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Blackpool Wonderful Blackpool

By Donald Auty

 

Norman Newman and the Tower Radio Band at the Tower Ballroom 1938. During the fifties BBC television did a series of excerpts from the summer shows called Blackpool Night produced by Barney Coleman and our turn came up at the South Pier.

Right - Norman Newman and the Tower Radio Band at the Tower Ballroom 1938.

The shows were done live and after the successful transmission Jimmy called me over and said uncharacteristically "Son I want you to take all these lovely BBC people the artistes, band and all the stage staff up to the bar and buy them all a drink with me". When this crowd of more than fifty people knew it was notoriously mean Jimmy Brennan who was buying they went mad. Non drinkers were on treble scotches and the bill came to around £20. Jimmy sent for me to go up to the Queen's the following morning and told me that I had not kept proper control of them all and he had expected the bill to be around a tenner. He made me pay the extra £10 deducting a £1 a week from my wages over the next ten weeks.

When Jack Taylor died in 1964 Jimmy was distraught. He was given the sad news in offices at the Deansgate Cinema offices. "That is terrible news, my oldest friend" He then called his secretary "Send a wreath to Jack Taylor's funeral not more than £2 mind you".

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