I've been doing a bit of a delve into The Watersons, taking myself back in the day to the mid-Sixties. The Watersons founded Folk Union One, which ran in the upstairs 'Concert Room' of the Bluebell Inn, reached by sneaking up a passageway, next to where the Arcade came out on to Market Place. (I know that entry is possible from the covered market these days). Anyway, I found this history paper on the pub: http://www.rbarnard.karoo.net/Blue Bell.pdf Incidentally, it was in the Blue bell that I last saw and talked to Ray Harvey, in 2008
Interesting read Stan, I have been to the folk evenings in the sixties, as one pal of mine was right into folk music.
I saw Bert Jansch there, twice. The first time, the Folkocracy didn't really know who he was and talked through his spot. The second time he came, his first album was out and selling. The same bastards as before were now self-righteously 'Shush'-ing everybody who even coughed. Still'n'all...
He was my pals hero, and it was the first time I had come across his music around this time, I didn't see him live unfortunately.
I went to the Blue Bell Inn on Friday nights during the mid-late 50's when it had a Jazz group including a fellow student on clarinet. Then on to the Corn Exchange and Tivoli Hotel(my dad's old pub) before ending up at the City Hall dance. Good memories! Was last in there in 2010 when I took my wife around the 'Old Town' to show her where the old Tivoli used to stand where I spent the first couple of years of my life. Have a photo of me standing next to Elvis in the Corn Exchange.
Used to know Ray and his mate John who committed suicide about years ago when on remand. First time I saw Ray was at the Little Richard concert at Brid Spa in 1964 when someone unaware of who was behind him made the mistake of shouting "Little Richard you're a black bastard. All blacks are bastards". Ray saved me from getting a knife in my back in a nightclub from someone who it turned out had mistaken me for someone else. Remember a report in the HDM when a judge said he was thinking of sentencing him to 9 months. Ray said he could do 9 months standing on his head. The judge replied I said I was thinking of it. In that case we will make it 15 months.
That's the one. Hadn't seen him for years when he walked in Botanic in early 1980s. Still in parka, jumbo cords and desert boots. Recognised me as he was always jealous of my sideburns when I was 16 or 17 back in the sixties. I thought they were cool but my lad dissolves into fits of laughter when he sees old photographs. John stopped knocking about in Brid when he stole some money off someone who had put him up. He went away as he had done a lot more as well.The lad found out when he was coming out and waited for him at Paragon Station and battered him all over the platform. .
please log in to view this image The Gaiety Picture House was converted from a Georgian house into a small cinema in the old town area of Kingston-On-Hull, East Yorkshire. It seated just under 600 in the stalls and 100 in the small balcony. It opened in 1913 but closed on 20th March 1915, only to reopen as a music hall which ran successfully until 1934, changing its name to the Playgoers Theatre in 1928. Remarkably, it survived intact through various uses of storage, rehearsal space, etc. until 1990 when the interior was completely gutted and the space used for an extension to the Market Hall. The facade was renovated at this time and the outside walls of the auditorium behind the original house are still there. No trace of its former use remains inside however. http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6217
I think this is opposite the King William, and it's where the ugly 'mirror' building is now. Am I right? please log in to view this image * Check the way King Billy and his horse are facing.
It is exactly opposite the King Billy pub, but it's where the Combined Courts stand now. The mirror building is a little further along to the north (or the left, as you look at this photo>
Gotcha, thanks There was a pretty run-down coffee-shop there when I was in my teens (where the mirror building is). I think it was called Gold's.
The only way you could get entry into the Union Folk Club was via the stairway inside Bluebell pub. You had to come down stairs for a drink, if I remember correctly. Mike Chapman was a regular artist there. Being inside the pub also restricted the clubs opening and closing times, which had to be the same as the pub, remembering last orders were called before 10.30pm in those days, to get you out for 10.30pm, then a mad dash to bus station for the last bus home. Re Ray Ivey. I was once locked up overnight in Queens Gardens nick and there was an almighty commotion late one night, screaming, crying, pleading and generally someone acting like a big kid. It was Ray. One of Hull's most famous people, all the same. The 'John' I knew was always stood in the doorway of ABC, where they sold flowers, and he used to tap young kids ( me leaving work and going to catch my bus, usually) up for a shilling. ' Lend us a bob' Skinny bloke, tab in his mouth, long scraggly hair. Lazy looking bastard.
