Shenley Green Youth Centre

[Phil Price]

I have been trying to find out more about Shenley Green youth Centre in Green Meadow Road, Northfield, Birmingham (Google Maps 52.427462,-1.972604).
I used to attend there around 1966 onward and they had some terrific soul bands on stage. It was only a youth club with a cafe upstairs but it used to get packed every weekend. I have contacted them recently to see if they have any records of who played there at this time but unfortunatley they don't. I can remember seeing Desmond Decker and the Aces but I'm not certain of others.

 

[MargaretAnderson9]

I think it was there that I saw Eden Kane about 1965/66.

 

[David Crabtree]

Hi,

I joined this Youth Club when it first opened (as a brand new build) and was member No.1 for a couple of years - 66/67. They opened with Heinz, but also had Geno Washington and The Listen (Robert Plants' soul covers band) soon after. The youth club leader was called Laurie. I began DJing there (and then later at other Soul Clubs) - and am still DJing now - playing many of the same soul records first spun then.

 

[Wendy]

Wow that club must have been great with all those stars. Great to hear you are still DJ'ing keep up the good work.

 

[David Crabtree]

There were some excellent youth clubs playing music around this area - as well as Shenley there was one on Vineyard Road and one at the Catholic Church. The best route to follow up on people who attended Shenley is the schools link (most people who went were at school. I went to King Edwards - but friends at Shenley went to Ladywood Girls, Bartley Green Girls, and Kings Norton (as well as then, new Comprehensive nearby).

 

[Elizabeth Redmond]

There's a group on Face Book Northfield Past, I'm sure you would find people on there who attended the club

 

[David Crabtree]

Thanks - have followed this up.

 

[Buyabrick]

I have been trying to find out more about Shenley Green youth Centre in Green Meadow Road, Northfield, Birmingham (Google Maps 52.427462,-1.972604).
I used to attend there around 1966 onward and they had some terrific soul bands on stage. It was only a youth club with a cafe upstairs but it used to get packed every weekend. I have contacted them recently to see if they have any records of who played there at this time but unfortunatley they don't. I can remember seeing Desmond Decker and the Aces but I'm not certain of others.

Yes Phil I remember it well. I was one of the fund raisers with a scheme called buy a brick, where we went door to door selling brick shaped tickets to raise funds for the building of the club. At the time before that youth centre was built we used the hall in the centre by the corner of Clover Road by Ranenhills shop. Some of my memories of the youth centre was groups like The Herd. Marmalade and the Foundations. How they ever managed to pull those groups in I don't know, they were still in the charts. Happy days eh?

 

[superdad3]

I have been trying to find out more about Shenley Green youth Centre in Green Meadow Road, Northfield, Birmingham (Google Maps 52.427462,-1.972604).
I used to attend there around 1966 onward and they had some terrific soul bands on stage. It was only a youth club with a cafe upstairs but it used to get packed every weekend. I have contacted them recently to see if they have any records of who played there at this time but unfortunatley they don't. I can remember seeing Desmond Decker and the Aces but I'm not certain of others.

Hi Phil, bit off topic but I used to think of Green Meadow Road as in Shenley/Weoley Castle rather than Northfield?

 

[Phill]

I have been trying to find out more about Shenley Green youth Centre in Green Meadow Road, Northfield, Birmingham (Google Maps 52.427462,-1.972604).
I used to attend there around 1966 onward and they had some terrific soul bands on stage. It was only a youth club with a cafe upstairs but it used to get packed every weekend. I have contacted them recently to see if they have any records of who played there at this time but unfortunatley they don't. I can remember seeing Desmond Decker and the Aces but I'm not certain of others.

Hi I think I started Shenely youth club in the 60's I've been trying to find some old friends, Noel Sutton, Frank Hicky I used to help out on Tuesdays with the younger ones I say you're I was about 14 they were about 13 great times I had there tho

 

[Jim Brooks]

I have been trying to find out more about Shenley Green youth Centre in Green Meadow Road, Northfield, Birmingham (Google Maps 52.427462,-1.972604).
I used to attend there around 1966 onward and they had some terrific soul bands on stage. It was only a youth club with a cafe upstairs but it used to get packed every weekend. I have contacted them recently to see if they have any records of who played there at this time but unfortunatley they don't. I can remember seeing Desmond Decker and the Aces but I'm not certain of others.

Yes Phil I remember it well. I was one of the fund raisers with a scheme called buy a brick, where we went door to door selling brick shaped tickets to raise funds for the building of the club. At the time before that youth centre was built we used the hall in the centre by the corner of Clover Road by Ranenhills shop. Some of my memories of the youth centre was groups like The Herd. Marmalade and the Foundations. How they ever managed to pull those groups in I don't know, they were still in the charts. Happy days eh?

Hi Phil, Those were the days and yes, there was a thriving music scene in the Youth Clubs in and around Northfield. I definitely saw The Herd, Marmalade, Gino Washington, Denny Laine and a host of others at Shenley Youth Centre. I went to Bournville Tech and used to meet local school mates there like Martin Sadler and (the late) Mal Bates. Others like Micky Cockayne and the Thorn Brothers (Brian and Ronnie) went to Tinkers Farm and Shenley Court Comp respectively. My Brother Neil, who was in the year above me at Bournville used to go there with his mates: Alan Cockayne, Trevor Boyce, Pete Flowers, Barrie Dunkley and the Husler Triplets. It was nothing in those days to walk a few miles to see a Band. Northcross was the Boys Club on Vineyard Road and that was open virtually every night with Bands on a Saturday. We sort of graduated from Shenley and other Youth Clubs to Northfield Baths and other local venues who also, had top Bands performing. Those were the days!

 

[Ladywood roamer]

I have been trying to find out more about Shenley Green youth Centre in Green Meadow Road, Northfield, Birmingham (Google Maps 52.427462,-1.972604).
I used to attend there around 1966 onward and they had some terrific soul bands on stage. It was only a youth club with a cafe upstairs but it used to get packed every weekend. I have contacted them recently to see if they have any records of who played there at this time but unfortunatley they don't. I can remember seeing Desmond Decker and the Aces but I'm not certain of others.

Was that the same youth centre located at the Northfield end of Green Meadow Road, situated almost opposite Cornbrook Road? This youth club was demolished years ago.

 

[DJ_NEMO]

I was a DJ at SGYC between 1972 and 1974 ( a crap one, I may add). The first Leader mentioned above was Laurie Williams. He was succeeded by Les Roberts with Carol Locke as Assistant Leader. SGYC was unique: it was known as 'a nightclub for kids'. If a new disco record was released, the Diskery on Hurst Street reserved one copy for The Mayfair Suite, one for the Top Rank Suite on Dale end, one for The Locarno on Hurst Street, one for the Dolce Vita, also on Hurst Street, and one for SGYC. As well as the bands mentioned above, I was told that The Move and Slade played there, and Amen Corner hired SGYC for August 1972 for rehearsals, and they gave a free concert for the club.

What many of us liked about the discos at SGYC was that you heard records not played on Radio One, especially reggae records, e.g. 'Dynamic Pressure' by The Music Specialists; 'Version Girl' by Boy Friday and many, many more.

SGYC's greatest year was 1968; a set of transparencies was taken in that year; the Main Hall was packed out. The Main Hall was curious: it could just about hold 400, but due to its fire doors and other doors its fire limit was over 1200...!

The full history of SGYC has not been written, and in my opinion, it should be. However, there was a negative aspect to SGYC: unfortunately, there was often trouble outside the club, especially in the days of the Gang Wars; several residents near SGYC wanted their bricks back.

Here is a photo of SGYC just prior to its demolition in 2010: click on it to get the full view. I have some other photos from the 1970's somewhere; if I can find them, I will attach them.

Cheers,
DJ_Nemo

 

[Astoness]

thanks nemo..look forward to any other photos you may have

lyn

 

[DJ_NEMO]

I have found my other photos of SGYC. Please find attached hereto. I hope that they bring back memories; they cettainly did for me.

 

[Blue_Fisherman]

I posted the original question abut SGYC in 2011 and was very grateful for the response received. However, this is the first time I’ve been back to have another look and I’m so pleased with the amount of information everyone has made available- Thank you for all contributions.

 

[JDBrummie]

Hello,
I've been looking through the thread, and have been amazed by the amount of information and history of the original Shenley Green Centre.

I work at Shenley Community Centre, and we are planning a Heritage day to share stories and meet people who lived/worked and remember Shenley.