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Dance halls

I worked in all the major ballrooms in the 50s: Cliff Deeley at the Tower, Colin Hulme at Tony's, Sonny Rose at the West End and Billy Walker at the Locarno. I also did Sunday Concerts with the Hedley Ward band, which included the famous Hedley Ward Trio.The last band I played with was the Jerry Allen big band. We played at the Civic Hall, Solihull and did TV specials where a big band was required. Sometimes Jerry would just have the trio and the sax section or the trumpet section.

I played with the great Arthur Rowberry band in 1949. The band was the National Musical Express champions when I joined. I stayed with them for a year during which time we won the Musical Express and Melody Maker Championships and then tuned pro. The band won 5 national championships in all and then turned professional.

Colin Hulme had had an excellent four piece group. Himself on clarinet and bass, drums and piano accordion.
When he went into Tony's he had to increase the size to one trumpet, five saxes and three rhythm. I was the first trumpet player he employed. A nice guy.

I went back into the, now professional, Rowberry Band during which time we played at the Jazz Jamboree at the Gaumont State Theatre, Kilburn and toured with Sarah Vaughan on her first visit to Great Britain. We did concerts at the Albert Hall and all the major halls in Great Britain. This was in 1953. If you're wondering about the time scale, I am 90 years of age. Is there still anybody out there I played with?

The last band I played with was the Jerry Allen big band. We did shows with the whole band if it was a national broadcast, other wise we might do it with the Jerry Allen Trio and the trumpet section or the sax section. Lots of stories to tell.
 
Hodders,

That was well before my time and I'm 82, but I left Brum in 1961. Amongst the few musicians left on the Forum, John Crump aka OldBrit in the USA is probably the oldest. Sadly Eddie (Norfolk Brummie) passed away just over a year ago and he was the real authority on things musical before my time. Pianist Johnny Patrick may be still alive, but is not a member of this Forum. I met up with him in the Jewellry Quarter leading a trio at the last Jazz Festival I attended in 2013 or 2014, but we don't keep in touch. Perhaps John Crump will see this and respond.

Maurice :cool:
 
A Sparks said:
I went to Enid Goodwins for lessons on a Saturday afternoon too!
I can't remember what sort of shoes I wore but, now you have mentioned it, they did check your heels.

I went through that bad, long Winter - was 62 I think wasn't it? I still think about it if I hear a song from that era, particularly Carole King's 'Might as Well Rain until September' and I can hear the teacher saying...........forward, side close, side, step back (quick step).
I don't actually remember there being many boys in the class so I more of less learnt the male part in dances :-D
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I can't believe I missed your post A Sparks - still I'm only about three years late! Sorry. Unfortunately I'd stopped going to Enid's by about 1962 and had started to go to a place called Eric's which was behind the Conservative Club in Orphanage Road. I think the reason we stopped going to Enid's was because we all got Saturday jobs and Eric's was on a Friday night.
I know what you mean about the music - Summer Place and Let's Think About Living among others take me straight back to Enid's. In the same way that I hear Jimmy Mack and I'm in The Heartbeat at Silver Blades.

PS. I've still got my medals from Enid's somewhere.
 
@Lady Penelope a record that always reminds me of Enid Goodwins is Carol King's 'It might as well rain until September' which we used to do the quickstep to.......I can still hear her say.....forward, side close side, step back, forward, cross and forward....
I'm afraid I didn't get any medals!
 
A Sparks said:
@Lady Penelope a record that always reminds me of Enid Goodwins is Carol King's 'It might as well rain until September' which we used to do the quickstep to.......I can still hear her say.....forward, side close side, step back, forward, cross and forward....
I'm afraid I didn't get any medals!
Click to expand...
Talking of Dance Halls, did any of you have Grandparents who dragged you to Old Time Dancing, with the Valeta, the old fashioned (or Viennese) Waltz, Polka, Gavotte and of course the Gay Gordons (1940s version, not 21st Century).

Bob
 
[/QUOTE]
Bob Davis said:
Talking of Dance Halls, did any of you have Grandparents who dragged you to Old Time Dancing, with the Valeta, the old fashioned (or Viennese) Waltz, Polka, Gavotte and of course the Gay Gordons (1940s version, not 21st Century).

Bob
Click to expand...

I used to go to the Barn in Witton sometimes during the 70's as a friend used to play in the resident band. Had fun joining in some of the dances which included the old time ones!
 
jennyann said:
Hi Natalie-Layton: Welcome to the forum. I would think a trip to the Birmingham Main Library would give you some leads on the main dance halls in Birmingham for the years you are researching. There are some references on this forum of members memories from such dance halls as Grand Casino Ballroom which was on Corporation Street, Amies Dance Academy on Chain Walk in Aston. I know of the Albert Hall in Witton Road, Aston, The Palais de Danse...not sure where that was. The Tower Ballroom, Edgbaston, Tony's Ballroom,Hurst Street owned by the Kirsch family, the West End Ballroom,
the Ritz Ballroom, Birmingham.
Members of this forum may know of others. Good luck with your research.
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My late mother often spoke of going to the 'Pally...……' in Erdington, during WWII . I think you will find that to be the 'Palais de dance.' Working late as they did for the war effort, mom went there straight after a shift at Fort Dunlop. Mom had changed in to a new whit flowered dress she had save coupons for. As they walked up the works drive a German dive bomber let loos a bomb and a near by man dragged mom down to the ground to protect her (BLESS HIM) . Right in to a muddy puddle.
 
BrianR said:
My late mother often spoke of going to the 'Pally...……' in Erdington, during WWII . I think you will find that to be the 'Palais de dance.' Working late as they did for the war effort, mom went there straight after a shift at Fort Dunlop. Mom had changed in to a new whit flowered dress she had save coupons for. As they walked up the works drive a German dive bomber let loos a bomb and a near by man dragged mom down to the ground to protect her (BLESS HIM) . Right in to a muddy puddle.
Click to expand...

Sorry about your Mom's dress Brian! I wonder if she was referring to the Palace. They had a lovely dance hall there with a sprung floor. I don't know of a Palais de Dance but if there was one someone will know about it.
 
The Palais de Dance has a small thread:

Palais De Danse and Assembly Rooms

Palais De Danse, Ladywood and Assembly Rooms Has anyone any pictures or information about the above? My mother and father used to go to these places as indicated in my mother's diary, before they married in 1928, Any help would be nice, thanks. regards Humph
birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Myself and friends used to go to the The Carlton, The Queens Head, The Palace Dance, coming from Erdington we needed to go nowhere else really, most bands appeared at one or the other and we had some pretty good band in the Erdington area. Sometimes we went to the Say- Moma in Sutton, saw the Beatles there in about 62, along with Nero & The Gladiators, remember them? I frequented all these in the late 50s until 1964 when I got engaged to a girl I met at the Carlton and saving Green Shield Stamps became more important
Dill
 
Hodders said:
I worked in all the major ballrooms in the 50s: Cliff Deeley at the Tower, Colin Hulme at Tony's, Sonny Rose at the West End and Billy Walker at the Locarno. I also did Sunday Concerts with the Hedley Ward band, which included the famous Hedley Ward Trio.The last band I played with was the Jerry Allen big band. We played at the Civic Hall, Solihull and did TV specials where a big band was required. Sometimes Jerry would just have the trio and the sax section or the trumpet section.

I played with the great Arthur Rowberry band in 1949. The band was the National Musical Express champions when I joined. I stayed with them for a year during which time we won the Musical Express and Melody Maker Championships and then tuned pro. The band won 5 national championships in all and then turned professional.

Colin Hulme had had an excellent four piece group. Himself on clarinet and bass, drums and piano accordion.
When he went into Tony's he had to increase the size to one trumpet, five saxes and three rhythm. I was the first trumpet player he employed. A nice guy.

I went back into the, now professional, Rowberry Band during which time we played at the Jazz Jamboree at the Gaumont State Theatre, Kilburn and toured with Sarah Vaughan on her first visit to Great Britain. We did concerts at the Albert Hall and all the major halls in Great Britain. This was in 1953. If you're wondering about the time scale, I am 90 years of age. Is there still anybody out there I played with?

The last band I played with was the Jerry Allen big band. We did shows with the whole band if it was a national broadcast, other wise we might do it with the Jerry Allen Trio and the trumpet section or the sax section. Lots of stories to tell.
Click to expand...
Hello hope you are still well. I have just seen your post. I was browsing and put in Arthur Rowberry because a late friend of mine played for him. His name was Tom Starbuck who played the alto. I met him in 1957 at work. He was a draughtsman and I was a 20 year old apprentice. H was playing in a jazz quartet with Bill Harris. I wonder if you new Tom he was a great horn player an was using a plastic Grafton. I was learning clarinet and alto with Alf Gregory at Yardleys. All the best Brian Fox.
 
The pub on the corner of Spring Hill and Ingleby Street was called the Queens Head. I know because I lived there at number 88 Spring Hill with my aunt and uncle May and Bill Salvage, who took me in at the age of nine along with my three older sisters when my mother died. As you came down the hill the Queens was lit up at night with neon lights saying 'Ansells the Better Beer.' and the Coach and Horses on the opposite corner neon lights said 'Mitchell's and Butlers Good Honest beer.'
I remember Beat the barmaid, who worked so hard the sweat would be pouring from her brow and Emily the chairwoman who lived on Hingestion Street. Then there was Mush who helped out generally at weekends with hosing the front of the pub down and Phil who had lost a leg in the war and had a wooden one. He would help unc with the bottle restocking.
I went to Steward Street school. Mr Lewis was the headmaster then and the teachers' names were Shepherd, Share, Wallace, Gittings and Nixon. From there to City Road smg.
My friend Patty Temby lived in the yard next to the Ingleby Arms. We used to take it in turns to ride her bike up and down Ingleby Street.
I think the Swan pub was on the end of Stour Street.
It is so terrible the way B'ham City Council just smash everything down. It's peoples lives and memories they are destroying. The Bull RIng has been smashed down and rebuilt three times at least in my life time. Beautiful Georgian houses on the Hagley Road just smashed down. They built on the beautiful Edgbaston golf course, which was a natural bird sanctuary and although so close to the City centre the only building in sight was the University clock tower.
i remember stocking up with sweets on Sunday's at Kate's the sweet shop opposite the Queen's. Then there was Frank and Millie Brown the shoe repairers. The beautiful library I used to get at least three books a week from. Len Shaw the greengrocer.
Another auntie and uncle Pat and Rene Liddicote kept the Kynoch Sports Pavilion down Holdford Drive, Perry.Barr. We had great times down there on Sports days. Sadly that has gone now too. Grandma lived on Oscott Road, Perry Barr. They moved on to keep the Saddlers Arms in Perry Barr. My maternal grandfather used to keep the Fountain pub.
i live in France now.
 
JAJ20 said:
The pub on the corner of Spring Hill and Ingleby Street was called the Queens Head. I know because I lived there at number 88 Spring Hill with my aunt and uncle May and Bill Salvage, who took me in at the age of nine along with my three older sisters when my mother died. As you came down the hill the Queens was lit up at night with neon lights saying 'Ansells the Better Beer.' and the Coach and Horses on the opposite corner neon lights said 'Mitchell's and Butlers Good Honest beer.'
I remember Beat the barmaid, who worked so hard the sweat would be pouring from her brow and Emily the chairwoman who lived on Hingestion Street. Then there was Mush who helped out generally at weekends with hosing the front of the pub down and Phil who had lost a leg in the war and had a wooden one. He would help unc with the bottle restocking.
I went to Steward Street school. Mr Lewis was the headmaster then and the teachers' names were Shepherd, Share, Wallace, Gittings and Nixon. From there to City Road smg.
My friend Patty Temby lived in the yard next to the Ingleby Arms. We used to take it in turns to ride her bike up and down Ingleby Street.
I think the Swan pub was on the end of Stour Street.
It is so terrible the way B'ham City Council just smash everything down. It's peoples lives and memories they are destroying. The Bull RIng has been smashed down and rebuilt three times at least in my life time. Beautiful Georgian houses on the Hagley Road just smashed down. They built on the beautiful Edgbaston golf course, which was a natural bird sanctuary and although so close to the City centre the only building in sight was the University clock tower.
i remember stocking up with sweets on Sunday's at Kate's the sweet shop opposite the Queen's. Then there was Frank and Millie Brown the shoe repairers. The beautiful library I used to get at least three books a week from. Len Shaw the greengrocer.
Another auntie and uncle Pat and Rene Liddicote kept the Kynoch Sports Pavilion down Holdford Drive, Perry.Barr. We had great times down there on Sports days. Sadly that has gone now too. Grandma lived on Oscott Road, Perry Barr. They moved on to keep the Saddlers Arms in Perry Barr. My maternal grandfather used to keep the Fountain pub.
i live in France now.
Click to expand...
JAJ20, what a wonderful story, I think most on the Forum would agree with your sentiments. Some might say progress!
Welcome to the Forum and enjoy!
 
As a new member I have obviously got confused and posted this on to the wrong site. It should have gone to the pubs site answering a query about the name of that pub on the corner of Spring Hill and Ingleby Street. They were suggesting it was called the Swan's Head. I then went on to the dance halls site to write a review on that site and that is how it managed to get on to the wrong Site.
I am finding the bhs not easy to negotiate to be honest, especially as bhs are now writing to me in French. I live in France now, but I am not that au fait with French, although I am learning, I am a bit old in the tooth. My first language is English. I almost daren't disclose the French connection with anyone because I then get bombasted with everything in French.
I do realise the slum back to back houses had to go, but I am also glad to have been given the opportunity to have experienced them. i feel have experienced all areas of life, which I wouldn't have had I not gone to live with my aunt. The bike experience for instance. Every so often the bike would have to go into the pawn shop on the bottom of Ingleby Street and then out again. Eventually it disappeared for good. How sad was that for the lovely girl that my friend was both inside and out. If I won the lottery I would seek her out and see she was alright. The last time I bumped into her in Birmingham city centre she had a pram full of kids and I didn't get the chance to get her address as I was on lunch break from work.
 
JAJ20 said:
The pub on the corner of Spring Hill and Ingleby Street was called the Queens Head. I know because I lived there at number 88 Spring Hill with my aunt and uncle May and Bill Salvage, who took me in at the age of nine along with my three older sisters when my mother died. As you came down the hill the Queens was lit up at night with neon lights saying 'Ansells the Better Beer.' and the Coach and Horses on the opposite corner neon lights said 'Mitchell's and Butlers Good Honest beer.'
I remember Beat the barmaid, who worked so hard the sweat would be pouring from her brow and Emily the chairwoman who lived on Hingestion Street. Then there was Mush who helped out generally at weekends with hosing the front of the pub down and Phil who had lost a leg in the war and had a wooden one. He would help unc with the bottle restocking.
I went to Steward Street school. Mr Lewis was the headmaster then and the teachers' names were Shepherd, Share, Wallace, Gittings and Nixon. From there to City Road smg.
My friend Patty Temby lived in the yard next to the Ingleby Arms. We used to take it in turns to ride her bike up and down Ingleby Street.
I think the Swan pub was on the end of Stour Street.
It is so terrible the way B'ham City Council just smash everything down. It's peoples lives and memories they are destroying. The Bull RIng has been smashed down and rebuilt three times at least in my life time. Beautiful Georgian houses on the Hagley Road just smashed down. They built on the beautiful Edgbaston golf course, which was a natural bird sanctuary and although so close to the City centre the only building in sight was the University clock tower.
i remember stocking up with sweets on Sunday's at Kate's the sweet shop opposite the Queen's. Then there was Frank and Millie Brown the shoe repairers. The beautiful library I used to get at least three books a week from. Len Shaw the greengrocer.
Another auntie and uncle Pat and Rene Liddicote kept the Kynoch Sports Pavilion down Holdford Drive, Perry.Barr. We had great times down there on Sports days. Sadly that has gone now too. Grandma lived on Oscott Road, Perry Barr. They moved on to keep the Saddlers Arms in Perry Barr. My maternal grandfather used to keep the Fountain pub.
i live in France now.
Click to expand...
 
cookie273uk said:
I met my late Wife Doreen at a dance hall, I was home on leave from the RAF Christmas 1951(60 years ago !!!) and went to the Masque Ball room, either in Waford Road or Golden Hillock RD, I know I had to catch the No.8 Inner circle bus, we went quite a few times after that plus the Tower Ballroom. Eric
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Bit late with answer but it was in Walford Rd, just off Stratford Rd.
 
Natalie_Layton said:
Hi everyone, I apologise for cutting in but I'm wondering if any of you could help me. I have exhausted myself on Google but cannot find any references to any famous Birmingham dance halls around in the 1930s-1940s. I am attempting to write a book you see about Birmingham around the Second World War and I'd like all the information I can get about small details so my writing seems fluid if you know what I mean. If you could help me I would be very much appreciated. I've gotten loads of information off this site already.

Thank you very much :)
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= Roy Hodson
I played in all the professional ballrooms in Birmingham from 1950 until 1964.
The bands I played with were: Arthur Rowberry (Touring & Astoria, Nottingham), Colin Hulme (Tony's Ballroom), Hedley Ward (Sunday Concerts), Sonny Rose (West End Ballroom), Cliff Deely (Tower Ballroom).
 
The only dance hall I can think of which isn't mentioned about is 'Madame Amy's' which my auntie mentioned. I believe it was in Aston. I'll have a look later and see if I can find anything about it.
 
Lady Penelope said:
The only dance hall I can think of which isn't mentioned about is 'Madame Amy's' which my auntie mentioned. I believe it was in Aston. I'll have a look later and see if I can find anything about it.
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Sounds interesting....are you sure it was a dance hall?

Bob

p.s.10 cents a dance, that's all they pay me, unfortunately my singing is worse than my computer skills, so I won't continue
 
Madame Amy's - I found a reference to this (see below) but found the site extremely irritating and couldn't follow it very well. Might be me - not the site! I've looked through my Aston books but the picture I'm searching for isn't there so I'll keep looking. I seem to remember it was an unusual interior (but not as unusual as Bob inferrred!)
Some nice pictures of the Locarno can be found here:

www.birminghammail.co.uk

Look: Memories of Birmingham's golden days of dance

We take a look back at some of Birmingham's long-lost dance halls.
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk

Look: Memories of Birmingham's golden days of dance ...
www.birminghammail.co.uk › ... › Nostalgia › Edgbaston


26 Feb 2016 - ... the 1920s, the city's dance halls are long gone now – the West End Ballroom, Tony's, the Locarno, Madame Amy's and the Palais de Danse.
 
link for madam amies pen....it was at chain walk lozells

Madam Amies Dance School

Anybody remember Madam Amies Chain Walk Lozells ,some called it the coffin shop because of its shape ?I went there dancing most nights on saturday nights I some times went to the Crown & Cushion Perry Barr those where the days we would walk home to hockley up the birchfield rd to lozells and...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Just wondering if anyone can please help me, I am looking for information for my mum's 80th birthday next year as I want to do a THIS IF YOUR LIFE presentation. Does anyone have any information/pictures of the Galleon dance hall/studio ?
 
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