Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Tally Ho Man
Date: 12 Feb 10 - 07:58 AM

"were now" above

Should read "we're not"!

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Tally Ho Man
Date: 12 Feb 10 - 06:12 AM

Just adding to the thread in relation to JJ's comments about Sale Folk club on 25th Jan. The club is thriving and the mix of contributions range through traditional to more contemporary music and songs along with a scattering of monologues and poetry, all very eclectic and at least were now stuck in front of the telly or wandering aimlessly around the Trafford Centre. JJ describes it as "open mic" which it isn't; it is all unplugged but , I suppose, along those lines.

The club started in October 2008 and is run by enthusiastic residents and there are regular guest nights.

I remember, only vaguely, the folk club at the Railway in Sale, but, being so much younger than JJ, only went once before the pub met its demise and the current monstrosity was built.

I think it is a healthy turn of events that such a new club can be so popular and feel that the spirit of those clubs around in1960-99 still exists in some form in the new millennium.

Have a look here. There's a weekly news letter which will tell you the sort of stuff that goes on. JJ is right, the beer is cheap and good and the evenings are a lot of fun!

http://www.salefolkclub.co.uk/

Cheers,

Mark.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Feb 10 - 08:38 AM

As to the big hole in Cities - is to do with no more drink driving and poor public transport?

We do a few things in Chorlton and I can walk to all of them. When the Metro goes past the end of our road other things become possible - like a tram and a train to Staleybridge for obvious reasons!

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Peter Stockport
Date: 11 Feb 10 - 06:20 AM

Alan, You forgot the Thatched Tavern Reddish, Blimey Keith and Mel, I'd forgot all about them, they probably forgot me... I played at the Pen and Wig with Andy one time...
Peter

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 11 Feb 10 - 05:09 AM

If we are going out as far as Macc., then there was the White Swan at Disley (the Mucky Duck).

There was also the Sunday night FC at Compstall, just beyond Romiley.

Can someone put me out of my misery [no, not like that, you silly-born tw*t ! : - D ] and remind me of the name of the Robinson s house just opposite Stockport market the landlord of which was Meurig Jones ?

Oh, and the surname of "Frank" who ran the Thursday club at the Navigation, top of Lancashire Hill ? That is the first, last and only time I heard and saw Ann Briggs in concert. "Frank" played a Gibson 12, which had nine strings on it.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Feb 10 - 08:20 PM

Their is currently a big hole in the middle of Manchester with no clubs and a surrounding ring of places where clubs still provide some excellent music - will it always stay that way?

Same-ish in Sheffield!! Why?

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Alan
Date: 10 Feb 10 - 02:50 PM

In the late 1970's I was in the KeithMel Co. and we played at the following...
Rose and Crown, Stalybridge
The Woodlands, Cheetham Hill
Whute Gate Inn, Hyde
The Ash, Hazel Grove
The Nook, Reddish
The Three Crowns, Reddish
Hat & Feathers, Miles Platting
The Britons Protection, Manchester City Centre
The Star Inn, Salford
The Fir Tree, Reddish
The White Lion, Withington
The Eagle and Child, Whitefield
The Three Tuns, Hazel Grove
The Victoria,Middleton
We set up and ran a folk club at The Cheshire Hunt, Gorton, helped set up one at The Railway, West Gorton and had a regular residency at The Pen and Wig, Salford. So maybe these can be added to your list of venues?

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 31 Jan 10 - 12:11 PM

Perhaps we could get a team up?

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 31 Jan 10 - 10:19 AM

I went to Stalybridge a couple of times in 1994, when I was first thinking about giving this folk lark a go. Is it still going? If so, it must be one of the longest-running clubs in a single venue (in this area!).

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Raggytash
Date: 31 Jan 10 - 07:16 AM

I first went to the Duke of York in Eccles about 1969, underage a fact which Ma Brand waasn't too happy with, but a got any with it somehow, saw some great turns there, Marie Little, Penny Wager, Jolly Jack, Ted Edwards took me under his wing and for time I was his chauffeur when the boys in blue deemed he had imbibed a little too much. Took Ted to loads of gigs for a year I'm sure I knew his act better than he did, cos I was (compartively) sober. He did a gig one night on the outside of Oldham, the following day we couldn't remember who had driven home till a dim recollection came to me of negoitating my MBG roadster through the centre of Manchester at 3 in the morning. Before I left Manchester I started, with my good lady, the Red Lion at Patricroft which turned out to be a cracking little club. When I left Phil Cusack took over and moved the club to the Duke of York ..............it's all a circle

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 31 Jan 10 - 06:20 AM

My wife ans I played in the buffet - guitar ang harmonium - brilliant Club still so.

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 31 Jan 10 - 05:14 AM

There are people living in Stockport who add Cheshire to their address when the part of Stockport they actually live in has never been in the county. That part of Stockport North of the Mersey was originally in Lancashire.

As to how far people should include, nostalgia may not be what it used to be but a fair percentage of the clubs people are reminiscing about date from before there was such a place as Greater Manchester (i.e. before 1/4/74)

Anyhow, does anybody remember the Saturday night Staleybridge Station crowd (late 70's)- led by Rob & Cheryl? I could probably name a few more but who can remember.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: John J
Date: 30 Jan 10 - 03:19 PM

I didn't know you were born in Davyhulme Don - so was I.

There weren't many folk clubs there - just the Nags Head about 15 years ago.

Hope you're well!

John

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: doncatterall
Date: 30 Jan 10 - 01:19 PM

to extend the "thread creep", I am from Eccles, Lancashire (Not Greater Manchester)but born in Davyhulme (not sure if that was Lancs or Cheshire??)

I know that many in Saddleworth are still proudly living in Yorkshire and that many living in London Boroughs consider that they live in Kent, Essex etc.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 Jan 10 - 12:04 PM

Actuarly, I am from Cheshire you know? From that small but beautiful old market town of Ellesmere Port! Now that's what I call Cheshire

L currently in C

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: MikeL2
Date: 30 Jan 10 - 10:45 AM

Hi ray

I lived in Altrincham and when it became part of Trafford Greater Manchester, there was an agreement that the postal address could be retained as Altrincham Cheshire.

My son still lives there and as far as I know it is still the same. At least when I send his Christmas cards etc I still use that address.

cheers

mike

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 30 Jan 10 - 10:29 AM

People in Cheadle Hulme still tell people they live in Cheshire when they haven't done for 36 years.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Bill S from Melbourne
Date: 30 Jan 10 - 02:15 AM

Les
Re Greater Manchester, I lived in Cheadle Hulme and we kept our addresses as Cheadle hulme, Cheshire as long as we could cos it kept the value of the house better than Stockport, Greater Manchester. If you are sticking to GM you would include Wigan to Rochdale but not Poynton. but who cares? It's an interesting thread.
Wassail
Bill

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Peter Stockport
Date: 29 Jan 10 - 07:10 AM

The Calvalcade was a separate club from Didsbury Teacher Training College, at least I think it was! I don't remember Harry Boardman turning up at the College. Ted Edwardes was there as a Student and I seem to remember Clive Gregson coming to perform as well as the late Mary Asquith.
The Calvalcade was called the Calvalcade at this point and had been so for a few years!
Peter

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 29 Jan 10 - 06:05 AM

Hi Bill, Sid Calderbank challenged the existance of Greater Manchester - a fair point in some ways - so I guess it's Manchester and the world? Mac's OK with me. my mate Ged goes to a session in Mac most Fridays and Tony Sullivan still generates great music from that direction!

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Bill S from Melbourne
Date: 29 Jan 10 - 05:29 AM

Nobody mentioned the Salford University Folk Club which I was involved with from 68-72, saw the top touring acts and we used to get good houses, up to 300 for club nights, most of our audience coming from the nearby estates. Also from memory, Steeleye Span played the first or a very early gig at the Uni. Chris and Toni Hicks, Keith Sudbury and Andy were residents and we had some good floor singers. We were subsidised by the Uni as well as turning a good profit and I remember one year booking Mr Fox who were quite expensive and still made a profit. Acts were booked through the MSG from memory (are they in the list above?)
Another club was upstairs at the Bird in Hand in Flixton Rd, Urmston which was our local and we only found out about the folk club by accident.
Are you going as far as Macclesfield, Les?
bill

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Dominic Kearney
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 03:03 PM

Would that "dive" off Market St. have been The Castle Hotel?

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 10:46 AM

I have posted above about a particular calendar date I remember - October 9th 1966, when I first saw Martin Carthy 'live' (in concert) at the Navigation, Lancashire Hill, Stockport : my "Sam Larner" moment.

(To let you know, I had been playing bass guitar with a 'rock group' [that dates me, don't it ?] and, "we" had been doing Peter Paul and Mary numbers in gigs - and they were going down. I became more interested in "folky" stuff

which, inter alia, led to the break up of the outfit. The next incarnation, with me still on bass, gave birth to the Hollies.)

There is just one other calendar date I can be positive about : December 6th 1971, Poynton FC, where I was the support for the Johnstons, and fell arse over earholes in love with Adrienne.

Strange, that no one seems to remember the club at the Saddle, Bradshawgate, Bolton, with Meic Stevens and Ian Chisholm, and John Roberts (oh, and your correspondent).

Ian Chisholm was the only guitarist (and he had a Gibson J45 - in 1965 !!) I ever heard, before and since, who could "bend" a harmonic in the style of Davy Graham.

Meic Stevens looked like an ape, sang like an angel and could play 12 string guitar like Lead Belly - and then some.

I still have the single he made for Decca "Did I see or did I dream", backed with "Gathering Clouds of Black and Grey".

Whether it would play or not is another matter.

There seemed to be a fashion for "Folk Groups" at this time - there was the Frank Duffy FG, and the Meic Stevens FG - and I will swear that dramatis personae were Meic, Ian Chisholm and ANNA FORD - yes, that one.

Someone mentioned the "Cavalcade" Didsbury. When it was the host for the Didsbury Training College FC it was the "Wellington", surely ?

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Paul Reade
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 08:44 AM

I also have a fond memory of the club upstairs in the Duke of York in Eccles. I played a gig there just before Christmas 1971, and met a lovely girl in the audience. To cut a long story short, we've now been married for just over 35 years!

Love you Kath XXX

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 05:55 AM

I remember one evening/night/morning : after playing in the Ducie, we went off to the Plaza for a biryani, and then on to the Exiles of Eireann.

Got the first non-all-night bus from Piccadilly, home, wash, shave and straight into work, still three parts pissed.

Great days - jesus its over 40 years ago !

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Helen Jocys
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 03:01 AM

I enjoyed many nights at the Exile in Ancoats. It used to be packed out. Margaret - forget second name - ran it. She was always running out of beer!! Sully was a regular there. Happy days (nights.)

HelenJ

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Roughyed
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 01:58 AM

That last post was me sans cookie

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jan 10 - 01:56 AM

I used to go to a club upstairs in the Duke of York in Eccles. I think it used to be in the Cross Keys but that was before my time although I did MC a couple of concerts there in the mid seventies. There was a short lived club at the Willows around 1975/6 as well.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Bob Morton
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 08:17 PM

My goodness, the mention of the Cavalcade (and the floc wallpaper) and MSG brought back an avalanche of nostalgia. In those days Harry also ran a session at the Crown Inn just up the road in Didsbury and we could play in a session or go a club every night of the week.

Re Canny Fettle recordings, we appeared on a number of records and also produced 'Trip to Harrogate' on the Tradition label which was re released by Fellside on CD and is still available, I think. We did this with Dave Hillary, Dave Howes (who discovered the Joshua Jackson manuscript on which the LP was based) and Phil Bartlett. Bob and I then helped form the Village Band before he left to work in Amsterdam and subsequently VB (Jane, Mike Pinder, Roger Fiskin, Steve Read and myself) recorded a tape 'Fast Forwsrd' that alluded to the speed of some of the tunes we played.

The other excellent club I have fond memories of was the Old Nelson in Salford that we ran with Harry in the early 1970's. We then moved to the Black Lion, also in Salford but nearer town.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: The Sandman
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 03:41 PM

yes,it was Martin Gittins[note the speling]who ran Salford Folk club.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: 8_Pints
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 03:38 PM

I too am relieved that Bob Morton is alive and well.

I first met Bob when introduced by my mate Kevin Lavelle at the MSG.

My vinyl LP of Canny Fettle is still in good condition and gets played regularly. Did you make any other albums Bob?

Bob vG

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 01:20 PM

Come on Bryn, the pay was awful!

Re. Canny Fettle - I ran into Bob and Jane last year - Jane still has her cottage in Derbyshire.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 11:39 AM

The first folk club I ever went to in Manchester was the one at the Cavalcade in Didsbury (I'm referring to that big pub on the corner of Barlow Moor Road and Wilmslow Road - God knows what it's called now!) which was run by Harry Boardman and Canny Fettle. This would be either late 1972 or early 1973. It was excellent (apart from the dubious acoustics resulting from the Indian restaurant style floc wallpaper) and CF were superb. I'm so glad to hear that CF's Bob Morton is still with us!

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 05:41 AM

I remember seeing various members of Gorton Tank at Harry & Lesley's Club at The Unicorn and one amazing night at Annie Morris's Club at The White Swan in Followfield, as well as great sets of dance tunes and some excellent old songs they did a raving version of My Way - Frank Sinatra via Sid Viscous with Chris Cole standing on a table at some point!

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Brian Peters
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 05:13 AM

Hello Bob - the one who died was a different Bob Morton, then! Good to hear from you. As you say, great memories...

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 05:11 AM

Ah, yes, the Golden Lion. They were a couple of arseholes but they paid well. They had to.

That was the last place I saw Brian "Tiger" Moss. I remember he and his lady handed out "der-ders" to the audience, and half of the audience fucked off with them, including Andrew (Faaaantaaastic, ladies and gentlemen) and Russ.

Am I right in thinking that they organised a Magna Carta concert at the Free Trade Hall ?

Do you know, with the sole exceptions of Tiger, and Rosemary Hardman, I can't remember a single other act, and me one of the MCs.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 07:45 PM

Just chanced across this thread and Brian Peter's post of the 24th Jan. It brings back some great memories. Nick Dennerly is living in the Wirral and is keen for a tune or three and I'm in Bristol. Of the old Canny Fettle band I used to play with in the early days of the Manchester and North West folk clubs, including the Unicorn, Bob Diehl now lives with Jane in Hamburg and Gerry Murphy is in Basel. Steve Turner is now back on the folk scene and I hear great things about his gigs. Bob, Gerry and I all still play and see each other but too infrequently due to the distance. Nowadays I mainly play for Dalriada a Scottish country dance band. I heard an interesting piece on the radio yesterday saying that the Star Inn in Salford (just off great Clowes St) had been bought by a cooperative of its customers to save it from closure. i remember some great nights there in the late 70's and early 80's at the folk club that I think was run by Martin Gittens?
Bob Morton

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Paul Reade
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 06:50 PM

I also remember the Oldham Tinkers at the Colin Campbell, and earlier at the Waterloo on Union Street. They were always packed and we had some great nights there. I seem to remember they moved to another pub further up Glodwick road before the Oldham Hotel, but I can't remember the name.

In those days we always had difficulty in running a Folk Club in Oldham, where we could charge admission and pay guest singers. There was some obscure bylaw that banned charging admission to a room in a pub, and the police used to enforce it rigorously (you'd think they would have had better things to do!). I started a club at the Nelson on Union Street in about 1967, and we were raided by the police in about the second or third week. We couldn't guarantee to raise enough to pay guests from voluntary contributions that the police suggested, so we had to close down.

To get round it, some of us moved out of town - I started a club at the Swan Inn (Top House) in Dobcross, Saddleworth, and the Hometowners went to the Railway in Hollinwood. The Tinkers stayed in Oldham as they never charged admission anyway.

I think the bylaw probably fell into disuse after local government reorganisation in 1974, or perhaps the police found other ways to occupy their time than hounding a few folkies. Happy days!

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: MikeL2
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 02:25 PM

Hi Ray

I you Ken Scott very well. In fact ken's wife Jean and my wife were best friends at school and for many years afterwards.
We haven't seen each other for some time now

Ken and I used to play together occasionally at parties etc and he used to help me out at some charity evenings I used to organise.

i remember on one occasion when someone let me down at the last minute I asked Ken to help.

He rung me back and said that he was bringing a couple of friends and would I be able to pay expenses.

I said OK but to my amazement he turned up with quite a few of his mates and also had invited Gary & Vera Aspey who were available at short notice.

We had a great night but my budget got a little stretched !!!

His monologues always went down well as well......

A character was old Ken.

Cheers

Mike

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 11:19 AM

In response to various posts -

I'd love to know who GUEST (Arfur Brain) actually is? I don't remember the fur coat incident but he is wrong on one point. Hotel guests did not get in for nothing because the "hotel" didn't let out rooms. Memories of the Deanwater are too many to explain - like the night Telephone Bill unloaded their ambulance under the porch wedging it under the roof so the audience couldn't get in. Then there was the night Jake Thackray was being annoyed by Ian Stewart and Jake announced to the audience "I'm being paid for being a pillock, what's your excuse?"

I've been wondering what happened to Ken Scott for some time. I last met him on the ferry from Hollyhead to Dublin.

Tom Travis is still around and we went out for a meal with Arthur Wakefield and the old crowd a few weeks ago.

I remember the Golden Lion - org. Andrew Harris and Russell Appleton - all the musicians I knew hated the place.
Ray

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 11:14 AM

With all this enthusiasm being generated why not pop down to the Beech in Chorlton and enjoy the first birthday of The Beginners Tune Session plus some songs and Ms Liz Caulderbank who will dance famous Lancashire clog dances?

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: MikeL2
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 09:33 AM

hi Susie

We must have waltzed around in similar circles.

I have stated earlier that many years ago my Aunt & Uncle used to be landlords at The Malt Shovels....but way before your time I think.

I too used to go into the Unicorn on folk nights though my local was next door at the Orange Tree - too small for a folk club !!

I didn't have as far as you to walk....I lived right opposite The George & Dragon at that time.

I formed a folk club at The Linotype Club in Broadheath and I got Cheshire Folk to help me with the residency there.

We had some great nights there and we also had " The Irish " crowd in one night.....there were almost as many musicians as audience !! Very cosy that night !!! We had a lot of good quality guests and some excellent floor singers..

Thank you for reminding me about Maggie from The Pickering Arms. Yes her name was Goodall - I'd forgotten that. I think she was the daughter of the landlords there. I think she went on to run Lymm Folk Club for some time. The Club then moved on to The Railway and did so for some years.

That club must have been one of the best if you judge a club by it's quality of guests. They have had many top folk musicians including Martin Carthy, Dave Swarbrick, Vin Garbutt Harvey Andrews et al...

Memories are made of this...

regards

Mike

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Peter Stockport
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 09:08 AM

Of course if we're looking up to 1999 the Red Bull in Stockport was going then, as was it's reincarnation The Bridge--- Now the Midway Folk Club Stockport.
Not old enough to be nostalgic and were all so old now that by the time we get nostalgic it will be too late. We'll all be singing for angels...
In fact there's still lots of clubs in Manchester, if you don't go to a club how about getting out there and going to one instead of just reminding yourself how good it was?
Just google it! There's a good chance you'll know some one already!
Peter

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Susie Stockton
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 07:15 PM

The Cheshire Folk and assorted others ran a club in the vaults of what was the Unicorn on the old Market Place - the main road through Altrincham. When I found out about it, fresh little daisy that I was then, I used to get the bus there - but I couldn't afford to get in AND get the bus back - so I used to walk the however-many-miles-it-was home to Ashton on Mersey. Half the Cheshire Folk do the Mobberley Eight on Good Friday. They ran the WellGreen - now a housing estate in Hale. The Union Folk ran the Durham Ox in Congleton, and then started up at the malt Shovels in Altrincham. I helped them out, and took over when they packed up. It's jolly nice to hear that people have fond memories - we had some terrific nights there. Some great performers, super floor singers.
One of the most memorable night was with Gerald Trimble, Jimmy Crowley, George Faux, peter carberry and some of the lads from the Irish club in Wythernshame AND Shay Black and some of the Liverpool Irish lads. How they hell they all got onstage I don't know. Was that one of the nights it was just too good to stop and we all decamped to Raimondo's Sicilian restaurant on the Downs?
And I recall mad cricket matches against other folk clubs...

Happy days, eh?

I'm still singing - and not just folk - check out www.villagequire.org.uk

Nice to hear of old friends!

Susie

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 04:18 PM

Annies club passsed through The Lloyds in Chorlton for a while after the Gateway

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: GUEST,Peter Stockport
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 02:59 PM

"Geoff Higginbottom was one of the residents at Annie Morris's club at the White Swan Fallowfield, which Brian mentioned. I was another. John O'Hagan of Cockersdale was also a regular. There were other excellent singers, but I'm struggling to remember any more names."
There was loads of them, Annies was a spring board for lots of people. Like a youth academy for folkmusic.
By the time it was ready to move from the White Swan the other names were
Me!! Peter Hood, Also Tom Travis, Lesley-I forget her second name but a lovely singer...and Maggie Billington.
The club then entered a new phase at The Gateway. I enjoyed a couple of really good years there until it closed which I think was just at the end of the Nineties!
Peter Stockport

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Brian Peters
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 02:23 PM

Sad news about Bob - I'd have gone to the funeral if I'd known. He had a lovely singing style and was an excellent guitarist. And a nice bloke.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: John J
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 02:19 PM

Suzie Stockton (who ran the Malt Shovels Folk Club in it's later years) now lives in mid-Wales, I'm still in touch with her - she visits Mobberley every Good Friday.

Bob Morton, who along with the rest of the Union Folk, ran the Malt Shovels Folk club in earlier years, died early last year. He tripped and fell walking home from the Railway (?) in Hale. He got home okay and went to bed but was taken ill during the night. Sadly he never recovered. At his funeral the church was heaving with familiar faces from the past and present.

JJ

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: The Sandman
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 01:33 PM

Yes,I remember doing several gigs at White Swan, and meeting Howard Jones, who was then a member of the electropathic battery band.
of course I knew Howard , before that from his Essex days.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs, Greater Manchester 1960-99
From: Howard Jones
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 12:55 PM

Geoff Higginbottom was one of the residents at Annie Morris's club at the White Swan Fallowfield, which Brian mentioned. I was another. John O'Hagan of Cockersdale was also a regular. There were other excellent singers, but I'm struggling to remember any more names. It was a great club, with a strong guest list.

I was also a regular at the Malt Shovels in Altrincham, run by Susie Stockton. Another great club with an excellent guest list.