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Memories of a Birmingham Musician (Drummer)!
- Thread starter norfolk brummie
- Start date
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Not quite sure, John, but it looks like the old Grand Casino, in Corporation Street. I played there for a while, and I remember that there was seating each side of the central band stand, which does look about the right size and shape.
Also had a balcony running around the top of the dance area. I have to say that it does look a little more sumptuous than it did in the late 1950's. Maybe some one else can be a bit more specific on the details.
Eddie.
Also had a balcony running around the top of the dance area. I have to say that it does look a little more sumptuous than it did in the late 1950's. Maybe some one else can be a bit more specific on the details.
Eddie.
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
I remember both Reg Heard and Alf Brough, who both worked at Mansells 'Gig' shop in Union Street. Cannot honestly say I remembered Bill Fletcher. Jimmy Allso I vaguely recall.
I remember that Alf Brough played guitar in the resident band at the Golden Eagle, in Hill Street. (is that the correct name? My memory is getting old). Bill Fletcher, pianist at the Springfield Ballroom, eh? I remember the alto player, Basil Stuteley, who worked at Yardleys Music Store, at the bottom of Snow Hill.
Alf Brough went on to work at the music shop in John Bright Street (again, I have forgotten the name). their shop was previously in Broad Street. The shop drummer was Pete Essex, who's later wife, Beryl Cantrill, played drums for the Ivy Benson Band.
I will probably remember the names later on!!
Eddie
I remember that Alf Brough played guitar in the resident band at the Golden Eagle, in Hill Street. (is that the correct name? My memory is getting old). Bill Fletcher, pianist at the Springfield Ballroom, eh? I remember the alto player, Basil Stuteley, who worked at Yardleys Music Store, at the bottom of Snow Hill.
Alf Brough went on to work at the music shop in John Bright Street (again, I have forgotten the name). their shop was previously in Broad Street. The shop drummer was Pete Essex, who's later wife, Beryl Cantrill, played drums for the Ivy Benson Band.
I will probably remember the names later on!!
Eddie
Pete Essex also played drums at the Springfield ballroom during the late fifties along with Basil Stutely (sax) Ken Hickie (double bass) Bill Bryan (sax and clarinet) who was as lean as a young Frank Sinatra and I remember him singing 'Embraceable You' In the same laid back style; Bill Fletcher (piano) By 1960 the ballrooms began to disappear (seemingly overnight) So sad.
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Just remembered the name of the music shop in John Bright Street. It was Jack Woodroffe. His claim to fame? A sign above the shop:
'LATE OF THE JACK HYLTON BAND'.
Thanks for the additional info, Jayf. Much appreciated.
Eddie
'LATE OF THE JACK HYLTON BAND'.
Thanks for the additional info, Jayf. Much appreciated.
Eddie
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Jayell
master brummie
Eddie, the photo that John posted #181 was of The Locarno in Hurst Street, although it looks slightly different to when I used to go in the early 60's. I also remember the Casino and the balconies - I used to go there in the lunch hour from work (late 50s) when I worked further up Corporation Street. Never told my Mom I went to the Casino in those days as I don't think she would have been too happy about it 
She associated it with the Yanks just after the war! As it used to be a theatre many years ago, I think the balconies in the Casino were adapted - did they used to have tables on there? I seem to remember they did, and the dance floor was where the stage used to be?
Judy
She associated it with the Yanks just after the war! As it used to be a theatre many years ago, I think the balconies in the Casino were adapted - did they used to have tables on there? I seem to remember they did, and the dance floor was where the stage used to be?Judy
Judy, I used to go to the Casino with a friend for coffee during the day. The balcony had tables where we used to sit and watch the dancers down below. The Casino did have rather a poor reputation (for 'ladies of the night' gathering there). Can't say we noticed any! The Springfield ballroom was my favourite place; in fact I was there every week. It had a great band (and floor) and I knew lots of the people who danced there because it was smaller than the ballrooms in the centre of Birmingham. It would be great to hear from anyone who was a regular there in the mid to late 50's. Jay.
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
You could be right, Judy. I should know better, I was at the opening of the Locarno!
At the opening, the name band was Colin Hulme, with my old buddy, Gerry West on drums. The Trio was Roy Green, and I worked with Roy in the Jan Ralfini Band. The Catering Manager was Henry Quinn. We shared 'digs' in Leicester, when I first arrived there. Strange, the stage seems smaller than I remembered it, although you can see the rounded front area, ideal for turning. They had twenty musicians and singers on that stage for the opening night. Later, I was resident at the Locarno with both 'Ramble Tamble' and 'Red Sun'.
The old Casino did have a balcony, with tables to sit at and watch the band. I recall an English actor, Michael Balfour, would often come in for the afternoon sessions, and would 'chat' up the ladies.
The balcony was over looking the dance floor, and the stage.
Eddie
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Jay,
Our good friend, Maurice (Sosprit), a Birmingham musician, lived by the Springfield Ballroom around that time. Maybe Maurice could add a few more facts.
Eddie
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Judy, Eddie, Jay:
Throughout almost all of the 1940s I lived at 215 Knowle Road, a bomb-damaged house which had been patched up by the landlord, and we eventually bought it from him. The next five houses to the right had been badly damaged by an enemy boimb and subsequently demolished by the authorities. This site formed the most wonderful playground for us kids, with no shortage of bricks and corrugated iron with which to build dens, and our mother had only to look over the garden fence to shout "Maurice, Roy, your dinner's readyt" at mealtimes and if we weren't playing down by the River Cole, we'd come running.
At the rear of this site was the back of the Springfield Ballroom - a large plain brick wall with a single row of windows across the top. The resident band was Henry Goodall, about an 8-piece band that played a lot of bop-style music very loudly and they had all those top windows wide open in the summer - I presume the actual ballroom was on the top floor, I never did go inside, us kids were all too young. My mother used to detest the "Goodall sound"!
Maurice
Throughout almost all of the 1940s I lived at 215 Knowle Road, a bomb-damaged house which had been patched up by the landlord, and we eventually bought it from him. The next five houses to the right had been badly damaged by an enemy boimb and subsequently demolished by the authorities. This site formed the most wonderful playground for us kids, with no shortage of bricks and corrugated iron with which to build dens, and our mother had only to look over the garden fence to shout "Maurice, Roy, your dinner's readyt" at mealtimes and if we weren't playing down by the River Cole, we'd come running.
At the rear of this site was the back of the Springfield Ballroom - a large plain brick wall with a single row of windows across the top. The resident band was Henry Goodall, about an 8-piece band that played a lot of bop-style music very loudly and they had all those top windows wide open in the summer - I presume the actual ballroom was on the top floor, I never did go inside, us kids were all too young. My mother used to detest the "Goodall sound"!
Maurice
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
The great Bandleader, Ted Heath, was a very strict disciplinarian.
On one occasion, Ronnie Verrell, his drummer, invited me to watch the show from the backstage.
I was standing in the wings when Eddie Blair, the very fine jazz trumpet player in the band, took a solo. I thought it was wonderful, and the audience cheered at the end of his solo.
Not Ted Heath. After Eddie sat down, having completed his lovely solo, Ted walked up to the side of him, and quietly, but sternly said "Eddie, take the boxing gloves off before your next solo!"
Ronnie Verrell and I remained great friends for years, and he would visit our home. He has sadly died, but I have kept all his Christmas cards.
Eddie
On one occasion, Ronnie Verrell, his drummer, invited me to watch the show from the backstage.
I was standing in the wings when Eddie Blair, the very fine jazz trumpet player in the band, took a solo. I thought it was wonderful, and the audience cheered at the end of his solo.
Not Ted Heath. After Eddie sat down, having completed his lovely solo, Ted walked up to the side of him, and quietly, but sternly said "Eddie, take the boxing gloves off before your next solo!"
Ronnie Verrell and I remained great friends for years, and he would visit our home. He has sadly died, but I have kept all his Christmas cards.
Eddie
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
This is the only photo that I have of the Billy Walker Band, at the old Grand Casino, around 1958. The rest of us are not shown.
It shows; Jimmy Walker (piano); Billy Walker (alto); Ross Neville (tenor); Reg Lennox (tenor); singer was Jill Emburey.
Ross Neville was really Neville Rosborough, and he left around the same time as I. He took a band into the Locarno Ballroom in Sale, nr. Manchester.
Eddie
Jayell
master brummie
Hello Maurice. Thanks for the information on the Springfield Ballroom. I never went or knew of it. I asked my sister if she had heard of it today when I saw her and she doesn't remember it either. The only venue we went to on the Stratford Road was The Mermaid when the Ronnie Scott Club was held there.
Loved your reminiscences of living in Knowle Road. We got up to plenty when we were kids didn't we. I remember playing on the bomb sites in Hockley. We used to play in the bombed out houses/small factories in what is now called The Jewellery Quarter and try and find jewels! Ended up mainly with mother-of-pearl bits!
Judy
Loved your reminiscences of living in Knowle Road. We got up to plenty when we were kids didn't we. I remember playing on the bomb sites in Hockley. We used to play in the bombed out houses/small factories in what is now called The Jewellery Quarter and try and find jewels! Ended up mainly with mother-of-pearl bits!
Judy
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sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Hello Judy,
It was originally built in 1926 and a full history and photographs are here: https://www.grandoccasionsonline.com/#!about/c10fk
I think it was correctly called the Springfield Ballroom in my day. Yes, we did have fun as kids, but I think it was really a case of getting very dirty rather than committing actual crime. The Springfield Cinema next door was opened next door in 1914, closed during WW2 to store sugar for the Ministry of Food, lay empty for several years from 1946, and has had several incarnations as furniture stores inspersed with a short period back as a cinema. I think it is still a furniture emporium of some sort today.
Maurice
It was originally built in 1926 and a full history and photographs are here: https://www.grandoccasionsonline.com/#!about/c10fk
I think it was correctly called the Springfield Ballroom in my day. Yes, we did have fun as kids, but I think it was really a case of getting very dirty rather than committing actual crime. The Springfield Cinema next door was opened next door in 1914, closed during WW2 to store sugar for the Ministry of Food, lay empty for several years from 1946, and has had several incarnations as furniture stores inspersed with a short period back as a cinema. I think it is still a furniture emporium of some sort today.
Maurice
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Although playing different venues around the UK, until 1958/9, I kept the family home in Sparkbrook, as my contact address. However, in 1958, I finally 'flew the nest' for good, and found myself at the Locarno Ballroom, in Liverpool. 'Digs' in West Derby Road.
During the period of my Liverpool stay, I got to know many musicians, and a couple of times did 'sit in' with bands at the Iron Door & Cavern jazz clubs. No beat music in those days.
In 1962 I returned to Liverpool to see some old friends, and called into Frank Hessy's Music Shop, in Stanley Street, to see Jim Gretty, who ran the guitar department. Jim was a 50 years old local C/W singer, and was well known around the Liverpool club scene. By this time the Mersey 'beat' sound was underway.
When I arrived Jim said that I must go with him at lunchtime, and see this band at the Cavern, which was 50 yards way, in Mathew Street. We walked around to the club, and there was a queue waiting to go in for the lunchtime session. Jim knew everyone, so we walked right in.
The place was packed out, and there were four young lads on the stage, roughly dressed, swearing, and playing songs that I had never heard of. I thought they were a load of rubbish, and told Jim so. "So, you don't like them, but I think they are going to be big" he said.
They were called The Beatles.
Eddie
During the period of my Liverpool stay, I got to know many musicians, and a couple of times did 'sit in' with bands at the Iron Door & Cavern jazz clubs. No beat music in those days.
In 1962 I returned to Liverpool to see some old friends, and called into Frank Hessy's Music Shop, in Stanley Street, to see Jim Gretty, who ran the guitar department. Jim was a 50 years old local C/W singer, and was well known around the Liverpool club scene. By this time the Mersey 'beat' sound was underway.
When I arrived Jim said that I must go with him at lunchtime, and see this band at the Cavern, which was 50 yards way, in Mathew Street. We walked around to the club, and there was a queue waiting to go in for the lunchtime session. Jim knew everyone, so we walked right in.
The place was packed out, and there were four young lads on the stage, roughly dressed, swearing, and playing songs that I had never heard of. I thought they were a load of rubbish, and told Jim so. "So, you don't like them, but I think they are going to be big" he said.
They were called The Beatles.
Eddie
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Around 1970, I quit the drum company that I was under contract to, and with a colleague, that had been the manager of the drum manufacturing plant, we started a small company manufacturing drum sticks at Thorne, in Yorkshire. Gerry Waller and I got off to a great start, and within a short space of time, I had arranged drum stick deals with Carl Palmer (ELO), Phil Collins (Genesis) and John Coughlan (Status Quo). In order to ensure the family cash flow was not affected, I took my own band into the Sherwood Rooms, in Nottingham. This was a Mon-Fri Private Function Suite, with public dancing on Saturday night. I would work all day in Thorne, and make the evening dash to Nottingham, to play. Gerry had a lovely wife Jan, and two daughters, Kathryn and Lyndsey. Gerry was also an avid cricket fan, and before long, his daughter Kathryn had met, and fallen in love, with a certain Ian Botham.
This meant that Gerry and family would travel down to Somerset most weeks to see Ian. This badly affected our business, and in the end, Gerry and I decided to part company, but remain great friends.
I continued to help Gerry with drum stick deals, but under my own terms. I also stayed very close to the family, and became great friends with Ian Botham. I was fortunate to be part of his life in the wonderful summer of 1981, and most of us know what happened then. For the First Test, in Nottingham, Gerry and I were invited guests of Ian, which meant that we had lunch with the players! Great days.
This meant that Gerry and family would travel down to Somerset most weeks to see Ian. This badly affected our business, and in the end, Gerry and I decided to part company, but remain great friends.
I continued to help Gerry with drum stick deals, but under my own terms. I also stayed very close to the family, and became great friends with Ian Botham. I was fortunate to be part of his life in the wonderful summer of 1981, and most of us know what happened then. For the First Test, in Nottingham, Gerry and I were invited guests of Ian, which meant that we had lunch with the players! Great days.
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
When I worked Scunthorpe Baths in the winter of, I think 1957, Terry Dene was booked to appear with his own band. Our band opened the evening, then the problems began. First of all, Dene would not go on stage because his guitar was 'out of tune'.....true!!! Our pianist retuned it for him. Then he sat in his dressing room still refusing to move, stating he did not feel well. Eventually they (almost) dragged him onto the stage, and his performance was mediocre, to say the least. Just after that, I believe he failed his National Service, and eventually disappeared off the music scene.
In the summer of 1960, during my period at the Samson & Hercules Ballroom in Norwich, I was called upon to back some of the names that appeared in Great Yarmouth, on each Sunday, during the summer season, at the Britannia Pier Theatre. They were pretty good shows, and Billy Fury spent a lot of time in Great Yarmouth that summer. These shows were run by Larry Parnes, and he booked all his own singers into the Sunday shows. These included, Johnny Gentle, Billy Fury, Vince Eager. For about a month, Billy went out with my future wife's best friend. Billy was also a great friend of our band singer, Don Nielson, who also came from Liverpool. Small world.
Eddie
In the summer of 1960, during my period at the Samson & Hercules Ballroom in Norwich, I was called upon to back some of the names that appeared in Great Yarmouth, on each Sunday, during the summer season, at the Britannia Pier Theatre. They were pretty good shows, and Billy Fury spent a lot of time in Great Yarmouth that summer. These shows were run by Larry Parnes, and he booked all his own singers into the Sunday shows. These included, Johnny Gentle, Billy Fury, Vince Eager. For about a month, Billy went out with my future wife's best friend. Billy was also a great friend of our band singer, Don Nielson, who also came from Liverpool. Small world.
Eddie
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Smudger:
Terry Dene was quite a big British name by 1958 when I was still doing stock control at BCT. Barbara, a girl from Sheldon who shared the same job as me, was very sweet on Terry Dene (so Carolina was not the only one!). Trouble was I was secretly sweet on Barbara and another girl at BCT at the same time and didn't have time for either of them because I was too busy righting big band arrangements until 3:00am at the same time!
Sorry Eddie, I've never had any interest in cricket at all and rather regarded it as like watching paint dry! No doubt a lot of people on here will disagree with me, but I've never really been much of the sporty type. But an interesting little business to have and an opportunity for you to meet a few more interesting musicians. When I was in the States an expert university American Football coach sat with me throughout my first football game trying to explain all the rules of their game. Fifteen years later I am still unable to understand what their game is about!
Maurice
Terry Dene was quite a big British name by 1958 when I was still doing stock control at BCT. Barbara, a girl from Sheldon who shared the same job as me, was very sweet on Terry Dene (so Carolina was not the only one!). Trouble was I was secretly sweet on Barbara and another girl at BCT at the same time and didn't have time for either of them because I was too busy righting big band arrangements until 3:00am at the same time!
Sorry Eddie, I've never had any interest in cricket at all and rather regarded it as like watching paint dry! No doubt a lot of people on here will disagree with me, but I've never really been much of the sporty type. But an interesting little business to have and an opportunity for you to meet a few more interesting musicians. When I was in the States an expert university American Football coach sat with me throughout my first football game trying to explain all the rules of their game. Fifteen years later I am still unable to understand what their game is about!
Maurice
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Maurice.
You have my sympathy. When I was in the States, I got dragged into watching the World Series baseball games. I found that was like watching paint dry!! Cricket?.....yes, you love it or hate it.
Eddie
You have my sympathy. When I was in the States, I got dragged into watching the World Series baseball games. I found that was like watching paint dry!! Cricket?.....yes, you love it or hate it.
Eddie
I booked last year for my brothers golden wedding anniversay the Billy Fury show at The Hipp'. They didnt know what to expect but the music was of their generation (and mine) and they had a fantastic evening. Shame he died so young. I have seen Marty Wilde 3 times in the last 5 years, I dont know if it was his original Wildcats but they were great and of course Marty was as well. His voice was superb.
Looking a bit older..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR9vTGxfKuM