Remember Gifford Boyd for cameras and Shaver! – adverts 1965 & late 50’s

Josie Lawson… Yes I remember well. My dad used to go there. My friends dad worked there and due to funds needed I had to sell my camera to them I didn’t want too.

Martin Richter… I think i’ve got one of them!

Chris Meachen… Used to spend half my lunch breaks in there, chatting to Bruce & trying out new bits of kit…

Angela Frances Gardner… I had a box brownie with 8 frames to each film and only black and white pictures! I loved my camera it was £2 with a case and two films, my best birthday present I was 14. I still have the pictures and some of the negatives this was in 1968!

Nicola Dobson… I had a box brownie too loved it

Roger Simmonds… Took good photos still have many !

Andy Davies… I’m pretty sure Gifford Boyd was my godfather, my Dad used to sail a Merlin Rocket dinghy with him, and I had a Kodak Brownie, which I don’t think was actually very good!

Roger Plested… I worked there in the darkroom in 1954

David & Amanda Kent… I remember Bruce. I think I knew his brother also but can’t remember the family name.

Tammy St John & The Trends – Sat 12th Sept 1964 – Hastings Pier by Andre Martin

supplied by  Andre Palfrey-martin collection

Andre Martin… The nights are closing in, and the Happy Ballroom on Hastings Pier is in for a great surprise this weekend, Saturday 12th September 1964. Top of the bill tonight is north London vocalist – Tammy St John and her backing group The Trends. Plus support from Gene Bennett & The Initials.
Tammy St John was born Judith Coster and hailed from Hornchurch in Essex, east of London. She earned a recording contract with Pye Records at the age of just 14 and released four singles over a two-year period. Each showed a very different side of the young singer as her record company tried to find a winning sound.
Her first 45, Boys, was a decent debut, and featured Hey-hey-hey-hey, a cover of a song originally recorded by Little Richard, on the flip. Issued in August 1964, it was a raucous affair, with a distinctly American flavour, loud guitars and strong backing vocals. It also gained a release in the US, on the small Four Corner of the World label.
Although she had little record success in the UK charts at the time, in later years, she would build up a big following on the Northern Circuit and several of these 1960s releases being worth £100s on the vinyl market.
Gene Bennett & The Initials are another of the many groups that acted in support on the Pier, of whom no knowledge is available; all the usual research has come up with little that can link them with Hastings Pier.
Along the Promenade – The Witch Doctor, is consolidating his position, and is offerings a really good weeks entertainment . Saturday Night – From London Steve Marriott’s Moments, supported by Brighton’s own The Alexenders, Sunday was the R&B night with Victor Brox Blues Train. Wednesday London’s own Christians Crusaders featuring Neil Christian and Friday Parlophone recording group The Contrasts.
The Weekend would have started off for us with the Friday Nights RSG and this week would have featured – Scheduled guests: Bill Haley and his Comets -Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers – “One Way Love” -Adam Faith and the Roulettes -Tony Jackson and the Vibrations – “Bye Bye Baby” -Rita Bartok -Doug Sheldon.
So there you have another week of History of not just the Happy Ballroom, but other attractions in the town for the young at heart, I hope this has brought back some memories for you all………….

SMART Coffee meet report 56

A BIG thank you to everyone who turned up today at the SMART meeting. Great turn out and sorry if I didn’t get chance to chat to everyone. This was our first meeting since February 2020 and it was wonderful catching up with old friends and lots of new ones. Among the newbies this time were Nan (Anthony Morland), Dave Trodd, Rose Watling, Rob and Maura Williams, Claire Longsdale, Dave Muriel, Melvin Grant, Lance Collins and Kenny Comfort. Nan had with him some great photos of The Temperance Seven taken at the Bathing Pool in 1961,  Screaming Lord Sutch, Cliff Bennett, Gerry & The Pacemakers from Hastings Pier, ABC and Regal Cinema and shop front photos of The Orion Cinema/WH Smith, Gifford Boyd, Malcolm Mitchell, Ken Apps and more. Claire was chatting about her very interesting version of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, as well as her music career. Kenny was talking about his happy memories of The Saddle Tramps, The Humperdinks and working with John Winch. Dave Muriel had photos of when he was the poster boy playing the guitar, in the Kenneth More film ‘Some People’, which he got paid £5! Also talking about his days in a skiffle band and the time Peter Frampton played upstairs in the Pam Dor with the group ‘The Preachers’. Lance was pleased to say that he is back doing disco’s again with a huge demand for his Retro roadshow, where the audience love dancing to the 70’s and 80’s music he plays.  Dave Trodd was pleased to hear everyone loves his photos of Alan at The Disc Jockey, The Teenbeats and the biker photos and he’s working his way through some old negatives, so expect more goodies soon. Too many other people to mention but this is just a small bit of what I remember. If you have anything else you want to add from interesting conversations then please do so.

Colin Bell… Great to see old friends and new faces, well done Alan.

Jon McCallion… So sorry Alan Julie and I could not make it. It is our grand daughter‘s third birthday but will see you next month

Stephen Moran… It was great Alan thank you.

Monica Bane… Well done from me as well Alan. Would have liked to have chatted more, was a good turnout. Fantastic Alan.

Lucy Pappas… I must put it in my diary and get to the next one!

Wendy Weaver… It was a lovely afternoon Alan. Nice to see so many familiar faces again and chatting to new friends. Looking forward to the next one.

Pete Prescott… It was great to see everyone wasn’t it!

Lance Collins… It was my first visit. But not my last. Thank you for making me welcome and meeting new friends with the same interests. And a few old mates as well

Mick O’Dowd… Alan the old magic is still there even after the enforced break. (How was it in prison?) only joking. Such a mix of people. I had trouble distinguishing between old & newbies. Great afternoon! Well done! Bring on the next! A big thank you to you for organising it.

Geoff Peckham…  I was spending a pleasant day meeting old friends and new at the exhumed – I mean resumed (!) – SMART meet in Hastings, It was a smashing afternoon in good company, with thanks to Alan.

Claire Lonsdale…I enjoyed my first visit and met some very interesting people. Look forward to the next meet. I wished I’d seen the photos of the Temperance Seven. My good friend John Watson was the banjo player in the Temperance Seven.

Lloyd Johnson… Claire, Re: Anthony’Nan’ Morland’s photos of ‘The Temperance Seven’. The are of the first gig we went to on Hastings Pier in 61/62. ‘Nan’ always had a camera with him and has an incredible archive of photos of past times 50s/60s +….he should really have an Exhibition at Hastings Museum!…

Alan Esdaile… Good to see you Claire. The images are now on the pages here.

Mick O’Dowd… All this Temperance Seven stuff is making me skiddy-iddy-iddy! I’ll just have to drop in my oolong and straighten the day!

Paul Huggett… An enjoyable get together, and a fun chat with Barry French & Lance Collins about the Band v Disco days of the 70s

Ian Mcgilvray… Great pic of Tich

Mark Reed… Holyfuckingshitballs! Tich!… those were some incredible times!

Martyn Baker… And Tich is smiling in this photo. That has to be a first!

Iain Cobby… Where were you Nick Webb!

Nick Webb… Iain, So sorry completely forgot will be at next one.

 

SMART Coffee Meet 56 – We’re Back!

Very pleased to say We’re Back! Hope you are all doing OK and keeping well. Our last meeting was back in February 2020 and looking forward to catching up with old friends and new on Friday 3rd Sept at The White Rock Hotel. A big thank you to everyone for keeping the website and facebook page going during these difficult times. Best Regards  Alan

Keeping the memories alive…

Pete Houghton… Great to back

Andy Qunta… Excellent news!

Mick O’Dowd… It was the 3rd of September. A date i’ll always remember…….

Pete Prescott… Looking forward to it!

Wendy Weaver… At last. Normality

Colin Norton… I hope that you guys have a great time and I really wish that I could join you!

Andy Qunta… Colin, what you said! Me too!

Kev Towner… Can you do it on Zoom? LOL

Stephen Moran… Thanks Alan I look forward to seeing you this afternoon.

 

Pier bouncers – Peter Reeves, Mick Baldwin, and Tom O’Rourke 1960’s

photo shared from: https://www.hastingspierarchive.org.uk

Pier Community Archives… When the Pier became a venue for rock concerts in the 1960s, bouncers were employed to keep order. The bouncers here are Peter Reeves, Mick Baldwin, and Tom O’Rourke. From the early 1960s the Pier ballroom enjoyed a resurgence as a musical venue for young people, where famous bands such as the Rolling Stones, The Who, Tom Jones and Jimi Hendrix performed. The ballroom may have lacked atmosphere but it did have a capacity of 1,500, and it is widely alleged that 2,000 or more people attended some of the events. The fact that the ballroom was at the far end of the pier meant that noisy, boisterous teenagers would not bother anyone.

Glenn Piper… I was always told the ballroom capacity was 1600 standing, not 1500?

Alan Esdaile… Yes I think your right Glenn but I think when Andre looked into the early pier paperwork from the fire brigade the figure 1600 was the limit for more of the pier and not just the ballroom???

Sandra Bryant… I was told at one of his talks that the capacity for the whole pier was used to cram them in the ballroom . No health and safety in those days . I worked in Scalliwags in the 70’s/80’s and we were always over capacity ( I can back this up) and we’re never checked

Graham Sherrington… Bloody Hell Mick Baldwin great mates with me Dad!!! Joe.

Paul Phillips… Proper doormen not just badge holders

Jane Hartley… Lovely Uncle Tom.

Hastings Pier Greyhound Racer 1969

shared from Hastings Pier Community Archive https://www.hastingspierarchive.org.uk

photo from Chris & Sue Fisher

Chris & Sue Fisher… Hastings Pier Greyhound Racer 1969. We worked on the Greyhound Racer, Hastings Pier during student vacation in the summer of 1969. Chris and Sue Fisher (photo) and other students were callers and race commentator and Sue gave out the prizes. Ted Baker of Coburg Place, Hastings was manager of the Racer, it was owned by Mr Brenner. We managed to sneak in free to The Who concert and wrestler Mick McManus waved as he walked by. Long hours, 6 day weeks, low pay – but it was fun!

Lloyd Johnson… I remember David Muriel working on that in the early 60s….

Hastings Traditional Jazz Band – 1959?

photo credit unknown. Source: facebook West Marina to Hastings Pier

WMTHP… Were you a Hastings Trad Jazz fan in the 50s/60s? You may recognise some of these people on their way to play on the Pier. They were from the Hastings Traditional Jazz Club I believe? Hastings 1959

Mike Waghorne… Bit early for Min

Monica Bane… The Dolphin jazz band

Tony Court-holmes… my mum god rest her followed the jazz bands round Hastings

Caroline Moor… what a fantastic photograph……

Mike Vawdrey… With four clarinets and three trumpets/cornets visible plus the headgear I would guess this to a New Orleans style marching band perhaps made up from members of several different aggregations. Just a theory..

Carl Spencer… Pretty certain that’s Pete Treger with the beard on trumpet. Should also have had Chris Watford on clarinet, but none look like him. Neither does it look like Brian Hills, who dropped in to play from time to time.

David Dickerson… does anybody have any memories of my good Army friend Peter Cooper – trumpet player

Lloyd Johnson… Pete Treger with the beard, Sloppy Joe Sweater and summer bus conductors hat. There was a country line bus company called ‘Dengate Bus Company’ all the conductors wore linen jackets with those hats. it always reminded me of Benny Hill!..they had leather money pouches and wooden blocks with springs to retain the individually printed tickets…they parked in Wellington Square at the beginning of the route before heading of to the countryside.The buses were old and 1930s in cream and light green livery….very ‘Darling Buds of May’….Happy Days!…

What was or is your favourite record label?

photos: https://issuu.com

Jimmy Kent… Decca

Tim Harris… Stiff

Tony Ham… Crass

Stuart Huggett… Factory

Steve Thorpe… Chrysalis

Tony May… Bell

Yvonne Cleland… Tuff Gong!

Geoff Mcintosh… Decca

Chris Meachen… Most of them…

Mike Vawdrey… Blue Note for a committed jazz fan – but only in it’s glory days

Will Cornell… Two that don’t get that much notice: 4AD and Enigma/Restless.

Alan Esdaile… 4AD was very popular here Will.

Pete Prescott… Island

Alan Pepper… Tamla Motown (early TMG 500 to 600 series) Thanks to the Funk Brothers !

Nick Bloomfield… Immediate.

Chris Jolly… Harvest

Who remembers having an outside toilets as a kid?

Darren Holmes…. 58 Blackman Avenue!!!

Virginia Davis… That looks like my great grandparents house. Spiders as well !!!!!

Sandie Carlyon… My dads house. Just like Steptoes loo.

Nick Prince…..

Jan Warren… Aaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhh, the “torture” paper?! – well, it was either that or newspaper, hahaha, happy days!!

Mark Asseenontv Scutchings-Stevens… With most of it on your fingernails…….

Chris Meachen… We lived in a house with an outside loo, much like the above until I was 6.. I was always fascinated by the various coloured snails that inhabited the place. Was bloody cold in the winter, & you used a pot indoors unless you absolutely had to go outside…

Paul Morfey… My grannys house in Brede, makes me think how things have changed and how few realise!!

Paul Huggett… Yup, Romney Marsh in the 50s. We had no electricity, mains water only arrived in about ’56, and no dustbin collections; a dry pond near the house (much of which was built from asbestos, by the way!) had all the tin cans, bottles, batteries for the radio etc chucked in.

Joe Knight… Stopped all your fears of spiders 😂😂 Also the expression (DON’T FORGET TO PULL THE CHAIN )😂😂

Pete Prescott… The cold seat in winter. It was like sitting on ice. All I remember is shivering. I was very young and petrified of going to the outside loo. My father caught me having a wee out of the back door when I was five. He was very understanding. Such a lovely man. He knocked the wall down and made an entrance from the kitchen and then bricked up the outer doorway. It was then an INSIDE loo ! There’s “posh”

Alan Esdaile… My dad also did the same Pete and knocked through and blocked up outside. A lot less spiders, snails and woodlice.

Pete Prescott… I used to use the toilet paper to trace the maps I was obsessed with. My school books were full of maps and (izel?) Paper. Terrible toilet paper.

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