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Stagedoor Coffee Bar

davidfowler

davidfowler

Exiled Brummie
Anyone remember the coffee bar in an alley or passage off Albert Street in the City Centre? Me and my mates used it late at night in the early 60's. Wearing a Donkey jacket and a polo neck jumper drinking "froffy coffee" we felt as if we were the new existentialists! :cool:
The alley/passage was demolished a few years later but I can't remember when.
 
Yes Froth i remember it beatnicks place that was the first time i heard some Dylan music still hooked my avatar Dylan :cool: cool man,peace
 
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Think that was the Stagedoor coffee bar. I seemed to have spent half my life in that place after nights out at the Midland Jazz Club (sad ain't it?)
 
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The Stage Door Cafe & Club, New Meeting Street, Birmingham. Never used the place myself as I found it boring and lacking atmosphere.

pmc1947

CityNewMeetingStstagedoorClub.jpg
 
I took that photo, PMC, I must have posted it earlier. That's my friend, Brian Tipper walking up the street. I spent many hours for couple of years their in my youth. Other attendees I remember where: Dereck Watts (resident blues singer), Spencer Davis, Stevie Winwood, Christine Perfect, Luke Kelly (of the Dubliners, Dave Swarbrick, Lorna Cambell, Dave Ingram, kevin Donaldson, Christmas, Davey Crockett and friends, Tan, Pedro or Pablo
 
Michael Ingram

to be honest, I think that photo came from book that I have or had, Funnily enough I think I have a photo of you at the town hall from another book that I once had. Well at least if that is you as a young lad on your avatar. If you like I will put it up.

Phil
 
The picture of me in the Town Hall is from a book but I have a 10 x 8 copy from the Birmingham Mail (or Post) who took the original. However, the Stage door photo was taken by me; I have the original taken on a Braun camera that I had for my 21st. It is part of a roll that includes photos of Dingley's Hotel. You will find them and the Stagedoor club here:
https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2644

Here are some more:
Brian walking the other way
New Meeting Street from lower down
Kevin Donaldson who sometimes played at the stagedoor
Hardcastle who went there regularly, sitting on my bed - I can't rememer her real name - she worked at Hudson's bookshop
 
Michael_Ingram

I of course accept what you are saying, but I did not upload the photo from this forum, I would not have done that without asking permission first. It seems that a copy has gotten into some publication or other. I will have to look through my books and see if I can locate it for you. The only problem is that I may no longer have it, as over the years I have lent many books out that have never been returned.

pmc1947
 
I found your photos of New Meeting Street very interesting Michael. I never went to the Stage Door, but my grandparents used to run the Waverley Hotel in the street in the mid-1920's. I only have one photo of it from a book but from your photos I can see that the Stage Door was next door to what used to be the Waverley Hotel.

I used to frequent the Sombrero and Firebird:)

Judy
 
Many thanks PMC I would be interested to know more.
Judy, I went to the Sombrero. I had forgotten about the Firebird, can you remind me where it was please?
 
Thanks to everyone who replied.:)
The Stagedoor, of course, May have sat next to some of you. And pictures as well!!!
Great response folks.
 
pmc1947 said:
The Stage Door Cafe & Club, New Meeting Street, Birmingham. Never used the place myself as I found it boring and lacking atmosphere.

pmc1947
Click to expand...

"boring, lacking atmosphere"

It was a place where individuals created the meaning and essence of their lives, as opposed to deities or authorities creating it for them. We postulated that the absence of a transcendent force means that the individual is entirely free, and therefore, ultimately responsible. In existentialist views, personal articulation of being is the only way to rise above humanity's absurd condition of much suffering and inevitable death.

Only kidding;);)
 
I have an Art College magazine from the time which relate to the clientele. If I can find it I will post some scans tommorrow
 
Michael, did you used to go to Art College? A bit off topic here but I used to go to the Midland Institute (I think that was its name) in Digbeth where they had a Trad Jazz Club and there were loads of arts students used to go there.
 
Yes I did go to Art college and the Midland Institute. I also knew one or two girls named Judy; perhaps you were one of them
 
:confused2: I used to go to a trad jaz club in Digbeth but it was upstairs in that old pub. Pete thinks it is called The Crown?. I worked at a company called Sumlock Comptometer in 1962 ish in Fore street. I was in the office which was part of the service dept. Me and 25 engineers. Lunchtime I used to go down the side of the C and A to a tiny cafe but I can't remember it's name. I used to go to the Stage Door but I thought it was by John Bright street. My memory aint what it used to be. TTFN. Jean.:confused2:
 
The stage Door was in New Meeting Street (see attached map - appologies to Judy39. I can't remember a jazz club in John Bright Street, but then again I wasn't always sober in those days; wasn't the Zambesi coffee bar in that area. There was the Midland Jazz Club in town and the Central Jazz Club in the pub near the Central Fire Station. There was a jazz club and a folk club at the crown.
 
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