I left, your right Accy,s gone - Page 2

Wynonie Harris · 05-05-2004, 12:47

Alan, if your kid had gone into Dutton Street he could have bought some flowers from Andy's florist. He would have also noted that the legendary Blue Dahlia is now an amusement arcade - sacrilege! Even the deck's been swept away and is a big, empty space now. Where do kids hang around these days?

However, there are a few bright spots amidst the gloom. The ex-Woolies/Co-op building opposite the market hall is now a really good Italian cafe. And the old AEU club at the bottom of Paxton Street is now an excellent restaurant called Accrington Pride. In fact, a few of the old clubs have been converted into pubs - the Miners on Blackburn Road near my old school (also gone!) is a great little pub and the old Marlboro WMC on Whalley Road has been transformed into a cracking pub called the Oaklea.

However, without wishing to go on too much about it, the one big improvement from 35 years ago is that in 1969 Accrington & district did not have a football club - now it does have one and a very good one at that. If you're the slightest bit interested in the game, time your visit to coincide with a Stanley home match and come along and stand on the Clayton End - you'll be very agreeably surprised!

Alan Gilmartin · 06-05-2004, 23:14

Thanks for the update Wynonie, I remember the Marlboro club, well at leased they didnt pull it down. There,s one thing to be said about Launceston here in tassie, is that they didnt do a 60s act and pull down all the old buildings from the 1800s they are still in tacked and new ones arent allowed to go more than four stories. By the way do they still have folk & jazz clubs in Accy, I used to be a member of the Accy jazz club up on the Stanley ground that is long gone now. Atarah & Owed Bert are walking historians, they put a lot of work into there websites.

Wynonie Harris · 07-05-2004, 11:55

The Jazz Club(or Accrington Stanley Sportsmens' Club to give it its proper name)! What a great place that was! A great atmosphere and some great acts. I remember seeing a fantastic performance from an authentic American blues pianist (who for some strange reason lived in Halifax) called Champion Jack Dupree. And then of course there were the inimitable Riverside Jazz Men. Once seen never forgotten! After the club closed down in the early '70's it was used as a storage hut for the groundsman who looked after the playing field. Sadly, it's now been pulled down like so much else in Accy. Nothing ever replaced it.

Alan Gilmartin · 07-05-2004, 22:59

Wynonie, I remember Champion Jack Dupree, saw him a couple of times, last time I think up Bold st W-m-C. A lot of the American blues & soul artists, moved to UK or Europe in the 60s, because they werent apreciated in the US. By the way the very last act I saw at the old club was Kenny Ball on a sunday night, I remember it well cause I crashed my dads car on the the way home, on some black ice, is Kenny still with us?. Dont get to hear much on UK celebs, unless there are really famous, see some comedians on Parky but never herd of them befor, he seems to have the same people on each series, Rod Stewert, Billy Conally, Tarbuk, Cilla Black,(cant stand her), never could. thanks again for info.

Uncle Mick · 08-05-2004, 13:04

Florists!! try Gareths at the corner of Whalley Road and Queens Road West. ask for the lovely Tina. By the way, the`ve driven a bypass through half of the Coppice

Wynonie Harris · 10-05-2004, 07:30

Alan, I can honestly say that places like the Jazz Club and Accy Disco shaped my musical tastes. And the great thing was that once you'd heard the music, you could buy the records in all the great record shops we had in town - Mary's, Bandbox, Tony's, the Golden Disc Bar, Marshall's etc. And, yes, you've guessed it, they're all gone. Just a secondhans stall in the market hall and an Our Price in the Arndale now.

lettie · 10-05-2004, 07:47

Our Price is no longer here either. Went a couple of months back. It has been replaced by a shop called Replay. Still sells cds etc, but it is the only music shop we have now. Woolies and WHSmiths sell cds, but don't have the range of choice that Our Price had.

Alan Gilmartin · 10-05-2004, 09:17

Wynonie??. Your profile says born and bred Accy lad, surley your not a cross dresser ?

Wynonie Harris · 10-05-2004, 11:59

Alan, believe it or not, Wynonie's a bloke's name. That's him in my avatar - top notch rhythm & blues singer who had a load of big-selling records in the states in the late 40's/early 50's. When he appeared in Memphis, a young truck driver called Elvis Presley went to see him and nicked all his stage moves and the rest, as they say, is history. He died in obscurity in 1969. Sadly, he never came over to appear at the Jazz Club. He would have ripped the place up!

Tealeaf · 10-05-2004, 12:28

Quote: "He would have ripped the place up!"

I hope not.....what an example to set! He would have been deported if he did.

Wynonie Harris · 10-05-2004, 13:22

It was Lancashire County Council who ripped the place up and they definitely should have been deported for that...and all the other stuff they destroyed at Peel Park after they'd let it go to wraqck and ruin!

Tealeaf · 10-05-2004, 13:37

True....mind you, they proved good mentors to Hyndburn Council, the Dioceses of Salford & Blackburn, Lancashire Constabulary, Blackburn, Hyndburn & Ribble Valley Health Authority......

Wynonie Harris · 10-05-2004, 13:41

They certainly did. Talking of destroying things, has the Cross Guns at Church Kirk escaped the executioner's axe so far? I really hope so...cracking pub, that.

Tealeaf · 10-05-2004, 13:57

See my private message.

Alan Gilmartin · 11-05-2004, 23:52

Wynonie, Sorry about the mix up with the name. Ive just sent an email to Ace Records to see if I can obtain any of there catalog here in Australia, they have some great albums out on there numerous labels, its a great website they have, I can sit here for hours reading there sleve notes. I would get the CDs by email but Im weary of giving my details over the internet. I supose you deal with them ?.