Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port

Subject: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 28 May 09 - 02:06 PM

Does anybody remember the Pennyfarthing Folk Club? It ran from November 1969 at The Traveller's Rest, Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port until sometime in 1972.

Cheer

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 29 May 09 - 01:30 PM

This may take a while

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 29 May 09 - 02:06 PM

I remember a folk club which was run at that address in the 1960s. It was run by a student who had had a summer job at the ice cream depot in Bromborough where I worked.

I vaguely recall seeing Christy Moore there early on in his career, and Alan Taylor doing a kind of gizzagig floor spot. However, the only incident I remember with any clarity concerned the said former student. One night, after making some extremely offensive remarks about West Indian immigrants, he sang a racist song to the tune of Island in the Sun. It contained something appalling stuff about black people living on the dole, squating 20 to a room in Birmingham, and eating cat food.

Being somewhat green about such matters in those days, I didn't walk out, but sat there in uncomfortable silence. At any rate I never went back. I wonder if he nowadays reads the Daily Mail.

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 29 May 09 - 02:18 PM

4 or 5 Clubs ran at various times in Ellesmere Port in the 60s. The Jug of Punch at The Princes Hotel on Princes Road. Organised by Dave and 2 others from Liverpool, '66 -'68ish. The Young Tories ran one in the Traveller's Rest around the same time. Graham Proctor and others ran one in the Travs probably 68 -9. The resident was a young singer from the Wirral.

We ran The Pennyfarthing in the Travs as above69 -71ish.

I saw Christy Moore for the fist time when Graham ran it and later when we did. Alan Taylor was a guest a number of times for us.

I don't recall the racist incident you describe but it wouldn't really surprise me.

Thanks anyway Fred

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 29 May 09 - 02:33 PM

68-9 was probably when the racist incident happened. The ice cream depot had closed by then, and that guy and I had moved on job wise. Certainly I never saw him again after that. And 'young singer from the Wirral' would have fitted him. Unfortunately, I can't remember a blind thing about him except that I think he wore glasses, was fairly tall and thin and had brown hair. And of course he played the guitar.

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 29 May 09 - 02:59 PM

Thanks Fred I'll explore the last few brain cells

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 31 May 09 - 03:14 AM

Still trawling

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Mr Happy
Date: 31 May 09 - 09:22 AM

I remember there being an FC at the Travellers Rest, but I never went there. Not having a car & relying on lifts, the furthest I got down that direction was the FC/ sinaround at the Mollington Banastre hotel

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 31 May 09 - 04:19 PM

I remember that too. In the early days of Chester Morris Men we danced Cotswold. I am sure we danced Adderbury Black Joke or some such thing at Mollington Banastre. Did Brian Lupton run the Songaround?

Cheer

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Mr Happy
Date: 01 Jun 09 - 03:37 AM

Yes indeed,last I heard, he was running a sort've concert venue in the cellar of his house in Birkenhead

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 01 Jun 09 - 03:49 AM

This sort of brings me to the point of this thread. We started The Pennyfarthing Folk Club 40 years ago this November and are looking for people who sang or just came to the Club.

We are planning a reunion on Saturday 14 November at Ellesmere Port Boat Museum. We already have a number of people who sang and quite a few more who came along.

Did you ever come to the Pennyfarthing Mr Happy?

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Mr Happy
Date: 01 Jun 09 - 05:28 AM

No, as I said above, no car, therefore no travel.

Around those years, my regular haunt was the 'Tuning Fork FC' at the Cross Foxes pub, Boughton, Chester; run by the 'Black Diamonds', comprising John & Margaret Finnan and Rob & Christine Sherwin, with the occasional addition of Ron Chesterman on double bass

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 06:49 AM

Loved the Black Diamonds - one of the first groups I ever saw at a Folk Club - The Jug of Puncj, Princes Hotel, Ellesmere Port around'64.

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 05:44 AM

Still fishing about

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 08:29 AM

You could try erstwhile woolyback Phil Hare, late of that parish but now residing somewhere darn sarf.

Good luck.

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 08:44 AM

Thanks Dave - Phil looks like quite an accomplished folkie. Does he have some connection with Ellesmere Port? He seems to have got going some time after I left but who knows?

Cheers

Les

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Mr Happy
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 08:46 AM

Phil wasn't around in the early days, only emerging in the late 70's.

The period in question's more like the late 60's to early 70's

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 09:31 AM

Was he a Chester - Wirral person?

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Cretzon
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 09:39 AM

My wife and I lived in Little Sutton for twenty years - back of the Red Lion - and I remember the Folk Club at the Travellers in Ledsham Road. We went there a handful of times, around 1971 I think. Took my guitar once, but not again. I seem to remember it was usually pretty busy.
I can't remember any specific people, though. Did Ralph McTell get there in the early days? He seemed to pop up in Chester often enough.

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 10:55 AM

We had Ralph quite early on. I guess he was in the area and we tagged him at the end of something - because we were Sunday night.

I remember the queue started before the pub opened which I guess was 6.30 or 7. Ralph was brilliant and a really nice bloke.

Les

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 03:00 AM

Phil is from the Wirral, Les - Hence the 'woolyback' reference. I know we are in Manchester but an understanding of the Scouse language is nothing to be ashamed of... :-P

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 08:16 AM

Got it now Dave - Wirral the home of woolyback scousers - and Wirral thinks itself so posh - well some of it.

Ellesmere Port - The Jewel in Cheshire's crown!

One of S Club Seven is from the Port
L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 04:02 PM

Phil Hare now lives in...would you believe it ? ....March.....March Hare

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST,Folkin Around
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 12:55 PM

Never got to the trav's, went to the Princess a few times in the early 70's it was run by a bloke who was a teacher from Rossmore road, used to go the Mollington Banastre too... Brain Lupton and a Band who also ran The Raven folk club in Farndon seemed to run The Good Intent on alternate weeks, wonder where they are now?

Is there a folk club in EP these days?

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 01:02 PM

Who are you then Mr Around. I could have the information you seek

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 01:12 PM

You can call me Folkin! just a port boy who now lives in Chester...so where does one go for a singaround or folk club in the port?


Hmmm, think the princess was run by Les Jones, now I come to think about it

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 01:39 PM

Ok Mr Folkin. I was, and remain, that person who ran the Princess (Bag End) Folk Club 72 - 74.

Brian Lupton sang with Frank & Glen - called Kinfolk - I think Brian lives Birkenhead / New Brighton way and still sings a lot o Google him.

Frank plays bass and lots of other things with Andy Crimes ex Pennyfarthing FC and John Finnan ex Black Diamonds FC.

Folk Music can be heard at the Hungry Horse near Stoke. We are planning the re-union as described above

Cheers

Les Jones

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 01:48 PM

What a small world we live in! would'nt like to have to paint it tho!

I give the Hungry Orse a look in. See ya there!

Subject: Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 07:28 PM

I mentioned this thread to a few friends and they started talking about a singaround at the Half Way house in Childer Thornton anyone know owt about it?

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: terrier
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 09:08 PM

All this talk of the Pennyfarthing at the Travs. Does anyone recognise these people ???? Hope to be at the reunion at the Boat Museum in November. Better start practising "Trimdon Grange disaster" ;-)   LB

pf

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 10:47 AM

This Mr Terrier is a truly terrifying picture!

Les

6 weeks to go

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: greg stephens
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 10:54 AM

Truly a classic photo of folkies. Identities, anyone? The accordionist looks familiar but I can't place her.

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Mr Happy
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 10:59 AM

Frank ex-Kinfolk is a stalwart at the weakly Tuesday night sesh in the New Inn, Pontblyddyn, 'twixt Wrexham & Mold, N. Wales

terrier has been glimpsed there from time to time, also John Finnan, ex-Black Diamonds.

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 05:25 PM

Accordianist is Lesley, partner of Mr Tom terrier. Mad hair is me. The others are Dave and Jen and there lies one hell of a story

L in C
With a bit less hair

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 04:04 AM

Lesley played with The Clog and Whippet Prize Country Dance Band for quite a long time in the 70s and 80s with then husband Mick, Ken Chesterman, and others including Graham Proctor and his wife. Graham was the founder of Chester City Morrismen, he had previously danced with Manchester Morrismen and so has a claim for an unbroken tradition going back some considerable way.

Dave and Jen moved to Ulverston in the Lakes then Orkney.

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Oct 09 - 06:15 AM

Still trawling

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: terrier
Date: 13 Nov 09 - 02:59 PM

Has the trawler sunk, Les? Ms.Bourton wants to know if the do is still on?
Thread refreshed...

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 14 Nov 09 - 06:43 AM

Certainly is Mr & Mrs Terrier. Russ, Andy and I have been digging up old songs and torturing them endlessly.

8pm, 7.30 for a seat, a cast of thousands, wheelchair & zimmers given priority

Les

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 15 Nov 09 - 03:04 PM

You organised an excellent event Russ and your singing gets better and better. Thanks to all who performed a great range of music and all who came to celebrate The Pennyfarthing.
L in C

Subject: Good Intent Folk Club
From: GUEST,Wynn Williams (ex. Songaroundist)Good intent
Date: 13 Mar 11 - 10:43 PM

i first sang at the Good Intent around 1976 thanks to Brian Lupton and his wife Jan,it had a great atmosphere and many good artists,I have Brians address etc. but have been very slack at keeping in touch lately.I now live in Australia,and am a member of Frankston Folk Club in Frankston,Victoria.I got on this site by accident/nostalgic happenstance.........typed in Mollington Banastre out of curiosity!!!I remember Frank and Glen fondly,also Les Jones,Eddie Morris and many others.........where are they now guys!!!

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 03:39 AM

Hi Wynn,

I live in Manchester, have done since '78, have been involved in various folkie things. Currently involved in SOnga and tunes at The Beech:

Here

Russ and Andy Chrimes and I organised the re-union described above and Russ is organising another this September. Brian is up to all sorts and you can find him on here somewhere.

Cheers
Les Jones

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 15 Mar 11 - 06:09 AM

And who'd have thought Ellesmere Port would have its own Folk Festival?

L in C#

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Snuffy
Date: 15 Mar 11 - 09:48 AM

Easter Shanty Festival

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST,mysteryboy
Date: 19 Jan 12 - 06:32 PM

Hi, I picked up this thread when retracing some of my early years. I went to the Folk Club at the Travellers Rest Little Sutton reasonably regularly for a few years and remeber seeing such luminaries as Carthy & Swarbrick. I think this was later than the orginal Pennyfarthing days, but regulars included Fiddlestone (who were residents at the time with Andy Chrimes featuring), Dave Ellis and his wife and a couple of other local groups, one known as Pyewacket and the other Sneaky Pete. The latter included Andy Parkinson - a brilliant muscician and instrument maker who had a shop in Chester. I have often wondered what happened to him - anyone know?

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 04:01 AM

He Lives in Chester, is still a demon guitar plaer and singer and sometimes ventures out

L in C#
A Pennyfarthing ( with Russ and Grant - the original Pf 69 - 71)

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST,mysteryboy
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 06:01 PM

Hi Les,thanks for the news on Andy - that's good to hear. I presume he no longer builds instruments?
I am back on the Wirral after many years away and thinking of venturing out myself - anyone recommend a couple of good FC's in the Wirral/Chester area??

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 03:21 AM

I don't think he does but I'm not sure. As for Wirral Folk Clubs A good contact is Brian Lupton on facebook:

Brian

and Dave Boroughs of Fiddlestone


And here

Best of luck

L in C (Manchester)

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST,Dave Ellis in Orkney
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 02:44 PM

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST,Dave Ellis in Orkney
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 03:02 PM

Hi Les in chorlton,
Couldn't help but contact you on my 62nd birthday when such a momentous celebratory event happened today. How about a bonfire in whitby park, could meet you in the grace arms for the toasting of thatchers corpse.

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Apr 13 - 03:21 AM

Well Dave! Happy birthday.

I guess Ellesmere Port will celebrate her death in some way or other. I remember going to see my Mum through the 80's when unemployment under Thatcher was at it's worse - very depressing and it doesn't look any better under this lot - her children.

Trust you and yours are well? Liz and I toddler along, Ben is 30 and ...... how long have you got?

I run a folky session here:
SATATB
and we walk, cycle, holiday and generally enjoy Manchester

Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Pennyfarthing Folk Club Ellesmere Port
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Aug 18 - 06:35 AM

I came across this site accidently. I'm still gigging[mainly residential and care homes now] Still as enthusiastic as ever[and evidently still well received] Frank from Kinfolk has been in a very popular trio called Welcomme, Finnan and Chrimes for about 10 years.[Kinfolk were together for 25 years] Brian Lupton