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Mecca Dance Hall/Kings Hall Market

Phil

Phil

Gone, but not forgotten.
Pomgolian

Especially for you. I know this is off thread so it is OK with me if you delete the post after you have taken a copy.

Phil

CityCorporationSt1961-1.jpg
 
Pom

I don't really know a lot about the Mecca dance room as I never used the place. I occasionally used to pass Kings Hall Market, but it frightened me when I was younger with all the Teddy boys standing on the steps.

Phil
 
Another good photo Phil - you are definitely the man to come to for any pictures !! They bring back many memories that have been forgotten.

I remember the Mecca Casino quite well, although I only went there a few times in my lunch hour from work. It was pretty quiet in the lunch hour in those days, late 50's, but I don't know what it was like at night. Passed that area regularly though as I used to work in Corporation Street in those days.

Judy
 
It was swingin' at night Judy. I was boppin' away with my friends most weeks. My first 'Rock 'n Roll' dance.
PS My auntie used to buy all her net curtains at the Kings Hall, said they were even better than the Rag Market stalls. You can't get better praise than that!
 
Charlie - you don't hear jiving called bopping much nowadays do you? I learned to bop at the Nineveh Dance Studios in Handsworth. What years are you talking about when you used to dance at the Mecca Casino?

I also remember talk of the quality of net curtains and materials in Kings Hall Market, but it was of no interest to me in those days !!
 
I s'pose I started going to the Casino in 1958 or thereabouts. Loved every minute of it, could walk home to Handsworth without any problems and the young men could use the gents in the Old Square before heading home on foot or by bus. Life was much simpler then and a lot less threatning maybe? Or are my specs getting more rose coloured every year?
 
I remember the Casino in WW2 and post WW2, when the Americans came into the war, the GI`s hung around waiting to get a girl to be a dance partner, there was no shortage, dangle a pair of nylons and they had a choice!, the young kids would scrounge chewing gum, the Casino had a bad reputation
 
Lencops, I wonder if that was why my Mom said I wasn't allowed to go to the Casino!! She would remember the GI's and their reputation. We had a hotel in Handsworth and a couple of GI's from the local base used to regularly stay at the weekends with their wives. They were lovely men and I can remember parcels coming from them with American Comics and chewing gum. However, I think that some gave the others a bad reputation.

Charlie - that would be around the time I went there - but think it might have been a bit earlier, perhaps 1957/58. My Saturday nights in those days were either spent at the Adelphi in West Bromwich or the Tower Ballroom.

Judy
 
Hi everyone, I think Mecca was where I used to go in my lunch hour for a bit of jiving. My mum also told me not to go to the Casino - she must have heard of it's reputation too. I used to go to the Tower Ballroom on Saturday nights also Judy - had some good times there.
Sheri
 
Whereabouts was this?

I can recall going to the Kings Hall market .................. there was a man in a turban selling things there ......... and lots of lace curtains ............
 
evening all, i used to go to the casino quite often on a saturday afternoon, i think it was a2 hour sesione. i remember one time in particular, when a load of teds jumped off the balcony onto the dance floor and ran out the front. old mr archer (manager) wasent very pleased i should think.

by for now

shardeen
 
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