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Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

Hello everyone

When I said that dance hall was a studio I didnt mean that you went there to learn to ballroom dance. I meant it was small like a studio and up a flight of stairs. So It must have been over a shop. I was certain it was opposite the Mermaid pub on the main Stratford Road. I used to get the No. 8 bus to the top of Walford Road near the roller rink and then walk to the dance hall. It was only small and all we ever did there was rock and roll and jive. I used to go with a friend called Enid who lived at Yardley Wood. Wish I could find her!
Thank you all for your help, so it definitely wasnt the Springfield the, but could have been the Alex. Have I got that correct.
Wendy
 
wendyP said:
Hello everyone

When I said that dance hall was a studio I didnt mean that you went there to learn to ballroom dance. I meant it was small like a studio and up a flight of stairs. So It must have been over a shop. I was certain it was opposite the Mermaid pub on the main Stratford Road. I used to get the No. 8 bus to the top of Walford Road near the roller rink and then walk to the dance hall. It was only small and all we ever did there was rock and roll and jive. I used to go with a friend called Enid who lived at Yardley Wood. Wish I could find her!
Thank you all for your help, so it definitely wasnt the Springfield the, but could have been the Alex. Have I got that correct.
Wendy
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Wendy

I think you are right it was opposite the Mermaid I used to attend a youth club there 1953/4, if memory serves it was over the Coop.
 
Nothing really to do with the content of this thread But, i went passed the Mermaid Pub the other week and most of it had burned down !! Cant say i heard anything on the news about it . Max
 
Thought these might be interesting,
Membership cards from the past:-

BirminghamClubs001.jpg


BirminghamClubs003.jpg


BirminghamClubs002.jpg


BirminghamClubs004.jpg
 
pmc1947 said:
Bob

I think the Springfield Club was on the corner of Solihull rd. I only ever got in there once. Wendy The club across the road from the Mermaid could have been the Sparkbrook Club by the Mermaid Fish & Chip shop.

I doubt it was the club above Burtons on the corner of St Johns Rd although I can't remember it's name that was a dance studio before it became an Irish Club. Even less possibly it was the Cascade Club on the corner of Showell Green Lane.

Phil
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thanks for the info Phil, did you know that the Cascade club did cascade all over the Stratford Rd, and Showell Green lane when it fell over one night I think in the 90's, whom ever picked that name was gifted.

Ethane great cub cards wonder if anyone have other club cards they can post, will hve to try and find my old cards.
 
Cascades, I been tryingto remember the name of that place for ages.

I remember being in there around |Chistmas in about 73, there was a 3 piece band on, the guitarist had a black eye, The drummer was wearing a Rab Nesbitt style string vest, and the bass drum had been kicked in, but they were still playing.

There was a curry house underneath I think, and I heard that the floor of the club caved in onto the customers one night.
 
mazbeth said:
Anyone got any memories and information about nighclubs in Brum, from any time last century?

Some names of ones that I remember and went to...

Samanthas (was over Silver Blades ice skating rink in Hurst? St)

Pollyannas (Newhall? St.)

The Locarno (definitely Hurst St. with the Bali Hai one at the back)
I remember this band..
John Kerton fronted the successful U.K. function band Red Sun who were the resident band at the Birmingham Locarno for eight years. https://www.brumbeat.net/andicaps.htm

Just found this out
The Tower Ballroom closes its doors at the end of 2005 after more than 50 years https://www.saga.co.uk/1057fm/pages/lisEvent.asp?id=5373
went there once...

Snobs (didn't like that one much)

There was one in the same road where Bingley Hall was (can't remember what it was called..brain's not working too good lately.‚. :D) saw Herbie Hancock there...and Deaf School, and AC/DC :eek: (not my choice...just a crowd I was with at the time)

Any more? ...or any memories?.‚. :)
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I was too young to go in the 1960s but two of my elder brothers used to go to The Plaza in Rookery Road, Handsworth. I think that a lot of the new groups of the day performed there. In the early 1970s it turned into a Bangla Desh cinema, and I hope that such a great looking building is still serving the community today. I haven't been back to Handsworth for yonks so I've no idea if it's still standing.

Back in the late 1970s I made a return trip to Brum to see a mate and we ended up in The Rum Runner, once frequented by members of Duran Duran before they were famous. Exterior shots of it were used in the BBC TV series called Gangsters, starring Maurice Colbourne. I remember gpoing to the RR dressing up in Oxford bags, a very thin white belt, bright red shirt and platform shoes. At 6' 4" without the shoes I must have looked like Herman Munster. When we left the club in the early hours we were chased down the street by a gang, and just made it back to my mate's Austin 1100 and got it started before they started kicking the car as we pulled away.
 
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Sorry folks joined this thread a week ago and haven't read all the posts yet. Apologies if this is old hat. Couldn't resist a punt...

Apart from Robbie Pryke's Moat House and the Doll's Club ahem), my mates and I also frequented the Monte Carlo (saw wee Willie Harris and the Trios de Los Paraguayas there), The Cedar (on my stag night there, I remember Big Johnny Prescott and Blues centre forward Freddy Pickering so drunk they were crawling about on their hands and knees, and Fred had a belter and scored twice next day!) then we used to end up gambling at the Kilhendrie Club in Walsall. My mate Brian Kirkbright's brother Johnny also had the Penguin Club near the Villa Ground, and we had best seats for Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones, then the Baileys night spot at the Swan and finally The Cresta featured often. But none could beat the home spun sing-alongs and pr-Karaoke do it yourself star performers at the Barley Mow on a Sunday night. Brilliant memories. Cheers all you fellow Brummies that made my youth such a blinding experience! You know who you are...
 
Well , its nice to see someone admitting ( as i have ) to going to the Dolls Club ,also The Penguin ,which i had also mentioned previously . Thank goodness i hadnt dreamt it all .LOL . Max
 
Maxie, I only went for the Roulette, but couldn't get on the table for scruffy Chinese waiters with huge wads of cash - so. naturally I risked one eye on them girls with nae clothes on.....had to. Nothing else to do. My story and I'm sticking to it!

Den
 
Whilst I'm here, anyone remember The Nest in Muntz St, Small Heath? Went there to a mate's stag do in the 80's after hours. Broadway Bowling Club On Tour. We had nearly all the Black & White Minstrel Show stars from the Hippodrome (invited by another pal who knew one of them well). They kindly did a few spots for us in spite of being as bladdered as the rest of us. Apart from a brilliant sing-along, the highlight was the Ventriloquist Neville King, who did a hilarious and very blue slot especially highlighted by slagging off anyone brave enough to get up and go to the Gents. Cracking night. Cracking little pub. It could have gone now - it was up for sale last year.[/font]https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/images/attach/jpg.gif
 
Nice one Den,,,,, I was dragged there LOL, it was so cheap , ( If you stayed off the Chuck O Luck ) can still see the band leader (3 in the band i think ) and can still hear his words before a girl was due to come on stage " Dont touch the girls,dont jump the barrier ,keep your hands out ya pockets and dont ~~~~~~###.

Remember going there with mates one new years eve ,and the girls came around giving out chocolates , ahh such sweet chocolates LOL
 
I really believe you Maxie. I really do. LOL. Were you ever forced to go to similarly fragrant and purely medicinal shows upstairs at the North Star, plus sometimes at the Barton Arms and the Kilhendrie at Walsall? I only went with my uncle Ralph who was a big Bordesley Green East Teddy Boy and made me do it. It set me up for a lifetime in the Labs in Gynaecology & Obstetrics though, so i won''t knock it too much...
 
ann hughes said:
i remember the casino by kings hall market late 50 eary 60 for rock and roll used to go sat lunch time and monday nights always played last rcord 'see u later alligator' bill hayley rock and roll on top of zizmans i think it was laura dixons also went to the ritz kings heath great rock and roll nights does anyone remember alexs on the stratford road sparkhill only sold soft drinks went 3/4 nights a week great rock and roll to records west en ballroon had a sprung dance floor for ballroom dancing to bands i worked there evenings later they had up and comming artists fredie and the dreamers jerry and the pacemakers emile ford many years ago i was only 18 but great times im sure bob pryke opened the first legal nightclub in bradford street was it the castaways i worked there for one night as a waitress ended up washing glasses lasted one night bit posh for me after woriking at alexes pies in new street also worked on the stand for one night but mostly in his shop laim to fame served bob monkhouse to pie and chips....
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Woo hoo. What memories. I was at Camp Hill GS (by then moved to Kings Heath) 1958-60 and used to bog off free periods Friday lunchtimes and go to the Casino and watch in amazement at the Jivers. In blazer and school uniform - me. Long Drapes, Bootlace ties, Zissman's B Creepers, DA's, and stockings and suspenders for the girls - them.
Guess who looked the coolest?

Couldn't care less, I WORSHIPPED at that shrine - R'n'R still lives on in my heart Bigtime. Fats Domino's 'Whole Lotta Lovin' brought the House down...the floor trembled, like my knees. A life changing Epiphany equivalent to St Paul on the Road to Damascus for me, and I'm not exaggerating.

Rob Prykes first Bradford St place was the Moat House by the way, the Castaways came later methinks. First saw Denny Laine & The Diplomats at Prykies. The Swan (Yardley) had the Rockin' Modernaires. Mo Jones, Mickey Bakewell (who I played footer with for Bordesley Rovers and The Brookhill) et al - fabulous times at Alex's Pie Stand after gigs with other groups and revellers. Brilliant stuff.

https://forum.birminghamhistory.co....birminghamhistory.co.uk/images/attach/jpg.gif
 
hello, thank you Dennis for that picture of the Modenaires i have been after one for ages. i thought they were one of the best groups in Brum ,
i was in various groups myself over the years.

shardeen
 
hello Dennis, sorry to hear about the Bill Doggett lp, and thanks again for the new photo. by the way talking about Bill Doggett, i have got part 1 and 2 of honky tonk and have always loved it i once went into a west indian dance in late 50's early 60's just off lee bank and you could hear the bass from three or four streets away it was astounding no wonder when i got in the amps were about 7ft talll and 4 ft wide.

by for now shardeen
 
There was a trad jazz club, all duffle coats, hairy sweaters, beards and University types. Under some old Railway arches near Livery street, Snow Hill. Early 60's. Can't think of it's name. Anyone got a clue where I mean?
 
I remember the Golden Eagle really well and also chatted to Steve Winwood and the rest of the Spencer Davis Group. They also used to play at the Digbeth Civic Hall and my pals and I couldn't get over the fact that Steve was only 15 and had the best voice we'd ever heard, and we were 16 and in awe. Coincidentally, the Spencer Davis Group played here in Vancouver last Saturday evening and I had my photo taken with him. Spencer is the only original left now and they use separate band members to play in North America and Europe.
 
The Ritz (no e) was our local dance hall in Kings Heath. One Friday evening in 1963 we danced to, and I mean danced, The Beatles a few weeks after their single, Love Me Do, was released and before they started performing at theatres. The opening act was Little Millie Small (My Boy Lollipop) and her high pitched voice gave me a headache !
8.00pm, Friday 15 February 1963 (47 years ago)

"The Beatles' only appearance at Birmingham's Ritz Ballroom should have taken place on 11 January 1963. However, it was postponed due to blizzards making the roads impassable.

Fortunately for the venue promoters, The Beatles honoured the originally-agreed booking fee. Just one month after they had been due to appear, they were riding high in the singles charts with Please Please Me and tickets were highly in demand.

The Ritz, a converted snooker hall, was one of four venues run by Irish couple Joe and Mary Regan. Among the acts that performed at the ballroom were The Rolling Stones and The Spencer Davies Group.








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I was out for lunch today with one of Club Cedars original bouncers, I have said before where I worked, and another man who was on the door of The Golden Gloves AKA The Speakeasy opposite The Ship Pub at Camp Hill. Another one who was there had his own door security company and he worked for awhile at Faces and Peppermint Place but before that he was the doorman at Sloopy's. We had our wives with us and it was a great few hours discussing how good it all was then as apposed to now.
 
Hi ya Sticher , did you ever know a bloke i used to work with , a real gentleman Bouncer George Dodd ?
 
Hello Maxwell, no the name does not do anything for me but of course I did not work in the city very often. I posted a long time ago that I was sent to any venue experiencing trouble. That meant a small number of us were sent to The Mile Oak near Tamworth for a few weeks. Then it would be The Kingfisher Hall at Redditch for a few weeks, The Bull on Coventry Road, The Plaza in Handsworth and so on. I did know some of Fewtrels doormen but I don't recall that name.
 
Maxwell, I will ask a couple of the others who worked around town and see if they know the name.
 
Cheers , i guess he would be about 65 now , worked at the Lacarno , the Acorn in Wheelers St, and the last place he was at was The Tyburn House . We worked together for years as Pewtersmiths in the jewellery quarter, last i heard he was selling office equipment . Cheers Max
 
Ann B said:
Martin Hone did push for many years for the Grand Prix, I was on A.T.V. one night he was capaining for it. Sadly others stole his thunder in the end, and he got pushed aside.

Ann
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Was that back in 1971?

...The plans for the test day were going smoothly until a stumbling block came up when a committee meeting on 17th June of the Public Works Committee, under the Chairmanship of Councillor Harold Edwards turned down the idea. He later explained: “It seemed that we don’t have the legal power to lift the 30mph speed limit on these roads. Had we done so we would have been accessories before the fact and liable to prosecution.”

On the same day, ATV’s Today programme arranged a feature on the road race project, and invited Martin Hone and Harold Edwards to appear on a televised debate. At the last minute, Edwards was unable to attend and Martin Hone seized the opportunity to perform a one-man selling job to the masses.
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From my website: https://forix.autosport.com/8w/bsp-71.html
 
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