Did You Live in The Gardens in the Fifties?

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Permalink Reply by Edward Constable on October 25, 2016 at 8:02

G'day again Roy. I'm glad to hear you got a good Education on Jazz, and of all places, the Army!!!!!! I met a load of Guys in the Army, while I was doing my National Service, who loved Jazz, as much as me. What mob were you in, and what was your number ??? I was in the 1st Battalion the Royal Rifles, and did my basic training in Winchester, finishing up in Kenya as the Commanding Officers Driver. It was the best of all jobs to get, simply because I missed a lot of Parades and more training. I spent lots of time with the C/O on Safari's and at HQ in Nairobi,and to put the icing on the cake, when I'd dropped him of in Niarobi, he would give me £5:00!!!!! The reason for this was, I had been in quite a lot of trouble in the UK ( going on the trot a.w.a.l.) for reason to explain, would take a long time!!!!! By the way what was your army number ??? Mine was 22936507.
You also mention seeing Barbara Windsor and one of the Kray twins!!!!!! Well I got to meet the Kray twin Ronnie and Reggie. Where I used to work, before I went in the Army, was with a Building Contractor, who's Office and Yard,( was in the East End ) being opposite where the Twins lived. I struck up a friendship with there old Granfather, Jimmy, we had our lunch together. My meeting the twins was all by accident, while out one Night at one of my Jazz haunts, Greys Dance Studio in Seven Sisters Road Holloway, which doubled for a Jazz Club, on Wednesday Night's only. So while I was there, on the Dance Floor Jiving, this Mate of mine ( Ronnie Stone ) came in, with the two Twins. At that stage I did not know who they were, so on leaving the Dance Floor, I went up to him,Ronnie, as Friends do. That's when I got to meet the twins, Ron introduced me to them both. After finding out where they lived, it was like I was one of there old buddies. It turned out that they were both on the trot ( a.w.a.l. ) from the Army, so that's how come I never saw them at there Home. After they discovered that I knew there Grandad, they became very friendly, which ment for them, that I could take money they gave me, Home to there Mother ( they, as you might know, could not show up at Home, for fear of the M.Ps catching them.) So after tooing and frowing, I became one of there Mates, I was very pleased to go in the Army because of the trouble ( fights ) they got into, so was able to make a friendly exit from there Gang, thank my lucky Stars!!!!!!!! There's lots more I could mention but would take too long ha!ha!
Now you mentioned Stan Getz, I met him at a Live Concert, here in Brisbane also met a load of Big Bands right here in Brisbane, which you could not believe, Wow!!!!!! Sorry for going on so long, but one thing lead to another, as they do.
Regarding Jacky Lock, I'll find out a lot more from Kenny Stapleton. Brain Wilkinson, said " he can't remember you for the moment "
Cheers for now Roy, stay safe and well. Eddie

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Permalink Reply by ROY BOWKER on October 25, 2016 at 18:32

Hi again Eddie, Firstly don't apologize for "going on so long". It really made interesting reading what you have been up to. Also I think if we do tell happenings from the past, we might find out our lives have crossed at some point, who knows?

 Army number 23371196,  Intake number 5703. Didn't get out of this country. Did basic training at Hillsea Barracks. Trade training at Blackdown and finally posted to Bordon in Hampshire. I think if you looked at a map, you would find I didn't move out of that county! The mob was RAOC. Managed to get a job at Bordon as Company runner. After checking my in box for mail in the morning and delivering it, the rest of the day was mine, well not according to rules, but I managed to brake them most days! Was good at times but money was a bit short, so end of the week was a bit boring.

  As I have said on Hol I was in the printing trade all my life. One place I worked at was G.E. Jacksons Mildmay Road Islington. There was a guy there that was related (maybe distant relative) to the Kray's. He had ginger hair, but I can't remember his name. Will have to ask my Bro-in-law, as he worked there also.

 Looks like you have been a jammy sod Eddie, all the concerts you have been to, mine are only Louis Armstrong at one of the big venues in the smoke, can't remember just now. Ted Heath at the Empire Wood Green and Ken Mcintosh at the Astoria Finsbury Park. Yes did see Eddie Condon (Banjo player) at Doug Dobells signing autographs, and I believe he was sober! He was well known for turning up at gigs and concerts out of his mind, but still managed to play his way through it.

 Now just a minute ago my wife called me into the lounge to show me something that was on TV called "Flog it" on BBC. As the name says it's about selling things. Don't know if you have or can get it over there? One of the items up for auction was a set of photographs all with the Kray twins in! Now there's a bloody coincidence Eddie eh? They went for £120. I would have thought they would have gone for more than that, wouldn't you? There was a quite large group photo, so if you ever had your picture taken with them, you might be in it, have you?

 Well that's all again for now Eddie.

   Catch you later cheers Roy

Permalink Reply by ROY BOWKER on October 25, 2016 at 20:41

Eddie, can you accept me as a connection or friend. I have sent you a request. It is so I can send you a private message. That is if you want to, of course.

 Cheers Roy

Permalink Reply by John D on October 24, 2016 at 17:00

Edward and Roy.

I love reading these reminiscences. Do keep it up,

They should be collected and published

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Permalink Reply by ROY BOWKER on October 24, 2016 at 17:25

Thanks for complement John. Actually i think I could go on and on. It was just a great place and time to grow up in.

 Cheers Roy.

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Permalink Reply by John D on October 24, 2016 at 18:14

Jazz memories from the Sixties - The Marquee, Ken Colyer's

And the Two Is for R&R

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Permalink Reply by ROY BOWKER on October 24, 2016 at 21:14

Yes John, been there and there, and there. What about Heaven and Hell? The coffee tables down stairs were in the shape of coffins! The west end of London.....great. But sad to say no longer like it.

Cheers Roy

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on October 24, 2016 at 17:54

They are collected and published, John. That's howcome you're reading them!

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Permalink Reply by John D on October 25, 2016 at 8:48

It's like 84, Charing Cross Road, but without the book stuff :-)

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Permalink Reply by Edward Constable on October 25, 2016 at 2:20

Thanks for that John D, nice to know the we gave you some joy in reading our mail, good luck. Why don't you tell us something about yourself John D ?????????

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Permalink Reply by John D on October 25, 2016 at 8:50

Only came to live in Harringay in 1998 so nothing to contribute. But I bet you never saw the Clyde Valley Stompers ?

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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on October 24, 2016 at 23:50

Sorry to put a damper on the whole thing.

I also lived on Warwick Gardens late 50s, early 60s.

And whilst we all would like to believe, that we, our youth, was something special. I'm afraid it wasn't. I experienced lots of London's sub culture from the later 60s onwards, the swinging London period, Chelsea Drugstore etc. Club scene in Chelsea and Earl's Court  and have to say, London has never been so attractive as it is now. And don't let 2010s media outlets tell you otherwise.

We all have to come to terms with the fact that life moves on. What keeps me going is the contact I have with younger people, with whom I work and have social contact, their ideas and energy. It also keeps me younger, in my mind at least.

I also have friends who continually sit on this rollercoaster ride of reliving the past. It's pretty depressing, this continually looking back, not forward. I love to pass on to the younger generation how things were 'back then', but certainly don't want to wallow in this 'the good old days' mentality. If you were Gay, an unmarried mother, divorced, Black, Irish, and many other variants, they certainly weren't good. The majority of Harringay's residents had 0% input into how their lives were run. They probably voted every five years and generally for the party of their fathers. The opportunities of British Citizens pre-Brexit are un-paralleled. Not perfect, there's was an awful lot to be down. But certainly a whole lot better than the stuffy 1950s, where people 'knew their place' in society, where people like my parents dared not speak out.

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