• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

Does anyone know what Hawkins Wine Bar was called before it was Hawkins ( now Sound Bar ) top of Corporation St by the law courts ? We all used to go Boogies, Millionaires, Powerhouse etc........these were the days. best pub was the Kaleidascope ! hello to all old faces from their !
 
Well it used to be a high class Linen Shop in the 60s 70s , i think but don't hold me to it ,that it was called Hawkins then .
MAX
 
I thought that area was just part of Lewis's department store but I'm only guessing. I think there WAS a Hawkins high class linen place but I can't remember exactly where it was.
 
Yes it was Hawkins drapers originally, my mom and her friends in holte rd used to have what they called a diddle-um, there were 20 in it and they all payed £1 a week for 20 weeks, they put 1 to 20 on scraps of paper and each picked out one. The one that had no 1 had the £20 first week and 2 had it second and so on they all payed for 20weeks and it helped them get things for the home.
By the way my grandson Tom plays there now once a month they have their own night on a Saturdays group called Arcadian Kicks.
 
Thanks Patty for confirming my memory is not that bad :D.

In those days of course busses used to run down Steelhouse Lane,I used to catch the 66 outside of the General Hospital , so i would go past Hawkins ,which was on the corner i think .
Interesting about the Diddle-Um , my Mom also saved this way , in latter years i think they changed the name to " Chance " .
Max
 
Hawkins had used to be a linen shop. It was wonderful. A friend's mother used to run a club whereby we paid 1/- each week and then each of us had the money in turn to spend at Hawkins.

When it closed it became a cafe. It may even have still been called Hawkins. They sold really good Hot Chocolate!
 
Sorry Patty I just looked back and saw your post. Sure we didn't pay £1 each week, we would never have been able to afford it!
 
Can I just split hairs and say that Hawkins was at the BOTTOM of Corperation St in the 60's. They must have changed the angle in later years!!
 
Bob it was on a corner wasn't it? one way round was The general hospital and the other was up to the law courts, you could see the fire station from the window
 
Patty said:
Bob it was on a corner wasn't it? one way round was The general hospital and the other was up to the law courts, you could see the fire station from the window
Click to expand...


It certainly was Patty, a great place for a few glasses of wine, I never went there when it was a shop, but it did have great veiws of Gosta Green.
 
Yes, Hawkins was the name of the venue. It was a glass-surrounded end of property wine bar at the end of Corporation Street, but only open normal liscencing hours-not a club as such.

If I'm correct, it was the first such bar in the late 1970's to offer an overhead light-laser show?

The household name Hawkins was fully-titled 'Hawkins of Preston' and was a very well-respected linen retailers. We had one here in Wolverhampton until 1969(?) when property developers wanted to make a shopping mall of the area.
 
Patty said:
Yes it was Hawkins drapers originally, my mom and her friends in holte rd used to have what they called a diddle-um, there were 20 in it and they all payed £1 a week for 20 weeks, they put 1 to 20 on scraps of paper and each picked out one. The one that had no 1 had the £20 first week and 2 had it second and so on they all payed for 20weeks and it helped them get things for the home.
By the way my grandson Tom plays there now once a month they have their own night on a Saturdays group called Arcadian Kicks.
Click to expand...
.

My Mom used Hawkings for years she was always buying Net Curtain
I have still got some she got from Hawkings over 30 years ago.:)
 
Fashionz said:
My husband used to work for the Fewtrells, he did the sound, mainly at Abigails.
My main hang out was the 'dolce vita'. Never went to Snobs, don't know why (the name perhaps?)
What was the name of the night club at The Swan, Yardley? I went there a couple of times.
Click to expand...


The club at The Swan Yardley was called Bloomers. I used to go there every week - Fabulous :)
 
Yes,me too.A lot of the aprentice soccer players from the Blues used it in the early seventies,they were in digs around the Yardley area Still have my membership card !:cool:
 
I havnt read all the posts ,so apologise if this has been mentioned before, but i have just stumbled on a book at the local library by Laurie Hornsby "Brum Rocked " brilliant book .
To much info to mention here , but features stuff from middle 50s to middle 60s .
MAX
 
I have not read all the pages but I used to go to the Avro Club by Elmdon airport and also anyone remember the "posh dos" at La Reserve in Sutton Park? I danced at most of the ballrooms in Brum as a competition ballroom dancer (sequins and tulle and 6" heels) I still have some of my dance shoes much to the amazement of my grandkids!!! as I am now crippled with arthritus and wear sensible shoes with low heels. So many memories Carlton Club was my "home club" along with the Moat House my Dad was associated with Aston Villa so I was "allowed" to go there.
Dyan
 
I up Postie , i mentioned The Dolls Club And The Revue Bar , Along time back and nobody owned up then , I guess i was the only one who spent his 10 bob to get into the Dolls , good value cus it included ,a drink ,a bet or even breakfast !!!!!, I can still hear the Drummers "Warning" prior to an "Act" ( i remember what he said But wont Put it on here ) LOL
 
Thanks Jennyann I will be seeing if i can get it out the Library ,Its been great reading Brum Rocked , for my sins ,i was acquainted with a few of the guys featured in it
 
Hello Dilly,

Now I know I really am OLD. I used to go to the childrens Saturday morning Dance classes at the Casino ! ! !

We were taught the Lambeth Walk and something about a spreading chestnut tree and many, many more.

It was quite an experience being in what I considered to be a beautiful ballroom.

Thank you for reminding me.
Betty
 
THE CLUB ON THE SOHO RD MAY HAVE BEEN CALLED JOHNSTONES CLUB OR THE SAN REMO
I FREQENTED THE 'CEDAR' DURING THE 60's AND REMEMBER CHRISSY FEWTRELL BEING IN
CHARGE OF THE DOOR STAFF SEATED IN A BIG LEATHER ARM CHAIR SURVEYING THE
'FACES' FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD WAS THE 'SURF SIDE STOP' WHICH AT THE TIME
SPECIALISED IN SEA FOOD, THE NAME OF THE CLUB ABOVE WAS THE' CRAZY HORSE SALOON
ALSO DOES ANYONE REMEMBER PJs IN BRANSTONE ST HOCKLEY.
 
I used to hang out in the Surf Side , mainly on Saturday nights , used to get a pass out ( stamped on your hand ) from the Midnight City ,and go there , it was an all nighter then .

Often Jimmy Gunner would come in with his mate Stevie Winward . The other all night cafe was the less salubrious Tow Rope on broad st .
A mate of mine at the time (Bronco Lane ) his old man used to run a club on the Soho Road ,near the traffic lights at St Michaels Hill , cant remember the name of the club at the moment ( To many late nights in the SurfSide . LOL )
( just remembered the club was called The Monte Carlo )


MAX
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Used to go to a club called Le Metro Club (lots of Tamla Motown). Also, I used to play in a group that was resident for a short while at Faces Nightclub - owned by the Fewtrells. Band was called BOSS.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top