Manchester in the sixties

Matchstick figures, dirt and grim, black, black buildings, smoking chimneys and more smoking chimneys, and two football teams, the Reds and the Blues.

John Mayall was living in Cheetham Hill, soon he would have Alexis Korner staying with him whilst appearing at the Twisted Wheel in Brazennose street.

Mr Lowry was once my grandmothers rent collector.

My granddad drove the number 17 bus from Manchester to Rochdale in the 1950's as well as the 110 Trolley Bus that went to the Gardner's Arms.

When I left school in 1962 the coffee bar scene was in full swing in Manchester. The best place to go was the Cona coffee bar in Tib Street. Manchester was full of night clubs, from The Bossa Nova to The Cabaret Club. There were many wonderful characters who are just distant memories now. The comic Al 'Hello Duckies' Showman and a whole host of gay comedians performing almost illicitly at several venues while the Manchester police turned a blind eye. There was a whole raft of well known strippers including Mitzie Roberts, wife of the convicted cop killer Harry Roberts (she even opened her own school for strippers) known as 'Mitzi the Pocket Venus' - and the legendary Tum Tum Tumington who was reputed to finish her bold strip with a cartwheel, still wearing her indian headress but nothing else. I can well remember seeing Mitzi perform at the Princess Club Chorlton and the chant of 'Harry Roberts, Harry Harry Roberts' that went up at the time. My overwhelming feeling was one of pity and shame - she was no longer living with 'the cop killer' and even if she had been, his behaviour was hardly down to her.



Ralph's twenty first birthday celebration at the Princess Club, Chorlton, Manchester circa 1969. Picture taken by unknown stripper in a fur coat

Lunch time dancing was started at the Manchester Plaza (by Jimmy Savile).

(Ugly) Ray Terret was the DJ at the Oasis. The club that first had the Beatles in Manchester (22 February 1963). In fact they had been on almost a year previously but nobody knew who they were.

Dave Lee Travis became the DJ at the Manchester Cavern (He would drive around in an old USA army Jeep - a poor imitation of Jimmy Savile who had a 'home made (modified) white, Rolls Royce.

When I was seventeen and as an apprentice printer, always short of cash, I took a job as a waiter in my auntie's pub, The Griffin in Cheetham Hill, next to the now demolished swimming baths. At the time the pub was being refurbished and there was plaster and dust all over the place. I wore a white 'monkey-jacket' and served customers at their tables when they caught my eye. I had only been there for a few weeks when my aunt decided to dispense with my services - I couldn't believe it - sacked by my own kith and kin! Shortly after, when the alterations were finished, she was given the push herself. Couldn't say I was heartbroken. And now? After being burned out in a gangster turf war, it's now a sari shop. If ever there was a sign of the times...

But best of all Roger Eagle the DJ at the Twisted Wheel in Brazennose Street was introducing a generation of Mods into the the Blues and the Soul.

Rowntrees owned four clubs, Top of the Town, Sound, Stakis and Spring Gardens.

Dingwall the Chief constable said the city's clubs were patronised by 'Individuals of exaggerated dress and deportment, commonly known as mods, rockers and beatniks'
 - what all in the same club?

Later James Anderton set about closing the clubs but he never got the Wheel. Eventually he became a figure of fun - an old testament prophet complete with enormous beard. Other policemen have stated that this was a misguided policy - they knew where all the villains hung out and could visit them at any time. One thing is for sure, things haven't improved in Gunchester.