memories

Who had a John Bull printing outfit?

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photo source: unknown

Barry Hilton… I think that was Christmas 1976 I got one of those!

Mike Guy… Now updated by the John B.S. printing outfit?

Robert Searle… I had one when i was a young boy,i loved it.

Mike Waghorne… I had one as did my kids in the 80’s

Steve Thorpe… Had one of those!

John Warner… All the kids had one!

Fiona Evans… Me too !

David Edwards… Yep!

Mike Cope… Super, Smashing, Great….!

Julie Findlay-jones… I had one,loved it, made my own headed notepaper

Andy Qunta…Christmas present!

Colin Gibson… Make a poster in under two years!

Josie Lawson…. My brother had one of these

Pete Brazier… I had Two, then got the big set with the rotating drum to print on A5 paper! 🤔 it might still be in the loft!

Ralph Town… Had one

Colin Bell… Had one in my Christmas stocking, well actually it was a pillowcase, when i was about 9 or 10, remember it well

Claire Lonsdale… Oh yes, I remember mine!

 

Singing wrong lyrics!

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source: unknown

Kim Thompsett… Ooh ooh me ears are alight.

Mike Waghorne… Sitting next to your tranny listening to the lyrics, then writting them down leaving spaces for the words you missed until the next air play

Wendy Weaver… You could buy the sheet music if you were well off. Anyway it was fun getting the words wrong and sometimes the wrong words made more sense

Stuart Moir… A lot of the sheet music was wrong as well not only the words but the chords as well

Wendy Weaver… I remember Terry Wogan going through things people thought they had heard on his morning radio programme. It wasn’t just me who thought ‘Tragedy ‘ was ‘ Pack it In ‘

Fred Marsh… sue lawley sue lawley feel sue lawley

Els Wilcox… I shattered someone’s dreams the other day, they thought the words were, ‘what we have will never end’ I informed them it was’ we’re off to never never land. Lol.

Tony Ham… Wonder what lyrics people came up with for Cocteau Twins

Mike Guy… ‘Scuse me while I kiss Mike Guy. Mike Guy’s mad at me. Nothing in the world . . . Mike Guy.

Mick Knights… My personal favourite was the line in ‘When a man loves a woman’ You’ve got to hold on to your hot cross bun.

Nigel Sherwood… 10 years old and living in a town near to Hastings convinced the Beatles were singing, ticket to Rye

Paul Huggett… Makes you wonder how disappointed people in the Isle of Wight were when they didn’t come

Ricky Adelaide… Hay I still make up the lines, I forget cant be doing with these ipads and phones, not good

Martin Stoggell.. I still sing shit every day.

Paul Crimin…Queen….Has the devil got a sideboard

Robert Carey… Paul Young. Everytime you go away you take a piece of meat with you or Ralph McTell singing about his private parts- My Jenny Taylor.

David Kent… This from Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds: The girl with colitis goes by……

Mike Guy… also Hotel California . . . sweet smell of colitis.

Mike Curtis… Desmond Dekker, “My ears are alight”

Sharon Kirby… This!!! I thought that were the words too

Paul Huggett…Stevie Winwood’s touching plea… Bring Me Your Iron Lung

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Disco 45 helped

Rosemary Battles Hughes… from queen.. sharing his wife and his pork sausages

Nick Prince… I never once sung the wrong words to a song, it was always the person singing on the radio that got it wrong

Janice Irving… Creedence Clearwater Revival – there’s a bathroom on the right!

Gerry Woodland… Like the song with the line, killing me softly with insults, I use to say ( killing me softly with insoles), and another song with the line, the Israelites, ( the little red eyes )

Martin Richter… that’s why we bought *disco 45* ?

Judie Struys… I once rang Radio 1 to find out what the chorus line was to REM’s The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite.

Judy Atkinson… Gary Puckett & the Union Gap – “when Jessame goes up part of me nose”

Ian Ellis… Mister Brown Goes off to town On the A21…

Faith Brooker… BeeGees; When she comes to me in a submarine…

Mick O’Dowd… Always thought Steely Dan’s Reelin’ in The years was Living in the East!

Malcolm Sharp… Reverent blue jean

Who remembers the Hovercraft at Hastings?

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photo shared from: Valerie Churms

Mike Guy… Who remembers the inventor – put that Google down right now!

Mike Waghorne…I believe my daughter was a friend of his daughter and was a local man ?

Eric Harmer… Yes remember it , well was the inventor Rooster Cockburn. 😂😂his name was something to do with chickens

Peter Bridger… I have some of Dad’s old super 8 cine film of that somewhere! Went on a school trip to France on it. I remember it being noisy and bumpy!

Judy Atkinson… Christopher Cockerill

Mike Mitchell… I remember a man walking up the beach in what looked to me like a naval uniform waving a red flag on a stick. He was getting us to move out of the way so the hovercraft could land. I was distraught because the hovercraft flattened my lovely sandcastle

Tony Court-holmes… went on it

Phil Thornton… Remember it well ! – very noisy

Gary Colcombe… Oh yes! What a monster! remember it very well

Roger Simmonds… I remember it very noisy!

Mick O’Dowd… Didn’t they stop it because of the noise? It was rather loud!

Merv Kennard… remember it and the noise

Colin Gibson… It sucked up my Yorkshire terrier

Alan Green And His Boys – Hastings Pier 1938

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Supplied by Kay Lobb via Jim Breeds HAPP Facebook page.

Jim Breeds… Here’s a great photo from Kay Lobb, who writes “Found this old postcard at my mother’s flat today. It shows Alan Green and His Boys on Hastings Pier in 1938. My mother still remembers nights spent on the pier, dancing to them.”

Nicki Dann… That’s my grandad !

Alan Esdaile… They are sitting on the staircase that went up to the upper small function room(before you got to the toilets and the long bar area). Looks like the same lino on the stairs in the 60’s/70’s !

Pete Fairless… Yes, twin staircases to the Palm Court.

Andre Martin… Spot on guys

Brian Dove… I think that top row right hand as you look at it is William Cook – Violin, Sax, Clar.

Pete Fairless… Did they ever record anything?

Alan Esdaile… Yes Pete, this one

Clifford Exton… The man sitting on the bottom step right side of Alan Green is my father Ken Exton he was a trumpet player in this photo he is 26 years old

Clare Watts… Wow … Alan Green is my great grandad . It’s great to see a picture of him and the band . .

Ena Nicholls… I would like to know who is sitting on the left of Alan Green, my father was in the band later. I have a photo of  this man with my dad Billy Nicholls. Thank you.

Jean Wheel… I found this same photo of the band tucked into a book yesterday! It’s signed by them on the reverse. Never seen it before – a mystery….

supplied by Jean Wheel

 

 

SMART coffee meet report 67

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SMART coffee meet report number 67

What a Great afternoon! Among the newbies this time were Helena Kingshott, Micky Erends, Neil Cartwright, Jane Hartley, Sue Byrne, and David Martin. Helena was reminiscing about the great dances in Hastings with the regular Friday nights at the caves and Saturdays on the pier. Micky had some great memories of Ore youth club and the pier with Hendrix, Pink Floyd and Johnny Kidd. Neil was catching up with friends and fellow musicians that he has performed with over the years.  Jane was chatting about the music that’s happening this summer on the pier. Sue remembers seeing Elvis Costello and always enjoyed seeing The Teenbeats. David was catching up with old school friends and was talking about how good Pete Prescott’s music quiz nights are at The Dolphin. Mick O’Dowd had the hardback book with him called ‘Rock Odyssey A Chronicle of The Sixties’ by Ian Whitcomb whom you may remember had the hit in the sixties with ‘You Turn Me On’.  Mick said, it’s surprises what you can find in the charity shop for 50p!  Mo Elms turned up with a surprise, Terry’s original 70’s platform shoes! Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland had some interesting photos with him, including The Regal Theatre, The Maanav Star cargo ship when it run aground at Camber, Courts furniture shop at White Rock in 1978, North Seat viewing platform look out tower in Fairlight from 1960 and ‘Ransons’ corner shop, on the corner of Broadway and Fairlight Road. He also had photos from his cousin Roger of Pete Best in Liverpool, George Martin in Harrods and a Yoko Ono photo. Lynn Williams and Jane Moody had some great looking trendy photos of them from their teenage years. Paul Huggett had pages of lists of all the gigs he has seen over the years from 1964 to present. John Busbridge arrive with an amazing collection of LP’s & single records of Buddy Holly and Cliff Wootton had leaflets and information on ITT. Clive Richardson had Steamhammer posters and a large selection of 7” singles and Barry French had a Status Quo programme from Alexandra Park in 2006. This is just a small bit of what I remember and sorry was unable to chat to everyone. 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.

Stephen Moran… I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get to SMART today.

Jim Breeds… Apologies for my absence. I had some errands to run.

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

Lucy Pappas… Sorry to miss another one. Hope it was fun! xx

Tony Davis… Sorry to miss another one was scoping out young bands in Brighton

Mick O’Dowd… You missed a good one there Stephen. Nice to see more newbies every time we have a Meet. Well done Alan!

Stephen Moran… I’m sorry I missed it Mick, we’ve got a family wedding otherwise I’d have been there. You are quite right, Alan does a great job.

Dave Martin… Priory Road Trio met up yesterday at SMART Coffee meeting at White Rock Hotel. Myself, Eric Harmer & Jon McCallion

Andy Qunta… Sounds great! As usual I’m sorry I couldn’t be there! Thanks for the plug for the Factory gig! Here’s a link for tickets –

https://dice.fm/event/5rv2y-factory-5th-aug-the-piper-saint-leonards-tickets

Iain Cobby… Sorry to miss another bash Alan, on the school run in Tenterden!

Willie Wicking… Don’t look any different Dave

 

I remember Wards looking like this and mens holiday wear

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photo source: unknown

Advert 1968

opening advert 14th July 1951 supplied by Leigh Kennedy

Fiona Evans… So do I !

Arthur Sutherland… Love the headless sales assistant.

Pete Fisher… was dragged there to be fitted out with school uniform…

Alan Esdaile… so was I Pete, I was like Kevin the teenager from Harry Enfield!

Tony May… This looks to me like the interior of Apps at Silverhill.

Sue Bennett… When l was small l remember the lovely little drawers with delicate buttons & threads in them.I collected buttons & beads, etc too after that.

Julie Findlay-jones… Wish shops looked more like this now, very nostalgic.

Janine Anne Scott… Do you remember the distinct smell?

Jules Stretton… Me too

Carol Paffett… And Mastins

Pete Brazier… A bit like Grace Brothers Isn’t it

Tony Ham… You beat me to it, are you free My Humphreys? I’m free!

Jon McCallion….  I remember this too. Shame we can’t go back to it, it would be so much better.

Jacquie Hinves… That was downstairs in the Queens Road shop. Upstairs was the Children’s outfitters. I got my first uniform for Our Lady’s Convent in Filsham Road from there!

Judy Atkinson… And my dad’s shop had cabinets like this

Despo Hawkins… Me too

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SMART coffee meet report 66

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The sun was shining and a packed turn out for our 66th meet. Among the newbies this time were Dave Reece, Peter Ellingworth, Lynn Williams, Joan Moody and Alan Thwaites. Dave had with him a photo album of the many groups he has played with, including Cyril Stapleton Band, Daybreak and Love Together who hit the front of the newspapers in 1975, about Opportunity Knocks. Peter had a photo of Pulpit Gate house at the bottom of All Saints Street and his father did the woodwork on the building. He was in deep conversation with others on his interest in Hastings transport. Lynn and Joan had happy memories of The Pam Dor and Witch Doctor and had a photo of Chris Upton outside The Clarence pub in the town centre with his car. Alan was remembering seeing The Kinks, Curved Air and others on Hastings Pier. Cris Kennard arrived with an original Fisher Price Music Box record player and it still works! Also a huge collection of Beano and Dandy comics. Mo Elms had a whole array of Capital Radio merchandise, including a tie, bag, sweater, hoodie and a fun book, which her and Terry got when they entered a competition at the studios in London around 1976/77. Laurie Cooksey had photos of his first nursery drum kit, which he used in the group ‘Rael’ and had transfers of teddy bears and pandas on!. The group consisted of him on drums and vocals, Dave Austin on bass and Frank Isted on guitar and vocals. Ian Marketis had with him a very rare David Bowie 7” picture disc singles collection. Colin Tapp had a photo from an early 60’s dance at Ore Secondary School (Hillcrest) and a Humperdinks photo from Maidstone. Phil John had a photo album of him when he was working with Queen, David Bowie and Mott The Hoople and many interesting stories to tell. Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland tried to take a photo of the demolition of Ashdown House but wasn’t allowed. So he went on a double decker bus and took a photo from their! Cliff Wootton was talking about how much his group ‘All Their Kings Fall’ enjoyed playing Beatles Day and have lots more gigs and recordings coming up. Geoff Peckham (Jaffa) was talking about how well the rehearsals of ‘Factory’ are going and looking forward to their gig at The Piper in August. This is just a small bit of what I remember and sorry was unable to chat to everyone. 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.

Mick O’Dowd… Really enjoyed the Meet. Met up with some very nice people including Jaffa, Lol, Jim, Clair & Andre. Good Meet as usual Alan. Well done!

Merv & Cris Kennard… As always, good to see everyone. Thanks for organising Alan

Stephen Moran… I’m really sorry I wasn’t able to make it yesterday Alan. I look forward to the next one.

David Jenkins… Absolutely brilliant afternoon , as always, Alan

Jaffa Peckham… Another enjoyable afternoon, Alan. Thanks for making it possible again!

Peter Ellingworth… Excellent & enjoyable day yesterday at the White Rock Hotel thanks Alan, hope to make the next one or the one after. I took the 18.46 train from Hastings to London Bridge, this connected nicely with a Horsham to Peterborough service, itself connecting with a King’s Cross to Cambridge train at Finsbury Park, arriving home at 21.30.

Claire Lonsdale… Thank you Alan for another enjoyable afternoon x

Monica Bane… Alan, So very interesting the latest news, Thanks again, Monica x

Jim Breeds… Thanks Alan. Really enjoyed it. If only we all knew what the other tables were talking about or brought with them at the time

Joe Knight… Thank you for sharing this!

Tony Davis… Sorry to have missed it

Paul Huggett… Dammit forgot it was on, again !

Tony Qunta… Shame I couldn’t be at what sounds like a fabulous SMART meeting.

Eric Upton… I’m reliably informed by my wife who went there that Hillcrest was formerly named Hastings Secondary School for Girls.

 

SMART coffee meet 66 – Friday 5th May 2023

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Dave Reece… Would like to turn up if that’s OK. Cheers!

Alan Esdaile… Your most welcome Dave

Dave Reece… Thank you I’ll bring me old clippings album. Tons of old toot!!

Susan McHugh… What a nice idea, you’ll enjoy that Dave

Peter Ellingworth… Intend to attend from exile in Hertfordshire.

Dimarco’s Hastings circa 1979 – ice cream display

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Supplied by Gavin Ronald Upstill via Hastings and Area, Past and Present

https://www.facebook.com/HAPP1066/

John Mcewen… Used to go in there all the time as a kid. Those knickerbocker glories look pricey tho. In 1979 I was only earning £16 a week!

Roger Simmonds… My wife was a waitress in Dimarcos many years ago, happy times!

Deb Hoad… Remember going in there and having knickerbocker glories !!!

Helena Kingshott… Vera Dimarcos was one of my friends. a lovely family x

Lloyd Johnson… Helen, my Mum was friends with one of the ladies of the Dimarco family and we would visit her upstairs in their home above the cafeteria. I remember going there in the 1950s and she had just had a charcoal Mural drawn on the wall of an Italian landscape.It was really well done just in black line drawing… I remember being so impressed by it !  It seem like complete relaxed freedom compared to the average home decor of the time.

Pete Houghton… Omg yes!! I Remember going for a Coffee in Dimarcos in the 70s

Mick O’Dowd… I worked in Iorio DiMascio(now Italian Way) and we had the fake displays. One day a woman came up yo the counter with 2 of them and said these look nice i’ll have them please. They were covered in dust!

Jim Breeds… How much did you charge her?

Mick O’Dowd… 2 chocolate coins!

Harry Norcliffe-hic… Great looking prices

Peter Brazier… Lorna worked there!

Tracy Birrell… Spent a lot of my teenage years in here.