When South Shields Folk Club first started at The Beacon in August/September 1963 by John Price, Jim and Jill Sharp, Eric was one of the resident singers along with Chuck Fleming. Later it moved to the Marsden Inn about the April 1964 and Eric was still coming occasionally, as he was studying at the Marine Tech. in So. Shields.
According to Kath Bainbridge he joined the Merchant Navy at this time and left the area