Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: DHonemanband
Date: 20 Nov 10 - 11:33 PM

Thanks Dave MacKenzie. I have the book, mostly where my entry on Alan Young comes from. I also have the Hal Rammel article that quotes from Mayhew's piece.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 17 Nov 10 - 04:40 AM

You might find this book useful:

"Cohen, David and Ben Greenwood, The Buskers: A History of Street Entertainment, David & Charles, Newton Abbot, England, 1981 The definitive book on contemporary England street entertainers and "Buskers." Traces the history of busking from the Roman era. The two highlights in this book are:
the extensive buskers and street performers interviewed by Henry Mayhew in the 1860s (see the next book)
the authors own interviews of street performers in the 1970s most notably Don Partridge and Alan Young (Alan Young became the philosophical voice of this book. I will include quotes and excerpts in the future)"

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: DHonemanband
Date: 17 Nov 10 - 12:22 AM

I guess I posted the last post as a guest by mistake. I am a Mudcatter - name Dave Harris - email [e-mail]
blog at www.myspace.com/daveharrisonemanband
As I said in above post I'm looking for help with book on one man bands

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 10 - 12:11 AM

Wow. Lots of great tributes and bits of info here. I'm writing a book on one man bands and I need help! I have a good entry on Don, although I could use a few bits of info like - when did he promote concerts with Jesse Fuller and Burt Jansch and did they in fact lose money? How did he meet up with Alan Young (who I gather was his one man band inspiration after Jesse Fuller)? Is it true he was married to two Swedish women at the same time?
I also need more info on Alan Young - when and where born, how he got started as OMB, was he inspiration for Don etc
Also need info on several other OMBs from time and area - Kenny Sorensen, Jim Pizza, Phil de Glass, Des Bader, Johnny Magoo, John Scott (Scotty), Moti, Lawrence Glaister etc
Thanks to anyone for help! My email is [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST,roderick warner
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 03:57 PM

Guest at 12.45 was me for Peter Rix - missed name off!

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: The Sandman
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 01:18 PM

thanks alan a bit, great clip.
busking is the most honest way of earning money through music.
   alan a bits clip shows that Don was still a great busker.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 12:45 PM

For Guest - Peter Rix - Did we ever meet? I remember Don's house in Hastings next to the church - that's where he wrote Rosie when there was a gang of us down one time. Drove us all mad! And predictably proved us all wrong! Used to go down there a bit - he stayed with us often in London.    Re Mona - saw her at the funeral and she seemed and looked very well, despite the sadness and emotions of the day.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST,roderick warner
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 07:15 AM

Pat Keene is alive and well, living in Paignton - and working on a book about busking with myself - and Don, up till his sudden and very sad death.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST,Peter Rix
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 10:49 PM

Shared a house with Don and Mona 1967 in the old town Hastings, sad news indeed, what news of old friend Pat Keene, anybody know how he is.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: Fidjit
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 04:05 AM

Good send off Sal

CHas

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 10:11 AM

Thanks Sal.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST,roderick warner
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 09:30 AM

Hi heather... long time! Mail me on [e-mail]... I can give you Alan's number... and funeral stories... a sad yet mad day!

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: evansakes
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 06:43 AM

I don't have contact details for him but Alan Young can often be found on Monday nights at the Watermans Arms in Richmond on Thames....I believe he still lives in the Brentford area.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 06:20 AM

The send off

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: alanabit
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 05:57 AM

I am pretty sure he is back in England Heather. If you go to those Facebook pages I linked earlier, you may well be able to contact him through Loz or even Phil Free.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST,Heather
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 08:00 PM

Thanks for that alanabit. There was Big Dave, from Ealing, who I went busking with in Paris and needed re-patriating as we didn't earn any money!!!!! Also similar thing in Brussels with Les Bridges!
So many I remember from those days, Ralph - Paris Nat's mate (a so called philosopher) - Don used to go and heckle him at Les Cousins for fun when he appeared there.

I see Rod Warner has his own blog too now, so if you read this Rod, "Hi". Long time no see - 44 yrs actually!!!!

If anyone out there is in contact with THE Alan Young.....please can they let me know here.

Many thanks.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: alanabit
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 04:00 AM

Hello Heather. I am not Alan Young. I am a "youngster" of fifty-five, who started out in the second generation of buskers back in the eighties. I met Don only once, as I mentioned earlier. He did a gig at my folk club when I was at college. I met Alan Young, Robin and the band (forget what they were called) up in Stockholm in 1982 or 1983 - I can't remember exactly. All buskers know Phil, of course, although I have not seen him in donkeys' years. Phil has a page on Facebook: Phil Free : I heard from Loz Ramsden that Phil is well and living in Ealing. Loz has pictures up from Don's wake and quite a lot of the old crowd were there. Alan Young was there, Phil, of course, Moti - and you will probably know some others. No doubt you also knew several people whom I am still in contact with. You are welcome to contact me at: [e-mail]   if you wish.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST,Heather
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 08:23 PM

Just returned from abroad and was shocked and saddened to hear of Don's death. He called in and stayed with me and my husband on our farm about 2/3 years ago on his way to do a walk on the Pennine Way.

I used to be his "bottler" (collecting the money from the crowds and queues) 44 years ago!!!! I was also one of his many girlfriends on and off. Oh the times we had - and the money we made...even the police didn't like to move us on too much, especially on the Sat morning Berwick St pitch, as they enjoyed his true busking talent. So many memories....the night the blue film gangs jumped on his guitar and smashed it up at the Sat night Cambridge Circus pitch -waiting on the queues to keep our place for hours before the public turned up. All the other characters who were buskers at the time - Pat Keene, Meg Aitken, Jumping Jack, Nat (the grumpy accordian player) Tony Turco and of course Alan Young. Meeting up with everyone at the Porcupine each night, Babs Van Loren, little Babs etc.The Sat night t bone steaks at the Star.

I left to work in the theatre in Portugal for some years and when I returned in 1969 )I lived with Don and his then wife, Mona (a lovely girl) for a while in Hounslow. They were very kind and great friends.

When I last saw him, he was very worried about Pam but we still had a great night reminiscing.

Alanabit:- if you are Alan Young,(I expect you are) I am godmother to your daughter, remember? I have always tried to get in touch but Don didn't have a contact no. for you when we last spoke. Do please get in touch again - also I'd like to contact Mona and Maggie too.

He will be greatly missed by so many people and a light will go out in the streets. I am only sorry that I missed his funeral but my thoughts are (belatedly) there and memories never die.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Oct 10 - 09:03 AM

Thanks Alanabit, I enjoyed that.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: alanabit
Date: 12 Oct 10 - 07:36 AM

Don in action.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST,Derek Sarjeant
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 08:00 AM

Sad news. Got to know Don fairly well in the late 60s/ early seventies. I Ibooked him several times at my Surbiton and Kingston Folkclub and also at some Open-air Concerts in The South London Parks. He never quibbled about the fee - he used to say "Whatever you can afford Derek" He always gave an entertaining performance. In recent years whilst he was busking around the South Coast he used to send me messages and I finally caught up with him again a few years ago whilst he was busking in Dartmouth ! He was still doing the Old routine and enjpying the Busking. Good memories of a modest, talented, likeable guy !

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)-funeral Oct 4
From: GUEST,Helen
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 04:36 PM

Thanks alanabit, thinking of you all on the coast today, thanks to all who are sending off Don in style. Helen

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Stuart Reed
Date: 03 Oct 10 - 08:36 PM

Apologies for the omission of the date of Don's funeral - it is today, Monday October 4th.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: alanabit
Date: 03 Oct 10 - 05:35 PM

Helen, I can tell you that Phil had a heart operation last year, but he seems to be back on the mend. Was "Jim Pizza" Jim Taylor, by any chance? He would have been in his twenties at that time, a tall, strong, dark haired young man, who played as a one man band with terrific energy. He worked with Phil for a while and then went to live in Holland. He has been a good friend for years. You might get some information via a Friends request to Phil Free on Facebook. I know Phil will be devastated by the news.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Helen
Date: 03 Oct 10 - 05:01 PM

I've only just heard on the radio of Don's passing. . . I met the buskers in Paris in '76/'77 and I went on a busking tour with one-man-band Kenny Sorensen (to whom Don had given a one-man-band drum). Ken and I did the Cote d'Azur, Munich Beer Festival, Copenhagen and Oslo at Christmas. We met Don again, and Jim Pizza and Phil Free on our 2yr travels round Europe.
Thought I'd never see any of them again, when a few years later on the platform at Bath, I heard a familiar crash and spotted Don with 'the gear'. He came to my sister's party and did a spontaneous set, fairly shaking the whole house with his energy!
I bumped into him in central London a while later and we had a drink and a chat about the times in Europe and the people we'd known, but since then lost touch.
Sadly, not sure if I can make his funeral, so would someone raise a glass for me?
RIP Don.
Helen
(Likewise, news of any of the others mentioned here would be very welcome, my email: [e-mail])
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Stuart Reed
Date: 03 Oct 10 - 03:14 PM

Details of Don's farewells:

His funeral is at 1.30 in the Woodvale Crematorium, Lewes Road
Brighton, BN2 3QB

A wake will be held later in the afternoon in The Bay Tree Inn, Pelham Road, Seaford, BN25 1EP

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 02 Oct 10 - 09:14 PM

Chucklefoot Dons farewell Monday Brighton.
Venue and time please . (venue seems correct term to me for a special peformer,and man)
Some would like to be there, and I guess some would like to raise a glass at the appropate time!

I enjoyed our chat at Elsies and do pass my best wishes to Woddy
Richard The Hat.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Richard Morley
Date: 01 Oct 10 - 11:54 AM

I have only just heard of the death of Don via the BBC radio 4 prog
"Last Word"
Very late One night in the late 60s/ early 70s I was hitching homeward to the Hayes middx area when Don gave me a lift.

I realised this was a face I should recognise. But at first ( perhaps my brain was slightly pickled) I latched onto the thought that this was Kenny Everett,( who was more of a radio "face" at the time). I think I blurted this out. He denied that he was Kenny. I think it was only afterwards that I realised this was Don.
I hope this amused Don . But I dont think I have told anyone this story before , probably out of my own , long standing , embarassment. Anyway ,Sorry Don.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Dave Toye
Date: 30 Sep 10 - 08:31 AM

I first saw Don busking in Leicester Square back in the mid 60's when I was on route to an all-nighter at the Les Cousins and then had one further encounter at a folk club in Worth near Crawley when he was a guest for the evening.
There was a long gap then until chance meeting when he was busking in my home town of Horsham - sometime in the mid eighties I think. I was booking guests then for the short lived Storrington folk club at The White Horse so I asked him if he would do an evening there for me. After this we became good friends and I managed to get him loads of local bookings in the pubs that I was playing in myself at the time. In return he got me some good jobs including a fortnightly alternating gig with him at Seaford Rowing club that lasted a few years.
We had some great laughs together during that time but somehow we lost touch and the last time we met was at a Wizz Jones gig at Seaford folk club a couple of years ago. We said we would get together for a beer again but it didn't happen and now I regret it never will.
A great character, generous man, musician and writer.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Neil Cameron
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 04:54 PM

RIP Don you'll be missed.

Met Don through my late guitarist Brother, in Seaford.

When Ian told me he was to be playing with Don Partridge I remembered Don on Top of the Pops straight away, happy music remembered by me aged 12 or 13 at the time. Still like it now.

Don and Pam were good friends to my Brother and to my Family when he died, Don spoke at his funeral, great job he made of it, naturally.

After Don stopped driving was able to drive him to Lewes and Seaford for the busking 6 or 7 times, when I was in Sussex at weekends, got the hang of fitting the sack trolley in the car too when W H Smiths wouldn't have the gear in the store when they took it over from previous owners! All the gear tied up with string to the sack trolley in the Office Bar courtyard at Seaford, wish I'd taken a picture of it!

Lost touch with Don in recent times I'm sorry to say.
Sincere condolences to Don's family and close friends.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: Chucklefoot
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 02:49 PM

Very sad news about Don,Pat Keene phoned to let me know.I stayed with Don in Peacehaven about 3 or 4 weeks ago ,we went out for a drink at a local pub and Woody joined us there. I took my banjolele along and we ended up having a great night singing songs,swapping stories and jokes etc.
In the bar we were in,there were only 7 or 8 people altogether (including the landlady),she said" I don't believe it,out of 7 people in the pub,3 of 'em are one-man-bands!"
It was a memorable last meeting with a unique performer,musician,poet,and friend.
Don's funeral is on Monday 4th October in Brighton,Alan Young,Woody,Vic Ellis,and myself will be playing him in to the funeral,and a bagpiper will be playing "The Minstrel Boy",after the service.
R.I.P.Don,you'll be missed by a lot of people.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: alanabit
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 02:23 PM

Jasper, I do not think we have met. However, as you knew Don, you almost certainly know Phil Free. If you have any news of him, could you please contact me at:[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 12:37 PM

Another one bites the dust. Very sad.

First met Don in about 1967 when I was working in a Bank in S. London near Wimbledon. He used to come in and change his takings, which used to amount to more in one day than I earned in a month! We all used to say we were in the wrong job.

This was before the hit records, and he used to busk around the tube stations, as well as outside the Wimbledon Tennis ground during the tournaments. In the evenings his pitch was at leicester Square I think.

I later got to know him quite well, mainly because he used to turn up at Surbiton Folk Club occasionally, although Derek Sarjeant would never book him for some reason (his fee was £8 at the time).

When I moved to the Midlands in 1970, me and the then wife spent a day in Warwick, and the first person I bumped into was Don busking in the Market Square. Of course, we repaired to the pub and spent a nice half hour comparing notes.

I later used to see him fairly often at Toni Savage's Barwell club, as mentioned on an earlier posting he was mates with Toni and Bill Maynard.

Unfortunately lost contact after that, although mutual friends used to say that he was still around and made occasional forays into the Midland haunts.

Another one of those colourful characters that seemed to be part of the music scene back then. There's not many left now.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,jasper
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 12:09 PM

very sad news....i was one of the buskers who appeared at the albert hall concert and afterwards we all did a tour of england/scotland on a red london double decker bus....a little anecdote about don....at one concert don disguised himself with a bowler hat and moustache ,billed himself as soho sid ,and came on and did a boring paper tearing act whilst the audience who had no idea it was him just sat in silence thinking "wot the ..... is this all about"...he will be sadly missed...cheers...jasper

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Guest Miskinman
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 05:06 PM

Independant obit

---

Link fixed --Mod

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 04:48 PM

Obit by Spencer Leigh in today's Independent - can be found by Googling, but when I tried to make a link and blue clicky to http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/don-partridge-oneman-band-who-had-top-10-hits-in-the-1960s-but-returned-to-a-life-of-busking-2091229.html the link failed...

Kitty

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Jan
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 06:12 AM

Will miss him busking in Seaford and still have my single of 'Rosie'.

RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,OldNicKilby
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 04:58 AM

I used to see Don at the Ampersand in Barwell usually when he met up with his old mate Bill Maynard, the sight of him dumping the days busking takings ,in a heap, on the Bar counter for the Publican to convert into paper money was quite impressive. An all round "Good Old Boy" We were only talking about him at the lovely afternoon session at Stradbrook last week.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: evansakes
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 04:39 AM

I bumped into Alan Young last night at the Monday Open Mic at the Watermans, Richmond.

Alan was predictably and visibly upset talking about it but he told me Don had been a good mate for 47 years and that the funeral would be in Brighton (think he said next Monday).

Don had stayed with Alan the last time he visited Brentford a few weeks back. He also reminded me they'd co-written 'Breakfast In Pluto' (which after the movie came out had been a nice little earner for them both).

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 27 Sep 10 - 10:51 PM

Guest Stuart Reed
Thanks so much for that. I did a video of Woody busking at Sidmouth that included the late night fun with Don afterwards.
Given to Woddy at the time, now a fond memory for us both then.
Thanks again Richard.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,freespiritceol
Date: 27 Sep 10 - 08:55 PM

saw don busking down in cornwall,playing all the old songs 'rosie' 'cottonfields' etc absolute magic! sadly missed. god bless

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: vectis
Date: 27 Sep 10 - 09:42 AM

He was a common sight in Broad Street , Seaford (my home town) for as long as I can remember and sat outside the newsagents (now WH Smiths) and adjourned to the pub once he had earned enough to slake the thirst he had worked up.
He was a real character and looked after Pam devotedly when she became ill.
He will be missed by many of us down here in Sussex.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Stuart Reed
Date: 26 Sep 10 - 07:55 PM

Richard Atkins wrote: Don and his late wife invited myself to their camper with Woody at Sidmouth years ago. That was a special late night to remember.
Woddy The Brighton Busker was a good freind of Don. I dont think he is on the Cat but I trust he knows of this loss

Rest assured, Richard, Woody is across the situation and is in touch with Don's family. He was the probably the last person to have talked to him as they had met up for a couple of drinks a few hours earlier.

Don was a really lovely man, with a broad and enquiring mind and a most engaging conversationalist.

He pitched up to the club I help to run a couple of weeks ago, borrowed my guitar and regaled us with Spanish Ladies.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: Little Robyn
Date: 26 Sep 10 - 02:20 PM

We played 'Rosie' on our radio show Folk on Sunday in memory of Don. It was on the LP of the Buskers concert held at the Royal Albert in 1969.
Farewell Don.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,RWJ
Date: 26 Sep 10 - 12:17 PM

Never got the chance to see him perform but loved his songs, like many so he will still be here

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: GUEST,Fast Eddy Wilkinson
Date: 25 Sep 10 - 12:29 PM

A very sad loss. I knew Don a bit and being an old busker myself met him in varíous places from London to Copenhagen. Shared a few pints.I learned a great deal from the master ,the "King" of "The one man band". I eventually put a one man band together myself. What a life. It was hard work with the drum and all on the back but the "edge" we could get was fantastic. Don used to pull a massive crowd. The money in the bottle was always full. I hadn't seen him in a long time. Yes, I've still got the memory of Don outside the Odeon in Leicester Sq on a cold winter night. With all the traffic flying by-Taxis, Busses ,the crowd,the cinema neon lights ,the noise, the smells and of course the unmistaken sound of Dons drum hitting the beat and his whole show resounding above the whole fanfare around. Rest In Peace my old friend. Save me a place at the bar.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: alanabit
Date: 25 Sep 10 - 05:12 AM

It is quite a good obituary, although it does repeat the common myth that the drum of a one man band is played with the elbow. It is actually played by the heel of the foot, as is the cymbal. Virtually all one man bands who stand up play this way - as did Don. It gives you a better sound and a more regular beat, but it also completely screws up your posture. In his later years Don Partridge wisely sat down and played the drums with the balls of the feet.

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: Smedley
Date: 25 Sep 10 - 04:49 AM

Often saw him busking in Seaford as it's the town my parents lived in. He used to be outside Woolworth's mostly. RIP.

(And RIP Woolworth's for that matter.)

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: evansakes
Date: 25 Sep 10 - 03:49 AM

Don Partridge's Guardian obituary

Subject: RE: Obit: Don Partridge (22 Sept 2010)
From: buddhuu
Date: 24 Sep 10 - 07:59 PM

Never met him, never saw him live, but thanks to Jimmy Saville's double top-ten radio show I grew up with 'Rosie' as part of the soundtrack to my life. Later I introduced it into The Ploughmen's set, and I still play it on 'ukulele at our Tuesday Plough session.

Sad news, but all I can say is: Well played, Don. Thanks for the great song. I'll raise a glass to you tomorrow eve.