I REMEMBER

I remember going to see Buddy Holly & the Crickets at the ABC Regal in Hull on the 19th March 1958. It was a fantastic night seeing the legend from Texas-with support acts Gary Millar,The Tanner Sisters and the compere was a young Des O'Conner.Luckily,he did not sing but cracked jokes whilst the other artists were getting set up behind the curtains. A fantastic unforgetable night!

I remember going to see the Everly Brothers,also at the ABC on October 15th 1962. They were supported by Frank Ifield,Ketty Lester and the Vernon Girls. Norman Collier was the compere.Before the main act came on the audience were informed that one of the Everly's had been taken ill and had flown back to America. Phil Everly came on solo and did an excellent job of winning over the audience and everyone went home happy. We found out later that the 2 brothers had fell out and Don Everly left Phil in the lurch by returning to the States.Regardless.it was still a night to remember.

I remember many a good film at the ABC and the REX on Endike. Watching,Flash Gordon,Old Mother Riley and Leo Gorzey and the Bowery Boys. Feeding my face with shredded coconut tobacco,Spanish and Aniseed balls-unforgetable!

I remember many things from my youth,as if they happened yesterday but the events of the 1980's/90's are just a blank -but i suspect I'm not the only one!

Oh, Harry, what memories you invoke in this old brain of mine. I well remember the old ABC cinema and the ABC Minors Club on a Saturday morning, being called up to the stage if it was your birthday and getting some little gift or other and not allowed out of the cinema until we had all stood for The Queen. I remember that our cinematic heroes were Johnny "Mack" Brown, Hopalong Cassidy, James "You Dirty Rat" Cagney and dozens more whose names elude me. I once remember the ABC using a series of handwritten boards on screen to advertise things which were forthcoming and one time they advertised that Flash Gordon was coming next week, complete with his arch foe "Minge the Merciless". All us little uns wondered why the older boys found this so wonderfully hilarious. After a couple of such disasters, they stopped using the handwritten boards. Such a waste of a rich vein of humour, eh? I remember in the late 1960s when I was a porter at Berni Inns White House on Jameson Street we had Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band AND The Bee Gees staying because they were both appearing at The ABC cinema. Such a rich wealth of talent both at the same theatre in little old Hull. I don't remember who was topping the bill but I think it was probably The Bee Gees. And they tipped better than Geno's lot. Keeping the girls out was a nightmare, I can tell you. By the way, remembering long times ago and not more recent is all part of getting a little older, Harry, believe me......now then, what was I talking about...........................?

I remember free pop concerts in east park in the early seventies. I was a bit of a hippy in my youth although I missed out on the summer of love in 1967 as I was only 12. By 1970 I had grown up a bit, 15 and thought I knew it all, was working and well into music and fashion.
The summer of 1970 a group of us went along to the first free concert that featured Wishbone Ash among others that have faded in my memory over the years. I remember wearing a long gypsey skirt and peasant blouse. My hair was long and I wore a head band. It was a really hot sunny day and when my then boyfriend and I got home to my house I took my headband off only to discover my face had got suntanned and there was a white line across my forehead where the band had been. My soon to be ex boyfriend fell off his stool laughing at me.

I remember going to the Barham on Marfleet Lane and watching the fabulous Ched's Blues Band.The noise was unbelievable and the place was jumping. Ched was regarded as one of the best guitarists on the Hull scene and renowned for his solo guitar riff,walking along the table tops carefully stepping through a sea of beer glasses. There were a lot of good bands in Hull at the time - 'The Rats' and the 'Walloping Ducks' spring to mind

I remember playing football on Bridlington beach with a few mates.After a while these four guys approached us and asked to join in. It was Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt and other members of the 'Quo'. They spent about an hour,chilling out before returning to the Spa to perform in their annual concert. You never forget these moments- like Tigerlilly,you even remember what you were wearing on these days - I left my Gypsy skirt at home!

Ps Alan- I always felt sorry for the girl with a tray of ice-cream at the pictures. At the interval the spotlight used to fall on her and follow her up and down the aisle. As soon as she appeared she was swamped with a swarm of snarling kids resembling the 'Critters' out of the movie'- fighting for a small tub of ice-cream and wooden spoon. This went on for about 15 minutes and after it was all over,she was never seen again for the rest of the performance. You need a lot of b*lls to sell Walls!

I remember going to see Quo at Brid Spa in 1978. There were 4 of us, me, my husband and another couple. The place was heaving when we got there and we couldn`t see the stage no matter where we went. On the gallery we found a box like structure with a door and me, being nosey, just had to open the door to see what was going on. Inside was a lighting man, I apologised but he just said it`s ok come in, so we did. All 4 of us. We spent the rest of the concert perched on ladders and beams and had the best view in the whole place. Brilliant! Unfortunately I can`t remember what I was wearing on that particular occasion, jeans and a tea shirt probably.

I remember the Trawlermen staggering down Hessle Road,wearing their powder-blue suits,pleats in the back of the jacket,padded shoulders and bell-bottom trousers flapping in the wind. Home from sea,they were out to enjoy themselves and that meant a visit to every pub from Coltman St to Rayners. One lad I used to know,was such a guy. Back in early 60's, Johnny went to Trinity House,then on to the Merchant Navy for a spell and eventually became a Skipper of a Trawler.He was respected and very popular with his crew-mates. He was even more popular in the pubs on Hessle Road as it was always 'drinks on the house' and spending his money as if there was no tomorrow. When he went back to sea on Friday,his pockets were empty.

In 1995, I met up by chance with Johnny in the Bonny Boat near the Market Place, having not seen him since 1966. His circumstances had changed vastly since I last saw him-having been unemployed since the collapse of the fishing industry. Living on the basic pension and no occupational pension for all a his years at sea. Despite this, he was upbeat,optimistic and had retained his good humour.On meeting up he said- "Bloody Hell Harry- What happened to your hair?" as he gazed at my bald dome and how I once had the 'Tony Curtis' with DA at the back. He had managed to retain his 'Bop' but bemoaned my fate ,blaming the harsh weather up in Scotland. He felt much better after I told him that I still had my own teeth!

Sadly Johnny died in 2007 and I felt a little 'I remember' tribute would be fitting, alongside todays news that former fishermen could be in line for some compensation for loss of livelihood at the time of the 'Cod Wars'. Unfortunately any gain would be to late for Johnny!

I remember back in the early 50's a family living in 6th Avenue NHE were the first to own a Television set in the street. They used to let the neighbouring kids in their house at 5pm to watch Children's Hour with programs like Muffin the Mule and Bill and Ben the Flowerpot men. This family charged us 2p to get in-which sounds to be a bit of a rip-off,but considering we also got buns,sandwiches and lemonade,it wasn't such a bad deal after all.-unforgettable!