Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s

Subject: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Mar 24 - 11:34 AM

Greetings

Please help out this old git.

I'm trying to remember the clubs I used to frequent.
These are some: The poly club at the Post Office pub, THe universtiy club Where?, The Castle, THe Forde Arms in Byker, and ???

WAs there one at the Polish Centre?

Ta

Eddie Cullen

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: Helen
Date: 24 Mar 24 - 01:57 PM

Hi Guest, try this thread:

Long-lived folk clubs? 60yrs?

Helen - but I'm in Newcastle NSW Australia.

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,Speciality Ken
Date: 25 Mar 24 - 05:19 AM

How about Stefan and Liz Sobell's club at The Barley Mow on City Road - opposite Tyne Tees Studios in the 1970s? Even after decimalisation in 1971, the old couple who ran the pub still insisted on charging 3 shillings and 6 pence a pint!

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: Ritchie
Date: 25 Mar 24 - 12:12 PM

Upstairs in The Bridge Hotel comes to mind & although not Newcastle, there was great ne at The Quay Tavern in Bill Quay. Bob Fox & Stu Luckley used it on the cover of their excellent L.P. 'Nowt s'gud 'll pass,

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,Treacle Bolly
Date: 25 Mar 24 - 12:54 PM

A bit out of town but there was something at the Blackbird in Ponteland.

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,Tom Patterson
Date: 25 Mar 24 - 02:34 PM

I remember singing in the Blackbird. There was also a club running in the 60s at the Seven Stars in Ponteland.

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 26 Mar 24 - 06:58 AM

Ponteland is not Newcastle but I do remember a club & group there called the Keelers I think (no not the current one)- one of the members went off to live in Kerry I think & they disbanded- I think Jim Sharp usecd to go there when he wasn't at the Marsden Inn

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 26 Mar 24 - 10:31 AM

The Reivers were the resident group at 7 Stars, Ponteland the one and only time that I went back in 1966.

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 26 Mar 24 - 10:36 AM

Prior to The Barley Mow Stefan and Liz Sobell ran the Barleycorn folk club on a Saturday night at the Victoria and Comet just opposite the Central Station. This relocated to the Brass Man a couple of years later.
There was also a Wednesday night club in The Haymarket Hotel, Percy Street.

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 26 Mar 24 - 01:41 PM

dead right Dave- it was the Reivers! and the the Vic & Comet was known locally as the Spit and Vomit- I don't think it desered that though....

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,Speciality Ken
Date: 27 Mar 24 - 06:43 PM

Just out of Newcastle - you might remember The Royal Turf at Felling - was it Andy Harrison who ran the club? A regular performer was a West Indian guy called 'Rocky' - He had a fine version of 'Three Coins in the Fountain' - and could 'limbo'. Anyone remember? Maybe Dave Sutherland - I think you were a regular visitor (or have I got that wrong?).

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,Tom Patterson
Date: 27 Mar 24 - 07:06 PM

I remember going to a club on Gosforth High St, just out of Newcastle. Was it in the County Hotel? I also played at a club in Ryton, also not far from the City.

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 28 Mar 24 - 03:57 AM

Speciality Ken - I was a regular at The Royal Turf, Felling from 1966 to its closing in 1969 becoming a resident and committee member in 1967. Andy did run the club with residents Tony Wilson, Alex McKie, Maureen Stubbs and Liz Mogie (now Liz Sobell), Di Dingwall (now Di Henderson) and later Tony Davies.
Rocky Byron was the Calypso singer you mentioned.
After the club closed I became involved with South Tyne Folk and Blues, South Shields for the next ten years.

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,Speciality Ken
Date: 28 Mar 24 - 05:23 AM

Tom Patterson - The Gosforth Traditional Folk Club was (I think) at the Gosforth Hotel at the bottom of Salters Road. One New Year's Eve - possibly 1972 - the organisers organised a coach to take us all to the Allendale Tar Barrel Ceremony after the club that night - Peter Bellamy was the guest and he came on the trip too.
Dave Sutherland - Thank you for providing that info regarding the Royal Turf - we had many happy nights there. At the time, I sang with a mate called Ray - just as Ken & Ray. You might recall a Matt McGinn guest night in 1968 when he was selling his 45rpm single 'The Pill'/'The Dundee Ghost'- he autographed mine from Matt to 'Donovan'! - that was his sense of humour! I've still got it - somewhere ....

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,Speciality Ken
Date: 28 Mar 24 - 05:30 AM

Sorry - I think that date for Matt McGinn at The Royal Turf is more likely to be 1966. Ken

Subject: RE: Newcastle Folk Clubs of the 1970s
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 23 Dec 24 - 07:50 AM

I was a fairly regular visitor to the Bridge club in Newcastle in the mid 60s- folk club Thursday, folk dance Tuesday. I remember there was a distinct chill between the Bridge club and Gateshead's Bob Davenport who I'd come to regard as an inspiration during my college days in London -for reasons lost in time now???

    Bob had done the Marsden, Birtley & the whole Tyneside circuit but not the Bridge so after spending good times with him in the south we asked him if he'd include the Bridge next time? He said yes he would 'IF THEY'LL HAVE ME'. So we asked the Bridge crowd & the answer was 'aye fine IF HE'LL COME'
He did come & a it was a grand night......