memories

SMART coffee meet report no 76

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The coming storm didn’t deter and we had a good turn out for our 76th meet at the White Rock Hotel. Among the newbies this time were Colin and Yvonne Mitchell. Colin was involved in many album covers, including Pink Floyd and The Beatles. Mo Elms had some Splash FM licence application forms and Eastbourne local radio 101.6 fm guide which included photos of Mark Briggs and Matthew Wheeler. Mo also had many photos of Radio Caroline, Mi Amigo and RNI Radio North Sea. Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland had a copy of The Beatles Please Please Me album with the brown and gold label, a Fracmo photo, another Collins and Hayes photo and a Steve Wright photo from the Radio One road show in Eastbourne. Merv Kennard had some Radio Essex, K.I.N.G Radio Invicta and Radio London badges and The One Shots Goodbye Caroline single and Radio Veronica 538 single. We have seen Ian Marketis impressive Freddie Mercury range before but this time he arrived with a bag full of Queen cd’s. Mick Thwaites had a copy of his sons autograph of Paul McCartney from The Monastery in Rye. He also had ‘Sticky Fingers’ cafe menu from Kensington and Bill Wyman’s matches! A bundle of Rolling Stones magazines, Rolling Stones 1976 tour programme and a ‘Lucky Stars’ magazine from ABC Television’s ‘Thank You Lucky Stars’ and a Froffy Coffee at The Pam Dor poster. Barry French was getting very festive and had with him Phil Spector’s Christmas Album, John Denver and The Muppets A Christmas Together and Don Estelle sings songs for Christmas LP. Pete Prescott was reminding people about the Jez Gillett tribute gig at The Carlisle on the 20th December with The Lost Boys, Stealer, Dead Calm and Vexed. I had a few more Melody Maker’s and a pile of sheet music. Pete Millington was talking about the ITT KP dance in 1975 with Ray McVay and his Orchestra and Spyke at The White Rock Pavilion. Chat was about Eric Harmer’s Christmas record, the new book by Jim McCarthy Flowers In The Rain The Move, Graham Nash coming to The White Rock Theatre, Soul Town Christmas soul party in memory of Phil Gill at The Angling Club on the 14th December, how wonderful the photos of the Bathing Pool are and our aches and pains!! This is just a small bit of what I remember. If you had anything interesting you were talking about or anything I missed out or got wrong! then please feel free to add or correct.

Claire Lonsdale… Lovely time as always. Thank you Alan for your time and effort in putting it on. Xx

Cris & Merv Kennard… Thanks Alan for organising another meeting .Always a good afternoon catching up with everyone.

Eric Harmer… Great meeting pal, you are the reason we all catch up. Thank you Alan

Keith Veness… Thank you Alan great afternoon

Monica Bane… Thanks again Alan, Always good to keep up with all the friends here. Again appreciate all the hard work you do!

Mick O’Dowd… With the forecast I wasn’t expecting such a good turn-out but I was proved wrong. Now sitting on the naughty -step!  Had a very interesting chat with Chris Gentry and Claire Lonsdale about our experiences with some of the acts that we had worked with in the 70’s on the Pier and elsewhere. Some great memories rekindled. As usual there were a lot of people to chat to. None of this could happen without the hard work and organisation of Alan Esdaile. Thanks a million Alan!!

Richard Burks… I probably had those copies on melody maker back in the day

Andy James Long… I used to buy Melody Maker, N.M.E and Sounds every week at one time, usually scouring for articles about John Martyn probably!

Carrie Downing-Waite Sawatzky… Sounds an amazing get together

Mick O’Dowd… Carrie, you are always welcome to join us! We meet approx every 6 weeks so next one should be in January. We’d love to meet you.

Peter Houghton… Phil Spector’s Christmas is a great Album I’ve still got this Album with two different covers

Pete Fisher… Great you kept the Melody Maker’s Alan. Sadly I had to ditch all mine when I left home in 1973. Do you have any from 1970/1971?

Alan Esdaile… Hi Pete, they belong to Andy Knight and have had a few on display at the SMART meetings.

 

 

 

Who remembers playing over the West Hill rocks in Hastings?

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Alan Esdaile… photo, me and my sister.

Bernard Goffredo… Spent a lot of time there when little

Cris Kennard…. Yes but didn’t tell mum and dad.

Linda Lowcock… me too !!

Lucy Pappas… Yes, despite being told not to!

John Gale… Always over there,,, its a glorified toilet these days,,,,, I was shocked a few years back, went to have a look and it was full of all sorts of . And stunk. ,,,,, real shame as it was a real adventurous little place ,,,, with hint of danger,,, actually very dangerous

Dennis Torrance… I played there as a child no fear of danger look at it now it scares me called that area bats cave expect other s called it different

Lloyd Johnson… Use to play over there with Alan And Johnny Mitchell in the mid 50s and with Kenny Comfort,Melvyn & Lynn Grant…remember Melvyn managing to climb to the cave on the left…

Despo Hawkins… Yes , it was our back yard

Jeanette Jones… Yes

Michelle Coco Selmes… Yes I lived in the houses opposite and knew every rock!

Julie Morris… I worked in the West Hill cafe as a teenager and had to phone for an ambulance several times because of accidents on the rocks!

Phil Gill… Yup, every Saturday after ABC Minors.

Anton Ludwig… Yep, and the little caves in old town

Matt Thomas… Spent most of my teenage years over them, my name is scratched in one of the rocks somewhere

Monica Bane… Yes what was the game? One to three I see you?

Helena Kingshott… Meeee

Steve Fox… Oh yes! Used to live in Hill Street

Colin Bell… Looking at the photo now, i can only repeat my previous comment, how didn’t i die, jumping from one rock to another with my mates as a kid!

Mick O’Dowd… Same here

Jacqueline Marsh… Same here, my mum and dad would have gone spare if they knew what me, my sister and our cousins were up to on those rocks. I couldn’t do it now!!

Ralph Town… Yep,my mum was on valium after she saw me climb down there. Interestingly, the rocks seem to be developing large amounts of bracken,which,I assume means no one climbs them now.

Colin Bell… They’ve probably got more sense than we had Ralph, i wouldn’t trade places though! Being glued to a PS4 or whatever doesn’t appeal the same.

Ralph Town… I just think they’re a bunch of snowflakes.I never got hurt but a friend of mine sprained her ankle badly. The only part that really put fear in me was down the far end behind the Deluxe. It must have been 100 foot fall round the back of those amusements if I slipped but there was a huge cave, under the castle, that I would always use as a den. Few friends came with me due to a very thin ledge to get to it. Lovely view tho.

Yvonne Ellis… Yes!

David Edwards… Used to go from Priory Road school lunchtimes, remember someone took a tumble and we were banned after that.

Keith Veness… Remember it’s overgrown now

Paul Slidel… Yep, great fun! Lived in Portland Place when I was around 11-12 years old, so this was my playground!

Kev Carleonis… Yep

Steve Thorpe… Used to climb them during school outdoor pursuits lessons and the smaller ones on the Silverdale School playing field.

Dave Nattress… Definitely –  used to take my two daughters Katie and Emily there and walked around on top and carefully jumped from rock to rock.  They were fascinated.  Always a touch bothered about falls as they would have been about 10  and 8 but we were careful.  I remember them complete with teletubby backpacks.  The Red and Yellow ones.  Dipso and Smelly Winkie or whatever their names were.  Remember it well.

Patrick Turner… We used to climb up to the cave regularly. My friend Micky Hodges fell and broke a bone, can’t remember if it was arm or leg.

Cule Tulo… Yes! Lost a few friends over there !

Barry French… Moved from Essex to Hastings in 1967. On my first trip to the Old Town I climbed on the rocks, went on the bumper cars & had chips & ice cream (separately). I thought I’d arrived in heaven.

Monica Bane… And me Alan. Looking so dangerous now!

Jackie Hersee… I fell down them in the’50’s

Keith Veness… Loved playing there

David Edwards…Yep!

Dennis Torrance… Played on them rocks a lot. I expect there was several names for that cave, I called it bats cave . I remember a little higher up a really small dangerous ledge how me and mates did it many times, no fear

Dawn… Yep, played there many a time, my dad’s fault as he took me there first time – but never to tell my mum!  He he. Took the grandchildren over there a few years ago – they loved it but obviously it was a little more daunting for me now I’m older – oh to be young again

 

Do you remember Penny for The Guy?

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Betty Austin… Oh yes good clean honest fun !! X

Dennis Torrance… Remember I was done up as a guy as a kid, sat in Queens Road and went boo to passers by thanks for the memories

Malcolm Sharp… Dennis was that you yer bugar lol

Linda Crane… Good fun

Tony May…  Would LOVE to see kids taking part in that now. These days they are either on their phones or getting up to no good!

Julie Findlay-jones… Does anyone still do this, it was such fun , the anticipation of wondering how the guys going to turn out and how many penny’s your going to get.

Jane Hartley… We were in the Observer with our guy one year!

Pat Fears… Probably not safe these days !!

Janine Anne Scott… Happy days

Jeff Belton… Remember when I was growing up, used to love making a GUY for bonfire night. Great fun !

Alan Esdaile… If you wanted fireworks, you had to go out and earn some money from your guy. Not a cheap football as a head, as people did in later years. Old clothes stuffed with newspapers, our pitch used to the Whitefriars Pub, Priory Road, as did well when people got of the bus.

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SMART coffee meet No 75 – Friday 18th October 2024

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Chris Wood… I’m not being funny but…. Coffee….. not very rock n roll

Mick O’Dowd… Chris, Give it a try you will be amazed!

John Busbridge… You can always get a beer!

Mick O’Dowd… Be there or be square!

Cris and Merv Kennard… We will be there

 

 

School days – blackboard rubber thrown at you?

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Source: Viz Comic. Thanks to Ron H-W

Alan King… almost all of the above

Mike Waghorne… Mr Thyne our maths teacher at the Downs secondary use to throw them at us if not paying attention ! And I would say all of those !

Mike Guy… Sent outside the classroom [once for raising my hand to ask a question, ear twisted for talking, lines, hit on hand with ruler[s] – they kept breaking, detention. I deserved just about all of it as I was bright but with lack of focus, & didn’t make the most of education until after I’d worked for 7 years, then managed to get into university. At least I grew up eventually. 🙂 Oh & became a teacher!

Barry Newton… Most of the above, never had the hat treatment but did have broken eardrum due to slap round ear, still gives me problems from time to time.

Neal Hunter… All of those the teachers at priory boys school were experts in punishment.

Pete Fisher… Not funny…

Andy Davies… Some teachers were pretty mean at the Grammar School, terrified of being hit in the head with a board rubber, many teachers had a slipper in their desks too…

Mick O’Dowd… All part of growing up! Never did me any harm any harm any harm….

David Edwards… All bar dunces cap never saw one at Priory Road.

Virginia Davis… Some of the teachers at Hastings High School seemed to relish dishing out some of these. Its still regularly discussed when we have a reunion.

Peter Howard… “I must not under any circumstances forget to do my mathematics homework”

Phil Foley… All except dunces cap,didn’t have that at my grammar school. One particularly evil punishment was standing with outstretched arms whilst holding two or three of those long wooden “set-square” things they used in Technical Drawing classes. Can’t remember how long we were made to do this but it felt like eternity! But we got our own back by inserting Swan Vesta heads in the grooves between the felt pads of the blackboard rubber

Nick Bearkeeper Rowland… There were some sadists at my school. One boy was caned until he bled and the school made an out of court settlement. I got the ruler and was made to stand in the corner because I had extreme difficulties with maths.

Chris Boorman… I remember having a bit of wood thrown at me at school (Priory Road) which caused a slight cut on my head. I was taken to hospital as a precaution. When a teacher explained to my mum what had happened she said “well, I expect he deserved it”

Alan Parker… Happened once in my class back in the ’60s. picked it up and threw it back , he never did it again

Merv Kennard… Alan do you remember mr t and his rubber hose or mr h and his old plimsol with the h in a circle ?

Alan Esdaile… Also remember Mr Brown and Percy The Slipper!

Gill Ives… We had a teacher in junior school that used to twist a sharpened pencil into your shoulder

Alan Pepper… At the Grove in 1970 I was given an accidental nosebleed in the French lesson by a teacher who threw the blackboard duster at me . Before that in the 60’s the lovely sadistic Catholic Nuns at St Mary’s enjoyed giving the cane over our hand .

Conan Howard… Yes many times at grove park school in grove park school Bromley

Lyn Humphrey… At the Downs in Bexhill, Messrs Peckham & Nattress will also recall Mr T regularly chucking the blackboard rubber and the chalk at us!

Jan Warren… Hi you naughty schoolkids, here’s a lovely pic of the beautiful, but sadly demolished, Downs County Secondary school : and what about Mr Evans (Headteacher), “Taffy” Thomas (Deputy Head Teacher), Mr Thynne (Maths), Mr Slater (Geography), Mr Vale (Maths), Mr Rye (RE), Mrs Miller(Art), Mrs Grimes (History), Miss Wignall (Domestic Science), Mr Bone (French), Miss Mills (PE), Mrs Blakemore (English), Miss Elsworth (Music), Miss Watkin-Jones, and many more, can you remember?? – but not forgetting the irreplaceable Mr Warren, the ever committed Care-Taker who kept the school running “ship-shape” at all times, my brilliant DAD!!

Pete Houghton… Hi Jan so many names Their was Mr Brookes Art Mr Hill English Mrs Warburton Domestic Science Their was another Geography teacher next to Mr Slater and the Woodwork Teacher Mr Bridges and Mr Harris Some woman who taught Typing she wore glasses Mr Salter there are a few i can remember And yes your Dad who did a fantastic job xxx

Jan Warren… Hi Pete, thanks for adding some more names to the list of teachers, I remember them all and I’m sure there’s more!! Yes, my Dad was a brilliant Caretaker, that School was his “pride and Joy”!!

Ron H-W…  it appeared in VIZ #248 (September 2015).

 

 

Who remembers car indicators/ trafficator’s?

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Tim Barton… there’s one or two still around  [my grandad had a morris with these until the end of the 80s]

Dave Lelliott… My Grandads Austin England.

Edward Adams… yes sometimes would not go down when the wind was blowing

Ralph Town… Had them on my 1958 VW Beetle LRC 518…where are you now?

Wendy Weaver… Had them on my Austin A30 in 1969

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Had those on my first car – Morris Minor (split screen)

Dave Edwards… Trafficators

Barry Upton… Saw one yesterday with her arm out the window as well to be sure

Lorraine Page… Yes

Pete Prescott… Remember them well.

Jeffrey Beadle… Trafficators I think they called them.

Nuttall Summerfield… Jeffrey, semaphore

Glenn Piper.. Oh yes

Roger Simmonds… I had them on a 1936 Buick straight eight , wish I had it now !

Bookham Ally… Ford Popular and they used to stick in the ‘out’ position.

John Coleman… That’s when people used to indicate!

Jerry L Harmon… u got me curious gang. I have no clue what these are, help me out

Marcus J Lamb-Bentley… We had them on my dads Riley

Peter Bridger… Still have them on my Singer, though with flashing LED bulbs, and I use hand signals when possible as people still don’t see them!

Robert Fisher… Yes snapped a few off in my early driving days.

Roger Simmonds… Mine were clockwork I think went back in again after about 30 seconds !

Martin Richter… anyone remember *parking lights* ?

Edward Adams… Martin, yeah little red and white lenses you put on the drivers side of your car they are built in nowadays

Colin Anstee… My first car was an Austin A30 van, the right indicator used to stick, so lean back and give the unit a smack. Oh yes and it had a starting handle

Nigel Ford… Remember them on parents Morris Cowley SUL 515 in the early 60’s. We were later left a Wolseley 4/44 in 1970 that we got back on the road after having been laid up for many years that had them too, shiny leather seats that you slid around on pre seat belts of course. A circular twist knob in the middle of the steering wheel to activate the trafficators with an upward projection pointer.

Tracy Birrell… I remember them. We called them Blinkers.

Rose Biela… And who remembers cranking the car ?

Edward Adams… Rose, i do

Tim Moose Bruce… My favorite indicator system. It is also orange colour. Voice operated. Just say “Right turn Clyde “.

Richard 1066… Hi, still use them on my Worseley 4 44. 1955

Carol Anne… Gosh takes me back my old moggy minor had these

Dimarco’s Hastings closed on the 9th February 1985

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photo from Hastings and Area, Past and Present  https://www.facebook.com/HAPP1066/

HAPP…. 9th February 1985, Dimarco’s closed for good. This is a photo of DiMarco’s on the day they closed, sent by Ann Clifton. Ann added “The gentleman sitting in the right hand corner was the last ever customer, with Michael and Phil Di Marco, Lou and Emily DiPaolo, me and my brothers – Luigi Antonio Di Paolo”.

Dennis Torrance… Such a nice place happy memories there great food and ice cream and milkshakes . My mum worked in the one below St Mary in the castle in early 60s

John Gale… Knickerbocker glory land, loved it there and always welcoming by the Di Marco family , I met some of them at Hastings united games., always enthusiastic fans

Willie Wicking… Many a time spent in there can still remember that distinctive sound of the coffee machines & the blue smoke haze from cigarettes

Liane Carroll… I loved that place very much My Auntie Vera was a waitress there. It was so brilliant. Xxx

Jim Reilly… All us old hooligans used to love DiMarcos, and never misbehaved in there, coz we treated the staff the way the treated us, fairly. Grub was good and reasonably priced too.

Graham Matthews… We lived out in the sticks so school holiday treat was a bus trip to Hastings and lunch in Di Marco’s was always on the list in the 1960’s. Still used it after I left school if I came to town. Loved it.

Pete Houghton… One of my favorites! When i came over from Bexhill for the day

Chris Meachen… Some of my fondest memories are of my dad taking me in there when I was a tot. I used to have an egg & tomato roll (still my favourite filling to this day) followed by an ice cream scooped out of the tubs built into the counter.. I remember ‘Mr louis’ who seemed to know dad quite well. DiMarco’s was always a favourite place to eat, drink a delicious milkshake & meet up with friends, I miss it even now..

Helen Knight… Remember it

Carol Arnold… Loved Dimarcos

Alan Esdaile… Happy memories. Always found the staff friendly and polite.

Patrick Turner… Had many a knickerbocker glory in there

Gerry Fortsch… Welsh Rarebit every time?

SMART coffee meet report 70

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Great turn out for our 70th meet. Shaun Hanson was chatting to Colin Bell and Andre Martin about Boom Radio and 60’s and 70’s radio. Colin had with him an early Hastings Rock photo and one of his popular Top Sounds reviews. Mo Elms had indie band ‘Brinkman’ His Master Voice cd’s and mini discs of Queen, Fat Boy Slim and Now. Peter Ellingworth had books of Hastings Tramways Company 1899-1959 by Cliff Mewett and How The Railways Came To Hastings by Hastings Area Local Studies Project. Chris Stovold has a number of 78’s for sale and Pete Millington had gig tickets of when his group supported Rod Stewart Soul Agents. Barry French had a very early Hastings Pier postcard, where the person writing the card had added a pencil x to the photo, to show where the fire had started in 1917. Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland had a 1960’s photo of people outside ‘Photo Trade’ which was in Tackleway, in the Old Town Hastings. Dave Trodd had a photo of Pete Treger and a 1957 photo of the first intake of foreign students with locals. Lyn Williams had some ‘Record Song Books’ with cover prices of 9d and 1 shilling. Merv Kenard had a 7” single of Wonderful Radio London and a whole host of pirate radio recordings. Ian Marketis had Queen Box Set and also Queen postage stamps. Pete Prescott had photo albums of Lets Go to The Hop gigs in Bexhill in the 80’s. Sorry I didn’t get chance to get round to everyone. This is just a small bit of what I remember. If you had anything interesting you were talking about or anything I missed out or got wrong! then please feel free to add or correct.

Colin Bell… Great to see everyone & catch up. A busy afternoon! well done again Alan, take it easy now for the weekend. Great to join in so many interesting conversations all round the room

Mick O’Dowd… Colin, That last bit of sentence reminds me of the old TV show. Wheeltapppers & Shunters and the guy with the alarm bell to call order! Another classic Meet Alan! Interesting chat with Merv Kennard and Colin and a few others. Good turn out after a slow start. Happy anniversary Smarties! Well done Alan as usual a great well organised Meet. Keep the faith! Well done

Wendy Weaver… Thanks Alan. A really good afternoon. Graham and I enjoyed it.

Pete Prescott… I Really enjoyed it as usual.

Cris & Merv Kennard… Thanks Alan for another good afternoon catching up with lots of lovely people.

Eric Harmer… Thanks Alan. If it wasn’t for you We all would not get a chance to get together. Well done pal, great afternoon

Claire Lonsdale… Thanks Alan, very enjoyable as always. Looking forward to the next one! Xx

Jim Breed… Apologies for absence. Doctor’s appointment (shingles jab – how rock n roll is that!?) and some other chores

Peter Fairless… Shingles Jab’ was a 1971 ‘B’ side for proto-ABBA Scottish pop outfit Middle Of The Road, Jim…or perhaps not

Stephen Moran… I ’m really soon I couldn’t make it yesterday Alan. Great review as always.

Andy Qunta… Sounds excellent!

David Martin… Well done Alan , sorry I couldn’t make it I’ve got a dreadful cold. See you on the next one.

Colin Winn… Sounds like fun!

Darren Johnson… When is next one Alan. I must remember to put it in my diary.

Alan Esdaile… Usually every other month, so probably mid March, will confirm nearer the time. Someone did mention you, can’t remember who but they were talking about Slade.

Wendy Weaver… Darren, Graham took his Slade book and a few people were interested and discussed it with him.

Peter Houghton… Alan sorry I couldn’t make it as I had an Hospital appointment

Jacquie Hinves… I’m so sorry not to have been able to join you today. Next time. Xxx

Monica Bane… Another interesting afternoon! Thanks again Alan, For all the hard work that you do!

Peter Ellingworth… Thanks again for an excellent coffee meet Alan

Joan Ann Cooper-fenner… Would love to come to one of these!

Shaun Hanson… I found it all quite fascinating, talking about the background of so many artists before they were famous. Boom Radio gives a helping hand with that as well. Thanks for a great afternoon

Roger Carey… Sorry I missed this, was working on a jazz gig for Friday night and rock gig on Saturday 20th, different sets of music and equipment required, more this weekend, will announce on Facebook. Hope to be at next one and find some ‘new’ items, nothing I haven’t submitted before has come to light so far but since moving I have lots of stuff to still go through!

 

SMART coffee meet no.70 Friday 19th January 2024

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The next SMART coffee meet is on Friday 19th January 2024. Hopefully you can make it and please mention it to other like minded people. We usually do one, every other month but due to Christmas, the next one won’t be until January. Thank you as always for your support and would like to wish you a very happy Christmas and healthy new year. Don’t forget if you are seeing any relatives or friends over the Christmas period and think they might have some old photos that are suitable for the website, then this would be very much appreciated. Very best wishes. Alan

Claire Lonsdale… Happy Christmas to you Alan . I hope you enjoy the festive season. Xx

Mick O’Dowd… Remember to make a New Years Resolution if you’ve not been before. Make it in 2024 and see the superman who runs the whole shabang and is known as Alan Esdaile Johnny Mason.

Colin Norton… I really hope that I can make it one day! Would love to meet everyone!