Working Men's Clubs in Sheffield

[paulo1198 10]

First saw marti caine at dial house club.

she ran a cafe at firth park before that.

 

Does anyone remember Ronnie Dukes and Ricki Lee.

 

I can remember going to the kids Christmas party a few years on the trot in the 70's at Firth Park WMC on Idsworth Road as my dad was a member there.

A selection box an apple an orange and all the pop and crisps you could chuck down your young neck

I can also remember going in Marti Caine's cafe

[Knowlesy 10]

Hi,

 

Just came across a load of stuff from my uncle and I found that my granddad was the president in 1975 at the Attercliffe Liberal Club....

 

1975

====

 

Officials

 

President : William Knowles.

Secretary: L. Christopher

Treasurer: H. Scarratt

 

Committee

 

W.Goodison

H.Towers

C.Smith

F.Webster

E.Witham

N.Ridgeway

E.West

H.Joel

 

Any one know him? Sorry to say he died in 1985. I am carrying out a family tree and would love to hear from his friends.

 

I have very few photos so if any one can help? Club pictures and news around 1975?

 

btw I am he grand son.

 

Thanks!

[lakerman 16]

Hi Knowlesy, I was a member of the club in the 1960's and 70's and I remember Bill Knowles. I only knew him through going into the club so I can't give you any other info about him. I seem to remember that he was always working hard for the benefit of the club. I knew many of the other names you mention also.

The club is still going (I am not a member these days) so it might be worth a call to them to see if anyone else remembers him.

[Knowlesy 10]

Hi Knowlesy, I was a member of the club in the 1960's and 70's and I remember Bill Knowles. I only knew him through going into the club so I can't give you any other info about him. I seem to remember that he was always working hard for the benefit of the club. I knew many of the other names you mention also.

The club is still going (I am not a member these days) so it might be worth a call to them to see if anyone else remembers him.

 

 

You do? Wow thats great. Yep, I forgot to mention everyone knew him by Bill. Yeah, apparently he did a lot for the club. His Son (my dad) was also a member but that thing tended to die off (signing in to the club and paying the subs).

 

I may yet have wonder down the the club see if they can give me any details. Long shot but you never know!

 

Nice to chat to you.

[sweeney todd 10]

I ,remember all the artists that have been named on this forum but i can't remember one singer who we followed around the clubs ,but his song i allways remember was The ugly bug ball.He never failed to sing it.Could anyone remember is stage name.Last time i saw him was at the Shiregreen club in the sixties,

[flyer 10]

I seem to think my first pint was when my dad took me into a club on Penistone Rd <Its been a long time but around wood st ? just going into the army at 17

[willybite 10]

hiya

my first taste of a working mens club was the labour club on west street i

remember it well the earliest i recall was the concert room being on the first floor the upper floor was closed it was the early 40s my mum and dad met here in1936 i was born in '38 thinking back i was very young as my dad went in the army in 1943.if you remember its entrance was in the lane at the side of the beehive pub and over the garage. the last time i recall going in was around the late 40s

a fellow work mate told us a tale about a bloke he knew who was a wrestler and he asked if he was still wrestling he said no i'm not it's too brutal then he told him how he got started his manager said they would have to have a name for him something continental he said we will give you a french name any suggestions the bloke said the only french he knew was that he went in the la plata wmc right then he said we will call you ramond la plata you wont have to say a word just wee wee

Edited May 11, 2009 by willybite

[redshadow 10]

An ex-girlfriends' dad, Jeff, used to be a drummer for various acts in Sheffield WM clubs in the late 70s, early 80s.. he was very good, despite the uninspiring stuff he had to play (I think that his real passion was jazz). As a result we generally went aong to see him whenever possible (he probably appreciated the moral support). So memories of some truly dire singers in the Heeley/Arbourthorne/Manor areas of Sheffield. On a heuw far h-away...

We also saw "the Discos" on numerous occasions, I'm sure that there is a thread somewhere on here for this act, but still worth a mention... thirty years on, and I'm still singing "show me a motion"....

Edited May 14, 2009 by redshadow

[deelightful3 10]

i used togo in burnaby street wmc around the mid 70s,the drummer and organist i think were called ray and fred?

[Bassman62 10]

I started playing on the WMC club scene in 1963, in those days concert secs went around looking at prospective acts and if they were suitable they would be engaged.

After a spell in the army I returned to the WMC scene in the 70s.

The major difference by then was the emergence of the entertainment agencies.

Had it not been For the smaller agents such as the two Alberts (Little Albert Hitchen & Big albert) we would have very rarely worked the local clubs.

 

The larger agents sent you out of Sheffield swapping you with Leeds/Bradford agents (who'd never even seen you); this was to bump up the fees ("You'll have to pay more they're from out of town").

 

I was present on more than one occasion when concert secs were given 'hand warmers' by the agent who'd just secured 6 months work at a club.

 

We owed a big debt to people such as Geoff Clayton at Walkley WMC who still kept on booking his own acts and we had great respect for him; we were able to work for less fee due to it being a local gig and the club also benefitted.

 

I went back to the pub scene after being sick of the excessive travelling, the infamous 'No Pick Up' and the amount of commssion that we had to pay, I don't know what it is now but the last fee we played for was £300 less £52 for the agent.

 

Whether it suits or not the agents have played more than their part in the decline of the WMC scene

[Kidorry 189]

I do not know if it has been asked before but can anyone remember Bobby Knutt with another chap & they were called Pea & Knutt?

[handypandy 14]

I started playing on the WMC club scene in 1963, in those days concert secs went around looking at prospective acts and if they were suitable they would be engaged.

After a spell in the army I returned to the WMC scene in the 70s.

The major difference by then was the emergence of the entertainment agencies.

Had it not been For the smaller agents such as the two Alberts (Little Albert Hitchen & Big albert) we would have very rarely worked the local clubs.

 

The larger agents sent you out of Sheffield swapping you with Leeds/Bradford agents (who'd never even seen you); this was to bump up the fees ("You'll have to pay more they're from out of town").

 

I was present on more than one occasion when concert secs were given 'hand warmers' by the agent who'd just secured 6 months work at a club.

 

We owed a big debt to people such as Geoff Clayton at Walkley WMC who still kept on booking his own acts and we had great respect for him; we were able to work for less fee due to it being a local gig and the club also benefitted.

 

I went back to the pub scene after being sick of the excessive travelling, the infamous 'No Pick Up' and the amount of commssion that we had to pay, I don't know what it is now but the last fee we played for was £300 less £52 for the agent.

 

Whether it suits or not the agents have played more than their part in the decline of the WMC scene

 

All true.....and thanks for the memory jog re...Albert Hitchen........what a character, with special memories of his Reid & Taylor suits that always looked smart (except 3 sizes too big !)