Web Page  No 2144

29^th March 2015

Top Picture: The Laughing Policeman Machine

 Middle Picture: Metal name tape machine

 Lower Picture:  Steamer timetable from South Parade Pier

  Bottom Picture: The Pier Theatre

A Trip to the Pier

Back in the late 1950’s a trip to South Parade Pier was a real adventure for the young teenager, there was so much to see and do and so much you could do with your pocket money. The fairground games and attractions in the Arcade at the landward end of the pier was always popular, we always thought that we could beat the stall holders at their own game, but actually we never could. The ‘Roll a Penny’ boards being a prime example and the shout of ‘Hey Mr I have just won 1/-‘ was soon deflated when he always said ‘ No mate there is a tiny bit of the penny on the black line, you loose’. You just could not win on that stall. The ‘Hook a Duck’ stall was just as bad because if you did win, the prize was always something cheap that you did not want or could not use. Skill was required at some stalls but you had to be a real expert to throw those bent darts on the darts Stall or to completely cover the plinth on the Hoop-la stall. The air rifle all had their sights filed down so you could not aim and the arrows on the Bow and Arrow stall certainly suffered with a very bad attack of falling feathers.

Of course these games of chance you were never meant to win on but you could put a penny in the slot of a cabinet and enjoy the Laughing Policeman (voice by curtesy of Mr Charles Penrose). There were Haunted House Machines, Hangman Machines and Executioner Machines all of which would give you and those looking over your shoulder a minute’s entertainment. But there was no doubt that the trickiest machine, and the most difficult to win on was the ‘Mechanical Grab’. For the expenditure of a shilling you could attempt to manoeuver the grab arm to try to win yourself a portable radio, a doll or teddy bear but most likely you would either miss completely or win a packet of Refreshers.

One of the machines that you could not loose on was the nameplate machine. There it stood solidly in the corner of the Arcade painted red with letters and figures picked out in white and a pointing arm in some form of shiny metal. There can be very few people of our age who did not, at one time or other, feed the machine and with the dexterous use of the shiny pointer and the press handle on the side of the machine manufacture their own personalised metal name tape complete with holes at each end to attach it to a case or box or whatever.

Then there was Candy Floss and Toffee Apples to keep the hunger at bay.

The only thing that I really remember about walking along the deck of South Parade Pier is the lines of fishermen who only ever seemed to catch tiny crabs. These crabs were discarded onto the decking making an area underfoot of crushed crab.

Beauty Contests and Band Concerts were the mainstay of the open air theatre on the pier head. These upbeat shows had to take a five minute break because of the noise and the embarking and disembarking crowds every time an Isle of Wight Paddle steamer called in.

I only remember ever being taken to a Summer Show in the Pier Theatre once (I know that at least two of our number were there as extra’s when Ken Russell filmed ‘Tommy’) but that is another story. I have no idea why my parents took me to a show in the theatre; it must have been a matinee as I cannot remember coming home in the dark on the bus. I do remember the three stars that appeared that day were the perpetual Wide Boy Arthur English and the double act Mike and Bernie Winters. All I can remember of the show was the very large kipper tie that Arthur English wore and his catch phrase ‘Open the Cage’. Whereas the two Winters act did stick in my mind as Bernie was submerged into a very large glass tank of water and tried to sing, I don’t know why, my memory does not go that far back.

With the advance of the years I remember going, with friends, back to the theatre once to see Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band and another time to see the Clyde Valley Stompers. But if a night out in this area was to be had it was across the road and up the stairs to the Savoy Ballroom that was the place. Here you could hear and see all the top names from Ted Heath to The Animals, a really great venue, but it did mean missing the last number and any encores, because if I stayed I missed the last bus home and sleeping under South Parade Pier in the Winter is no fun at all even, if you have some with you to spend the night cuddled up to.

Ahhhh fond memories.

    Stay in touch

Peter

DUSTYKEAT@aol.com

You Write:

Mary Writes:-

Todays blog brought back a few memories of aertex vests and leather satchels. My father never wore those sock suspenders but plenty of men did. 12 yrs ago my son left St Johns College and he had to wear a blazer, shirt and tie. Woe betide any boy who removed his tie on the way home. Even worse was to leave the shirt hanging out. People actually phoned the school and said they`d seen a pupil improperly dressed. The next day an announcement would be made in assembly! You had to have a proper school bag too. I loved my satchel and wonder where it is as I never threw it out and certainly my parents didn`t. 

News and Views:

On this day 29^th  March 1960-1965

On 29/03/1960 the number one single was Running Bear - Johnny Preston and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Wagon Train (ITV) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 29/03/1961 the number one single was Wooden Heart - Elvis Presley and the number one album was GI Blues - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was The Dickie Henderson Show (AR) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 29/03/1962 the number one single was Wonderful Land - The Shadows and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was French Algerian War ends

On 29/03/1964 the number one single was Little Children - Billy J Kramer and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was 10 found guilty of Great Train Robbery.

On 29/03/1965 the number one single was The Last Time - Rolling Stones and the number one album was Rolling Stones Number 2 - The Rolling Stones. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music.

A pound of today's money