===I suspect that Guest John above wasn't around in the fifties either as there weren't that many clubs (here I speak of London)around at the time good or bad.===
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Yes there were ~ see Dave Arthur some posts above ~~ including one he mentions:-
So to revert 3 years behind the fair for the record to this over 3-yr-old post on this just-revived thread: Long John Baldry used right at beginning of his career to sing at the Skiffle Cellar in Greek St, later The Cellar FC, then The Establishment Club where the 'satire boom' was born & Lenny Bruce caused offence in v early '60s; & one of those venues named by Dave Arthur above as those frequented by early-revival folkies. It was run by Russ Quaye & Hylda Syms, who encouraged beginners ~ they gave me my first ever paid gig, in 1957 I think it was: ten shillings = 50p ~ not a bad first-gig rate then! & among the other more-or-less starters I remember at the time was Long John; also, I would estimate, late-56 or '57.

This, as I say, just for the record & to try to establish a time-line re Long John.

~Michael~