Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll

Subject: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: GUEST,Dazbo at work
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 11:21 AM

In the dim and distant past that is my youth I was a student at the South Shields Marine and Technical College, funnily enough in South Shields (on Tyneside). We had a student bar (MarTech) which had entertainment on a fairly regular basis. I remember a singer (and perhaps songwriter) who played there at least twice in my time there 1980 and 81.

I've begun to wonder (out of idle curiosity) who he was. I've no recollection of any name at all - drunk on black velvet I wouldn't wonder - and if he has a prescence here. All I can remember is that he was probably in his 30/40s, dark haired, played a large acoustic guitar and sung "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" and (IIRC) a song about a british soldier in Northern Ireland who threw himself on a handgrenade to save the lives of an Irish family.

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: Leadfingers
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 11:37 AM

Not a great deal of info to work on - An Eric Bogle and a Harvey Andrews song (The Soldier) .

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: CannieShieldsLaddie
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 12:02 PM

More than likely Jim Sharp.

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 12:09 PM

Almost certainly Jim Sharpe

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: GUEST,Dazbo at work
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 05:46 AM

Cheers for those answers. The name doesn't ring a bell though after all these years.

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: alex s
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 10:33 AM

might have been Tony Cable - anyone any news of him. He played at Balmbra's regularly

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: Seaking
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 10:35 AM

Dazbo,

I was also at SSMAT at that time (Shell eng intake 73, then tickets) and was on the Martec committee for a while when we started the folk nights - '77 ish ?? . I still have a recording of Jim Sharpe, probably the singer you are referring to singing Band played Waltzing Matilda. There was a recent thread on here about Jim coincidentally.

There was a cadet in our intake called Paddy O'Shaugnassy (sp?) who used to do 'Soldier' regularly in the Martec, probably not who you are referring to but may ring bells.

Only other person i can think of was Ed Pickford but I can't remember him playing the songs you mention.

Chris

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: GUEST,Dazbo at work
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 11:31 AM

Chris, nice to hear from another "old boy". It's looking like Jim is favourite contender and I'll see if I can find the tread on him. Unfortunately never made it past Cadet with Shell - made redundant along with about 90% of the other cadets at the end of the course and went to uni instead. I was on the Lampas and Erinna in 1982, know either of these ships?

Darren

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: Seaking
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 11:56 AM

I was on the Labiosa (St Nazaire build) in 1976 and the Etrema in 1980. Lots of D and S class too. I'll pm you and compare a few notes.
Chris

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: Bainbo
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 02:27 PM

Both Jim Sharpe and Ed Pickford turn up from time to time - though not with any regularity - at the Davy Lamp folk club in Washington. I'm sure they must show up at others, as well.

Subject: RE: Singer South Shields Marine & Tech Coll
From: GUEST,jim baainbridge
Date: 30 Mar 16 - 06:06 AM

Jim Sharp is one of the originals of the NE England folk revival, having helped set up the 'Beacon' folk club in South Shields in 1963. It later moved to the Marsden Inn and I believe still exists somewhere in the town. Jim has never recorded before, nor played much outside the area, but us but his singing is still very highly regarded in the North East.
I'm saying this because at last he has recorded a CD of the songs of Ed Pickford, another local hero- available from the Ed Pickford website-it's been FIFTY years coming, so don't miss it!

ps Bainbo is not me!