Help: The Beggarmen

Subject: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,VINCE
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 09:55 AM

I have a record of 'The Beggarmen' recorded at the Manchester Sports Guild and Crown & Anchor, Hilton St. Does anyone know if they made any other recordings and if they are still available? Oh and what became of the band... i recently saw Martin the fiddle player in Middleton at the Joiners

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 10:30 AM

you didn't bother to ask him, then?

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,vince
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 10:57 AM

No, i realise i should have, but he was a bit busy playing at the time. Did'nt realise it was himself til it was pointed out to me. If he's there next time i'm in there i'll make the effort. But it would still be interestin to know if others out there remember seeing the B's live.....remember the 'ballad of mini cooper?'

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 12:10 PM

Is this the Beggarmen which had Eamon ? and Tony Downes in? if so I do remember them. JohnB

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: John J
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 12:20 PM

I've not seen Martin for 20 years, although I saw Tony at a pub in Mobberley a couple of years ago. I think Jack & Mavis Lee who used to run the Fisherman's Inn folk club may still be in contact with them; they were good friends I believe.

John

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 12:36 PM

OK so it is the same group. I have known Tony for years, although I have not seen or heard of him much since I left England 24 years ago. He used to live in Smithy Bridge, near Littleborough. about a 10 min walk from the Fishermans. We lived there too. We still send Christmas cards to Jack and Mavis. If you need to I can get an address for Tony from his first wife Lorraine who I have kept in contact with. She lives on Vancouver Island in BC now. I remember Tony and Eamonn did some stuff together under that name after the B'men split up. JohnB

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,JimInCairns
Date: 22 Aug 08 - 10:05 AM

Jayzus! I used to play in the same pub as they did when I lived in Manchester for a winter season as a lifeguard in a smelly swimming-pool! Their version of 'And then he kicked me' was a bloody riot.
Eamonn could break your heart when he sang 'She moved through the fair'

If you happen to see the bhoys around, please tell them that Jim is back in the sunshine and I still recall their talent.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: Roughyed
Date: 22 Aug 08 - 05:01 PM

I was there when the album was recorded. Tony Kelly was a teacher at my school and used to help those of us struggling with the guitar, and in my case the mandolin. He invited a few of us to the gig and their version of Curragh of Kildare was the real beginning for me of a love affair with the music. I'm forever grateful. Last thing I heard Tony was up in the Lake District but that was a few years ago and wherever he is I hope he is well and happy. I think one of them (maybe Eamonn) ended up in Dublin. I don't know of any other recordings. My memory is that a year of two later they broke up and Tony and Eamonn went out as Kelly and Walsh.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: Raggytash
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 05:23 AM

When they became "The Two Beggarmen" they recorded an LP called Flowers of Manchester

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 02:59 PM

I saw them at the The Priest House in castle Donnigton. they were great. the lady who used to run that club now runs Weymouth (Wessex) Folk festival and is in touch with a lot of folksingers.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: John J
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 04:38 PM

Tony Downes was performing at Lymm folk club recently.

JJ

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: Vin2
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 11:37 AM

Gawd, this is an owd thread.
Update: Martin Lynott plays every Monday at the Oddfellows in Middleton near Rochdale with other leg-ends like John (Tinkers) Howarth, Pete (Hometowners) McMillan, Jack Lee (and sometimes Mavis) plus Mike Canavan, Martin Hall, Ian Sidebottom, Andy Kenna & others. Also usually present is the legendary record producer (Ann Briggs, Jansch, Garbutt etc) Bill Leader, snapping away with camera. Oh and Tony Downes pops in occasionally as does Stanley Ackrington. There's now a cd out too. A grand night to be had!!

See links below........

http://www.middletonguardian.co.uk/news/s/1043646_raise_a_pint_to_chart_success

http://www.myspace.com/oddfellowsmondaynightatnine

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: Vin2
Date: 04 Sep 08 - 07:07 AM

Oh and Martin and some of the others also form the Lagplaiters Ceilidh Band (grand caller - Mike Canavan) who with John Howarth and Pete Mac + the late and great Pete Fitzimmons have made two great CD (one a double) whilst over in Ireland.

Oh and there's pies and butties in the interval at the Oddfellows toooo.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Mick Colins 15/November/2008
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 03:56 PM

Spent the weekend in Dublin with Gerry Brady,in a manly sort of way.Played some music and downed a few pints along with Tony Downes and Pete Macmillan,Gerry now lives in Walkinstown Dublin 12, and I think Eamonn is living in South Manchester. Mick Collins

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,jim
Date: 26 Jan 09 - 04:10 PM

are we talking about the jolly beggarmen here if so let me know,my dad played in that band for about 20 years until they split up

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: Jack Taylor
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 11:01 PM

For Roughyed - Tony Kelly lives and works in Kendal. He is a silversmith (of some renown) and runs his own business; but is rarely seen playing these days.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Steve Gittins
Date: 30 Mar 09 - 03:10 PM

Martin Lynott plays in the Oddfellows Arms in Middleton, every Monday night. Pete McMillan is there also as well as jack Lee most weeks. Tony Downes comes along every so often too.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST
Date: 04 May 13 - 11:41 AM

This seems an old thread but, what the hell.
My mum and sister knew the Beggarmen well. My sister Jose (Jordon) went to school with the Kearns' sister, Theresa. I saw the Beggarmen at Manchester Sports Guild (I think) and someone who is still in touch with Mr Kelly the silversmith, and most of the north west folkies, past and present, is Phil Brown, musician and Radio Lancashire folk programme - the Drift - presenter, via whose website I should think you could get in touch. if not, you can get phil via his website, Big Whistle Music: www.bigwhistle.co.uk
From memory not in the righ torder methinks:

Oh my name is Mini-cooper and my I was once as white as snow
'til I met a rally driver and a rallying we did go
He turned my carburettors and he gave me points a touch
Oh how could I resist him girls, when he slipped in the clutch

He took me down a shady lane so dark I couldn't
I'll tell you girls there never was a man as fast as he
he laid me on a mossy bank and gave me such a fright
he examined my suspension with a spanner and a light

downhill from there.

cheers

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Vin2
Date: 04 May 13 - 12:23 PM

God did I put this post on 13 years ago, wow. The Joiners sessions subsequently moved to the Oddfellows in Middleton where it is still held every Monday eve and maestro Martin Lynott still plays there with John Howarth and Dave Howard (two thirds of Th Oldham Tinkers).
Gerry Brady has popped in a couple of times when over from Dublin.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Tony Kelly
Date: 28 Jul 13 - 03:12 PM

Well, what a do! There are some interesting variations on the truth with the above info.
I was a founder member of The Beggarmen, with Terry Walsh and Norman Stainthorpe in 1965 when we met at college in Middleton,Nth Manchester,we were student teachers.( Incidentally,the same college that two of The Spinners, attended,). The following year we met and pursueded Martin Lynott,a mature student, to join us and the band began. Within the following year, Terry had spotted a couple of Irish GoGo dancers who could sing a bit and would add the authenticity that us mostly half, or part, irish musicians should benefit from. That was the line -up with Gerry Brady & Eamonn Clinch.
We set up The Crown & Anchor Club in Stevenson Square which became the place to be and to play.
I need to write the biography because we met and played with just about anyone who is now anyone in that time of the folkscene in the north.
Harry Boardman,Packi Byrne,Luke Kelly, Christie Moore, The Grehan Sisters,Mike Harding ,Tom & Smiley, Mike Canavan RIP,Sam (Bracken) & Dave(Shannon),The Oldham Tinkers,and so many more who are a delight to still cross paths with. Bernard Wrigley springs to mind,Stanley Accrington, Gary & Vera, Phil Brown ,a little later and of course Loose Chippings.

The Beggarmen Album was in truth a bit of a dogs dinner as we had to record in two venues due to piss-poor organisation. However,being live recorded it has an authenticity.

Thanks to the kind person who was kind about my abilities as a silversmith.I still play and had a successful number of years as Kelly & Walsh and then here in The Lakes as a member of Mountain Road, alongside being part of Loose Chippings the lunatic wonderful 8 piece idiots band.

Great times and memories.
contactable :[e-mail]

Love and best to all

Tony Kelly

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Martin Bennett
Date: 18 Oct 13 - 02:46 PM

Thanks for the memory! I was a teacher training student at Didsbury 66 to 69 and saw the Beggarmen often. The best of the bands playing around Manchester in my opinion. Bought the album and still have it. In fact it was considering a means of digitising it that led me to a search that found this. Oddly enough the mate who got me listening to folk music (i'm a rock n roll and blues throwback), Dave Taylor, who now lives in Oz, was over here only this summer and reminisced about the boozer back rooms we frequented in the late 60s.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 19 Oct 13 - 11:08 AM

Battle of Hastings complete with props probably made at my old school
(De La Salle College)absolutely superb comic timing.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,stevep
Date: 09 Feb 14 - 12:51 PM

I, too, am just digitising the album and came across this thread. Brings back great memories as a regular at the Crown & Anchor as well as MSG. The C&A was packed for the night the album was recorded. Good to hear that almost everybody in the band carried on performing after the break.
Best wishes to everyone else who remembers those great times.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 15 - 04:54 AM

I have the following information for "The Beggarmen"

who was Norman?

Eamonn Clinch (Singer, Spoons)
Gerry Brady (Singer, Bones)
Martin Lynott (Fiddle)
Norman (Harmonica)
Terry Walsh (Banjo, Whistle, Mandolin, Guitar, Singer)
Tony Kelly (Singer, Guitar, Banjo)

and who is Tony Downes?

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Martin Chadwick
Date: 01 Sep 16 - 07:42 PM

Terry Walsh was my teacher at Whitfield Primary in Glossop around 1974. Used to play songs in class and inspired me to learn the guitar and left me with an enduring love of folk music. Would be great to meet him again to say thanks.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 17 - 04:38 PM

Norman Stainthorpe was a tech teacher at St.Peter's Grammar School in Prestwich around 1968-74 He got a few of the lads into Folk Music through Guitar lessons. I am not sure what his main instrument was although I have a vague recollection of Banjo being mentioned but he told us he used to be in The Beggarmen. Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Christy Moore
Date: 15 Oct 19 - 01:09 AM

Thursday Night in Crown & Anchor with The Beggarmen was the best gig in Town back in 1966/7.Eamon & Gerry at the front on Lead Vocals, Bones & Spoons...Martin,Norman,Tony & Terry weaving a tapestry behind...the room was always crammed tight, the Landlord seldom smiled ,the ale was good, the crack was 90, they gave me a few gigs when I starting out, I heard Luke Kelly there. No PA, no lights, no production, just heart felt good vibrations.....the good old dsys were the days when we did'nt talk about the good old days

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Mike Sharpe
Date: 03 Dec 20 - 04:24 PM

I remember when I was in the RAF in Germany. The Beggarmen came over and did some service folk clubs.
I remember Eamonn as he taught me many an Irish song during that time.
Funny thing this Internet - I got to this thread after looking for recording of "the Star of County Down"

If any of you have survived the lockdown Best wishes
Mike Sharpe ex the "Panhandlers" Germany

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: GUEST,Anne
Date: 05 Dec 23 - 04:43 AM

I saw the Beggarmen at Wrexham Tech, must have been 1968. What an evening that was. I attended Catrefle College at the time. One of the band started going out with Penny Hall who I knew from college.

Subject: RE: Help: The Beggarmen
From: Paul Reade
Date: 08 Dec 23 - 01:05 PM

I was in the audience at the MSG when it was recorded, and recently found a copy of The Beggarmen LP on a stall in The Valley Antique Centre, Valley Road, Hebden Bridge: see Valley Antique Centre

Didn't buy it because I don't have a vinyl record player any more. It's been for sale for a few months now, and the last time I was in there it was £30 but the stallholder said he may negotiate.

He also had some other interesting LPs, including Ton and Smiley's first one, so I might splash out on a new record player and start a new collection.