hastings memories

Who remembers wearing the S snake belt?

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photo source: unknown

Dennis Torrance… Most of my time growing up

Lloyd Johnson… I do!..I still wear them now and again…

Mike Waghorne… I do ! but cant remember if I had one as a kid !

Wendy Weaver… I think every boy wore one.

Tony Ham… Snake belts, zip up platform boots, flares, tank tops and long hair

Yvonne Ellis… Cool

Jim Breeds… I’m saying nothing, to protect my sharp dresser reputation!

Heather Sidery… I had 3

David Edwards… I thought it was only boys who wore them

Graham Matthews… Oh yes. Are they still made does anyone know ?

Colin Bell… Saw some new on ebay, apparently they are trendy again now!

Graham Matthews… Yes I looked on there straight after this post but don’t think I will get one.

Pete Prescott… I did !

Kevin White… Yep. Had several.

Richard J Porter… I had the dark blue/light blue one. School colours.

John Warner… Had a school one black and amber!

Janet Rennie… Yes I did

Chris Downton… I did too… & loved it

Gary Benton… Wish I still had one.

Alan Esdaile… I can’t remember having belts before this, perhaps it was a piece of string we had!

Colin Gibson… You were lucky to have any trousers to keep up. We had to wear rolls of lino held together with reinforced spaghetti

John Gale… bloody luxury, we had sack cloths sewn together held up by barbed wire from cast off war defences

Tony Court-holmes… trying not to

Dawn… Yes – I had a yellow one – Yuk!

John Wilde… Would love to have one now too.

Colin Bell… loads of new ones for sale on ebay John

John Warner… School one Black and Amber!

 

SMART 63 coffee meet report

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Jagger photo: supplied by Nick Webb . Radio Times supplied by Mo Elms

EP’s supplied by John Busbridge. LP’s supplied by Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland

Our 63rd meet and among the newbies this time were Lin Russell, Eric Upton, Liz and Geoff King and other newbie’s which I’m sorry but didn’t get a chance to chat to, hopefully next time. Liz & Geoff were chatting about memories of The Sundowners in Eastbourne and Prinny’s Club in George Street. Eric had some great photos of the Tuxedos, Tony And The Defiants, Johnny Kidd’s autograph, The Talisman and The Victors ticket from the Hastings collage gig in 1963, Mud programme from the Winter Garden’s in 1989. Roger Ferris had some authenticity documents on Joe Meek, for the 1963 Framus Star bass guitar and a Robert Stigwood contract for Heinz from 1964 ,where he got paid £90 at a Welsh valley gig. Roger is looking for anyone who has photos of him when he played The Revolver Bar in George Street with Smokestack. Mo Elms had with her a 1950’s Radio Times priced at 2p! a Chelsea Girl bag from the 70’s, a Capital Radio rates card from 70/71 and had the photo on the other side of the ship ‘King David’, a Disc Jockey record shop ‘Keep Smiling’ postcard, matches and coaster of the Earl Of Zetland ship, Tony Blackburn photos from Radio Caroline and a cutting of HLR Hastings Local Radio with dj’s taking to the air from Saturday’s Nightclub. Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland had an interesting photo of the back of St Helen’s Hospital in 1960 showing the fields which are now Malvern Way, also a great photo of Ore Youth Club of youngest dancing to Pete Millington playing records on one turntable. ‘Nan’ also had a photo of the fire station in Priory Road from 1972 and a collection of record albums. Merv Kennard had a number of rare dj, pirates tales, radio jingles and recordings of Radio Northsea International and Radio Hauraki final hours. Nick Webb arrived with a giant framed photo of Mick Jagger, It’s A Knockout local programmes and Damaris photos. Rod Stapley had photos of his dad George and his band ‘The Coronets’. John Busbridge arrived with a collection of e.p.’s and a photo album. Sarah Harvey was reminding everyone that there is a musical tribute for Tim Anderson on Sun 20th Nov 3pm at Rocksalt Castle Street, with Stormy T & Bluesman’s Lane, Four Teas And A Sugar, Pete Prescott, in aid of St Michaels Hospice.  Too many other people to mention. Very sorry I did not get round to speaking to everyone. If you had anything interesting you were talking about then please feel free to add.

Paul Crimin… Damn. Missed it

Kevin Burchett… Yep missed it again

Jim Breeds… Sorry Alan. I completely forgot. Had it in my head that it was next week

Monica Bane… Always good to see you all. Thanks Alan, For all your hard work keeping this together, Monica!

Cris and Merv Kennard… Thanks Alan, really good to finally meet and chat with Colin.

David Martin… Sorry I couldn’t make it yesterday. When’s the next one ? Thanks

Alan Esdaile… probably not until the beginning of January, due to the clash with Christmas.

Mick O’Dowd… Sorry I was at death’s door yesterday. Well it felt like it and hadn’t been out since Wednesday. Didn’t want to decrease membership of the group so decided to stay away.

Alan Esdaile… You were missed Mick but hope you are feeling better soon. At least the ringing in my ears of ‘Where’s Mick?’ has now started to improve!

SMART coffee meet no.57 – Friday 22nd October 2021

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Pleased to say the next coffee meet is on Friday 22nd October 2021.Hopefully you can make it and please mention it to other like minded people.Best regards 

Mick O’Dowd… Be there or be square!!!!!

Alan Esdaile… Not long now please mention it to other like minded people.

Mick O’Dowd… I’ll be there. That’ll probably put a lot of people off!

who remembers wrapping your school books with brown paper?

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photo source: unknown

Carol Ann Bolton… Spent hours choosing wallpaper scraps and covering my jotters.

Steve Thorpe… Yep, did that on the exercise books at school but wrote my name upside down so that when the teacher would think it was the right way up, it wasn’t – what a rebel!

Barry Newton… Kids still do it in France

Carol Paffett… Yes

Sandy Max… We had to use wipe clean wall paper or sticky back plastic. Brown paper wasn’t allowed! Still have my school French dictionary in it’s fetching seventies bathroom wall paper! Bit tatty nowadays….

Pete Prescott… My rough books !

Jane Cranfield… Yes i do until we were aloud to cover them with wallpaper lol

Roger Simmonds… Me!

Judy Atkinson… Used to use wallpaper from the sample books

Pete Prescott… Yep ! Done that !

Joe Knight… Yes

David Hookey… Yep

Janet Brophy… YES

Janet Large… yes

Dennis Torrance… Hated doing that brings back of the bloody books had to carry around all the time as well. Always tried to lighten it took books out and got in trouble if I forgot to put them in for lessons. Some of us used wallpaper scraps s as well for books either way the ended on the wall lol

Jake Nelson… I always hated that chore, although I must admit there was a certain sense of a job well done afterwards…..unless I did it poorly, in which case….

Pete Millington… Me, all my books were covered in brown paper. I still have many of them in perfect condition – annuals etc.

Who remember Crackerjack?

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Alan Esdaile… We all remember Crackerjack and the game with the cauliflowers but my lasting memory is when the presenters attempted singing the latest pop songs especially Peter Glaze!

Steve Fox… The top prize was a crackerjack pencil.

Pauline Richards… Good old Eamon Andrews

Andy Qunta… Double or Drop?

Judie Struys… I used to get so excited waiting for the finale, hoping desperately that it would be one of my favourite songs in the top 20. I wish I could remember which ones.

Angela Frances Gardner… Cabbages or prizes

Margaret Trowell… It’s Friday… it’s 5 o’clock. . it’s Crackerjack… with Peter Glaze, Pip Hinton and Leslie Crowther. Great days!

Jacquie Hinves… Pete Glaze and Don McLean. Fabulous memoriesI. It’s 5 to 5 . It’s Crackerjack! It followed White Horses. I loved that program too..

Gerry Fortsch… It was great. apart from the singing and I am sure those cabbages were not edible.

Jan Warren… Never watched it, or Blue Peter! – I think it was because my Ma and Pa were ITV fans, they thought the Beeb was for snobs so I watched Magpie and other ITV stuff

Margaret Trowell… Jan, cor you were posh ..we could only get BBC. I had to go next door to watch ITV! I was so jealous of my friend lol

Pete Houghton… I remember those days

Kate Recknell-Page… Yes likewise always full of fun xx

John Beeching… CRACKERJACK. (Will people please stop saying that word)

Andrew Clifton… Part of childhood memories

David Wilkinson… That lad’s got a moustache !!! And is the woman on the left Eamonn’s ma ???

Paul Huggins… Yes that’s just what I say on Fridays…it’s Crackerjack…in other words pay day

Do Not Move!

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shared from Trevor Bell Old Clubland Acts https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldacts/

Phil Gill… No, my people would have removed it all before I got there.

Julian Carter… Not that, but I have turned up for gigs where the DJ has taken up half of the stage, leaving the other half for my eight-piece band.

Phil Gill… Julian, Yeah, but once upon a time Digger and Dave the Plank would’ve sorted all that nonsense out before we’d even arrived….

Jamie Goddard… same here! Quite a few times! Always arrive early now so the Dj can set up somewhere else

Lance Collins… We are also entertainers ! Hate being stuffed in the corner just because we are the DJ.

Phil Thornton… Done lots of gigs set up on the dance floor in front of the stage – makes for a fun time if the gig is sold out …… wouldn’t be allowed now though

Paul Huggett… No but more than once turned up just after a band that was already set up (and vice versa) due to general ineptitude by the clubs diary keeper.

Mick O’Dowd… When the Baker-Gurvitz Army played The Pier (They’re a trio) the support band had to play on the side of the ballroom.

Amanda Brooks… Yeah. Moved it

Jack Apps… I have been nobbled in more ways than ten. We headline for a college gig, 2 bands before us both over ran and slow moving gear. We cut 1 1/2 hours in two…just like that👽 gotta move along, shit is shit, it is what it is

Pete Prescott… Oh yeah. A good few times.

John Harper… Oh Yes! Plus scenery from local amateur dramatics club too!!

 

Shops Glorious Shops – Woolworths and more – Tony May’s Christmas Blog

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photo Hastings – Tony May 2008

Tony May… It’s amazing how life in lockdown effects different people in different ways. I am lucky in many respects to be living with two other people – so I am never on my own for very long – but even then I feel ‘cut off’ from society.

Continues here…

https://tmchristmas.blogspot.com/2020/11/shops-glorious-shops.html

Hastings memories from Paul Black.

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all photos supplied by Paul Black

Paul Black… 1955. The picture postcard of the West Hill, Hastings was sent by a cousin and she wanted me to remember where I was christened – All Saints Church. The next pictures are from a trip my brother and I, and our wives took in 2005. The 4 people on Hastings Beach are my sister-in-law and my brother from Texas and my wife and I.

Paul Black… In the beach picture, I am finishing up my cup of cockles. I remember them vividly as a child as well as Hastings Rock, and of course, the little train ride. Thanks Alan for posting these. I hope people enjoy them. I loved our trip “back home”.

SMART 33 report

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img770 genesis rock roots rosko show

pete photos lps

Friday 13th, snowing in the morning, bitterly cold but very pleased with the excellent turn out for our first meet of 2017. Among the newbies was Tim McDonald who has a wealth of musical knowledge. Steve Fitz brought along posters of his bands Baktrak and Ghostriders. Paul Morfey had with him LP’s of Spooky Tooth Spooky Two, Uriah Heep Very ‘Eavy, Fruupp The Prince Of Heaven’s Eyes, String Driven Thing The Machine That Cried and Steppenwolf 7.  Pete Prescott had a bundle of posters of Jez Gillett Band, The Lost Boys, gig poster for The George venue, Rock Night 5 with Huw Lloyd-Langton, Rock Night 6 with The Hamsters, Black Horse Music Festival, rare Sergeant posters from Switzerland and Reservoir Cats CD When We Were Young. Colin Bell had with him cd’s of Dusty Springfield A Very Fine Love, Uriah Heep Sea Of Light and Thom Pace Slices of the Past and Future. I had with me Lp’s from Genesis Rock Roots, The Rosko Show and Pink Floyd Relics. Talk was about the sad loss of jazz musician Pete Burden and local Deep Purple singer Kevin Clark. Hollington Youth Club, Beatles Day, Hastings Rock Radio, Tich Turner, what’s planned for the pier in 2017 and Mick O’Dowd came up with the surprise revelation that Ken Dodd was one of the biggest selling artists of the 60’s beaten only by The Beatles. Andre was talking about writers cramp from the book signing of the excellent A Pier Without Peer. More memories of Charlie Hutchinson, The Marquee Club in London, The Hastings Flyer new gig guide website, the scout hall Grove Road,  the happy ballroom stories from Andre now moving into 1967, John Otway to play The Fountain pub in Queens Road and how to get rid of the cough virus going around! This is just a very small bit of what I remember, anything I have missed or anything interesting you were talking about, then please feel free to add.

Geoff Peckham… Sorry I missed another SMART meet yesterday; It’s become difficult to get away on Fridays lately.

Jim Breeds… “the scout hall Grove Road” … I can’t imagine how this relates to SMART, but I was a cub, scout and scout leader at that hall. Many happy memories. Who’s for a game of British Bulldog?

Mick O’Dowd… This is where I started my DJ career Jim. Went to a youth club here and we had bands on quite a few times including The Springbeats & Circuit Four.

Pete Prescott… Ah! British bulldog ! A time when boys were tough! Well apart from me of course !

Mick O’Dowd… Really enjoyabel Meet as usual. Good talking to Eric Harmer, Pete Millington, Andre Martin and Colin Bell.

Eric Harmer… Good to catch up with you to Mick. 

Graham Belchamber… Sorry I couldn’t make it. Have a bit of a lurgy, not very rock n roll!

Jeanette Jones… Sign of the times Graham, most of us are not typical Rocknroll, get well soon 

Liane Carroll… Roger says he’s sorry he couldn’t make it yesterday. See you at the next one xxxxx