Cornwall in the 60s
- Thread starter rprest
- Start date
Tropicgal
Janner/ Senior Member
Vaguely! You know what they say about the 60's!!
But seriously I do remember the name can't quite remember him though.
A reply at random to this fantastic thread - I knew the Wishful Thinking when they were the Emeralds - played with them (Buccaneers) at the Barn and Seahawk Club at Culdrose.
So many memories here it's a bit overwhelming - the Wints particularly as I spent so much time there.
IIRC the bouncer was Ben - always wore a string vest even in winter - he headbutted Malcom Mckenna of the Bluecaps.
The Wints could be a bit intimidating - the Greasers lined up along the route to the toilets - the 'Hakes' coming over for a scrap.
Was there the night Kennedy was shot unloading the Bluecaps gear - I was at school with Malcom & Al Crocker and met Nigel Uren when the band formed and practiced in the store behind Davey's wine shop owned by Nigel's father - Ginger Semmens and the Epiphone stereo came along later.
Of all the groups at the Wints I never never once got an autograph or a photo - just memories - Johnny Kidd plunging his sword into the stage is one.
After a gap I was back at the Wints with Mick Martin doing strange light shows with petri dishes filled with water from the gutter outside - the pondlife was interesting.
Back again with Mandalas, strobes and UV by Viscount Vaughan
Back again when the ceiling was lowered - I was with Newlyn Electronics and wired the ceiling lighting.
Came into contact with John again when he opened 'Space' in St Ives.
Was also at school with Phil Blake of the Surfers - used to cycle over to his place at Pra Sands at weekends - such a lovely chap who's life ended so tragically - after school I remember him having something to do with Fred Olds (you want it I've got it) shop in Market Jew street.
Met Al Crocker again at Camborne Tech when he went off to be a Policeman, never saw Malcolm McKenna again but did bump into Nigel Uren.
Malcolm was a superb guitarist - first heard him play at the Mounts Bay Hotel which his parents managed - he then had a Burns guitar, later a white Telecaster but sometimes played an acoustic with a pick-up.
John Fry/Geoff Marshall's was where we headed after school - probably the Church & Cemetary was next door there then - I know the Gas Works was down the hill - also the Harbour might have been a car park (as now) but when I lived in Penzance in the 50's the Harbour extended right up to the Railway Station - Pigeon racing was popular and I remember them being released by the hundred from the Station - also the Car Train offloading holiday makers cars.
Venues then were varied in quality and size - Wints, Pavilion, Barn, St Ives Guildhall. St Ives Rugby Ground (not the club), St Ives Drill Hall at Ayr (demolished), St Just Masonic Hall + Hayle + Porthleven, Pendeen, St Mawes, Culdrose, Helston Con club, Famingo (huge glitter ball), Princes Pavilion (got electrocuted there - the stage sockets were upside down and safety prongs hadn't been invented), various small halls out the back of Camborne & Redruth.
Some things that stick in the mind - mostly at the Wints - Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders, The Fortunes, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Screaming Lord Sutch
So many memories here it's a bit overwhelming - the Wints particularly as I spent so much time there.
IIRC the bouncer was Ben - always wore a string vest even in winter - he headbutted Malcom Mckenna of the Bluecaps.
The Wints could be a bit intimidating - the Greasers lined up along the route to the toilets - the 'Hakes' coming over for a scrap.
Was there the night Kennedy was shot unloading the Bluecaps gear - I was at school with Malcom & Al Crocker and met Nigel Uren when the band formed and practiced in the store behind Davey's wine shop owned by Nigel's father - Ginger Semmens and the Epiphone stereo came along later.
Of all the groups at the Wints I never never once got an autograph or a photo - just memories - Johnny Kidd plunging his sword into the stage is one.
After a gap I was back at the Wints with Mick Martin doing strange light shows with petri dishes filled with water from the gutter outside - the pondlife was interesting.
Back again with Mandalas, strobes and UV by Viscount Vaughan
Back again when the ceiling was lowered - I was with Newlyn Electronics and wired the ceiling lighting.
Came into contact with John again when he opened 'Space' in St Ives.
Was also at school with Phil Blake of the Surfers - used to cycle over to his place at Pra Sands at weekends - such a lovely chap who's life ended so tragically - after school I remember him having something to do with Fred Olds (you want it I've got it) shop in Market Jew street.
Met Al Crocker again at Camborne Tech when he went off to be a Policeman, never saw Malcolm McKenna again but did bump into Nigel Uren.
Malcolm was a superb guitarist - first heard him play at the Mounts Bay Hotel which his parents managed - he then had a Burns guitar, later a white Telecaster but sometimes played an acoustic with a pick-up.
John Fry/Geoff Marshall's was where we headed after school - probably the Church & Cemetary was next door there then - I know the Gas Works was down the hill - also the Harbour might have been a car park (as now) but when I lived in Penzance in the 50's the Harbour extended right up to the Railway Station - Pigeon racing was popular and I remember them being released by the hundred from the Station - also the Car Train offloading holiday makers cars.
Venues then were varied in quality and size - Wints, Pavilion, Barn, St Ives Guildhall. St Ives Rugby Ground (not the club), St Ives Drill Hall at Ayr (demolished), St Just Masonic Hall + Hayle + Porthleven, Pendeen, St Mawes, Culdrose, Helston Con club, Famingo (huge glitter ball), Princes Pavilion (got electrocuted there - the stage sockets were upside down and safety prongs hadn't been invented), various small halls out the back of Camborne & Redruth.
Some things that stick in the mind - mostly at the Wints - Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders, The Fortunes, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Screaming Lord Sutch
Tropicgal
Janner/ Senior Member
My Goodness the memories are flooding back! It's late here but I just saw your post and had to reply. Al Crocker - would that be Alan Crocker who attended St. Mary's RC School??? Ginger Semmens from Madron right??!! I lived in Madron and attended St. Mary's RC so if these are the people I think they are I haven't heard their names in many many years!
I regularly attended the Wints, The Barn Club and also Culdrose (where I met my husband), occasionally the Flamingo and once or twice the club near St. Ives which had a buffalo in a glass case - was that the Rugby Club??/
I saw, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, The Fortunes, The Tremeloes and Dave Dee Dozy Mick and Titch at the Wints!!! Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band at the Flamingo. Ah the Wishful Thinking aka The Emeralds - saw them many times under both names and I had a huge crush on the lead singer!
Saturday afternoons all the girls would sit in the Folly House coffee shop on the Prom and we would manage to make one frothy coffee (we did not know it as cappuchino!!m) last for hours! Sometimes we would meet at the Wimpy bar but mostly it was the Folly House next to the Pavilion.
Happy Days!
I regularly attended the Wints, The Barn Club and also Culdrose (where I met my husband), occasionally the Flamingo and once or twice the club near St. Ives which had a buffalo in a glass case - was that the Rugby Club??/
I saw, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, The Fortunes, The Tremeloes and Dave Dee Dozy Mick and Titch at the Wints!!! Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band at the Flamingo. Ah the Wishful Thinking aka The Emeralds - saw them many times under both names and I had a huge crush on the lead singer!
Saturday afternoons all the girls would sit in the Folly House coffee shop on the Prom and we would manage to make one frothy coffee (we did not know it as cappuchino!!m) last for hours! Sometimes we would meet at the Wimpy bar but mostly it was the Folly House next to the Pavilion.
Happy Days!
missp
Senior Member
@ chriso, thats fantastic reading, thanks for sharing it. Feel free to add more info to the thread.
@tropicgal, I think you are referring to the Buffalo club, my parents used to go there in the 60's. I remember they had a pink membership card with buffalo horns on the front. My older cousins babysat and always played their records and danced with me. I loved the music of the time, still do. I always envied them that they were old enough to go dancing. My era at 'The Wints' was the 70's, but thats another story.
@tropicgal, I think you are referring to the Buffalo club, my parents used to go there in the 60's. I remember they had a pink membership card with buffalo horns on the front. My older cousins babysat and always played their records and danced with me. I loved the music of the time, still do. I always envied them that they were old enough to go dancing. My era at 'The Wints' was the 70's, but thats another story.
tabtab13
Active Member
I'd be interested to hear of any members memories of the Counter Culture in Penzance during the late '60s. Was rebellion and change in the air down here or was that left to those 'up country'? Did it have any impact on how you lived your life or changed the way you thought about things?
treeve
Major Contributor
Yep - you've got AL & Mr Semmens spot on - very odd thinking back to those times - I remember all those people as being very mature, very skilled and passionate about their music but we were playing the Barn & Wints at night and getting up for school the next day.
I don't actively seek out anyone from my youth but am surprised how few are around now - a lot like Phil Blake have died.
Strange how you remember things from so long ago - the Emeralds turned up one year minus the lead singer as he'd has his appendix removed and the (excellent) guitarist did the vocals.
I remember them for their Beach Boys covers which were superb - the lead guitarist had a Baby Binson echo unit which sounded fabulous - Tony the lead in the Buccaneers (Fender Jag) also had one but broke and never got fixed.
I still see Andrew Newport Transport trucks around - I knew him as 'Huggy Newport' who used to drive the Buccaneers in an old van.
Tony's father owned Hitchens Transport which was where Roger Harding's Rover garage is near Newlyn bridge.
I used a Fender Telecaster borrowed from Malcolm McKenna & a Gibson Les Paul Junior which came from one of the Staggerlees - also a Hopf which I bought from Fry/Marshal for £75 - later I worked at Holman Bros for about £5 a week !!
I often go walking around Penzance and if the Folly Cafe is open I pop in for an Ice cream - when I was at school (Humphry Davy) Mr Thomas Crask-Rising was the Headmaster and was a very handy with the cane - Charlie the Art master had a terrific arm and could hit anyone from distance with the blackboard eraser.
Absolute high point of the day was when the girls came down from their Grammar School to use our canteen.
Most significant other event in Penzance was the opening of ????? - a really different 'venue' in Chapel street - it was just up from the Benbow on the other side - if you look in there now there's a mirror on the wall.
In those days dinner hour was either sandwiches or chips from Graves in Causewayhead - when this place opened it was incredible - they played pop music - I remember first hearing the Hollies there - the only other source of music like that was Radio Luxembourg or 6s & 8d 45's from the record shop by Humphry Davy's statue - it had a little cubicle with headphones to preview the disc - fantastic.
My early years were in York street opposite the Hospital - in those days St Clare flats hadn't been built - just a row of cottages - Heamor was a village remote from Penzance and people rarely visited Madron.
In the winter of 62/63 when Siberia came to Cornwall we still ran cross country from the School down through Treneere up the hill towards Gulval and back again.
When the snow first struck the 16 bus to St Ives got stuck at Nancledra and we just got off and walked to St Ives in School uniform (short trousers) - no big deal.
In later life I came back to Penzance and worked at Newlyn Electronics for John Knubley a true genius in the mould of Clive Sinclair - he developed the petrol vending systems we have today - one of the first we did was at the garage opposite the railway station where the retirement flats are now - unfortunately severley injured in a car crash.
Went on from there to work at Liftech engineering out in the railway yards at Long Rock - we made cherry picker lifting gear for everyone from British rail to British Airways - there I got to know Charlie Greenhaugh at the Mount View Pub who later died in the Penlee tragedy of 1981.
Nuff for now
Tropicgal
Janner/ Senior Member
I haven't thought about Alan Crocker or Ginger Semmens for years!!! I have a photo of St. Mary's RC School which includes Alan and myself. Must look it out. I remember an occasion when Alan and his friend (think he was called Timothy Hawes) hid under the Sister Superior's desk while she was giving a lesson and then moved it along the room behind her! She could not understand why we were all giggling!
I remember Ginger Semmens fell out of a tree one time and I think he was in hospital a long time, not sure if it was a fractured skull.
I remember when St. Clare Flats were not there and it was just cottages. Eventually Pendarves Flats were built and my grandmother moved there from Adelaide Street (I was born at number 24) and where she lived during my younger years. I lived in Madron most of my life until I married and moved first to Praa Sands, then Helston, then Plymouth, back to Helston and eventually to Porthleven. Then we (husband, myself and two sons) emigrated.
We used to visit Penzance once a year when my mother was alive but have only been infrequently since she passed. I do visit one of my old haunts The Turks Head which is where I had my first (illegal) alcoholic drink at 16!! Had the pleasure of taking my son and his wife there a couple of years ago for a pint! Felt really strange.
The other venue which opened in Chapel Street was that up the alley way just up from the Wesleyan Chapel??? My memory has played tricks on me and I thought that was where the El Greco was but other members on the forum have said no that was in New Street. What was the name of the club in Chapel Street???
I remember Ginger Semmens fell out of a tree one time and I think he was in hospital a long time, not sure if it was a fractured skull.
I remember when St. Clare Flats were not there and it was just cottages. Eventually Pendarves Flats were built and my grandmother moved there from Adelaide Street (I was born at number 24) and where she lived during my younger years. I lived in Madron most of my life until I married and moved first to Praa Sands, then Helston, then Plymouth, back to Helston and eventually to Porthleven. Then we (husband, myself and two sons) emigrated.
We used to visit Penzance once a year when my mother was alive but have only been infrequently since she passed. I do visit one of my old haunts The Turks Head which is where I had my first (illegal) alcoholic drink at 16!! Had the pleasure of taking my son and his wife there a couple of years ago for a pint! Felt really strange.
The other venue which opened in Chapel Street was that up the alley way just up from the Wesleyan Chapel??? My memory has played tricks on me and I thought that was where the El Greco was but other members on the forum have said no that was in New Street. What was the name of the club in Chapel Street???
Hi Chriso,
Strange how we all seem to intertwine, I worked behind the bar in the Wints in the 60's for a while followed by several years at the Barn.
Also in the 60's I was one of the motorbike crowed down on the Prom.
Iremember Grave cafe very well, especially when we called it the graveyard and he did the basement out with coffin lid tables.
I started playing in bands a bit late, around 1970, by '77 we put together the band Smiler, and Phill Blake was our drummer for 9 years, 3 months after deciding to move on he had the heart attacks and brain bleeds etc.
Also in the 70's at the Wints we supported the likes of Tremeloes, Marmalade, Mud, Alvin Stardust and a few more.
@ Tropicgal the other venue in Chapel Street was Mrs Bains discotech.
Gotta get some tea, put more up later.
Strange how we all seem to intertwine, I worked behind the bar in the Wints in the 60's for a while followed by several years at the Barn.
Also in the 60's I was one of the motorbike crowed down on the Prom.
Iremember Grave cafe very well, especially when we called it the graveyard and he did the basement out with coffin lid tables.
I started playing in bands a bit late, around 1970, by '77 we put together the band Smiler, and Phill Blake was our drummer for 9 years, 3 months after deciding to move on he had the heart attacks and brain bleeds etc.
Also in the 70's at the Wints we supported the likes of Tremeloes, Marmalade, Mud, Alvin Stardust and a few more.
@ Tropicgal the other venue in Chapel Street was Mrs Bains discotech.
Gotta get some tea, put more up later.
Marvelous !!
I must correct myself..Al didn't join the Police.
The light shows at the Wints were by Mick Phelps.
Mr Symons suggests the Bali Club being in Chapel street - that sounds good.
Hi Chriso,
Strange how we all seem to intertwine, I worked behind the bar in the Wints in the 60's for a while followed by several years at the Barn.
Also in the 60's I was one of the motorbike crowed down on the Prom.
Iremember Grave cafe very well, especially when we called it the graveyard and he did the basement out with coffin lid tables.
I started playing in bands a bit late, around 1970, by '77 we put together the band Smiler, and Phill Blake was our drummer for 9 years, 3 months after deciding to move on he had the heart attacks and brain bleeds etc.
Also in the 70's at the Wints we supported the likes of Tremeloes, Marmalade, Mud, Alvin Stardust and a few more.
@ Tropicgal the other venue in Chapel Street was Mrs Bains discotech.
Gotta get some tea, put more up later.
Thanks for the info - I was completely out of music by the time you had Smiler and hadn't seen Phil since probably 1968 - there aren't many from my youth that I care to hear about but Phil was a top chap and the only mention of him in 40 years was a very sad obituary so I'm pleased to hear of the 9 years of Smiler.
You would probably have served me an illegal pint or 8 then s55
Golden Boy.........
The Golden Boy in question was Roy Maddern. I used to manage the Druids. This thread has brought back many memories. We were the first group to have a concert on the Promenade. Had call on the police to control the crowds.What a night.
Jimjam
The Golden Boy in question was Roy Maddern. I used to manage the Druids. This thread has brought back many memories. We were the first group to have a concert on the Promenade. Had call on the police to control the crowds.What a night.
Jimjam
