Queens Theatre - Hippodrome - Keighley Bus Station

[Admin]

A memory from Terry - think there is much to talk about here.

David Seeley tells me his brother Joe is in the picture crossing the road.

Adelaide Street is behind and parallel to the old Hippodrome - Queen's Theatre.

[fsharpminor]

Thanks for that. Happy memories of being taken to pantomimes there when I was very small! Just off the left of the picture was a newsagents/tobacconist that was at one time owned by Joe Nolan who was a mayor one year (Liberal). Must have been mid sixties as I played the organ for his civic service at Lund Park. My (maternal) grandfather who appears on the Home Guard photo, worked in that shop for a time with Joe and his older som Philip. Grandad also worked at one time at Laycocks tannery which is the tall building in the centre of the photo. When I started piano lessons in 1953 he made me a leather music case, which I used for years.

[barcroftlad]

What a familiar scene-------- and the Bradford bus via Bingley is all ready to leave!!!!!! Thanks Terry. Cheers.

[lawkholmelaner]

Apologies if there is reference to Freddie elsewhere - this was a favourite stamping ground of Freddie Gramophone in the 'Forties. He had an old pram carrying a wind-up gramophone and one very scratchy record which he would set in motion while he worked his way down the theatre queue with his begging hat. He also played the Ritz cinema queue in Alice Street. A friend I met later in life (from Harrow - gate) came across Freddie, outside the Hippodrome, seeking a match for his tab end. None was forthcoming and this gave rise to Freddie addressing the queue with, "A'n't ony on yer gor ony on yer?" I always thought, erroneously, that he was married to Emily Matchbox of glorious memory. Emily would come down our back street caterwauling and seeking reward. I was right fleared - especially when my mother used to give me a copper or two to give to her. Passing our way and often singing for a different reason (which had something to do with the purple liquid contents of a medicine type bottle) was someone called "Benny" who used to address stones in the walls.

[denan]

lso a copy of Brittania Hall if any member has one.

[elfremar]

When I was little my aunt took me to the Hippodrome every Saturday night,second house,front stalls,row C seats 4 and 5.We had a regular booking as had a number of other people,and everybody knew everybody else.I can't remember which way round it was,but one season would be variety shows and the rest of the year it would be repertory with a different play each week.I remember Pat Pheonix lodging across the road from us when she was in repertory,and she sat opposite us on the Oakworth bus one night after we had been to the theatre.It looked like she was learning her lines for the following week.Going to the Hippodrome was the highlight of my week,and I still love going to the theatre.

[danewiss]

In June 2009, Jan started this thread with a photograph of the Theatre and Bus Station.
The gentleman walking across from the Bus Station towards the Theatre, carrying a carrier bag is infact BOB Seeley .
I meet up regularly with both Bob and David in the Coffee Shop outside WHS in the Airedale shopping centre.
Arthur who is a prolific writer can be read on www.kbgs.com/ under the subject "Postcard from the Philippines". An excellent picture of life today in the Philippines

[suntrecker38]

I beleive the Benny you talk about was Benny Tatum from what I have heard he and his brother would get up to no good just before christmas and finish in the nick over the christmas period.

[barcroftlad]

You are right about old Benny Tatham suntrecker. In the early 50s he was renowned for, apart from consuming meths, for throwing a brick, or similar,through a shop window, just before Christmas and Easter, wait there until the police arrived, and spend the festive season in prison where he was sure of a good feed. I read summat in the K. News years ago about him still up his old tricks but this time the judge refused to pander to him and wouldn't send him to prison. Cheers.

[melanie lisa]

My g.grandparents lived on Devonshire St in 1920 and as a child in the 60s I was told that my g.grandmother was found dead sitting in the stalls at the end of a performance by her husband who was sitting next to her.My nan (her daughter) was just 11 at the time. I don't know why but I never really quite believed this family story, however, after ordering her death certificate and finding the death notice in the Keighley paper at the time I found that most of it was true, except that before the performance my g.grandmother said she felt ill which the paper reported may have possibly been due to a recent operation. So the manager kindly took them into another room for some quiet and privacy where she then collapsed and died!Fanny was only 45 and left 4 children/husband.

[foxyloxy63]

I have been told through my father that my great grandfather performed at the hippodrome. He was known as either William Fox or William Claire and thats all i was told. I wonder if anyone had anymore details about him.

[oldman]

I remember Freddie Gramophone very well. There was a separate man (who had a name- well a street name but I forget it ) who sold hot roast potatoes fom a kind of barrow. The treat was to eat them on the way home after attending a performance. Many comedians appeared at the Hippodrome. The one I remember best was Albert Modley some of whose facial contortions were used later by the great Les Dawson. But I think many of the "names" of the late 1930s (when I first started to be taken there) also appeared e.g. George Formby, Gracie Fields. Is there anyone who has a collection of playbills or programmes for the Hippodrome?

[Andy Wade]

You're thinking of Spud Mick, oldman.

There's a lot of items about Keighley Hippodrome in Keighley Local Studies Library.
If you go to this page on the West Yorkshire Archive Services website:

catalogue.wyjs.org.uk/

Then put the words Keighley Hippodrome in the 'Quick Catalogue search' box at the top right of the page, you'll get a list of about 20 links to various records for the Keighley Hippodrome.
Almost all of these are held upstairs in Keighley library. The staff will be happy to get them out for you to view them.

[Andy Wade]

foxyloxy63, if you could give some more details about William Fox or William Claire, date of birth, his wife's name, children etc if you have it then he might be able to be found in the Keighley News archives. The likely years of his playing there would need to be narrowed down a bit first.

[oldman]

Thanks Andy - first for reminding me that the character was Spud Mick and second for your link which I will investigate.

[oldman]

I think I should say to Andy, and indeed to all who read my posts, that I don't live in Keighley and haven't done for any length of time since 1952.I am a frequent contributor to www.kbgs.com which is how I came to hear of this forum for which I am most grateful. So for all intents and purposes I perhaps now count as am "offcumd'un" ,having lived in London or Surrey for the last 61 years. Still I can resume the Keighley accent any time! So I ask for your indulgence and only regret I can't come to the meetings.

[foxyloxy63]

Aug 4, 2013 16:42:56 GMT Andy Wade said:

foxyloxy63, if you could give some more details about William Fox or William Claire, date of birth, his wife's name, children etc if you have it then he might be able to be found in the Keighley News archives. The likely years of his playing there would need to be narrowed down a bit first.

He was married to Annie Claire whos maiden name is Brooke and he had a daughter called Sybil Fox. As far as I am aware he was born in 1887. My father also mentioned the name Fred so that might be a connection aswell. I don't know the dates when he would have played there.