Eel Pie Island / L'Auberge - contacts and memories[ if you want to add your memories to this page, please email Weed at weed@wussu.com- maybe in I'm a local Twickenham resident and filmmaker. I've been wanting to make a film about Eel Pie Island for a while and would love to find out if anyone has any old super8 / home movie footage of Eel Pie? - Octavia - octaviahartland@gmail.com - 7 July 2010 Although I lived in Hounslow, I spent a lot of my youth in the Richmond area. I used to love sitting in the goldfish bowl at l'Auberge with my friends in the days when coffee bars were so popular. And Eel Pie Island - what a place!! My first recollection of going in to the jazz club in the hotel was of having my wrist stamped at the door, entering in to the fantastic atmosphere, "feeling" the music - and looking up the stairs leading to the bar where there was a long-haired hippy illuminated by a green light. Later we learned that if one of our group paid to go in he could come out again and press his wrist, with the wet ink stamp on it, on to ours - so we could all get in for the price of one. But no way could we get past the old lady at the turnstile on the bridge without paying - she was formidable! - Bev Davey - bev@bevdavey.fsnet.co.uk - 3 June 2010 Hi all, My dad Geoff Burrows was very close to Arthur Chisnall and lived with him for a while. He spent a lot of time on the island and told me recently that there was a film made about Eel Pie Island in 1967 that he was in. I have found out that it was called Who Needs Eel Pie? and was made as part of the Look At Life series. Does anyone know if I can get hold of a copy of this film, or even if it exists? Would love to see it and am sure my dad would too. Many thanks in advance, - Ella Burrows - elginella@yahoo.co.uk - 11 April 2010 Hi. I just came across your site. They were wild days. I used to come from Wimbledon, get totally wasted on newcastle brown ale and dodgy cigerettes then get the train back. A couple of funny things I remember was standing in the bar and Rod Stewart And Long John Bawldry were having a terrible tiff, and on my 18th birthday I was refused a drink at the bar which was strange as I had been drinking there for ages. We planned a road trip to India from there and amazingly got there. We were spoilt for music - there was somewhere to go almost every night: Ricky Tick Windsor, Jazz Cellar Kingston, and the Folk Barge and that's just a few. Brilliant times - if anybody remembers me, feel free to get in touch. - Norman - parkman23@btinternet.com - 31 March 2010 My name is Carolyn - back then a tall skinny teenager. After school I would get out of the uniform and head up to L'Auberge. Tracy, Jackie, Nina, Elaine, Cripple Eddie, Rob the Hat, Nobby, Seamus, Dominic, Frazer, Scratch and the Irish guys - all sitting in the "fish tank" watching people pass, while drinking lemon tea. I wonder where Andy, and his lovely little dark haired daughter ended up. Eel Pie - tripping over the bridge with my toll (scary woman in the little hut) to listen to amazing music in the ballroom. I remember Dominic from the Barmy Arms - we wore out the 45 of Canned Heat 'On the Road Again'. Music brings so many memories, really LOUD music regularly at the Three Fishes. Memories: Hanging with Seamus in the squat in Richmond overlooking the river. A prequel to Grosvenor Road. Listening to Pink Floyd and Tubular Bells in the garden at Grosvenor Road on a sunny day. Found myself in a photo with Seamus at posted on the Grosvenor Road site. Does anyone remember the squat in Putney, Nobby, Nina, Rob, Irish Mike and names I forget. I have pictures I would be happy to share. - Carolyn - webereich@yahoo.com - 30 March 2010 I used to visit Eel Pie Island about 1956/7 with my friends from Richmond County Girls school, Joyce Rogers and Mary Pasque, and saw Ken Colyer, Cy Laurie, Bill Brunskill etc. We also used to frequent L'Auberge on a regular basis. I now live in Twickenham and my brother (coincidentally) lives in Aquarius, where the hotel used to be. I would love to hear from anyone from those days. Joyce and Mary went to live in America and we lost touch unfortunately. - Lucille Cole - LucilleCole@talktalk.net - 7 March 2010 Just a note to say that I found your website on Eel Pie Island by accident and have spent many nights reliving the old nostalgia of the island. I was one of the barmen that would serve the club members in the Ballroom bar and I worked for Jack Marr, the publican, for many years in the early sixties as I was also doing my apprenticeship at the shipyard next door. Some of the "old members" say they went there for the Newcastle Brown Ale, they also got through a hell of a lot of "scrumpy cider" during the night, and if anyone remembers that stuff, it would 'rot the socks of you', but it was a cheap way of getting sozzled. Also on one of the blogs someone said that they would try and settle down for the night in the bushes after the club closed, I was the one that used to go and chase them off as my last job of the night. I remember one night I was collecting beer glasses on the dance floor when I came across one of the 'boffer boys', with a beer glass in his hand, trying to pick a fight with one of "my locals", so I took the glass from his hand and he started to threated me, the next thing a voice behind me said "Everything all right James?" I turned and said "yes, this guy is just leaving" and immediately about ten of my "locals" picked the guy up, took him through the emergency exit head first, across the front lawn and deposited into the Thames, Ahh they were great days. I also remember Arthur, a great guy to know in those days, and many of the bands would stay till the early hours of the morning drinking in the upstairs bar. One day I would like to come back for a visit and see Eel Pie as it holds many fond memories of my young days in both work and play. I think that the island was instrumental partly in my future as I was a road manager for a pop group and went on UK tour with Chuck Berry, Long John Baldry, Moody Blues, Graham Bond and others, then I married and settled down to family life. Thanks for bringing back fond memories of a great bunch of guys, girls and bands. - James Johnston - jimjohn@mweb.co.za - 7 March 2010 I was there at the end of it all. 1970s - I sort of knew Seamus and some of the rest of the gang... I recall the Hotel, the last of the rock music, I recall The Farm - oddly I never figured out what it was. Ummm I was into classic motorcycles - but not into Hells Angels or anything like that - I had a 1950ish motorcycle that I renovated. I used date a girl called Carol who was an artist and she went to the Farm and later off to India - or so I was told by some of the gang - and never heard of again. I often wondered about what happened to her. Lovely memories of the sweetness and gentle nature of the folks on the Island, and yes I did and still do love the music ...bbbb ut not the drugs. All the best. 1970-73 Richmond L'Auberge and Eel Pie Island. - Mickey - qtech@grandecom.net - 31 December 2009 Can't believe the flashbacks!! Just found your site when I went looking for The Three Fishes on the net, don't ask why. Then got hit by the the flashbacks of Eel Pie Island, L'Auberge, yes you could get stoned on a good day down wind. Then the grave digging!!! Did you know Pip? When the Fishes got regularly raided we made it a pastime of getting searched, chucked out of one door, then back in the other. Always seemed to take the police about fifteen minutes to clock what was happening. You must have been very persistent to get nicked, or they were having a slow night. That got me thinking about The Station Hotel/Bull and Bush. Then Dave Cousins/Strawbs at White Bear? in Hounslow, John Entwistle walking his dog in gunnersbury park, Marshall's shop in Ealing Broadway. Clear Blue Sky / John Simms and the Roger Dean artwork, Hawkwind at Hammersmith MARKET! Ginger Baker's studio in Acton. Need to lie down in dark room now. - Chris S - 14 June 2008 My claim to fame is:--- my picture was on the front page of The News of The World! The paper was doing a feature on The Island, I was semi-recumbent on some raised area when the photographer took my photo. He asked if it would be alright to publish it and I said it would. I thought it would be inside, not on the front page, for everyone, God and my Mum to see! I didn't think I'd ever hear the end of that one. A little later (9th. September 1961) we emigrated and I've been here in the States ever since. Ah, fond memories last a lifetime. It would be nice to hear from some Richmond people that remember me, in particular Mary Sear, Kevin Cronin, Clive M. Bleauchamp (or is it Beauchamp), Matthew (Ted) Young or Christine Henson. - Ann Thomas O'Donnell (Dozey) (Canton, Illinois) - 15 March 2008 - contact via weed@wussu.com I would like to know if any of the original founder members of the Eel Pie Jazz Club are still around so that I might re-establish contact after all these years. - John Winstone - john@polysound.freeserve.co.uk - February 2007 - more info & pics A visitor from '63 on Friday for the Jazz, I recall Long John and found the Goon illustrations on the walls the most enduring memory. Does anyone have a copy of these? I still have somewhere Rolling Stones 2/6 Wednesdays ticket. Charlie Watts now my neighbour in Devon but circumstances have separated us so can't ask the question. Auberge OK but the Vinyard pub better. Doug - 20 January 2008 Felix & Loretta - We came to the Eel Pie Island Hotel in September 1969. At that moment in time we badly needed a place to live in with our kids Filip & Ama. We heard about Eel Pie from a friend in Kensington Market (Peter Crisp) - there were 2 guys at the hotel acting as caretakers (Cliff and Simon) and they were welcoming to everyone - when we got there that day all the rooms were empty still - except for maybe one which we heard was for a girl Annie & her baby, but Annie wasn't there that day so we didn't get to meet them yet. It was so beautiful, a venerable, classy, old hotel which even had a ballroom with a rock & roll history, a dreamy setting on the river, swans, ducks - we couldn't believe it was real. We picked a room and moved in immediately. Within a week all the rooms were occupied - the hotel was full of people - all so different yet all with so many ideas in common. It was fantastic! We lived there till December 1969 and the infamous bust. After we won the court case to get the custody of our own children back we decided we didn't want to live under the ever-watchful eye of "the man" any longer and in January 1970 we moved to the island of Formentera in the Balearic Islands. A lot happened in the following years. We had 2 more kids, Aia and Ajja. We hadn't even been to India yet at that point. Felix died in 2002. RAM RAM. I am working on a book about our life and our family and I am collecting photos, stories and any material to add to our own archives from anyone who met us over the years and who has the time and inclination to send it to me. I'd be happy and grateful; at 62 my memory bank is so full that it's difficult to retrieve everything, so jogging it by others who remember helps. LOVE 'N' PEACE & VIVA LA VIDA! Loretta, November 15, 2007, email - leu.family.iron@bluewin.ch - Loretta & Ama, October 1969 Hello, thought you'd like to hear that Eel Pie was in full swing nearly 60 years ago!!! I used to live by Heathrow Airport, bus to Hounslow station, bus to Richmond and away i went wearing my next door neighbours huge painting jumper and no shoes. I was about 15 and wandered off everywhere on my own. My first memories are crossing the river in a punt, many used to fall into the river even before they'd started on the scrumpy from the wood....Later came a little rickety bridge, which spoilt it all a bit, and we used to give Min sixpence for going over it, (she was a little lady and the Goons were in full swing at the time, everybody was called Min) ha ha, those were definately the fun days. A big thankyou to Arthur for looking after me, i was quite unaware of his protection, but did wonder why i always seemed to be surrounded and not chatted up by the fellas. I lived and breathed trad jazz and would go home with very sore dirty feet from jiving to Monty Sunshines music and lots of others just starting out. I first came into contact with this fantastic music at the Crane River Jazz Club in Cranford and a tall lad called Paul taught me how to jive. I later taught my older brother and we would go to Eel Pie together, skip jiving our feet off!!! I did go into L'Auberge, but they were all a bit older than me and as i didn't go to any art school, tho had passed for Twickenham Art, never became properly amongst them sadly. AAAAAhhhhhh. One evening i turned up with half of Uxbridge and in turn they all showed my membership card to Arthur, who quickly realised what was happening and called for me. Sadly he took my card off me, but he was so kind and let them come in and savour Gaynor's music for the one time!!!! I did have a boyfriend from there for a short time, he was blonde, had the compulsory small beard, wore a black duffle coat and drove a motor-bike with a side-car.....happy days. Hope you enjoyed reading about my happy memories of Eel Pie, the loveliest and most wonderful place on earth. Every year we have a Trad week and Monty Sunshine came over and played in the streets with the Dutch jazz bands, I was thrilled to chat to him about the 'old days', even about the jazz boat from London to Margate, with himself, Acker Bilk, Terry Lightfoot and Chris Barber, my old man and i are on the cover of one of the brochures, tho very small!!!!!!!!!! - Gaynor Gadd (Young) - Mallorca - 9 October 2007 This site is like a blast from the past. I am now 52 but L'auberge was my stamping ground from around 1970-74. I was only 15 but got stoned regularly at L'auberge at the weekends and met up with people like little chris, dot, mike and lillian. I also married a guy called francis martinez who was Spanish and escaped the military call up - I still think that's why he married me!! We used to go down to Eel Pie Island just to hang around with the people there, who were the salt of the earth and always made me feel welcome, as young as I was. Francis frequented Eel Pie more than I did. I was reading Eel Pie Dharma when u mentioned Dominic - and I nearly fell off my chair! I remember him well not that he'd remember me - I was just a girl of 15 but I held him in awe. I remember him coming to L'auberge where I met my husband (we later parted). I would love for anyone to be able to tell me where he is. Dominic knew him too. Do you remember Eddy of L'auberge He was like the king he used to sit in the front seat - he was disabled and had 2 crutches. So many characters, truly the best times of my life. Probably every mother's nightmare!! There are so many people I remember, Scratch being one of them. Francis, Steve, myself and a few others got busted just after scoring a whole lot of grass. I was only 16 at the time. I also remember the policeman called Dudley, who was always stopping us and searching Francis. I remember he searched us when I had just dropped a tab of acid and he made us get into the car and kept us there for a while - meantime I was coming up on it. Quite a bad experience. He let us go but I kept seeing police cars everywhere after that!! Ruined my trip!! No doubt as I keep reading there will be other folk I recognize. Just had to write to you as it brought all the memories of my mispent(?) youth flooding back. It was as I always said the best times of my life when I was young. - Mandy - Jim@jblades9.wanadoo.co.uk - 27 September 2007 Yes, memories. This site was brought to my notice by a friend. I played Eel Pie many times in the 60's. A great venue with a tremendous atmosphere. My band was called: Brian Green & His New Orleans Stompers. The line-up at that time was: Alan Snook (trmpt), Alex Revell (clnt), Gordon Blundy (tmbn), Tom Culbert (pno), Charlie Morrish (bnjo), Pete Barton (bass) and myself on drums. [Hello Mary. I can be contacted on: briangreen.london@virgin.net.] Best wishes to all. - Brian Green - 18 September 2007 - more info & pics I have just come across your site - almost spaced me out at the memories - I used to go there on weds 1964/5 - caught the train from Wimbledon - used to get faceless on Newcastle Brown and get very stoned hence the memory is a little vague but I do remember my Eighteen birthday there because they would not serve me which was odd as I had been drinking there for ages. This is the place we planned our first road trip to Sweeden, me, Pete and Beverly - strange but we ended up in India - that's another story - only name I can remember is Pip - we also used to go to the church wall in Kingston, the fighting cocks, the ricky tick - wicked times - love to hear from anyone who remembers me - it was an era - Norman - lagunacoffee2002@yahoo.com - 17 August 2007 I'm currently doing research into the Ealing Blues Club (AKA The G Club, Ealing Jazz Club, The Moist Hoist), as run by Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies. I'm really in need of stories, memories, anecdotes, dates, pictures - anything anyone might have to help me recreate the scene as vividly as possible. The club was operational between 1962 and 1963, but if the stories I've heard are anything to go by, the memories must be fairly bright even now. I hope to hear from anyone out there ASAP. They can contact me on this address - japanzine.jon@gmail.com. - Jon Wilks - 7 August 2007 When I first used to go to Eel Pie Island we'd swim across thus saving the "ferry" money, with one of us taking all the clothes (and sometimes giving' em back). Those days, in the 50's, there were gas lights and luv an' all sorts o' things. I once, later on, sang with "Belly a Beer" Champion Jack Dupree! Ho Hum, well spent youth - am still singing but live now in South of France. Smashin' hello to anyone who remembers me. - Ray the Beatnik (Everitt) - poissonfa@wanadoo.fr - 30 July 2007 Hi, I wonder if any of you guys went down to St Ives in the late 60's? Whatever happened to Dick the artist, Freaky Mike , Ed The Gypsy, Pedro, Blue Plastic and a whole bunch of the Richmond-Cornwall travellers. Man those were some days. - Tony - 29 March 2007 Anybody remember Brian Green and his New Orleans Jazz Band? He started it at the beginning of the 1960's and I remember going to the Island in about 1963-4. I have been looking at your web-site about the Island. I have been trying to find out what happened to him. I believe he still plays. I last heard that he played at the Millennium Dome sometime over the millennium period. He did have an excellent web-site but unfortunately I cannot get into it now and can't get in touch with him. We were good friends, but lost touch years ago. Can anybody help? - Mary - 15 February 2007 - see message from Brian Green + link to pics above Eel Pie was special, and we were blessed - where else was/is there like that? at 16-17 years old, in 1966-67; driving from Wembley [!] on an aged, untrendy LD150 [dangerous fat tyres]. you knew this was the Moment, and yet you didn't know - took it for granted. Wore edwardian double-breasted suits from jumble sales, home-dyed collarless shirts with smart white detachable collars [2 years later you could buy them in Carnaby St]. Hung out with my schoolmates and sartorial competitors from Latymer Upper, kids from Holland Park comprehensive, the Lycee [incredible girls there] - pre-hippy and post-beat. Saw long john's group, graham bond etc but by then too late for the stones - they'd already moved on... I can't remember if they let you buy beer at Eel Pie at 16, but it's quite likely, dope was still a novelty, and expensive for schoolboys. but the all saints road in notting hill was the scoring epicentre... Also - the royal college of art - had the most incredible Friday dances... multiple bands on multiple floors I dimly recollect. i liked the obscure-ish bands - downliners sect, the [english] birds, geno washington and the ram jam band, later the incredible string band... On saturday night, the phone network generated parties across west london - chelsea to ealing to hampstead ... gatecrashing was not a problem! after that... up west maybe.. to peek through the doors of the Flamingo, the Marquee, the hookers on Compton Street. Does anyone remember the original, News-of-the-world-notorious La Discotheque? On Wardour Street i think - mattresses in dark grubby corners.... then one summer in st ives sleeping rough and unpleasantly, then another summer overland to the katmandu ...kabul the stopover of choice [both places tricky now] I think moving sharpens the nostalgia! is that bad? i went on to toronto in the mid 70's [living on the Island there, and partying], then Manhattan in the 80's; for the 90's and now in heavenly Marin County, nr sfo.. where we still go to bimbo's club in the city.. a tiny venue perfect for exploratory visits by snow patrol, groove armada, keane etc...see you there maybe..... happy trails.. - Dave Kendall - 31 January 2007 Hi, I'm researching materials for a social history of LSD in Britain (due out 2008). I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who was involved in the British acid scene, at any level from dealing to using. I'm especially interested in how the acid and squat scenes were intertwined, and how they became involved with the early free festival scene. Also interested in tracking down various people such as Magic Michael and Kristof if anyone knows where they are. All information dealt with in confidence and anonymity given to anyone who wishes it. Please contact me at andy@darkstar.fsnet.co.uk if you feel you could assist with my research and I'll get back to you immediately with some specific questions. Thanks. - Andy - 19 December 2007 In the 80's I frequently drank in The Three Fishes pub near Kingston Station. After it closed down the silent DJ, Martin, created a club for those of us who missed the old place. It used to meet near Hampton Court Station and of course the music was brilliant. My enquiry is this.. I had my photograph on the membership card Martin made for me and it was the only one of me with a beard and long hair. Is there any website etc of the club or Martin so I can find out if he has a copy of it, or even if he has an archive, perhaps? Please email me with any, or no ideas. - Phil Knights - philknights41156@hotmail.co.uk - 10 December 2006 A message from Australia. I lived in the UK for three years after I left school. We lived in Richmond. The crowd I mixed with naturally called me "Aussie". I started to go to Trad jazz sessions on Eel Pie Island in the mid-1950's . Beat that! There used to be a chain punt ferry that dragged a barge across the river from Twickenham to the island. I think a bridge was built later. The music and dancing was terrific. "If aye we could recapture life's first fine careless rapture". I am searching out a couple of photos that I have of the crowd back in those days - actually in the hall. I will scan them and send them to you. I must say that I have lost touch with all the people I knew back then and can scarcely remember their names. I used to go to L'Auberge in Richmond and have a slice of Chocolate cake and a hot chocolate! Then go to the Odeon Picture show next door and Sunday evening. What a life. I am coming back to the UK in a few weeks time and intend to go back to Richmond, and to Eel Pie Island, for a trip down memory lane. It is wonderful to see so many web entries on this subject it clearly has a great nostalgia for many people. - Tony Lamond - 26 November 2006 I remember the 'Island', how many nights, how many bands, how many people, how come it all seems such a blur? Second thoughts, I think I know why. Watching the Tridents, Artwoods, Herbie Goins, Cyril Davis All Stars, Blues en Noir (that was the Band I was in), Pink Floyd, The Yardbirds, the list is endless and very vague. New Years Eve with Baldry drunk as a skunk, Rod Stewart trying to pull my woman, he failed, what fun we had and why is it not like that now? Playing the mouth harp in the goldfish bowl in L'auberge with Andy Roberts, Jane and Jean Marie Folio-Couzin, my brother Whitey (Brian), Wendy and Brian Malyon, Neil Bryson, Jonny Van Stone (what a musician he was, Ginger Bill, Paul Morrisey (deceased)and many more heads, Mike Weatherall, then down the Imperial for several pints or across the road to the Red Lion. Oh it's too much, I wonder what happened to Andy and Maria from L'auberge, so many questions, no answers as yet, ah well, lets see what happens now. - Nigel White, Whitey - rwsstudio@btconnect.com - 21 September 06 I am currently researching a book about the history of Eel Pie Island... I used to have a workshop over there for a dozen or so years and became interested in the history, particularly the hotel tales. I would like to hear from anyone who went there, to gather their memories / memorabilia - Michele - http://www.eelpiebook.typepad.com - 2 Aug 2006 Just spotted your Eel Pie Island piece on the net, and it's sparked a nostalgic enquiry. My wife, (then single) was a pal of Mike Peters' wife Cy Peters, back in the 1950s -- in fact, I can (vaguely) remember a party we went to, after which we stayed on their houseboat. A few days ago, while clearing out old letters, her ladyship unearthed correspondence from Cy to her. It's set her wondering if Cy is still alive and, if so, how she, Mike and their children are. Can you possibly offer any assistance? For info, my wife's married name is Marion Morris, but her maiden name was Marion Fermor. Many thanks for any info. - John Morris - jomaz@freeuk.com - 2 Oct 2005 [apparently Cy Peters was member No 1 of the Eel Pie Island Jazz club! - Weed] I am researching an article at the moment about the history of Eel Pie Island, focusing on the birth of the British R'n'B movement there in the 60s. I am trying to get in touch with as many people who were there then who would be willing to talk to me about it or who might have any pictures or posters etc. that I might be able to use with the article. The article is partly to commemorate what went on there but is also part of a campaign to help the current Eel Pie musos, a band called The Mystery Jets. They are really wonderful but the people on the island now do not care for creative types, they want it to be all clean and quiet. The Mystery Jets are now facing all sorts of court orders about noise pollution, which will mean they will not be able to rehearse, record or play live on the island as they do now. I am not sure if what I will write will make any difference but thought that if I reminded the powers that be of all the amazing things that happened on and partially because of the island, they might be a little more lenient towards the artists and musicians working there today. - Iphgenia Baal - iphgenia@confused.co.uk - 15 July 2005 eureka revisited - i got to know variouse eel pie islanders round about 1971 when i joined them in a squat in highgate. my name is bernard. there was english and irish john, drago, consuela, dave, devina, canadian tom and various visitors like gale, peter black, magic mikle who lived a couple of houses down the road, and i introduced a girl swiss maria and they all ended up travelling to india overland. i never met several you mention or maybe i did and my memory got left half way down a chillum .. anyway i often wander what happened to everyone and its great to get a website about you all. maybe some who remember the highgate days will write in or email me. - Bernard - Bbernberni@aol.com - 12 Feb 2005 Eel Pie Island was like a mysterious dream for me, until I looked it up by chance and found it on the net. What a delight! I had spent a long night partying with a friend called Gavin and his girlfriend Beireth. Peter, Anthea and a few others came along. At around 5 am everyone decided to go back to Eel Pie Island. I had heard a lot about it from Peter and Anthea, and a few others [my memory of names is terrible]. We got the bus and tube from Hampstead to Richmond, and had a lovely walk through the park. Everyone was very happy - visiting the Island was so strange, a little haven amongst the buildings of London. A lot of the people living there were friends of mine. I lived at 17 Lambolle Road then. Happy Memories Best Wishes - Gea - North Devon - 13th December 2004 I came across your site whilst bumbling about on the net in search of nostalgia and lost youth. What a fantastic site it is, crammed full of memories. I was one of the local Twickenhamites and at the time in my mid-late teens. I frequented 'The Crown', L'Auberge and some of the other establishments mentioned but only got out on the Island a couple of times, I recognise a lot of the faces in your picture gallery from in and around places like the Old Kings Head, The Cabbage Patch, The Fox, The Barmy Arms, The Swan, The Sun and I remember those squats in Grosvenor Road behind the nick. By the way do any of these names ring any bells? - Alan Winter - he lived right next to the Crown at 2, Orleans Road and married a Scottish girl Caroline who he met in the Crown. Last I heard he was a working for HAYS an air freight company in Iver Bucks. Paul (Twiggy) Brooks - a local MOD from St. Margarets who sold his LI Lambretta threw away the parka, donned the Kaftans and bells and became a hippy. Maz (Mazoud Sh???)- an Indian guy who had an open pot smoking house in Palewell Park, East Sheen. His father was a doctor and out of the country almost all the time - fantastic parties. Paul Davies another local guy from St. Margaret's he was always in the Crown or the St. Margaret's Hotel. He ended up marrying Christine Hodgeson - She wrote Devil Woman the Cliff Richard song. Dave & Pete Lelliot - Brothers who used to frequent the Crown. I lost contact with Dave in the Mid 70's and poor old Pete's dead now, he took seriously to the bottle after working at Watneys brewery and took a nose dive off a block of flats when pissed - nice guy very sad. Caroline (Humph) Humphries a Hippy chick who used to live near the Popes Grotto pub. - Fenty (Robin Fentiman) - hanne.fentiman@mail.dk Rønne, Bornholm, Danmark - 29th January 2004 ahhhh memories!!!!! - Having lived in the US for the last 20 years and now in Canada (just moved this week) I was discussing the great days of Eel Pie Island with a bunch of English ex patriots and was being told I was talking out of my ass! (bum) so I said, let me check the net and the rest is history. Well my story is kinda short... but my name is Charlie Stuart. I used to ride my bike at the tender age of 15 to 17 over to the island so that I could listen to the jam sessions! I was allowed in as long as I made the coffee and tea for everyone! When I was not there I was at L'aberge where I used to drink the lemon teas and watch the "hippie chicks" go by. I would hang with a number of the guys and try to act older to get in with the girls from Richmond School and Green School for Girls in Hounslow, who would commute to be "seen" in the area. I married a Green School girl and my kids still live in the area to this day. I dont really think there is too much I can add to the story, other than meeting so many musicians who eventually found fame and fortune, like Jagger, Stewart, and LJ Baldry who were there on the odd occasion! I was a frustrated musician and ended up as a Disc Jockey in Richmond (The Castle) and in Kew (several pubs and clubs) till I moved to Ireland and then America. I still get to make the tea and coffee in my home, but not to such illustrious guests! "Life is a beautiful moon, and each star a friend, when I gazed into the nightime sky from the shores of the River Thames!" (I wrote that on a wall in the hotel bathroom one very "spacey night"!! ) ahhhh memories!!!!! Peace and happiness always - Charles - 29 Nov 03 Message for Carl Hans van Drescher - Do you remember Lynne Merritt? You lived in Kew or Richmond in Surrey in 1968/1969. She has important urgent news for you. You went back to the Netherlands to attend university in 1969ish. Lynne would love to hear from you. - Lynne Merritt - Please email l.merritt@ianspringham.co.uk - 15 June 2003 trying to contact Tinaig - from Britany (La Bretagne), who was at the Hotel in 1970, and last heard of living in the South of Ireland with son and daughter Tristan & Isolde - Sher, now living in Lancaster (NW England), would love to hear from you! - Sher - 30th December 2002 [Sher died peacefully at her Lancaster home in December 2004 after several years of bad health - she left five sons and two grandsons - weed@wussu.com] magic moments & lost times - So, used to hang out on the island in the early 60's. Steam Packet, Stones, Brian Auger, Cyril Davies & the Downliners, my major chum Mick Sutton, now deceased, [also a Dedicated man] brother was drummer in the Downliners, John Sutton, Apparently now with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, so we got to sit upstairs above the stage chilling with Mick, Keef & Brian, or standing at the bar with a Newcastle Amber, whilst checking the blonde chicks with Rod, Then the all-nighters at the 100 club, Also during that time came the Jerico Jug Band, busking the Thames at Richmond with Tony "Duster Bennett" also now in the great blues band in the sky and another old chum, who I would like to find, Tony Mills, last heard of in Sonoma, California. I finally got to San Francisco & the Filmore a couple of years ago to find Peter Green playing, being an ex-Toby Jugger even more magic, Then L'Auberge, still remember, this kid, Ron,turning up with a guitar in case, moaning that the bands name will have to be changed from the Birds..to what ?... So any body out there, Robert Rudge, Piggys, Little piggys, Maureen, ..And ?..shit you went to Frensham Heights, your old man was a dentist in Sheen, we came down on the Vespa GS...Or slept on the beach at Brighton, whilst avoiding both mods & rockers or met in St Ives...Welsh girls !! Peace & Love to all - May the spirit of the old goatee brotherhood be with you Old moments from an aging raver, anybody out there ? - Brian Ranken - 25th July 2001 - brian@invisiondisplayservices.co.uk Nostalgia's not what it was. I absolutely love the site, old memories come flooding back. Anybody remember Jock MacKenzie from those days? - John "Jock" MacKenzie - hiex@btinternet.com Lairg, Scotland - 5th June 2001 Used to go to eelpie in the early 1960s. Am looking for a Dave Hamlin or a Camberley Rob. Its a long shot but you never know, someone may know. Have bookmarked your site to relive and relook at the pics again. I actually married someone from eelpie in the 60's and am still married to him. Must be a record for those days. Anyway great site. Thanks. Cut a rug... - Brenda - bobbrenda@yar.eastlink.ca Nova Scotia, Canada. - 30th May 2001 1960's Richmond - lots of great photos of people from those times - please visit! Is there anyone out there who went to Eel Pie Island circa 1963/64, and remembers Cyril Davies, Alexis Korner et al? Whatever happened to "Dutch" Mills? Kay Green, where are you? - Anna Farlow - afarlow@lineone.net London, UK - 29th April 2001 happy days, eel pie & l'auberge. we are trying to contact ex l'aubergeites who were patrons from 63 - 69. in partcular steve martin, sandy mc kewan, steve byde, caz richards, john greives. can any body help? where are they now? be pleased to hear. - keith savill findon valley, w.sussex, uk - 2nd April 2000 |