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Alex Hoopers Dance Hall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

fredcecil

New Member
I wonder does anyone remember Alex Hoopers Dance Hall? from 1958-1963 and dancing to Danny king and his group we had some great times there
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Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Hi
I remember it well as I used to be a regular before Danny King played, when they had a DJ who wore a Dinner Jacket, one of the bouncers was called John.
The DJ used to play a few Rock & roll records then broke for either a Waltz or Foxtrot, these were the opportunities to get close to the girl you were dancing with.
The Cloakroom was upstairs & you could only get soft drinks so we used to have a few in the Mermaid before we went in.
It was very low key compared to the city centre places but I met & went out with a lot of girls from the locality.
Anyone remember me?
Dave Rock
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Was this the dance hall above Burtons? Spent some good evenings there. Always wanted a camel overcoat with a yellow scarf. Only got the scarf though!!
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Hi
No Alex Hoopers wasn't above Burtons but you've answered a question I couldn't answer yesterday as I drove down Stratford Road from my Moms I tried to think of the Tailors name. Above Burtons was & still is a snooker hall
Alex Hoopers was on a block of premises just up from the Mermaid but on the opposite side, there was a cafe about 4 doors down where I used to arrange to meet my date or mates before we went in.
I can't believe no one else has responded.
Cheers
Dave Rock
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Hi Dave, I'm talking 1960ish, had a few lessons above Burtons. If I'm in the right place that cafe used to make outstanding tomato dips. (Fried bread dipped in tinned tomato). Making my mouth water again.
Regards, Graham
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Replied to this thread some days ago ! !

Still waiting for it to come up ?

This is the third message which has not been shown.

Just what is the secret to getting a reply shown.????????????

Betty
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Hello Betty, did you write your reply in the box marked quick reply at the bottom of he page? Then click post quick reply. Graham
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Hello Sparkhill Boy,

Yes that is exactly what I did and it seems to have just dissapeared. I don't think I said anything naughty so cannot understand why it was unaccepted.

Thanks for your help anyway. Will give it a few more days but if they keep going awol I will have to call it a day.

Betty Hopper x
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Hello Sparkhill Boy,

Yes the one where I had a moan has arrived but the remeniceses about Alex Hoopers is just " Lost " so I have given up on it now.

Thank you anyway, Betty.
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Hi Betty
keep trying as it could be of interest to me, I learnt to dance at Alex Hoopers(not ballroom) just following the girl I was dancing with!!!
Danny King is still singing locally as I would suspect a lot of the local band members will be.
Cheers
Dave Rock
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Hello Dave Rock.
Thank you for the message. I don't think my memories of Alex Hoopers would be of particular interest to you as I remember it as a " proper " ballroom. Apart from teaching dance Alex also promoted competition dancing .Couples used to come from far and wide to take part . As to the music era which came later, my favourite group was the Bruisers with Lee Stirling alias Daniel Boone. A birmingham boy ,born in Camden street.

Betty
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

what is happening ? ? ? ?

has some kind fairy been on my computer and your forum ??????

my posts have started to appear . betty.
 
hi me and my sister went to alex hoopers every saturday night to dance to danney king and the royals. went to my local club a few weeks ago to watch a sixtys duo and they told me danney is still playing. i am sixty eight he must be older than gods dog. i used to go to the barbers next door to the club shirley and davids every week before the dance for a wash and blow dry happy days
 
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Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

If Alex Hooper's was on the corner of Showell Green Lane? Where the 24 bus turned off the Stratford Road, then the whole building keeled over and fell onto the main road, not sure of the date though?
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

If Alex Hooper's was on the corner of Showell Green Lane? Where the 24 bus turned off the Stratford Road, then the whole building keeled over and fell onto the main road, not sure of the date though?
No Bob it was closer to the Mermaid but on the opposite side of the road about 75/100yards up.
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

No Bob it was closer to the Mermaid but on the opposite side of the road about 75/100yards up.

h you are right alex hooprers was on the main stratford road where you said just down the road from woolworths. the building on the corner of showell green lane had a snooker club over it. i spent many a happy hour there in my miss spent youth in the late fifties and sixtis when i lived in evelyn road sparkhill. next to that building was the co op stables where they kept the milkmens horse and carts
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Bob


The club on the corner of Showell Green Lane Was the Cascade Club and as you say it cascaded into the street one day. There was an old church hall near to the corner of Wilton Rd, I don't know if they had dances there, but I have been told that they did hold dances at St Johns church hall that used to be off Ivor Rd, but that further up near Showell Green Lane.
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

There was a dance hall above Burtons in the 60s and if I remmember right it was called the Star Dance Club went there a few times for dance lessons
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

i used to go to alex hoopers,sparkhill every week,& sometimes to alex hoopers @ digbeth.used to live in erasmus rd.sparkbrook,until i was 18,then bartley green,for 2 years,then acocks green,dolphin lane.then got married,lived in cleobury mortimer,35,now at stourport on severn,13 years rockin n rollin every week.
rockinden.(pulling)
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

I wonder does anyone remember Alex Hoopers Dance Hall? from 1958-1963 and dancing to Danny king and his group we had some great times there
icon12.gif

I remember Alex's fondly,our mob used to go Fridays and Saturdays and Danny King was a big favourite.I understand he is still making music.I met my wife of 47 years there. Frog
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Danny King now lives in Aldridge, Walsall. I used to love going to Hoopers & stopped going in about 1964 & graduated to the city centre club scene. Where did you live then Frog & what is your name please?
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

Danny King now lives in Aldridge, Walsall. I used to love going to Hoopers & stopped going in about 1964 & graduated to the city centre club scene. Where did you live then Frog & what is your name please?



I think it was about 1966 when we stopped going to Alex's.From around 1960 we used Alex's on Friday and Saturdays,the Ritz,Kings Heath,on Sundays,the Locarno,(Key Club),Wednesday we used the Star and Thursday,The Springfield club.We did also visit various other town clubs.The Elbow Room,a couple of clubs in Hurst street and Auchinlec,(I can't remember the spelling) square and many other clubs but I think Aly's will always represent a special place perhaps because we were very young.
My name is Graham French and I used to live in Tyseley.What is your name,?.

Frog
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

If you wore a crombie to school you got sent home, or a barathea jacket, one lad a renegade, came in cream half mast Bay City Rollers strousers , red socks, snaker boots I forget the name and he was sent home. Then he came in apair of Ruperts. We used to hotch oour trousers up a but to show our red or orange socks so we all got lined up for the cane. My parents took umbrage to this dad and dad was on the PTA.
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

My name is Dave Rock & I went out with a girl from Tyseley called Ann Moore, do you remember her? Cheers
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

My name is Dave Rock & I went out with a girl from Tyseley called Ann Moore, do you remember her? Cheers

Yes,I think I remember Ann,did she have a friend,I think her name was Jesse Colclough.? They all went to Formans Road school.They may hae had a joint friend called June.? Frog
 
Alex's was always our favourite,I also used to get my hair cut at Shirley and David.Barry used to cut my hair,he,eventually,got his own place in Hall Green,where I also used to go.Now I live in France I think they cut hair here with a scythe,not good.Frog
 
Re: Alex Hooprers DanceHall. Stratford Road Sparkhill

I don't know about her friend but she had a sister called Janice & she did go to Formans Road School.
 
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