Jump to content


Any Jazz fans left in Sheffield?

Recommended Posts

There's a reasonably full account of Club60 and the Esquire Club in Don Hale and Terry Thornton's book "Club 60 and The Esquire:Sheffield Sound in the 60's"

It helps if you have some knowledge of what was happening before you read the book because there are many gaps and events just not included.

 

Included in the book is a picture of Gordon Grooby (incorrectly spelled) who had been running a jazz club at the Haigh Tree Inn on Bernard Street between 1954 and 1959.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Club-60-Esquire-Sheffield-Sounds/dp/1500543667/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527252547&sr=1-3&keywords=terry+thornton

 

Haigh Tree Inn, Bernard Street. That's a blast from the past -not that I'd heard of it before. Wonder what the older patrons of the pub made of Jazz music in the Park district in the mid 1950's ?

 

---------- Post added 26-05-2018 at 00:33 ----------

 

 

One of those books is nearly 80 quid ! but does have Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages on the cover.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Haigh Tree Inn, Bernard Street. That's a blast from the past -not that I'd heard of it before. Wonder what the older patrons of the pub made of Jazz music in the Park district in the mid 1950's .

 

The licensee, Pat Groobey wife of Dennis, was the youngest licensee in Sheffield when she took the pub on.From memory she was 23 when she took it on.

There were complaints about the noise from locals but the police were happy when Pat showed them her children, both under two years old, sleeping in the bedroom above the concert room. The pub received other complaints about the type of visitor it attracted -customer and musicians alike. Pat's family were part of the Irish community that lived in the area around St Vincent's church on Solly Street and amongst her contacts was the "Mrs Flanagan" landlady character who puts in an appearance in the first volume of George Melly's autobiography. The pub was often used as overflow for visiting musicians when "Flanagan's" was full or musicians just dossed down on the benches in the bar. Big Bill Broonzy was a well documented one when he was on his final tour with Chris Barber but others have recently come to light.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

my brother introduced me to jazz and the first club he took me to was theVat 69 on west bar it was in a cellar,he took me to Nether Edge every tuesday and all the other clubs,sadly he died last year, he had a fabulous collection of records and I'm hoping my sister in law realises how valuable they are,lots of 78's,I'm hoping Ican get some of them,not for the value just for the memories of the two of us listening to some of the greatest jazz performances ever.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wasn't the Vat 69 jazz club under/in a pub called the Acorn? If so that was the first and the last time I ever saw Harold McNair the alto player. I remember he did nearly the whole gig playing flute. You had a good brother there Odie.

 

---------- Post added 16-08-2018 at 18:56 ----------

 

Wasn't the Vat 69 jazz club under/in a pub called the Acorn? If so that was the first and the last time I ever saw Harold McNair the alto player. I remember he did nearly the whole gig playing flute. You had a good brother there Odie.
And let's hear it for Aretha Franklin.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Wasn't the Vat 69 jazz club under/in a pub called the Acorn? If so that was the first and the last time I ever saw Harold McNair the alto player. I remember he did nearly the whole gig playing flute. You had a good brother there Odie.

 

---------- Post added 16-08-2018 at 18:56 ----------

 

And let's hear it for Aretha Franklin.

 

That was the Club 60

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Icertainly did Kidley,he was the best,he was 5yrs oldef than me but from a very young age he let me tag along. We went pot holing,caving, train spotting,he even bought a tandam bike because Inever learned to ride one of my ownWhen he died he had his wallet sent to me and in it were the first football game tickets we for the Owls,the letter to say I'd passed my 11plus the first cinema tickets he took me to,the tram ticket and all the letters Ihad ever written to him in a big envelope

 

---------- Post added 18-08-2018 at 05:52 ----------

 

and thank you too texas.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Icertainly did Texas,he was the best,he was 5yrs oldef than me but from a very young age he let me tag along. We went pot holing,caving, train spotting,he even bought a tandam bike because Inever learned to ride one of my ownWhen he died he had his wallet sent to me and in it were the first football game tickets we for the Owls,the letter to say I'd passed my 11plus the first cinema tickets he took me to,the tram ticket and all the letters Ihad ever written to him in a big envelope

 

---------- Post added 18-08-2018 at 05:52 ----------

 

and thank you too texas.

 

Hi Odie

You was replying to Texas post not mine, i have changed the name to Texas for you.(not sure you would know how to do it)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Tony Oxley the drummer,or real name Clifford is my Dads cousin.and my Granfather was Tony’s Dads brother,my dad often talks about Tony and I remember my Uncle Clifford coming to our house when I was a child.they call my dad Geoff Oxley and my Grandfather was Percy.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 25/01/2019 at 15:04, Andy Oxley said:

Tony Oxley the drummer,or real name Clifford is my Dads cousin.and my Granfather was Tony’s Dads brother,my dad often talks about Tony and I remember my Uncle Clifford coming to our house when I was a child.they call my dad Geoff Oxley and my Grandfather was Percy.

is your dad still alive ime T.O brother

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was a student at the University from 1959 and used to go to the Black Swan in Snig Nall to hear Barry Whitworth's Quintet. As a musician I played with Barry frequently  in later years bu eventually lost touch. I'm guessing he'll be in his late 80s or 90 by now. Can anyone tell me if he's still around?      Thanks - Tony Faulkner

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 05/11/2020 at 15:35, AWFulmusic said:

I was a student at the University from 1959 and used to go to the Black Swan in Snig Nall to hear Barry Whitworth's Quintet. As a musician I played with Barry frequently  in later years bu eventually lost touch. I'm guessing he'll be in his late 80s or 90 by now. Can anyone tell me if he's still around?      Thanks - Tony Faulkner

There was a Barry Whitworth died October 2017 in Sheffield aged 84. Wife’s name Joan.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.