I came to London in February 1966 and in my first week saw Bob Davenport and The Rakes at The Fox on Islington Green- it was their 10th anniversary as a band and that night was a bit of a party I remember Freddy McKay particulary and a guy called Norman, I think, who used to sing the same song every week about " the man wot waters the workers' beer " ! A couple of nights later I met Matt McGinn, Hamish Imlach [ both now long gone ]and Jimmy McGregor at Bruce Dunnet's Scots Hoose at Cambridge Circus - went for supper with them and Nadia Cattouse at a wee eaterie on Old Compton Street - The Blue ..? Through Bruce, who became a lifelong friend until his death some years ago, I met a whole host of people I'd only heard on record or seen on TV, including a great many of the names mentioned in all these contributions.
But Ewan McColl undoubtedly was the person who had greatest influence on my understanding and appreciation of the music and the tradition. Perhaps a difficult man for some, but the soul of kindness to me. I eventually did the door stuff etc at the Singers' Club when it was at the John Snow in Broadwick Street, Soho, until I was recalled to Scotland at the end of that year.
But over the subsequent years I visited London many times and went round many of the clubs, often with Bruce D, until ill-health turned him off going out much at all. I think the last time was to one of the last Singers' Club nights, when Ewan was already too ill to attend.
Reading this thread has brought back some wonderful memories ... as well as the dreadful realisation of just how long ago that all was. Great days indeed !