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Working Men's Clubs in Sheffield


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Im sure many of you will remember Claude Powell. He was an old friend of mines dad (Rory). Here is a link to an article about him as he sadly died recently.

 

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/obituaries/Claude-Powell.6572740.jp

 

Thanks for the link. I worked with Claude many times at various venues over the years. A proper gent.R.I.P.

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Anyone remember The Our Clubs booklet in the sixties and seventies it held all the concert nights of the clubs in the Sheffield area.There were the big clubs :Dial House ,Smithywood,Manor,

Arundel,St Phillips and the small ones: La Plata,Hartley House.

A group could have a full diary for the year and never go out of the area there was so many.

I remember seeing Bitter Suite at the Dial House when they had the brass section,wow what a full sound when they played numbers such as "Breaking Down theWalls of Heartache" .At the

Hillfoot Club I remember the "Vantennas" coming on to the high stage such an unassuming bunch of lads far different from the pop star image of the Suite but boy what a sound they dished out from "Penny Lane" to the vocally testing "Good Vibrations".

One incident I remember was one Saturday night in 1967

at Tinsley WMC .The concert room was full to bursting at 8:00pm

but the group had not arrived from the Birminghamarea,Suddenly they arrived for some reason brought the gear through the audience pushing and knocking the audience about .By this time the audience had taken an intense dislike to their would be entertainers and the chairman was in two minds whether to let them on or not.Anyway by 08:30 they were on .An unusual group

who decided to utilize the clubs grand piano but adding a small keyboard of there own underneath.The keyboard player proceeded not to play but to explain to the audience that the small keyboard was called a "Mellotron" consisting of loops of tape and pressing the keys a string sound was heard this was to prove they hadn't a tape recorder under their sleeve.The audience was not impressed familiar cries of "get on with it" were

heard around the room and I feared the worst for the group.Then they at last started to play ,for all the world it sounded like Mantovani and his orchestra was up there not four lads the tune was "Theme from a Summer Place" .I looked around the room it was just like that film "The Producers" with the musical Spingtime for Hitler. Jaws dropped audience aghast.When they finished the number there was total silence then as one the audience were on there feet clapping and shouting for more ,all was forgiven Musical technology had arrived in Tinsley!!

 

You forgot to mention the Upper Heeley Working Mens Club - that was a big club also, I use to be a member.

Last time I saw Bitter Suite they were playing at Dial House and Dep Leppard were the support band.......funny how things turn out - Dep Leppard now famous and Bitter Suite past memories................a real shame Bitter Suite were fantastic and in my personal opion were the best of the two bands.

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I remember going on kids trips to Blackpool and Skeg,with my mates mom, that were arranged by the Arundel and The Park & Arbourthorne.. happy days. I don't think Blackpool or Skeg knew what had hit them. Anyone else used to go on them in the early-mid 70s.

 

Going on the club trips were our holidays we couldnt afford to go anywhere in them days lol. We used to go with the Park n Arbourthorne, Manor and Arundel, Park Gardeners and the Foundry Workers. You used to get a packet of crisp and bottle of pop and a little pay packet with money in. You used to spend all your money and then be walking on the sands all afternoon making sure you got a crappy ornament to bring home for your mam or else!!:hihi: The group I remember being the most popular when I was a kid was the Discos you had to go in early to get a seat for them :loopy:

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  • 3 months later...

Anyone remember The Carlton Trio resident musicians at Carlton Social WMC Gleadless.(1960's-70's) Must have had a combined age of 200, (no exageration) They provided backing to all the artists, in days before pre recorded music backing tapes. Dedication above and beyond, well done!!!

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Saw a stripper one Sunday at Philadelphia. She tried to add a horror element to her act, Dracula teeth a monster claw and she swung a rubber snake around as she disrobed. Unfortunately the snake snapped and flew into the audience and smacked a bloke in the chops as he read the footy results in his Sunday paper. The table went over, full of Sam Smiths best, and I nearly wet mesen laughing. Happy days, miss the concert sec Ken, genuine bloke.

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Anyone remember showcase nights.

Used to hold one every week at AEU Club Stanley Street. Budding artists would give a short version of their act to an audience consisting mainly of concert secs. looking for acts to book for their club.

Shall we say the talent was wide ranging.

If we had the foresight to have patented the idea then, Simon Cowell would be a lot poorer today.

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My itinery around 68/69

Monday Night-Southey or Pitsmoor WMC

Tuesday Night- Hillfoot, (Our Clubs arrived from printers on nearby Burton Street) Start planning for following week

Wednesday Night- Tap Room Five Arches

Thursday Night- Southey again

Friday Night-Wadsley Bridge WMC Snooker and either watch turn or pub crawl White Horse, New Inn, Railway,Travellers, Gate, bus to Magnet for last orders. (and change from a pound note)

Saturday Night- Big night out Dial House or one of the City Road Clubs

Sunday Night- Carlton Social Gleadless Had to spend some time with girlfriend and her family

back to Monday again

Edited by patto
bad spelling sorry gleadless
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My itinery around 68/69

Monday Night-Southey or Pitsmoor WMC

Tuesday Night- Hillfoot, (Our Clubs arrived from printers on nearby Burton Street) Start planning for following week

Wednesday Night- Tap Room Five Arches

Thursday Night- Southey again

Friday Night-Wadsley Bridge WMC Snooker and either watch turn or pub crawl White Horse, New Inn, Railway,Travellers, Gate, bus to Magnet for last orders. (and change from a pound note)

Saturday Night- Big night out Dial House or one of the City Road Clubs

Sunday Night- Carlton Social Gleadless Had to spend some time with girlfriend and her family

back to Monday again

 

Only one of the City Road Clubs ? :-)

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