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Who Remembers The Wapentake?

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just to be really boring I remember when the wapentake opened,when it was part of the grosvenor hotel.It was one of the first places in the town centre to sell keg tetleys and also double diamond!We used to drink a pint of mixed which was the above two together,still don't know why!It was also waiter service in there if you wanted it,but of course you had to tip the waiter!

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Must have been early 80's. I moved to London in 82. I wasn't a Mick, I was a Phil. Never had any trouble, that was the beauty of the place - all these heavy lookin' geezers and less trouble than the Blue Bell!

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Hi Phil,

Okay it's bugging me, I must know you at least by sight, could you give a bit more of a physical description, better still send the Rock Reunited site designer a pic of yourself if you've got one from that time so you can be added to the Wap page.

Phil? Phil? Phil? Nope nothing registers.

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another had one of his indian pythons with him, five foot of snake moving at speed as it tried to escape. I just wish I had my camera with me on more occasions. [/b]

 

 

That used to be guy called Brian who had the pythons I think....biker chap who used to drink in the Wapentake all the time, a South Yorkshire chapter Hells Angel (The Druids) member, am I right?

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You're nearly right Goldenfleece, certainly his name was Brian or as he later became known Snake and he was a member of the Druids. However the Druids although styling themselves on Hells Angels were never a true Hells Angel chapter, this wasn't a problem as the Yorkshire Blues had gone, however if any of the All England chapter ever came to Sheffield the Druids were noticeable by their absense. Apparently wearing colours or patches and pretending to be Angels would of annoyed true Hells Angels somewhat.

Just one other minor point if the Druids were a motorcycle gang then how come some of them didn't own a motorbike and relied on the buses to get around?

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I never knew they were not a real Chapter of HellsAngels......no one told me that at the the time anyway. They looked genuine enough. Generally a fairly Ok set of lads, unless you got on the wrong side of them. I saw a few do just that and they certainly lived to regret it!! They did all get banned from the Wapentake at one point in the mid 80's for jumping up and down on the table football machine, and bending all the rods, and also for smashing one of the pinball machines with a brown ale bottle. Must have just missed getting the high score or something.....

 

 

 

you dont see any of them around any more....I wonder if they still exist in any form..

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The Druids certainly styled themselves as Hells Angels but weren't true Angels as apparently you have to apply to become a chapter. Sounds bizarre but it seems as though true Angels have a very strict code of practise when it comes to membership. I knew a few of them by sight and one or two by name but noticed for the most part if you left them alone they left you alone. Did have a couple of 'prospects' ttrainee Druids try it on with me once in the Wap, insisting that i buy them a drink. Not a chance, I'm fussy as to who I spend my money on. Luckily a lass named Sparrow who was married to the Druids second in command I think saw what was going on and warned the prospects off. My mate Fred was very unhappy with me and I suppose I was lucky to have been a face that Sparrow liked. Latrer on one of the prospects did become a full fledged Druid and he was a nasty little man name of Deano if anyone remembers him.

They hung out in the pub down by the markets, the Alexandria I think it was called and were barred from the Wap [by Olga] the Yorkshiremans Arms,the Sportsman , the Foresters and the Hornblowwer unless they either took off their colours or hid them under another jacket. No Hells Angel would of ever done this but I noticed some of the Druids did in order to come into the Wap. Unpleasant louts throwing their wweight around when in a group as I remember from a certain party at Heeley that got a write up in the Star courtesy of the Druids.

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Wallbuilder

I was about 6 foot 7 tall (still am in fact), blondish hair. Used to wear a black leather jacket with an afghan waistcoat over the top. Had a beard for a while - that was nearly ginger! Oh the embarrasment. Used to hang around with Andy C, he of the red and blue leather jackets, who was nearly as tall as me.

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Tall with an afghan waistcoat?

Got you, aging memories have resurfaced, you were on the tall side weren't you, did you associate with the two female bar staff who seemed to be on the tall side, my memory of them, there were two of them is tall, blonde hair and furry knee length boots.

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Don't think so. Didn't associate with too many females at the time - Not through choice I hasten to add. Used to drink in the same local as Madge when not in the Wap but she never wore furry boots to the best of my knowledge.

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Originally posted by WALLBUILDER Did have a couple of 'prospects' ttrainee Druids [/b]

 

 

Someone once told me what you had to do to become a "prospect" and then a fully fledged druid. They were some bizarre rituals to say the least.......

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Originally posted by Bloomdido

Don't think so. Didn't associate with too many females at the time - Not through choice I hasten to add. Used to drink in the same local as Madge when not in the Wap but she never wore furry boots to the best of my knowledge.

No I'msorry that picture is just too scary, Madge in furry boots, I remember Olga used to treat us like little children sometimes and I never knew of anyone who got the better of her, I've been trying to remember the name of a tall lanky, dark haired guy with glasses who worked behind the bar and I use 'work' in a very loose sense as he was very adept at not working and has this ability to look straight through you even when you waved the money wildly in front of him desperate for a drink.

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