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Messages - geoffbates

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General Discussion / Re: Bromley Court Hotel/Jazz Club
« on: January 20, 2016, 04:57:44 PM »
Thanks to Vic I have another relation. My Grandmother was indeed Clara Bates Nee Earl who was married to George Bates. They lived at 52 Lancelot Road and had two sons George my Dad and Bill who emigrated to Canada. My Dad married Eileen Knights from Geraint Road and we lived with my Nan Clara at Lancelot Road until I was 8. We then moved to 8 Detling Road where my younger brother John still lives. John now props up the bar at the Tavern and he is very popular with the barmaids!

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General Discussion / Re: Bromley Court Hotel/Jazz Club
« on: January 20, 2016, 04:48:52 PM »
Quote from: Brenda on December 30, 2015, 09:33:47 PM
Quote from: Vic on December 30, 2015, 02:43:00 PM
Hi everyone,
I haven't subscribed to this excellent forum for some time, but whilst investigating the maternal side of my family history I discovered a very surprising fact. I am related to Geoff Bates! He is my second cousin once removed! His Great Grand mother Clara Alice Oliver (1864 - 1929) was my Grandfather's

That's absolutely fascinating, Vic.  I've often hoped I have that sort of 'Eureka' moment and find a connection to someone on this website but I'm still waiting.

, and with a boyhood friend who once lived in Durham Hill, like to wander around from the 'Chinnie' (Chinbrook Park) to 'Up the Top' (Northover) for a fish and chip meal in a shop where the Maypole used to be on the corner of Northover and Lancelot Road - near where Lancelot School stood.

I lived in Durham Hill from around 1948-1969. What was the name of your boyhood friend?

Lovely to read your post and anecdotes of times past.  Like you - like most of us, it seems to me - memories of our early life on Downham still bring us the greatest pleasure.

Bren


At the ripe old age of 84, I like to remember all the good times I had growing up on 'Dahnum.
Regards and the COmpliments of the season to all ex and current Downhamites.
Vic Dabin.

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General Discussion / Re: Bromley Court Hotel/Jazz Club
« on: December 19, 2015, 09:39:20 AM »
I used to go to the Bromley Court on an Monday night and saw many bands there. A regular was Alexis Korner and his band. I saw many bands there including Long John Baldry, Acker Bilk, Peter Gabriel, Chris Barber , Tubby Hayes. There was also good Jazz on a Sunday lunchtime at the Tigers Head where dance band musicians would play for nothing Joe Mudele, Bill Sooey, Bill Sutcliffe, Tubby Hayes and Joy Marshall played and sang there. It was great entertainment.

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Notable Downham Residents (past and present!) / Re: Joe Mudele and the Downham Tavern
« on: December 19, 2015, 09:26:46 AM »
Yes his name was Joe Muddle. He went to school with my mum and that's how they started to sing together round the pubs and win prizes.

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Notable Downham Residents (past and present!) / Joe Mudele and the Downham Tavern
« on: February 26, 2015, 07:51:53 PM »
Joe Mudele the well known bass player who appeared with Johnny Dankworth, Nat Temple and laurie Holloway recently died and his  obituary appeared in The Times. Joe went to school with my mum in Moorside Road and he and my mum in their early teens would travel around the pubs in the area with her singing and him accompanying her winning talent competitions. My mum was Eileen Knights before she married George Bates my dad. Mum had a great singing voice and Joe and her would often play in the Downham Tavern with Charlie Goodacre on the Piano and Charlie Tostavine on the drums. There were some very good singers around at that time and the pub was brilliant on a Saturday night. After the Tavern changed the two Charlie's went down and played in the British Legion Club in Old Bromley Road. Mum would often sing there with her brothers Bobby and Pat knights. Others who also performed were Terry Blake, H Stevens and the ex boxer Peter Mahoney. Great days! Does anyone else recall the talent Downham produced?






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Where are they now? / Re: residents of geraint rd 194o to 195o
« on: February 26, 2015, 07:29:20 PM »
My Nan and Grandad Jessie and Harry Knights lived In Geraint Road from about 1928 until their deaths in 1969 and 1973 respectively. They first lived at No 68 two doors down from the Blamires. On the corner with Lancelot on the right were the Kitchen family. On the opposite corner were Charlie and Nell Paye. Next door to my Nan was Becky Castle and her sons who would fight in the garden. Further down were Mr and Mrs Hogan and their sons one of whom was Dennis, a good footballer. My Uncles Pat and Bob Knights played for Delvin and Artillery House football teams and Downham and Bellingham. Further down weere the Seabrooks who with their sons Johnny and Charlie moved to Devon where I now live. I see Charlie occasionally in passing. There were the Cakebreads Jimmy and Phyliss and their kids Jimmy Jnr and Jaqueline. Peggy and Charlie Bateman and their daughter Joan lived on the opposite side down towards Ivorydown. Mr and Mrs Bonney lived oppsite the Cakebreads with their son Leslie. I have pictures of a massive street party in Geraint Road at the Coronation in 1953. Does any recognise any of these names

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General Discussion / Downham Tavern closure
« on: October 03, 2013, 05:57:17 PM »
My brother was in the pub when police raided. He says they went in too early in the day. The barman was cutting up some lemons and got arrested for possessing the knife he was cutting the lemons with. He didn't see any other arrests.

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Where are they now? / Geraint Road residents
« on: December 20, 2012, 10:42:22 AM »
My Nan and Grandad Jessie and Harry Knights lived In Geraint Road from about 1928 until their deaths in 1969 and 1973 respectively. They first lived at No 68 two doors down from the Blamires. On the corner with Lancelot on the right were the Kitchen family. On the opposite corner were Charlie and Nell Paye. Next door to my Nan was Becky Castle and her sons who would fight in the garden. Further down were Mr and Mrs Hogan and their sons one of whom was Dennis, a good footballer. My Uncles Pat and Bob Knights played for Delvin and Artillery House football teams and Downham and Bellingham. Further down weere the Seabrooks who with their sons Johnny and Charlie moved to Devon where I now live. I see Charlie occasionally in passing. There were the Cakebreads Jimmy and Phyliss and their kids Jimmy Jnr and Jaqueline. Peggy and Charlie Bateman and their daughter Joan lived on the opposite side down towards Ivorydown. Mr and Mrs Bonney lived oppsite the Cakebreads with their son Leslie. I have pictures of a massive street party in Geraint Road at the Coronation in 1953. Does any recognise any of these names ? 

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General Discussion / Re: Downham Memories 2
« on: May 06, 2012, 07:39:37 AM »
Brenda The Bates's of Durham Hill were not related to us.

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General Discussion / Downham Memories 2
« on: April 22, 2012, 05:43:35 PM »
My name is Geoff Bates and I used to live at 8 Detling Road where my younger brother John still lives.My maternal grandparents were Harry and Jessie Knights who lived next door to Derek Slade's family in Geraint Road  sharing the same porch. in the corner house were the Stenson family their sons were Tony and John. Tony went on to be a sports writer on the Daily and Sunday Mirror. John became a professional footballer first for Charlton and later Mansfield Town. Further up Geraint Road towards Lancelot Road were the Cakebread family. Jimmy Snr who ran Delvin football club and played centre forward as well, his wife Phyllis, two of their children were Jimmy Jnr and his sister Jackie. I first lived in 52 Lancelot Road with my mother Eileen Bates nee Knights and my dad George and his mother my grandmother Clara Bates. We moved to Detling in 1954. I have two other younger brothers Terry and Mark. I left in 1969 when I joined the police in Torquay Devon. Growing up in Downham never did me any harm in fact it stood me in good stead.     

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