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Aston Variety & Artists Club
- Thread starter Jill
- Start date
Unfortunately Dad George Ball died in April 1954. When Dad occasionally used to do the Al Jolson section of his performance from the age of about 8 till 12 years of age I came on stage to sit on his knee during Climb up on my knee sonny boy, Rose my mother who was known back stage as the bleeder would not allow me to be blacked up. (The only claim I have to fame). One of dad's monologues was UP THE CUT IN A PUNT. I've always wanted to know the rest of that monologues. From 1948 approximately dad performed in 2 double acts first will Val Mack from Coventry photo misplaced at the moment until dad had a accident in his car. Then with Barry Burton till about 1953 when bad health finally made dad retire Photo's Attached including other acts of the day. The fifth photo is W. Williams and the last two are Floss/Doss with Tom West, and Dolly Parmer/Palmer +1 respectively
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Radiorails
master brummie
Was your mothers nickname due to a medical issue or a rude reference? That name, as a form of insult is very common in London. Albert Steptoe often used it. As far as medical reasons then that question was asked by Prof. Hatton-Jones (aka Margartet Rutherford) of the Duke of Burgundy. (Passport To Pimlico). 
(relevant bit @2.20)
It seems as though you have never been back stage in the 40's in the old music hall stage show's put on by the working men's and the very many British Legion clubs. A lot more stronger language was often used.Was your mothers nickname due to a medical issue or a rude reference? That name, as a form of insult is very common in London. Albert Steptoe often used it. As far as medical reasons then that question was asked by Prof. Hatton-Jones (aka Margartet Rutherford) of the Duke of Burgundy. (Passport To Pimlico).
(relevant bit @2.20)
Radiorails
master brummie
I certainly haven't, in fact I have never been in a working man's club. They are a northern or city thing as far as I can see. Apparently Bernard Manning was a good example of that style of act. Years in the RAF and Fire service acquainted me with folk with alternative vocabularies, that would equal or better, those in music halls back stages.
So I take it the comment was not in the manner that Prof. Hatton-Jones used.
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Alan,
There's still a large working mens club in Upper Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. I attended a couple of Musician's Union meetings there many years ago, but I am not one for clubs, working mens or any other type. I can't speak for anywhere else down south, but I am pretty sure they still exist in places like Southampton and Portsmouth.
Maurice
There's still a large working mens club in Upper Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. I attended a couple of Musician's Union meetings there many years ago, but I am not one for clubs, working mens or any other type. I can't speak for anywhere else down south, but I am pretty sure they still exist in places like Southampton and Portsmouth.
Maurice
Radiorails
master brummie
I expect they do Maurice as they are very large towns. I guess there are some in Plymouth.
I have many memories of this club in Trinity Road, having visited regularly with my grandparents and parents from an early age. My father, Rod, worked as a barman under the stewardship of Bob and Dot McMurray from the 50's until his untimely death at 42 in 1971. My grandfather, Fred Webb, was entertainment secretary for a number of years and served as a committee member for many years too, as did my mother, Irene in the late 70's. In my late teens, I also started working there, covering concert room door duties, stage management, sound and lighting and bingo calling. I too was elected to the committee in my early 20's, serving for twelve months until I started my final year at university and no longer had the time to spare. My mother and grandparents continued to use the club until it closed, I think in the mid to late 80s? The building remained empty for a while and like many derelict buildings, eventually burned down in a fire (presumably arson?). The building was replaced by a new development, although not sure what.
The club was part of the CIU and although it started as a venue for aspiring and established artistes, it was predominantly a Working Mens Club for much of its existence. Contrary to a couple of previous posts it was never a 'sleaze joint' or gay club and those posters must be confused with somewhere else? I seem to remember the only raucous behaviour was seen when it was decided to stage an occasional 'ladies night'!! There were two bars (red room and blue room....a reference to their respective colour schemes), a concert room, games room and a function room, where private events could be held. The upstairs toilet on the landing was somewhat notable for its gaudy 'willow pattern' toilet pan!!
Monday evenings encompassed ballroom dancing classes, led by a gentleman called Ray Clarke; one Tuesday and Sunday lunchtime each month were devoted to the 'Shop Window' events for aspiring acts, Wednesday was committee night and on Thursday and Fridays, only the bars and games room were open. Saturday was free 'n' easy or dance night with either the resident duo of keyboard player and drummer or latterly, a three piece dance band, interspersed with bingo. Sunday was concert evening, when there were generally two local acts featured, along with the resident duo and again interspersed by bingo.
I remember most of the names mentioned in previous posts and also remember many of the established acts who appeared there in their early days....Lenny Henry, Don McLean (comedian...not the singer!), Showaddywaddy and Larry Grayson, to name but a few. In my early years there, my grandfather used to compere the weekend events and one of my fondest memories was sitting in the dressing room on Saturday evenings talking to the resident drummer, who was around 14 or 15 at the time; his name was Carl Palmer who, of course, went on to fame as part of Emerson, Lake and Palmer! I learned a lot about life and people management during my time there, as well as developing public speaking skills, giving me a solid foundation for my adult working life. Sad that few places like this now exist!
The club was part of the CIU and although it started as a venue for aspiring and established artistes, it was predominantly a Working Mens Club for much of its existence. Contrary to a couple of previous posts it was never a 'sleaze joint' or gay club and those posters must be confused with somewhere else? I seem to remember the only raucous behaviour was seen when it was decided to stage an occasional 'ladies night'!! There were two bars (red room and blue room....a reference to their respective colour schemes), a concert room, games room and a function room, where private events could be held. The upstairs toilet on the landing was somewhat notable for its gaudy 'willow pattern' toilet pan!!
Monday evenings encompassed ballroom dancing classes, led by a gentleman called Ray Clarke; one Tuesday and Sunday lunchtime each month were devoted to the 'Shop Window' events for aspiring acts, Wednesday was committee night and on Thursday and Fridays, only the bars and games room were open. Saturday was free 'n' easy or dance night with either the resident duo of keyboard player and drummer or latterly, a three piece dance band, interspersed with bingo. Sunday was concert evening, when there were generally two local acts featured, along with the resident duo and again interspersed by bingo.
I remember most of the names mentioned in previous posts and also remember many of the established acts who appeared there in their early days....Lenny Henry, Don McLean (comedian...not the singer!), Showaddywaddy and Larry Grayson, to name but a few. In my early years there, my grandfather used to compere the weekend events and one of my fondest memories was sitting in the dressing room on Saturday evenings talking to the resident drummer, who was around 14 or 15 at the time; his name was Carl Palmer who, of course, went on to fame as part of Emerson, Lake and Palmer! I learned a lot about life and people management during my time there, as well as developing public speaking skills, giving me a solid foundation for my adult working life. Sad that few places like this now exist!
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Thank you Brian; I found this most interesting. It would be great to see a photo of the club and ,even better, a mention of my ancestors who performed there (or so the family story goes). Thanks again.
Hi Jill
Although I can still vividly remember the exterior of the club both before and after the new concert room was added, sadly I am unable to share any photographs. My grandparents died in 1987/1992 and my mother in 2013 and the only photos seemed to be some close ups taken inside the club's concert room.
Who were your relatives? Looking at your original post, you mentioned the Henn Brothers but these, I suspect would have been long before my time and if it was a stage name, I do not recall them, as my memories are from around 1960/1 onwards.
mikeflan
master brummie
I just came across this thread with all the names I remember so very well....so many worked with my late dad who was a comedian by the name of Jack Delaney....I met so many of these people mentioned in previous posts and I can recall walking in very early hours of the morning from The Little Theatre , Langley ...... buses were few and far between....we walked from the to Will Palmer's house on City Road and stayed the night until we could get an 11 bus the next day.......going back a long old way that is......
mikeflan
master brummie
That name doesn't ring a bell with me but as he worked in so many clubs and with so many people I would think highly possible, he then went to work for British Actors Equity as an area organiser for Midlands and South Wales.....and was also in the VAF in earlier days as were many, I recall many of the old names he worked with amongst who became well known later was Billy Breen that changed his name to Larry Grayson..... I remember seeing him getting bookings at The Crown Pub in Snow Hill where a lot of artistes used to go on Sunday mornings.......and further up the road by Greys was Trevor Davies another agent
mikeflan
master brummie
When you say...Paired with....I take it you mean on the same Bill...like many others were....the likes of Dennis Spicer whom I remember well....Bob Hatch...Jack Cadwallader...Kitty Broadhurst... etc.Mikeflan,
Whenever a Jack Delaney appears in the newspapers, including The Stage, of the time, he is paired with a Faith Dean.
Maurice
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Mikeflan,
It seems that the pairing with Faith Dean may have been a different Jack Delaney, being from 1919 into the 1920s and a bit further afield than the Midlands. This one relates to a Midlands-based one in the 1960s and in another mention gives his contact address as 14 Linden Road, Bournville. This is from The Stage dated 13 May 1965. I've tried to clean it up a bit, but still patches of the original grey.
Maurice
It seems that the pairing with Faith Dean may have been a different Jack Delaney, being from 1919 into the 1920s and a bit further afield than the Midlands. This one relates to a Midlands-based one in the 1960s and in another mention gives his contact address as 14 Linden Road, Bournville. This is from The Stage dated 13 May 1965. I've tried to clean it up a bit, but still patches of the original grey.
Maurice
mikeflan
master brummie
Oh thanks for that.......and what a surprise saying his act was clean...lol..... Pete Goldie I recall...Karl Davies I knew and Bert Weedon I met on many occasions at our house....he eventually married a lady from Shirley.....Vince Reeland I remember so well too.......Thanks for that little snippet and yes the address was correct........as my dad was born 1915 that other Jack Delaney was quite obviously a different guy ha ha......so many thanks MauriceMikeflan,
It seems that the pairing with Faith Dean may have been a different Jack Delaney, being from 1919 into the 1920s and a bit further afield than the Midlands. This one relates to a Midlands-based one in the 1960s and in another mention gives his contact address as 14 Linden Road, Bournville. This is from The Stage dated 13 May 1965. I've tried to clean it up a bit, but still patches of the original grey.
Maurice
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sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Mikeflan,
There are a few others on here:- https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ and you can buy a short term subscription to browse and download the pages that you want. A month's subscription costs £12.95. Hope that helps.
Maurice
There are a few others on here:- https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ and you can buy a short term subscription to browse and download the pages that you want. A month's subscription costs £12.95. Hope that helps.
Maurice
Jill, I’ve been trying to find some information on the Henn Brothers as well. Do you know if they had a sister named Lavinia also known as Minnie? I was always told they were related to the Fitzpatricks, my Mom’s family, from down Digbeth.
Regards,
Anne
My father. Harry Wells, was a member of the Variety Artists Club and frequently appeared on shows with Bob Hatch. Although my father died in 1964 I have a few photos and managed to find one with Bob Hatch. My father is in the centre of the photo with his ukulele and Bob is in the back row with a hat on.
Kind Regards
Brian
