Nigel Rose writes:
I was fascinated to see the two images of Hoylake YMCA on Hoylake Junction because during my part studies into dance bands on the Wirral I have come across adverts for dances in the ‘YMCA Hall, Hoylake’. The following bands played there between 1928 and 1930, hope this is of some interest.
Corona Dance Band (1928)
Crosville Syncopators (1929)
Alf Hassall’s Silver Beach Dance Band (1928, 1929)
Jack Hale’s Hilbre Dance Band (1929)
Frank Johnston’s Embassy Orchestra (1928)
Lloyd Bros. Band (1930)
Melody Five Orchestra (1927)
Samoa Dance Band (1930)
I have also come across dances at the following venues in Hoylake:
Hoylake Institute – George Armstrong’s Broadway Dance Orchestra (1927)
Hoylake Parish Rooms – Westlake Dance Band (1931)
Does anybody have any more information on these old bands?
The :Lloyd Bros Band / Orchestra used to play at the Kingsway cinema before talkies arrived (1930). In 1931 they played for a month at the Winter Gardens before it too converted to talkies. I think I read something about the band elsewhere on this website.
Do you have any imformation of dance bands after the War, 1945-1951. I am interested in a four or five man group,
two of the members were Jack Carson (drummer) and Norm Barrette,(piano), apparently played on Friday nights aound Hoylakee.
In reply to the 2 comments received to date:
(1) Did the Lloyd Bros. Band/Orchestra play to accompany the silent films or during a musical interval between films?
(2) At the moment I only have information on dance bands that played in Ellesmere Port during the period 1945-51 but will look out for Jack Carson (drummer) and Norm Barrette (piano) as I continue to read through the local newspapers.
The Lloyd Bros. orchestra accompanied the silent films. I have seen the name Dan Bartinelli (drummer) mentioned in connection with orchestras / bands in local cinemas; I am not sure whether he was part of the Lloyd Bros orchestra or a different one.
There was also a Bill Edwards who, to quote from his brief obituary, “owned” a small orchestra which played for the silent films at the Queens West Kirby and the Winter Gardens Hoylake (I have a photograph of him featured with other staff of the Winter Gardens). Unfortunately the orchestra’s name is not mentioned. It is also stated that he produced and compered amateur talent competitions at the Kingsway. I also know that he played the piano at the Cottage Loaf cafe in Thurstaston for a while. He lived in Church Road (now Trinity Road).
It is quite likely that these various people moved between different bands, reformed under new names etc.
HI
HAVE READ YOUR NOTE ABOUT DANCE BANDS OF THE LATE 1940’S,
MY MUM USED TO SING WITH JACK CARSON BAND, 7 PIECE, WHEN SHE WAS
16-17, THEY PLAYED ON THE MERSEY FERRY, WEST KIRBY VILLAGE HALL, AND
OTHER PLACES, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER INFO I WOULD BE PLEASED TO READ ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU
ROSEMARY ZAMMIT
Hi. Alf Hassall was my grandfather and his daughter Winifred Mitchell (nee Hassall) is my and lives in Greasby. His youngest daughter Joyce (Colins ) lives in Hoylake and his youngest son Philip Hassall lives in West Kirby. All can tell you more about Alf Hassall and his band.
Just noticed this thread. My dad…Des Griffiths used to run dances in Byrne Avenue baths and Alf Hassell was the band he used to talk about. This would be early 1950s or late 40s.
Hi he had a brother called Samuel hassall who lived in Birkenhead and sometimes played in the band. Sam was my great grandad.
Thanks for the reply and if you do come across any more ‘band’ information I would be very interested. I suspect from your answers that you have made a study of the cinemas in Hoylake. While recently reading through the Hoylake & West Kirby Advertiser, (No859, 15 May 1931), I came across an interview with Mr J L Gardener, chief projectionist at the Winter Gardens Hoylake, in which he explained the workings of the two Kalee ‘talkie’ projectors they had just installed. A bad move for the Lloyd Bros and all local musicians who lost regular work in the cinemas.
My mother once told me that there used to be a street musician in Hoylake who displayed a sign saying “out of work through the talkies”. The sign, she recalled, was with him for rather a long time after talkies arrived.
In my own youth I remember a musician in Market Street who played the accordian, who was accompanied by a one-legged man who collected the money. I’ve no idea who they were, and I think they had disappeared by 1960.
Hi Charles. Yes, I remember an accordian player too. He used to stand on the corner by Mackies off-licence next to Josephine Taylor. That would have been in the early to mid 1960s at least and I don’t remember any missing limbs so maybe a different player.
Back in about 1955/56 I used to help in the projector room at the Winter Gardens, which at that time was part of the same company that ran the Ritz in Birkenhead. I visited the projection room there on one occasion and it was a shock to see the steep angle at which films where projected down onto the screen.
Every year the Winter Gardens would be taken over for one week by West Kirby Light Opera Society for their annual production. As an apprentice electrician I worked back stage with Taffy Williams the Stage Electrician; the Stage Director was John ‘Jasper’ Hindley who also ran 1st West Kirby Scouts but was better known as an Education Welfare Officer (Truancy Officer), while the Stage manager was Dave Henderson.
The back stage crown would move in on Friday night to get things started then break until after the saturday night film then work all night to get the stage and scenery ready for the dress rehearsal on Sunday afternoon. I can remember working on Gondoliers, The Quaker Girl and Yeoman of the Guard, which was a doddle for the back stage crew since it only had one scene in the whole show. Another person associated with WKLOS was Bernie Sephton who taught music and typing at the Parade and was the Musical Director of WKLOS at the time. He later went to work at Neston Comp..
The Winter Gardens projector room would get films in every week and show them but we also had to be ready to splice them if the sod broke, as they often did. The projectors were carbon-arc projectors and we always had to start No 2 ready for the change of reel; which was indicated by a flashed circle in the top right of the screen. The first one told us to get ready and the second one was ‘switch over’ and you can still see these circle in old films on TV. But once we had changed the reel we then had to rewind the damn thing, by hand, I’m sure that that was why the projectionist was so pleased when I walked in.
Dear Don,
So pleased to read this ! I have been researching the history of the Winter Gardens in every increasing detail for several years. My knowledge is almost complete for the period from May 1960, when it reopened, to March 1995 when it closed for the last time. But I lack some details of the years prior to that.
I worked on those same projectors myself many times. I also helped when the WKLOS came. The high spot of my young life was operating a follow spot for the production of Carousel in 1964. I remember some of the personnel you mention, especially Taffy Williams. But the stage manager I remember was Mervyn (not Dave) Henderson.
I would be especially grateful if you could tell me who were the managers and projectionists you remember from your time there. At about that time there may have been, in the manager category, Arthur Shalless, Charlie Reynolds or George Taylor; or possibly others. Projectionists may have included Bernard Bagnall and Bryan Winsland. A doorman who worked there at that time, to my certain knowledge, was Herbert Gartside.
Please rack your brains for more information !
Best wishes,
Charles Morris
Trying to find out more about my Mum Annie Hewitson born number 5 back sea view, she would have had a sister Eve. Anyone know of George Victor Hewitson my Mums Dad. Any info why they lived here would be appreciated.
Val
Dances in Hoylake. About 1938 I was nine and used to come over from Liverpool and stay with my Auntie Vi,at number 9 Clydesdale Road..I was best friends with her daughter ¬Carrie and her brother Norman.Norman was older than me , later he was a stalwart of the Sailing CLUB. We usually `lived` down on the opld jetty and in the gardens.The modernisation in the gardens included a dance area . complete with a stage for `Sam Lloyd`s dance band; there used to be a cafe and seating. At that time this was most modern and superior to anything else in the prom area.The baths were popular and reasonably priced. We kids bought a season`s contract for half a crown.The old jetty was great for crabbing.Paddle boats at sixpence a session..Later, during the war we were bombed out of Liverpool and came to live in 3 Lee road.- Then I joined the Boys` Brigade at St Lukes church and my mother was a member of the WVS and helped in the canteen at the RAF camp..She also helped in the YMCA canteen, where the Beatles appeared af their five bob hops. That WAS dancing in Hoylake. I do enjoy being in touch with the old town!
Regarding the gardens, there was originally in the middle of the gardens a “traditional” round bandstand with glazed sections round the periphery which could be moved round to take account of the prevailing wind (or the rain). The bandstand was then moved to the very end of the gardens (the Meols end) before being moved back again to the middle. This time it was a brick-built structure facing towards Meols and it had a roll-down shutter at the front. It was scarcely used, after the war at least, though from what you say Sam Lloyd et al used it previously. In all my time in Hoylake (1950s to 1980) I remember it being used only once, in the Summer of 1958. In Town Hall circles it had the soubriquet of “Hubbard’s Folly”; Mr. Hubbard having evidently designed it or thought of the idea.
This is, I think, the first time I have seen the jetty mentioned on this site. I remember walking along it several times but being most concerned lest I slipped on the seaweed or through the occasional gaps in it !
There was a jetty, it started about 25 yards out from the toilet at the bottom of Trinity Road, and looked like it was made out of railway sleepers. During an average tide, you could get on to a boat without wading in the water, and I am sure that for at least one season one of the Bird family had a posh motor boat which he used for boat tours up and down the shore line. I have a photo of my late uncle standing on the jetty and will scan it in and offer it for a later post.
My late father inlaw played in a band with Jack Carson,after the War, until he moved to Canada in 1952. He was the piano player, and Jack Carson the drummer. Thats about all my wife could remember
sbout the band. Before moving to Canada they lived on Avondale in Leasow.