Christine Pachner… Thing
Dave Woolmer… Steve Maxted a regular at the Pier and Woodvilles in Gravesend bloody lunatic with his acrobatics and stunts, saw The Real Thing at Hammersmith Odeon in 78.
photo © Charlotte Fairlie
Pauline Richards… Remember that so well
Lloyd Johnson… Me too!..the use to have Model Aeroplane kits in the side window in the 50s…I use to get all my modelling items there…KeilKraft, FROG, Veron ,Mercury kits etc…
Jean Wheel… That’s one beautiful shop.
Julie Morris… Miss Biker was my teacher at Elphinstone School. I think she was the owner’s daughter.
Alan Esdaile… Julie, I remember Miss Biker.
Julie Morris… Alan, I remember her being quite strict but fair. Happy memories of that school.
Jane Hartley… Julie, she was, we lost her last year aged 93.
Matt Jones… Was there a Philips electrical shop next door? (cause there was a factory on one of the estates). Or am i merging my memories
Graham Sherrington… yes when George street had some class
Tim Moose Bruce… A victim of the supermarket greed. This company had a maintenance contract with a certain big supermarket chain. They did repairs and maintenance on the checkout conveyers, lighting and other stuff in 4 big stores in Hastings, Bexhill and Eastbourne. Refrigeration company I worked for at the time did the same stores. Trouble was, the stores tied up both companies to the point where they lost a lot of their other clients. Then the supermarket chain dropped both companies and both went under as a result.
Nigel Ford… They came out to Mother’s twin tub problem in the 60’s. Not sure but may have supplied it new too.
Don Cropper… I worked there from 1962 till 1969 as first an apprentice then a qualified electrician. I then emigrated to South Africa where I still live.
Lloyd Johnson… I remember that side window use to display model aeroplane kits.I bought a lot of my models from Bikers…
Jim Breeds… It’s been in the same family ever since, and is currently Turn The Tide, but they announced last week that they’re going to sell the building.
Gary Benton… My dad also did an electrician apprenticeship there, not sure of the years but before I was born in 61.
Supplied by Keith Veness
Judy Atkinson… Wasn’t a member but certainly went there around this time – Steve Maxted on a Thursday night
Sandie Carlyon… Used to go there. Good fun
Chris Westgate… Where I met my wife (51 years ago), saw Sweet and Mungo Jerry there and, of course, “The Steve “Muscles” Maxted Show” !!
Andy Moyler… Ted Young performed at the Sussex Club in Elmer Sands during the 1970s entertaining holiday makers and locals.
Richard Moore… Great act, we worked with him at Coombe Haven for the season in 1978.
photo © Hastings Public Library
photo © John Gale (see John Gale’s comment below)
Alan Esdaile… Also C Adams & Son which was the butchers.
Matt Thomas… I remember my uncle Ron working in Miles brothers when it was Courthouse Street fixing lawnmowers
Davie Martin… I remember Ron
Chris Baker… I always thought the Miles family were relatives, (Uncles?).
Amber Turner… Chris, my great gran Miles married a Mr Baker after her 1st husband died but was always known as Mrs Miles.
Chris Baker… Amber, That’s very interesting Amber. I know of a few Bakers on my father’s side. One was blind and used to play a gramaphone on the seafront for money. Another was killed, during the war, (not heroically), he was in a warehouse in Germany and was “monkeying around” on the girders in the roof and fell off, killing himself. He was my father’s younger brother Alan. Hey ho!
John Gale… My dad played drums I’m a dance band called the Texans . The brothers also played in the same band . The Texans dance band, having spoken to mum she can confirm that the Texans lineup use to be, Tex Bailey (guitar), Arthur Miles (Piano), Gordon Miles (guitar) and another drummer that emigrated,,,, my dad Tony Gale took his place. She thinks that it’s unlikely that they played the pier after all, they did use to play weddings, parties and a regular slot on Winkle Island for Carnival night. However, dad did play the pier as a drummer for The Ted Crouch band,,,, can anyone vouch if there is anything recorded for that instead please? (See photo) for the lineup with dad, Tex and Arthur, photo probably taken by Gordon…around 1965 .
Jacqui Dann… My Dad’ Arthur Miles had this shop with his brother Gordon. 1960’s they had a band called The Rhythm Ace’s. My dad played keyboards and Gordon played Tenor Sax.
Graham Sherrington… Did Phil Silk buy the shop later on?
Amber Turner… hello Jacqui your dad was my great uncle and a very kind man, I remember him well.
Monica Bane… Yes a very kind uncle. Always gave me money for sweets, for the little ones! GOOD TO SEE MY Grans old home, many Happy memories of growing up there! I remember although only a young girl!
Ian Hersee… Please to say still in the family – Myles ( Mylo ) lives above, 5/6 generation! We should have a reminisce sometime Jacqui! Re Phil Silk and the shop. He was really lovely guy but no he didn’t buy it but Jean Silk a lovely person too, had the shop for many years. They were a special couple.
photo © Monica Bane
Gary Benton… that’s a great video
Chris Meachen… I remember the bang when that happened, it rattled our windows in Halton…
Stella Huggett… I remember it well. My grandparents in Italy so a photo of it and thought a bomb had gone off.
Harry Randall… Remember it well! They said they would never build on the site! Yeah?
Iain Cobby… My parents and I lived above the Burger Bar at the other end of George St by the Hastings Arms. Fortunately we were on holiday in Cornwall and came back to the pandemonium a week later!
Peter Ellingworth… My father was working nearby on building renovation I believe, and escaped about fifteen minutes before the explosion.
Graham Sherrington… do not remember this at all.
cuttings supplied by: Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection
Chris Coleman… I was there, was you ?
Tont Court-holmes… i remember falling down the stairs or was i thrown out for being drunk its all a haze now
Will Hadfield… Best time ever!!!
Alan Pepper… Yes Will got to be the best year for Music Fashion Weather Nightlife etc !!
Jacquie Hinves… What a night with Tony Bird and“Centre Page”! Goodness what nights we had!
photo © Hastings Public Library
Colin Jefferys… Brilliant
supplied by Hugh Beeching
Martin Richter…. saturdays
Clare Bennett… I remember dancing a lot in Scalliwags
Jules Stretton… Hastings seafront my parents used to party there ! X
John Storer… Definitely Saturdays …. we had our joint Stag & Hen night there in August 79
Yvonne Cleland… Reminds me of Bonitas or Aquarius…
Margaret Fletcher… Not Saturday
Rilka Brignall… Looks like saturdays to me
Peter Millington… Could that be Chris Glazier spinning plastic – Scalliwags perhaps?
Kevin Burchett… its definitly not scalliwags its saturdays
Alan Esdaile… Thinking now this could be Aquarius which was what Saturday’s was called previously in the 70’s.
Kevin Burchett… Its Saturdays because of the lights no one had lights like that in Hastings then or now
Phil Gill… Could be the one at the back of Wellington Square that’s now a curry house. It was always too loud for meaningful conversation, so I just used to listen to the music. If you listen carefully, you can spot the little disco funk references Steve and I worked into some of the Stallion songs. It’s very subtle, but it’s there. We were very cheeky. Well, two that spring to mind…listen to the bass and drums on Arsony in the UK, which is basically sped up disco funk followed by a 50s doo wop chorus. And on the live version of Cobra, we referenced Oops Upside Your Head.
Alan Esdaile… Was the club in Wellington Square called Courtneys?
Supplied by…. Leigh Wieland-Boys via Kevin Burchett
Kevin Burchett… heres another pic from the opposition Saturdays lol.its a promo pic from the 1975 opening. with the lovely Leigh Wieland-Boys
Peter Millington… I recognise the waitress – anyone know her name?
Leigh Wieland-Boys….It’s me Peter! Lx
