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My own Minstrel story. This could have been posted under MY MEMORIES OF A BIRMINGHAM MUSICIAN website, but here goes: The Minstrel acts were a great part of the old variety theatre, or vaudeville. My favourite was the great Al Jolson, an American singer that made the first talking picture. One...

Absolutely... I would never alter a posting from another person. My apologies if I did the wrong thing in the reply. Eddie

In the recent photograph of us both Chris, I am on the right. On the old b/w photograph, I am on the left (playing the drums), and John is playing alto saxophone.

Meeting up with my old buddy, and fellow former band colleague, John Crump (oldbrit). Sunday September 27th 2015, at the Moors Cocks Woods Leisure Centre, during the National Drum Show, in Birmingham The first time since we last played together, and both left 'Brum' in 1957. Myself for pastures...

This is a photograph of the crashed City of Glasgow locomotive, and the mouldings that have been suggest for the new statue. I have had to crop the actual locomotive photograph as the original is too long to post (my limited computer knowledge applies). Anyone who knows the structure of a...

I have just read that a statue, with much controversy, has been shortlisted, for erection outside Curzon Street railway station. The statue depicts a crashed train. A crashed train, outside a railway station??? It that does not sound weird enough, I also understand that the statue of the...

Watched University Challenge last night. One of the teams was from the Open University, average age over 40. A question was "During the days of the Cold War, in order to keep relations with Russia easy, the United States sent a number of big bands to Russia to entertain the public, name these...

Not many people remember this, but the Beatles did not always use Ringo Starr when touring. In June 1964, Ringo fell ill, just as the boys were about to tour Australia, with a couple of European dates prior to the tour. Jimmy Nichols was pottering around at home when he received a 'phone call...

In the 1970's the two drummers with Showaddywaddy, Romeo & Malcolm decided to swop their drum kits for new kits, so I arranged the exchange, got the lads at the Premier Drum Company to refurbish one of the old kits, and I presented the kit to my daughters school, where the Head of Music was...

Nice to read of someone that was taught by Harold Deakin. Harold taught at Jack Woodroffes when the music store was in Broad Street, in the late 40's early 50's Harold taught in a room above the shop, with a small gas fire for warmth during the winter time. Although I only had a few lessons from...

Three photographs, from a catalogue of kettles manufactured by Lee & Wilkes, in the 1970's. In true Birmingham fashion, they are obviously of the highest quality for their day. I do remember that we had the teak handled version. Eddie

I went through some of my fathers documents that relate to Lee & Wilkes. Fred Green was obviously a life long work mate of my father, and they both retired within a short space of each other. I came across the following letter to my father on his retirement, and also found a note from Fred...

They all appear to be heading into the city centre. Probably lunch time, the sun almost overhead. Eddie.

With grateful help from oldmohawk, this is the photograph

Temporary loan to replace 'King' 4-6-0s under repair, heading a Birkenhead/Paddington express. No further information. However I will attempt to print the photograph onto the website, together with the caption. Eddie

Just came across a rather unusual, but great photograph, of L.M Region Coronation Pacific "City of Bristol" at Snow Hill station in B.R days, at the head of a Birkenhead-Paddington express train. Whether they went into New Street or not, they certainly went into Snow Hill!! Cannot work out how...

During the 60's & 70's I did a lot of cabaret work, mainly in Leicester at what was the Les Ambassadeurs Club (probably spelt that wrong!). We backed many top acts. including Matt Munro, Dave Allen, Bob Monkhouse, Tommy Cooper, Bert Weedon and others. Most of them were great to work with, and...

Whilst I am on this website, I think the following story will raise a few laughs. Chet Baker was a great American modern jazz trumpet player in the fifties, and until his death, I think, in the 1980's. In the later stages of his life, he worked mostly in Europe, and it was during this period...

Victor Feldman. I remember seeing him with Ronnie Scott, while I was still in the army, in a London jazz club. This would have been in 1953. I later saw him, again with Ronnie Scott, at a Birmingham venue, [possibly the old Warley, or Birmingham Odeon, or maybe the Town Hall]. This was just...