"Ah" B.L. know what you mean. We had gone up on Bodmin to recover a vehicle, it was late cold and misty, so much so we were reduce to a crawl, split windscreens then wide open and eye's on stalks trying to get a Scammell round those bends. We saw a light and pulled over, it turned out to be a Pub so we went in to warm up. Low and behold at the back of the pub a large barn and barn dance, the good news, ladies out numbered men and the better news there was food. We got stuck in and danced our heads off, Boots Tank suits, a bit muddy and the bar never shut. Eventually the Dads arrived to take the girls home, some sad departures and the Landlord said get your heads down lads, being by then well oiled we said OK and woke next morning to the smell of home cured bacon. As I drove away next morning I thought I would be back, the Army had other ideas, wonder what happened to those lovely country girls?
Beryl seemed to flit through my life, always dressed to kill even up to six or so years back when she was reduced to living in a Council flat. I had seen her in Town and we had a coffee (I paid, oh and don't forget the toasted teacake) we talked about old times and she told me her pal had been crackers over me. She had set me up to take her friend to the pictures, Beryl was the village beauty and those girls usually had very plain friends to put it bluntly. We did go to the pictures, once, she told Beryl it was such a disappointment as I had watched the film??? Well what was I expected to do in a crowded cinema about ten rows from the back. I did at times dance with Kate as she was quite a good dancer, that was it as far as I was concerned she must have wanted more.
If those Barn dance girls were country bumpkins like me then they probably married and had children! But I went up to London to train as a nurse and worked funny hours and was tired, on my feet all day. No dancing evenings, sat in pub with the medical students or read a book or went to bed. There was the occasional party though and chatting to nurse friends in the nurses home.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
B.L. you keep provoking memories, a training School for Nurses. We were stationed at Bordon in Hampshire once again recovering a wreck out in the wilds, getting dark we decided to look for some food and a drink. A country Pub warm and cosy only us in, suddenly a door opened and a head peeked round, a giggle and disappeared, another head looked more giggles, the landlord came over and said there are some nurses from the big house in there would you like to join them. Stampede into back room and yes, the jackpot. Needless to say we transported them in the Scammel to the big house, started making egg sarnies in the huge kitchen, they put some records on a player and we danced until near sun up. They may have been tired but they were fun, I managed to hit the gate post on the way off the drive, we pushed it back in place and went back to the sunken wreck.
The Nuffield Club in London for British forces held Sunday Tea Dances, a lot of the girls from the shows came in, no shows on Sundays then, also some Nurses from a nearby hospital, they were training too, plenty of dance partners to a live band and tea thrown in, (not literally, added), it often ended in tearful goodbye's at the gates of the Nurses lodgings, no entry meant exactly that, do not venture over the door step.
No Juke Boxes here D.R. but two record players, one wireless so I can put the old records on the Bose. As you say they all bring back memories. I put Rosemary Clooney's My Bel Ami on last week and was immediately back in the open air cinema in Shandur, I watched her on film every night for a week, was it love or love of music, the last night some idiot threw an orange over the wall and everyone dived for cover. I can sit and play most of the popular Glen Miller tunes we danced to, even see the girls I danced with as you tended to stay with the good dancers. A lot of those records were picked up as we travelled I would look in all the local record shops and pick up a record. The old saying "you sing it I will play it" was also true, was often asked it I knew a song and would get there in the end, learning a lot of German folk songs from the POW's in Kabrit. Some of those songs later murdered by Elvis. Christmas in this house is still a Bing Crosby singalong and it is the Grandchildren who ask for it. Without music life would be very dull, makes me ask who in the distant past was the first to sing???
Got a cure for Zoe, switch the sound off and watch the action.
Oooh, DR, Acker Bilk, Chris Barber, Dutch Swing College Band, Winifred Atwell etc., etc. that does bring back memories (but I'm really only 27!). What a shame you never hear any of them anymore nowadays.
Posts
"Ah" B.L. know what you mean. We had gone up on Bodmin to recover a vehicle, it was late cold and misty, so much so we were reduce to a crawl, split windscreens then wide open and eye's on stalks trying to get a Scammell round those bends. We saw a light and pulled over, it turned out to be a Pub so we went in to warm up. Low and behold at the back of the pub a large barn and barn dance, the good news, ladies out numbered men and the better news there was food. We got stuck in and danced our heads off, Boots Tank suits, a bit muddy and the bar never shut. Eventually the Dads arrived to take the girls home, some sad departures and the Landlord said get your heads down lads, being by then well oiled we said OK and woke next morning to the smell of home cured bacon. As I drove away next morning I thought I would be back, the Army had other ideas, wonder what happened to those lovely country girls?
Beryl seemed to flit through my life, always dressed to kill even up to six or so years back when she was reduced to living in a Council flat. I had seen her in Town and we had a coffee (I paid, oh and don't forget the toasted teacake) we talked about old times and she told me her pal had been crackers over me. She had set me up to take her friend to the pictures, Beryl was the village beauty and those girls usually had very plain friends to put it bluntly. We did go to the pictures, once, she told Beryl it was such a disappointment as I had watched the film??? Well what was I expected to do in a crowded cinema about ten rows from the back. I did at times dance with Kate as she was quite a good dancer, that was it as far as I was concerned she must have wanted more.
Frank.
If those Barn dance girls were country bumpkins like me then they probably married and had children! But I went up to London to train as a nurse and worked funny hours and was tired, on my feet all day. No dancing evenings, sat in pub with the medical students or read a book or went to bed. There was the occasional party though and chatting to nurse friends in the nurses home.
B.L. you keep provoking memories, a training School for Nurses. We were stationed at Bordon in Hampshire once again recovering a wreck out in the wilds, getting dark we decided to look for some food and a drink. A country Pub warm and cosy only us in, suddenly a door opened and a head peeked round, a giggle and disappeared, another head looked more giggles, the landlord came over and said there are some nurses from the big house in there would you like to join them. Stampede into back room and yes, the jackpot. Needless to say we transported them in the Scammel to the big house, started making egg sarnies in the huge kitchen, they put some records on a player and we danced until near sun up. They may have been tired but they were fun, I managed to hit the gate post on the way off the drive, we pushed it back in place and went back to the sunken wreck.
The Nuffield Club in London for British forces held Sunday Tea Dances, a lot of the girls from the shows came in, no shows on Sundays then, also some Nurses from a nearby hospital, they were training too, plenty of dance partners to a live band and tea thrown in, (not literally, added), it often ended in tearful goodbye's at the gates of the Nurses lodgings, no entry meant exactly that, do not venture over the door step.
Frank.
No Juke Boxes here D.R. but two record players, one wireless so I can put the old records on the Bose. As you say they all bring back memories. I put Rosemary Clooney's My Bel Ami on last week and was immediately back in the open air cinema in Shandur, I watched her on film every night for a week, was it love or love of music, the last night some idiot threw an orange over the wall and everyone dived for cover. I can sit and play most of the popular Glen Miller tunes we danced to, even see the girls I danced with as you tended to stay with the good dancers. A lot of those records were picked up as we travelled I would look in all the local record shops and pick up a record. The old saying "you sing it I will play it" was also true, was often asked it I knew a song and would get there in the end, learning a lot of German folk songs from the POW's in Kabrit. Some of those songs later murdered by Elvis. Christmas in this house is still a Bing Crosby singalong and it is the Grandchildren who ask for it. Without music life would be very dull, makes me ask who in the distant past was the first to sing???
Got a cure for Zoe, switch the sound off and watch the action.
Frank.
Oooh, DR, Acker Bilk, Chris Barber, Dutch Swing College Band, Winifred Atwell etc., etc. that does bring back memories (but I'm really only 27!). What a shame you never hear any of them anymore nowadays.
Laura and Danny were my favourites last night.
Bit disappointed with Ore's Charlston, but think the choreography didn't help.
Didn't think much of Anastasias jive eiher.
Edd Balls scores were rather bizarre as were some others.
Shame Edd and Anastasia can't both go.
The only part of ITT I ever watch is Karen Hardy.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Oh dear, I'd prefer Anton du Beke.
Hello , on holiday at moment , missed last nights show , had to come to pub for internet so will miss tonight's results show
Yabber dabber doooo!!!!!!
So glad that one's gone.........won't say who just in case you haven't seen it.
Think Karen Hardy would be a good choice, although do like Anton too.