Calling all Chorlton club memories ………………..

Over the years the blog has gone back to that club on Barlow Moor Road, which has had a collection of names, attracted stories from a range of people and stood on the site of the McDonald’s.

And today I am back with a picture from 1963 sent over by Cath Brownhill who added,

“Hi Andrew, just having a lockdown sort out of bookshelves. I have come across a Manchester United souvenir booklet with this ‘Good Luck’ advert from the Ponderosa club, interesting that it says adjacent to the Princess Theatre Club., commenting, 

I thought the Ponderosa came after the Princess Theatre Club, but I was only 8 in 1963. There is no date on the front of the booklet, but reference to 1963 on a Raleigh advert on the back”.

Now the “Ponderosa” is one I never knew, although Tony Golding referred to it in one of his Princess stories “Ponderosa” is given as one of the clubs formerly owned by Bill Kerfoot in an article in ‘The Stage’ on 23rd April, 1964 describing his new venture into theatrical agency".

So, I shall sit back and await the memories.

And, no sooner had I posted the story, and Margaret Lee responded with "My father was the manager of both the Ponderosa and the Princess Theatre Club. 

The Ponderosa came about, as I understood it at the time, Bill Kerfoot had a room that was being used as storage and someone pointed out that it was big enough for a small bar, and so the idea was put to him that it was a western themed bar and so the Ponderosa was born. 

Both clubs had their own enterance and you could not get from one club into the other without going outside and entering the other club via the front door. 

The Ponderosa didn't have the same opening hours as the Princess".

Adding, "This is the story as I remember it being told at the time, I also remember being on school holidays on the day it was opening and having to go in to wash 

ALL the glasses that were to be used on the opening night!!! 

Thankfully I didn't go in on the night or the next day. Reading the poster the Ponderosa did have the same opening hours as the Princess, but it was not designed as a place to stay in all night so a lot of people would go in the Ponderosa for a drink and wait until the entertainment came on in the Princess then change clubs. 

As I understand it Bill Kerfoot sold both clubs to the Moss group a few years later and went on to pastures new".

Location; Chorlton

Pictures, Manchester United souvenir booklet, 1963, from the collection of Cath Brownhill

*The Princess Ballroom; https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search?q=Princess+Ballroom&max-results=20&by-date=true

Taking up the new craze of Glider Skating down at the Gliderdrome on Barlow Moor Road in 1939

I wonder if there is anyone who was in the former Chorlton Palais on Barlow Moor Road in 1939 and joined the fun that was Glider Skating.

The dance hall had been renamed the Manchester Gliderdrome and the event was billed as 'the modern ballroom craze that is sweeping Europe"

For those keen enough to roll up there were "free skates and tuition" with sessions which lasted all day into the evening and for anyone who wanted just to watch Spectators were charged 6d to “See the Happy ‘Gliding’ Fans.”

Now with some research it should be possible to track down how long the craze lasted.

So the search is on to find anyone who was there.

In the meantime it adds a bit more to the story of the Chorlton Palais which went on to become a string of nightclubs before finally closing to make way for a fast food outlet.

It had opened in the 1920s as the Chorlton Palais de Dance.

My friend Ida remembers it from the mid 1960s when "it was always busy" and Adge  told me that "we went to the Princess Club ('the Prinny') on a regular basis in the late 60'/early 70's, it was always rocking! 

Saw some great acts there inc' Ben E King Emile Ford and Long John Baldry amongst others. 

It was always packed to the rafters and, at the end of the night, the last song was always "Hi Ho Silver Lining", everyone in the place joined in (all well lubricated) I can see and hear it now in my head. It was also the place I had my first dance and snog with my (now) wife."*

And years later I was there when it had morphed into  Valentines and later Ra Ra’s

Picture; Gliderskating, Manchester Evening News, 1939 courtesy of Sally Dervan
Princess Ballroom, R.E.Stanley, May 1959, m17616, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass


*When you could see Tom Jones, Ben-E-King, and Dell Shannon in the Princess on Barlow Moor Road, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/when-you-could-see-tom-jones-ben-e-king.html

When Del Shannon thanked The Princess Club and Chorlton

It's always nice to finish off a story with a postscript, and so here a few days after I wrote about the Princess Club on Barlow Moor Road, here is a little clip from Del Shannon who played the club in 1972 and gave his thanks.

It comes from my friend Lawrence who sent over the link adding, "I saw your Princess Club / Palais De Dance story 21 May. A place I do remember and went to occasionally before I lived in Chorlton.

There is a record album Del Shannon Live in England it came out on United Artists, on vinyl obviously, around 1973. 

It’s recorded at the Princess Club, Chorlton. 14 tracks all the hits crowd loving it.

Found a You Tube clip of the last track, a version of Runaway, and at the start Del mentions the Princess Club. 

It’s got some good audience noise capturing the essence of a lively Manchester crowd after a few bevvies. Worth a listen".

Location; Chorlton










Pictures; Princess Ballroom, R.E.Stanley, May 1959, m17616, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, and remaining images courtesy of Graham Gill

*Del Shannon, https://youtu.be/5N2VCGOSULM