Who remembers City Hall dances c1954?

[Texas]

Can anybody remember all those GREAT jivers? I first went down to the City about '49 and the best jiver down there at that time was a kid I only knew as 'Curly'. He had all the gear, hopsack suit (Barney Goodman), the 4'' brim stetson, he was the b******s. There were others, Billy Fearn, Ron Revel, all as cool as you like. Mind you the business of being 'cool' hadn't been thought of then. All great 'jivers' though, in the dancing sense of the word. It was only in later years that I learnt that the word 'jiving' meant to speak a load of crap.

They were all action, thrashing limbs, much stamping of feet, they needed a lot of space, a guy could get maimed being ten feet away. And that was just the women.

When I got out of the Army things had moved on. The jiving had become more sedate, cooler, less energetic. Some carried on being energetic but they looked a bit 'passe' (and that's French).

I never did become brilliant at jiving, but I always strutted my limited repertoire of moves when the Latin American set came up.

There was this certain girl always sought me out because I wasn't too complicated and was strong enough. Man, she was built.

[Kidorry]

I am now going to the City Hall dances after a gap of about 50 yrs.

No Bernard Taylor, no Big Band, but still the glass floor with coloured lights beneath and I think, on looking around, some of the same crowd that went in the 50's

 

hazel

Do you know Cliff Gault,Arnie Allott, Don Cardwell,Terry Dempsey,Josie Ashton,June Taylor,Sylvia & Jean.All from around the Upperthorpe baths area.During the 50s.They all went every Saturday night.

[fleetwood]

Might be good idea at this time to ask the question, who remembers Ron Woodin(g)? I can't remember his correct last name, but he went by the name 'Woody'. He was a bit of a phenomenon at the 'City Hall', he had a kind of 'Star Status' wherever he went. It was my understanding he was reasonably well off and lived in an upscale part of Sheffield (he might have even had his own flat), there was a mom but no visable dad at home. I may have some facts wrong, but I am just relaying a few things as I saw them and what I heard at the time. Woody always seem to travel with an entourage, he wore classy drape suits from Barney Goodman and was a trend setter, his friends male and female naturally dressed similarly. They caused quite a stir when they decided to grace a particular event, they were by no means trouble makers and as far as I could see kept to themselves. To say Woody was a good dancer was putting it mildly, he could jive up a storm and people stopped what they were doing to watch. Every once in a while people did graduate into his circle of friends, but only if they were 'minor stars' in there own right. His attire never looked ridiculous even when he decided to wear a collarless jacket, one of his friends, I think he was called 'Curly' used to wear the little rimless glasses (this was years before the rock era made both dress items popular.) When we would try and emulate their styles in the plain gaberdines that were so popular at that time, Woody would start to wear 'Tweeds and Barratheas', naturally in his own unique style. Sometimes there would be disapointment if Woody was'nt in the building on a given evening, the word might go around, 'I think they went to the Clifton to-night' I've seen Woody and entourage make many a grand entrance in the 'City' Auditorium upstaires (talk about fashionably late) where they would swirl into the best seats in the house just before the opening number. As I sit at my computer, I've never wished for anything more, than to find out the real truth on Ron Wooding or Woody as he was affectionaly called, this is the right forum/thread to find this information, are their any close associates either past or present who can tell us all a little of the history of who he was? His he still around? What was his occupation? Perhaps if more than a few poeple reply, we could piece something together. And it might prove interesting.

[Redneck]

I don't know about Ron Wooding but the entourage, the Barney Goodman suits and the grand entrance bit sounds like Bob Stanley. Did he have an armload of blondes in black dresses with him at all times?

Texas, I think that the Curley that you and and Fleetwood are talking about had worked in a hotel in New York for sometime and had bought his gear and learned to jive there. I spoke to him several times after I learned that I was to be stationed in the States.

[Texas]

I remember last talking to Curly, it must've been around '58, and he was selling insurance. He didn't go down the City much then, if at all, but that's the man, with the rimless glasses. But Ron Wooding, that's a blast of a name from the past, I'd forgotten him completely, and like you say Fleetwood, he was a bit of an icon. The last time I saw him was at the Clifton in Rotherham, actually I suppose you could say I was one of the nobodys that followed him around. I tell you this though, he could get the chicks. Do you remember a guy name of 'Barney' Cummings. Got his nickname by the fact he had 'Goo goo googly eyes', like in the Barney Google comic strip,(American papers).

And Alan Angus aka 'Junior', his father was manager at the Gaumont. He went to Canada mid 50's and eventually worked in television there.

But to get back to the 'jivers', after everything had cooled out from the 'jitterbug' influence, everybody had a sedate style of 'jiving', me included. Then I remember one time seeing a couple of girls, who apparently had been in London for a while, doing a style I'd never seen before. They didn't move around a lot, not much turning around, but a lot of 'arms over the head' kind of thing. Perfect for a crowded dance floor. The MODS had arrived, and everything else was finished.

Tell you what Fleetwood, you got Wooding down perfect, born before his time I think. It's not you is it?

[poppins]

I don't know about Ron Wooding but the entourage, the Barney Goodman suits and the grand entrance bit sounds like Bob Stanley. Did he have an armload of blondes in black dresses with him at all times?

Texas, I think that the Curley that you and and Fleetwood are talking about had worked in a hotel in New York for sometime and had bought his gear and learned to jive there. I spoke to him several times after I learned that I was to be stationed in the States.

 

I use to baby sit for one of Bob Stanley's "Girls", he was that big fat pimp wasn't he, often wore a camel hair coat.....well, camel coloured anyhow.

 

If thats who I'm thinking of, Hazel knows who I mean.

[poppins]

Can anybody remember all those GREAT jivers? I first went down to the City about '49 and the best jiver down there at that time was a kid I only knew as 'Curly'. He had all the gear, hopsack suit (Barney Goodman), the 4'' brim stetson, he was the b******s. There were others, Billy Fearn, Ron Revel, all as cool as you like. Mind you the business of being 'cool' hadn't been thought of then. All great 'jivers' though, in the dancing sense of the word. It was only in later years that I learnt that the word 'jiving' meant to speak a load of crap.

They were all action, thrashing limbs, much stamping of feet, they needed a lot of space, a guy could get maimed being ten feet away. And that was just the women.

When I got out of the Army things had moved on. The jiving had become more sedate, cooler, less energetic. Some carried on being energetic but they looked a bit 'passe' (and that's French).

I never did become brilliant at jiving, but I always strutted my limited repertoire of moves when the Latin American set came up.

There was this certain girl always sought me out because I wasn't too complicated and was strong enough. Man, she was built.

 

Texas, how old are you ? you sound younger than remembering the 1949 s.

[Joto]

Thank you Nodens for reviving this thread. I've read it from the beginning and thoroughly enjoyed it won't nan be surprised to see her thread as been revived again

[nanrobbo]

Gob smacked now I'll read it all over again. Nanx

[Texas]

Hey popps you should know better than to ask a gentleman his age. It's over the three score years and ten I can tell you that. I've just got a good memory.