Texas

He certainly was!

So, Mr Murray had also been a manager of the 'Gaumont' at one time. Or was it at the same time? He was an acquaintance of Maurice Chevelier, or so I was told. Verrrry interesting.

Anybody remember the manager, name of Murray, during the 50's/early 60's. Smart looking geezer, little moustache. And also the two staff, one was named Barry, I believe, they used to stoke the boilers, empty the trash etc. The family Hillsdon on the top floor, had a daughter, Naomi. The Wright's, had a fruit stall in the market, and a daughter called Mary who drove a big American shooting brake. The Ender's, on the 3rd floor. Mr Ender had a little motor repair business at the back in one of the garages, two daughters. And of course, the tennis playing Bishop's, three daughters. Christine Spurr, ground floor. And another chick who went to America and became a celebrity interior designer in Los Angeles. Wish I could remember HER name.

So there you are. Finally I'm on a record. If you listen carefully you can hear me foot pounding with all the rest .

It seems, Voldy, you and I about the same age. I can remember my uncle and aunt pushing me in a pushchair up Shirecliffe Lane to view the new houses being built toward the top of Cookswood.

Yeah, I reckon it was a Sousaphone.

Thanks for the link on 'The Saints' jazz band. It mentioned the 'Smoky City Stompers', which brought back memories for me. I saw them at the old Cambridge Street restaurant way back in 1949/50. I remember they featured a big brass bass, a Sousaphone, a really good band.

Anybody had beast's cheek lately. Melt in your mouth. Find your own recipe.

Certainly not Minna Road. It never had a gradient like that.

I remember those pods Dex, they were sweet too if I remember correctly. Coming down the years a bit, on visits to Greece, you could find them scattered around in the wilder areas. I used to collect them, dust 'em off and wallow in nostalgia.

That's very sad news. I bought 'Rah' a long time ago, dug it, and then I didn't get any more of his work. I've never heard him 'live', only on record, he is good, in fact probably one of the best. I always remember, though, hearing a recording of 'Boplicity', with a singer I thought was Jack Jones gone super hip! It was brilliant. So I've always had a fantasy of Mark Murphy and Jack Jones doing a song together.

Was he a musician?

Anybody remember where Fox St shelter was?

Can any other ancients still alive remember where Fox Street shelter was? I was at 151, and seven years old on that night. But looking back, I remember about three big thumps close bye, but a hell of a lot of fires, incendiary bombs I guess.

I remember having to get a peck of Pink Thistle plaster, or a peck of fire brick cement, from Parkers Builders Merchants on Silver Street head. Or a hundredweight of sand (12 shovels full, No 10 size. I never did put more in the handcart because I had to shove the handcart up Walkley or somewhere.

You could probably buy all the ingredients for the first three items in the Castle Market, not sure about the filet gumbo though. And if you couldn't get crawfish you could use shrimp. But you could get enough for a passable Jambalaya. Fruit jar is just home made wine. Cravats is weird.

Hi, I would've put this in a private message normally, but my message boxes filled up a while ago so I don't bother trying anymore. I was surprised and pleased to hear Gerry is still around, I hope he's in good health and all. Have you read all of the National Service thread? There are a few characters and anecdotes that Gerry might remember. I was trying to remember where I first got to know him, I thought it might have been in basic training at Vimy Lines, Catterick, but I'm not sure. His intake group was 51/14, mine was 51/13, but I did my basic with the 14's. Certainly we were in the same lines in Egypt, In 1 Squadron,3GHQ. We arrived at the same time. He was in the same tent as myself and had to put up with the same bull**** all newcomers always had to put up with. Ask him if he remembers a kid called Ashby, a very self opinionated Brummie. Someone used to call him 'Asinine' Ashby, I suppose because he was an ass. And his mate Alcott, who fancied himself as some kind of opera singer, especially Mario Lanza (who was very popular at the time). He would come into our tent to talk to Ashby, strike a pose, and sing (sotto voce), some sort of operatic aria. He was weird. There was a Lance Corporal, in charge of the tent, called Langley. He came from Biggleswade. And there was a Cipher Corporal called Urquhart, he came from Arran, the western Isles of Scotland. I eventually got moved into 2 Squadron with Transmitters so I didn't see a lot of Gerry after that. He would probably remember me as 'Yorky'. The last time I saw him was in London, it must've been 1965 or so. I was at the top end of Whitehall just crossing the road, the lights changed and there was Gerry. We only had time to show recognition, then he was gone. Give him my best wishes and tell him to keep his guard up, there ain't many of us left.

If it's of interest to anyone, I also remember Gwen Wilkin. She had a tobacconist's shop at the bottom of Howard St, back in the late 40's- early 50's, well, she used to run it with her sisters I think. I was only a kid then, but I got the distinct impression she wasn't very happy being there.

Back in the late 50's I took guitar lessons from a lady called Madame Saynor, and that was on Abbey Lane. Probably the same lady. She wanted me to play like Segovia, I wanted to be like Charlie Christian.

I think the comic was 'Knockout'. There was a character on the front called 'Deed a Day Danny', remember him?

It probably was that, only I thought it was on the main road. I remember a guy who had worked there saying toffee used to stuck everywhere. Implying the place wasn't all that clean.

Wasn't there a Thornton's toffee factory up Millhouses someplace at one time? A firm I worked for did building maintenance there back in the 50's.

What about the 'baddies'. My favourites are/were Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef, Dan Duryea, and Richard Boone.

Yeah, after the film was made Howard Hughes sold the details of the bra' to Dorman Longs.

You dawwg.