Golden Boy, Billy Walker's, Forest Gate memories

 E7-NowAndThen recently caught up with ex-British  heavyweight boxer, Billy Walker, and chatted to him about his Upper Cut club, and other memories of Forest Gate.


Those were the days - Billy with
some old club memorabilia

He was born in Stepney in 1939 and was evacuated to Bedfordshire during the war.  The family moved to Ilford, on their return to London in 1946.  Billy remembers the house as being haunted - not surprising, perhaps, as it was where Percy Thomson, who was murdered by his wife and her lover in 1922 had lived (see here for the story).


Haunted house - 41 Kensington Gardens, Ilford

On leaving school, he had a number of jobs, including as a fish porter at Billingsgate market and a part-time role as a bouncer at the old Ilford Palais, within walking distance from his home.  Here he worked with DJ Jimmy Savile ("I don't remember any of that dodgy stuff from him, then"). He also met Kenny Johnson, who went on to run the Lotus Club, on Woodgrange Road (watch out for a future blog for the story of Kenny and that club), at the Palais.

By the mid 1950's Billy's brother, George was a professional boxer, and was pushing a reluctant Billy to join him in the fight game.


Black Lion pub, Plaistow - home of West Ham Boxing
Club, at the rear, a favoured training venue for Billy

Ten of Billy's 39 amateur bouts took place at what was West Ham Baths, later known as the recently demolished Atherton Suite in Romford Road. He kept fit in an early Wag Bennett gym, in East Ham, and fought with the West Ham boxing club, based at the Black Lion pub, in Plaistow, and in what was then the White Lion pub (now the Mango Indian restaurant) in Green Street.


Recently demolished Atherton Suite,
formerly West Ham baths, location of
a third of Billy amateur bouts

With these local connections, it was hardly surprising that Billy found his way to the Lotus Ballroom in the late 50s and early 60's, to "jive and pick up the birds".

He also worked for a while as a security guard at a garage his brother George had, in New Barn Lane, Plaistow, and was a regular in the Army and Navy pub next door (where the older regulars still remember him and his German shepherd dogs fondly). The petrol station is now a scrap yard (see photo).


Former Punch Petrol station, New Barn Lane, close to
the Black Lion, where Billy worked as a security guard
for his brother George's garage - now a scrap yard.

Billy tuned professional, as a boxer in 1962 and soon became a national sporting icon, as the 'blond bomber'.  In his six years as a professional, he challenged for both the British and Commonwealth (against Henry Cooper) and European titles (both of which he lost), recording 21 wins, 8 losses and two draws.

His brother George had had his scrapes with the law (including a short spell in Wormwood Scrubs for theft) and mixed with some of East London's shadier characters of the time, but had a shrewd eye for money making opportunities.
 
As Billy's manager, he "took care of the business", and set up a number of profitable ventures, including a property empire and a fast food chain (Billy's Baked Potato).  The Upper Cut club, on Woodgrange Road was part of that business portfolio (for twelve months, from December 1966).


Billy in the centre of this grainy photo,
where Stratford Express covered the opening
party of the Upper Cut., December 1966

There was already a pop culture/"youth scene" in the area, thanks to Kenny Johnson's Lotus Club, across the road.  When the old Forest Gate skating rink became available, Kenny looked to acquire it and move the Lotus Club there.  But the Walker brothers stepped in and took the lease, for their own club.



Billy with the opening week's gig list

Billy says that he left George, and others, to take care of the Upper Cut (and his money), but went along, occasionally, for profile raising purposes and photo opportunities.  He was certainly  too preoccupied to attend the club's biggest night, when the Stax tour, starring Otis Redding appeared there on 18 March 1967 ( see here, for details), as it was just three nights before his biggest fight, against Karl Mildenberger, for the European championship, at Wembley (which he lost).


Billy, remembering the famous Jimi gig

Billy has clear recollections of two of the bands and gigs at the club.  The venue was opened on 21 December 1966 by The Who (see here for details). He is still in touch with Roger Daltry of the band, who continues to remind him of how mean the club were, when it came to rewarding those who played there, describing Billy as being "a tight bastard" for only paying The Who £20 for the opening night gig!

Forner White Hart on Green Street, once a well
known local gym where Billy worked out, as
did former Olympic boxing champion, Terry Spinks

The Animals were due to play the club the following week, but there was a hitch with the arrangements. Billy recalls that he had recently been at a party and had met a girl, who he'd taken home, for the night.  A couple of days before the Animals gig, Billy got a phone call from his brother, George, demanding that he rang the band's lead singer, Eric Burdon, and apologise to him.  "Why?", asked Billy, "Because the girl was Burdon's, and he wants an apology, or the group won't turn up and play" Billy duly made the call, the gig took place, but Billy and Eric have not exchanged Christmas cards, since.


"Baby let me take you home",
performed by Billy Walker and not
Eric Burdon, far left, of the Animals

The club lasted only twelve months, as attendances dropped, acts upped their charges, and neighbours and police complained about local disturbances. Almost a year to the day after the opening, the almost inevitable happened - the music venue became a bingo club.


Billy recalling the Stax gig, when he
was training for his European title fight.

Billy retired from boxing a couple of years later, but soon fell out with George.  Billy wanted a quiet life, so he moved to Jersey (where he has lived most of the time, since) and George wished to pursue an aggressive business career and use Billy as his front man/PR opportunity.


Roger Daltry of the Who says those fists of Billy's
were tight, when it came to paying

George went on to create the huge Brent Walker property/entertainment conglomerate, until its spectacular fall, into bankruptcy, in 1990.  The two brothers made up, a little before George's death in 2011.

Billy got his quiet life, although had misfortune with his first two marriages before marrying a local Forest Gate woman, Pat Furuborg, as his third wife.  The couple lived off Romford Road for a couple of years in the late 1990s, until moving to the Essex coast, until Pat's death, of cancer in 2003.
 
Billy now lives, in happy retirement with the delightful Susan Stevens, his fourth wife, in Jersey.  The couple also have a pleasant riverside flat in Battersea, which they visit occasionally. They wish all their friends and former acquaintances in Forest Gate well.


Upper Cut today: but 'No Regrets'
from latter day Walker Brothers

Further details of Billy's career and life can be found in his autobiography (ghosted by Robin McGibbon) When the gloves came off, published by Robson Books in 2007. 

Back catalogue

This site has published a number of articles on the history of the Upper Cut club: the first detailing the time when Otis visited it, in March 1967. This post was followed by two, recording the first six months and the final six months of the club's existence.

These posts were followed by almost monthy updates on who played at the club, that month, 47 years previously.  The final blog is a record of a recent meeting with former boxer, Billy Walker, the name under whom the club exisited, on his memories of it and Forest Gate almost half a century ago.

Below is a list of those blogs: the hyper links are the titles of the articles, and when hit upon should give access to them. The dates (in italics) are the time covered by the blog and the date in bold are the months the blogs were posted.

Although the content, and some of the comments on the individual posts, is pretty definitive, we'd love to hear any memories readers may have of the gigs, or corrections they could make to the copy. Just post in the Comments box, below.

When Otis played Forest Gate (March 1967) May 2013

Upper Cut (1) - a summary of the emergence of the first six months of the club (December 1966 - July 1967) July 2013

Upper Cut (2) - a brief survey of the second, and final half year of the club's existence (August 1967 - December 1967) July 2013
Georgie Fame, The Tremeloes and Unit 4 + 2 - (September 1967 at the Upper Cut) October 2013

When Stevie Wonder played Forest Gate - (October 1967) November 2013

Mouthwatering musical fayre on Woodgrange Road - (November 1967) December 2013

Club bills for the Upper Cut's two Decembers - (Decembers 1966 and 1967) January 2014

The Upper Cut beds down - (January 1967) February 2014

Essex comes to Forest Gate - (February 1967) March 2014
Stax comes to town - (March 1967) April 2014

A mixed bunch at the Upper Cut in April (April 1967) May 2014

Upper Cut - May 1967 (June 1967) June 2014

Summer of Love in Forest Gate (Summer 1967) August 2014

Golden Boy, Billy Walker's Forest Gate memories September 2014

Forest Gate - Pathe News clips

Pathe News was THE film newsreel medium in the days before the widespread television ownership in Britain.  Filmgoers would usually get 8 - 10 minutes of news clips, as part of the bill on most cinema programmes, each week, until the 1960s.

Fortunately, much of the back catalogue survives and is available to view (or purchase) via the internet.

Seven clips, focussing on Forest Gate, or locality-related incidents, remain and viewing them today can be a real eye-opener for a modern audience.

Below, we consider each of the clips and provide hyperlinks to provide easy viewing

Godwin school (1969)

By Pathe News standards, this is lengthy (14 minutes and 34 seconds), but it provides a fascinating picture of the school and our locality, just 45 years ago. It is grim viewing, but a reminder of how far we have progressed in educational provison over the last half century.

The film shows squalor and over-crowding in the school (which housed both Godwin primary and Woodgrange infants at the time). Both heads talk about the difficulties the overcrowding presents.  There are many shots of youngsters  (most of whom will be in their mid 50s now), at study, in assemblies and the canteen, and at play.


Godwin school, 1969- eye opener, today

The multi-racial nature of the school population is obvious, and commented upon by the narrator.  Interestingly, the predominant non-white grouping would appear to be Afro-Caribbean; the film being shot before the mass expulsion of people of Asian heritage from East Africa in the early 1970s.
 View here

Soccer on skates (1934)

This was shot at the old skating rink on Woodgrange Road, on the site of what was the Public Hall and cinemas, later became the Upper Cut club, and is now a railway ventilation shaft.

The film shows various clips of two teams of girls playing football on skates, a "craze that was about to sweep the nation", apparently! The commentator displays the jaunty and sexist tone of many newsreels of the day. 

Although the film is relatively short (1 minute 47 seconds), it shows some action from a women's football on skates match, watched by a lively crowd.


Soccer on skates: "craze, sweeping the nation"

The Forest Gate skating rink was a prominent one in the UK from the 1930s until the 1950s and we hope to feature it more prominently in a future blog on this site.

 View here

Train crash at Forest Gate (1953)

There were minor casualties in a train crash in Forest Gate in 1953, and this short (1 minute 43 seconds ) clip shows the rescue effort, with various shots of the wrecked train (with a Gidea Park destination notice at the front) and goods wagons involved in the smash.  An interesting view for railway and E7 enthusiasts, alike!


Forest Gate train crash, 1953

View here

Jean Deforges gets married (1954)

Jean was a local games mistress and international athlete who married Ron Pickering (later to be TV athletics commentator) at Emmanuel church in 1954.

This very short clip (49 seconds) shows the couple emerging from the church to an adoring crowd of well-wishers.


Emmanuel church wedding

 View here

Busy Bobby (1968)

This would have constituted one of Pathe News' quirky, human interest items.  It is the only one in this article shot in colour, and is about the Pathe's standard length (1 minute 57 seconds).


Forest Gate and quirky, 1968

Various scenes show Forest Gate Police Constable Bert Slight on his police moped, going about his work as an accident inquiry officer; he asks an old lady some questions on her doorstep. We then see several shots of Bert at his multifarious hobbies.  A pleasant, light hearted look at some of the district.
 View here

John Cornwell

There are two silent films about this local VC hero, buried in Manor Park cemetery, to whom we have referred on a number of previous blogs.  The first concerns his funeral, in 1916 and the second the unveiling of his memorial in Manor Park cemetery in 1920.

Honour the brave (1916)

This shows the navy funeral procession for John Travers Cornwall, VC on 29 July 1916. It is silent and 1minute 23 seconds in length.

It features pallbearers carrying his coffin draped with Union Jack; there are wreaths on the top. They set it on a 3-wheeled wagon.  The procession proceeds  down a street lined with large crowds,  led by a naval officer and two men in civilian dress and family. There is a navy band, which many more mourners follow. View here

Dr MacNamara unveils memorial cross to Jack Cornwell, V.C. (1920)(n.b. typo on screen)



Unveling of Cornwell memorial, 1920

The film is of Dr. MacNamara (local MP) standing next to the memorial draped in a Union Jack flag. A crowd of people in mourning dress listens as he addresses them, including a woman holding a baby. The flag is removed, revealing the memorial to John Travers Cornwell, the men in the crowd remove their hats.  The film is silent and lasts 1minute 38 seconds.
 View here

These films, individually and collectively, feature precious clips of local social history.  We would be delighted to hear from anyone appearing in any of them, and would love to highlight any similar films that may be in existence.

Forest Gate pub guide: 2014

A year ago we published one of our most read, and certainly commented upon, blogs, on Forest Gate pubs - past and present (see here). Well, a year is a long time in supping, and much beer has flown  since then, so it's time for an update on where things stand. And the news isn't, overwhelmingly great.

Below: we record a  success,  welcome an addition, rectify an omission, regret some closures, update some wobblers, report some progress and dig up some history.

The success

The undoubted pub success of the last year has been the opening of the Forest Tavern, on the site of the old down-at-heel Railway Tavern.  Bought by the London chain of gastro-pub, shabby chic specialists, Antic, eighteen months ago, the pub opened last September, to much local acclaim, and affirmations that gentrification was finally arriving in Forest Gate.

It's a pub and chain that listens to its customers. So, bit by bit has added a restaurant, an interesting range of bar snacks, entertainment nights (Forest Gap, comedy and quiz nights), a monthly record fair, a good, tasty range of real ales, ciders etc. and most recently a (rather uninspiring) back garden. There's no piped music or intrusive TV, so lots of animated chat and conviviality, from an overwhelmingly white, middle class clientele.



Great success: Forest Tavern

The food menu hasn't perhaps lived up to its early promise, and those concerned with the pub's management (and profit and loss accounts) must be a little disappointed at the apparent lack of take-off of the restaurant.

But, the venue has certainly become a favoured meeting place, and big hit with so many who have been frustrated at Forest Gate's lack of a decent pub, over the years.

The addition

The bravest initiative over the last year, however, has undoubtedly been the roar-away success of the Wanstead Tap. Stuck out of the way (352 Winchelsea Road - round the corner from the Holly Tree - see below), in a railway arch (surrounded by car repairers), with trains rumbling overhead, and no beer on tap. Madness; a guaranteed failure by someone who didn't have a clue; a certain money loser, failure, bankruptcy inducer and early closure.

How wrong! A real welcome awaits from a delightful mine host and friends and relatives; coffee shop and toy and game-packed environment for those with toddler care in afternoons and a huge and absolutely delightful range of bottled beers and ciders in the evenings for drinkers.  Here's a beer seller, who loves his job and is ever on the look-out for new stock to add to his already very impressive range.


Unlikely success: Wanstead tap

And at night, a fascinating range of wide-ranging activities to entertain the patrons.  Great supper nights, once a fortnight, with food supplied by Forest Gate's gourmet chef, Michael Sanders, timely film showings (Mrs Doubtfire the night after Robin Williams' death), fascinating talks by authors and music makers with local connections, or stories to relay.

If you haven't been - don't delay. But not because the much predicted closure beckons!

The omission

Lots of flack for a key omission from last year's listing - the Holly Tree on Dames Road. Although (like the Wanstead Tap, above) not in Newham, it is in Forest Gate, and there has been a pub on the site since at least 1870 - so mea culpa.  Here's a quick addition to last year's listings.



Last year's omission: The Holly Tree, Dames Road

It's a popular pub, offering simple hot food (with a 4 star food safety certificate)and a range of entertainments, including sports on TV, Karaoke on Fridays (from a small raised stage area), a pool table and some gaming machines.

There's an outside garden, which overlooks Wanstead Flats and hosts popular barbeques in the summer. It even has some simple children's play equipment.  One of the best features of the pub is the large conservatory extension, offering pleasant, airy views of the Flats.

The closures

It was almost inevitable that there would be losers and closures over the year, following the national trend. And so it has been. Within four months of last year's article, the Live and Let Live (or "The Live", as it was generally known) died and is currently boarded up (see photo), with no sign of a new licensee, or even new use, in sight. A real shame, not only to see a pub with history go, but one in what is rapidly becoming the scruffiest, most unwelcoming parts of Forest Gate.


Dying on its feet: The Live and Let Live

Last year, we reported on the (then) recent closure of Temptations, which had operated as a nightclub on the site of the old Wagon and Horses on Romford Road.  It was closed, following complaints of rowdiness from neighbours.  There was always a possibility that it could have re-opened as a pub.

But no - it has followed the trend running in former pubs such as the Princess Alice - a little further down the road - and become and Asian restaurant.  It looks smart (as the photo shows) and has only recently opened, so it's very much, watch this space to see how it prospers.  But, one more local pub closure confirmed.

From Wagon and Horses to Temptaions,
now just the Family Grill, Romford Road

The wobblers

As predicted last year, the most likely victim of the Forest Tavern's success was the Fox and Hounds, almost next door, on Forest Lane. And so it has proved to be. Enterprise (a company that leases pubs to landlords/tenants) has recently posted details on its website of the availability of the pub, as a new business challenge for somebody.

Their website puts its best spin on what's on offer "This is a real 'heart of the community' traditional 1930's public house, with an original U-shape central bar, tons of original features, fireplaces, warmth and charm. It also benefits from a rear paved ('secret') garden, and well maintained three bed private accommodation."

Up for grabs, with £1,000 a week running costs

The annual rent is £35k, with additional estimated costs of £16k p.a. It must be a big ask to clear £1,000 per week "profit" from the pub, before making a wage!

Watch this space, for a forthcoming closure or very serious competition for the Forest Tavern.

The old Freemason's Arms (called Simpsons from the 1980's until around 2000), 324 Romford Road was boarded up at the time of last year's pub round up.  It still is, albeit with a scaffold-supported roof cover now.  It is not clear what will happen to this building, but a re-emergence as a pub seems highly unlikely.


Simpsons, further down the road of dereliction

The standing and operating

In summary then, Forest Gate now supports only 6 pubs:  Forest Gate Hotel (Sebert Road) , Forest Tavern (Forest Lane), Fox and Hounds (Forest Lane), Golden Fleece (Capel Road),  Holly Tree (Dames Road) and Hudson Bay (Upton Lane) , and one pub-like establishment (Wanstead Tap, Winchelsea Road).

Progress report: Old Spotted Dog, Upton Lane

The Grade 11 listed former pub continues to be boarded up, and remains in the hands of a liquidator, who having held it for about seven years, is trying to dispose of the site. There have been some pre-planning application enquiries about using the car park area for residential accommodation, but these have not progressed. The liquidators have been helpful to the local campaign to save/reopen the pub, who report that, despite its outward appearance, it seems fairly watertight inside and not too structurally damaged.
 

Fighting for survival and refurbing: The Old Spotted Dog

Previous squatters have been evicted and the site is reasonably well secured and patrolled. The Campaign held a well attended and successful public meeting in April this year and have been able to report interest from the Prince's Regeneration Trust, in helping them secure a community future for the pub. Realistically, it is going to take at least £2m to acquire and refurb the location, so the campaign group has set up a trust with a view to raising the money and seeking to get some building plans drawn up. Contact them for further details, and how to help and get involved.

Updated history

Meanwhile, this website provides details of additional, Forest Gate pubs, that have been closed over the last century, that did not feature in last year's listing, and provides further details and photographs of some of those already covered. Huge thanks to them for their painstaking work.

The Builders' Arms, 47 Station Road, Forest Gate. There was a pub here, from at least 1874 until 1934.  Its last recorded publican was Herbert Henry Webb. There are now garages, attached to flats built on the former pub site.

Camden Arms, 70 Field Road. Although we recorded this pub, which closed in 2008, we didn't have photo of it.  Below is one (thanks to Stephen Harris). There was a pub on this site, although clearly at least one pre-dating the one in the photo, from at least 1870. There are now flats built on the site of the old pub 

Camden Arms, after closure

Earl of Derby, Station Road, Forest Gate. The fate of this pub caused a little controversy following last year's posting, when we described it as having been subsequently tuned into a nursery.  The photo below (thanks to Stephen Harris) confirms this fact. The pub was managed in the 1930's by former World Bantamweight Boxing champion, Teddy Baldock, who had to hand it back to the brewery during World War 11, when custom dried up.


Let there be no doubt, what was
the Earl of Derby is now a nursery!

Forest Glen, Dames Road.  There has been little change from last year, as the pub still appears to be awaiting refurbishment into residential accommodation, and possibly a restaurant.

The Globe, 40 Chestnut Avenue.  There was, what must have been a small,  pub on this site, according to trade directories from 1871 - 1886. The building remains, as a house.

It's a small world: site
of The Globe, Chestnut Road

Golden Horse, 111 Forest Lane.  A pub of that name was listed at this location in trade directories from 1861 - 1934, and continued until the 1950s. The pub and a large area of Odessa and Wellington Roads were bombed in the second World War, and prefabs and a prefabricated Golden Horse were ereceted on the site. They have subsequently been demolished ard the area is now occupied by  St James' school playground.

Jolly Smiths - Field Road. This pub existed between 1871 and 1885, until its publican, Edward Prince surrendered his licence to local magistrates. We don't have its exact location, unfortunately.

Parliament House, 1 Parliament Place, which subsequently became 63 Forest Street, by the 1911 census. A pub of this name was located there from 1871 - 1944. For a lengthy time at the end of the nineteenth century it was in the hands of the Burren family, who were landlords of a number of pubs in Kent and elsewhere in East London. The site of this former pub is now occupied by part of Forest Gate Community School.

The Plough, 55 Field Road. There was a pub here from 1871 - 1887. It is now the Al Dubbagh Indian restaurant and take-away.


Once The Plough, now and Indian take-away

Prince of Wales, 58 Forest Street. A pub of this name was located here 1872 - 1886. The building has long gone and the site is now occupied by flats, behind Forest Gate Community school.

Railway Bell, 129 Forest Lane, 1877 - 1886. This site is now residential accommodation.

The former Railway Bell, Forest Lane

Travellers' Rest, 12 Cemetery Road. Thanks to Brian Berry for use of a photo of the most recent manifestation of a pub that had been on the site from 1871, until its recent transformation into flats.


Site of Travellers' Rest, Cemetery Road

Well, that's this year's round-up.  At the current space of developments, it is likely to need an update - and we hope a better news on -a year hence.

Summer of Love in Forest Gate: Upper Cut, Summer 67

1967 has been labelled the Summer of Love, in the annals of pop music. Hippies, flower power, San Francisco nights, and the widespread emergence of hallucinogenic drugs within pop culture have characterised the era. In this, the last of our monthly round-ups of Upper Cut gigs from 47 years ago, we have a brief look at how that summer played out in Forest Gate. For a full list and links to previous posts Upper Cut-related posts, see footnote.


Stratford Express reports on
Upper Cut's summer difficulties

June and July were difficult times for the club. It faced an enquiry into renewing its licence, following complaints of late night rowdiness by patrons and anti-social parking.  The months were relatively slack times at the Upper Cut, before it closed for a summer break.


Stratford Express -
2 June, with The Turtles

There was only one act of any significance in the first four weeks of June: The Turtles, who played the venue on the third. They were a short lived American rock band, who managed to move swiftly from folk, through folk rock to psychedelic within about five years. They first came to prominence in 1965 with a cover of Dylan's It Ain't Me, Babe, but had their biggest hit, just as they were appearing at the Upper Cut, with Happy Together. The Turtles folded in 1970, with a couple of their members leaving to join Frank Zappa in the eclectic Mothers of Invention.


Turtles - not Happy Together for long

Stratford Express,
23 June, advertising
The Chiffons and The Toys

There was then a three week gap in Woodgrange Road's gig schedule, before a double header of two Black, all girl American groups: The Chiffons and The Toys, on 24 June. The Chiffons came from New York's Bronx and had been formed in 1960.  They helped define the girl group sound of the time, and in many ways foreshadowed the later Motown greats. By the time they appeared at the Upper Cut, they had already had chart hits and a gold disc with He's So Fine, and Sweet Talkin' Guy, a few months before the Forest Gate outing.  The core of the Chiffons broke up in the late 1960s, although off shoots continue to tour until today.


Sweet Talkin' girls - The Chiffons

The Toys also hailed from New York,  were a short lived group.  They disbanded the year after the Woodgrange Road outing, by which time they had already had their biggest hit A Lover's Concerto.


The Toys

A week later, there was the return of Chris Farlowe at the end of the month( 30th). He had appeared only two months previously at the club a return doubtless encouraged by the popularity of this Islington soul/blues shouter.
Then July. Only two gigs of note - but two of the most influential bands of the era - on successive Saturdays!


Summer of Love at
the Upper Cut, with
Cream and Chris Farlowe

Return visit from Chris Farlowe

First up, Cream (or The Cream, as they were advertised) on 1 July. Surely one of the greatest rock/blues bands of all time, and perhaps one of those bands who were to characterise the famed Summer of Love.  They had a short life (about two years) but left an indelible mark on British, and indeed international, popular music.  They sold over 15 million albums in their three years of existence, including the Wheels on Fire, the first ever platinum double album. 

Cream of the crop

The three piece band consisted of the mercurial Eric Clapton , who had already outgrown his stints with the Yardbirds and John Mayall's Blues Brakers, and Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, who had emerged from the Graham Bond Organisation, which played the Upper Cut in May. Cream had just released Disraeli Gears by the time they appeared in Forest Gate, so doubtless Strange Brew and Sunshine of Your love got a good airing on the night.

Small Faces revisit home club

 And, the curtain closure before the summer break was the return of local boys, The Small Faces, who had played the club earlier in January 1967. They were just about to release Itchycoo Park. Whether it got its first public airing at this gig isn't clear; but it would have been highly appropriate, had it done so. The inspiration behind the song is much disputed, but Wikipedia, at least, is happy to accord it very local origins. The website says:

A number of sources claim the song's name is derived from the nickname of Little Ilford Park, on Church Road, in the London suburb of Manor Park, where Small Faces singer and song writer Steve Marriott grew up. The "Itchycoo" nickname is in turn attributed to the stinging nettles which grew there. Other sources cite nearby Wanstead Flats (Manor Park end) and Gardeners'  Corner, Aldgate, as the inspiration for the song.

Stratford Express,
7 July, with
The Small Faces

The club then took a six week break, over the summer months, not surprisingly, perhaps. But, the Stratford Express of 14 July offered an alternative explanation for the closure, when it announced:

Forest Gate police swooped on youngsters leaving Billy Walker's Upper Cut club and the Lotus dance hall on Saturday (the night of the Faces gig), in a bid to beat hooliganism.

Local shopkeepers had complained of vandalism and residents of noise and parking disruption caused by the club's patrons.

 There was also chaos inside the club, as the Stratford Express continued:

After appearing at the Upper Cut on Saturday ... the Small Faces apologised to fans ... 'It was chaos on stage. We couldn't concentrate', said leader Steve Marriott. Tough bouncers either side of the stage rushed across the front of the Faces to drag away screaming girls to safety. In their rush, Plonk Lane's guitar was put out of tune and Steve Marriott's mike went dead. Dozens of hysterical girls were treated by St John Ambulance men and one was taken to hospital after being trampled in the crush. 'We're very sorry for the kids who got hurt but it was so hot up the front that they fainted and had to be dragged to the stage to safety' said Plonk. 

 Back catalogue

This site has published a number of articles on the history of the Upper Cut club: the first detailing the time when Otis visited it, in March 1967. This post was followed by two, recording the first six months and the final six months of the club's existence.

These posts were followed by almost monthy updates on who played at the club, that month, 47 years previously. The final blog is a record of a recent meeting with former boxer, Billy Walker, the name under whom the club exisited, on his memories of it and Forest Gate almost half a century ago.

Below is a list of those blogs: the hyper links are the titles of the articles, and when hit upon should give access to them. The dates (in italics) are the time covered by the blog and the date in bold are the months the blogs were posted.

Although the content, and some of the comments on the individual posts, is pretty definitive, we'd love to hear any memories readers may have of the gigs, or corrections they could make to the copy. Just post in the Comments box, below.

When Otis played Forest Gate (March 1967) May 2013

Upper Cut (1) - a summary of the emergence of the first six months of the club (December 1966 - July 1967) July 2013

Upper Cut (2) - a brief survey of the second, and final half year of the club's existence (August 1967 - December 1967) July 2013
Georgie Fame, The Tremeloes and Unit 4 + 2 - (September 1967 at the Upper Cut) October 2013

When Stevie Wonder played Forest Gate - (October 1967) November 2013

Mouthwatering musical fayre on Woodgrange Road - (November 1967) December 2013

Club bills for the Upper Cut's two Decembers - (Decembers 1966 and 1967) January 2014

The Upper Cut beds down - (January 1967) February 2014

Essex comes to Forest Gate - (February 1967) March 2014
Stax comes to town - (March 1967) April 2014

A mixed bunch at the Upper Cut in April (April 1967) May 2014

Upper Cut - May 1967 (June 1967) June 2014

Summer of Love in Forest Gate (Summer 1967) August 2014

Golden Boy, Billy Walker's Forest Gate memories September 2014

Post script

In November 2014 we added the following post script to this story:


As visitors to this site may feel, we have an almost unhealthy obsession with this club, which ran for a single year in 1966/7 on Woodgrange Road.

We have recently come across a couple of gems that can be added to our regular coverage. Paul Osborn, who has an interest in the former pirate radio stations, of the 1960's, contacted us with a fascinating MP3 recording, attached, below.

The Club used to host regular sessions of the Giggle, Goggle, Guggle Club - essentially a disco held on Sunday afternoons, hosted by DJs from the pirate radio stations. Tony Blackburn and Ed Stewart, among others appeared.

The You Tube clip, below, is from an advert broadcast on Radio London ("Big L") on 12 August 1967. It was promoting an appearance at the Upper Cut Club, by DJ Mike Quinn, who could be seen for "Half a crown"!


Pete Drummond on Radio London reading
an advert during the morning show for the
Giggle, Goggle Guggle Show, at the
Upper Cut Club, on Saturday 12 August 1967.

Click link: to hear. Thanks to Paul Osborn for the link

We have placed this as a postscript to the article on The Summer of Love, we published in August this year. It can be viewed here.

Prominent Rock music journalist, Peter Guralnick produced a book, published by Penguin, Sweet Soul Music in 1986. It includes photos of both Sam and Dave and Otis Redding, appearing at the Upper Cut on 18 March 1967. Close inspection of the photos shows posters on the wall of the club, adverting the event.

Sam and Dave at the Upper Cut
Club, 18 March 1967

Guralnick credits Fred Lewis for the use of these photos. We have been unable to track Mr Lewis down, but would like to thank him, for our ability to use them. Any other, similar photos, would be very gratefully received! We have placed these photos on our article on the Stax Tour, of April this year, which can be accessed here.

Otis Redding performing at the
Upper Cut Club, 18 March 1967