Unpublished Wigan Photos

[Alan Bonthrone1]

We need more pictures of people under musical instruments.

[Guest manusf3a]

Hang on, so are you saying someone at Wigan wearing Spencers in 80, 81 is a diehard and everyone else was a tourist? Thats a pretty strong statement!

Weren't people allowed to move on fashionwise without losing their true soulie status? And how come the music is allowed to move on via "King Richerd and the Staffs boys........" but not the clothes? No-one wore Spencers at Stafford that I ever saw so was everyone there a tourist. I never saw King Richard sport Spencers at Wigan in my time there. And if its only punters/dancers you refer to then I'm pretty certain Jethro fom Wolve's weren't wearing them in 1980 either.

Wonder what Colin Curtis's soulie staus was through the mid seventies into the 80's was then, he would of looked well at home at stonehenge free rock festival with the convoy dudes with his long hair denim shirt and jeans look plus he used to turn up places on a motorbike dressed in biker leathers

[Guest]

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. The early soulies wore Spencer's bags or something similar. They were still common in 1978 even though skinny jeans hit the streets in 1976. Anyone wearing Spencer at Wigan in 1980-81 is a diehard in my books. All the rest are tourists, High Street fashionistas carrying adidas bags with glued on patches, narrow white plastic belts with the black fist on, beer towel tucked into waist band, towelling wrist-bands etc. No wonder the serious soulies had stopped going to Wigan. Fortunately, the music had picked right up at the end due to King Richard's taste and the Staffs boys in the Record Bar were able to carry the scene forward in the 80's.

The early soulies from what year/decade?............It was Levi`s Sta Prest or Levi/Wrangler/Lee jeans in the 60s and then progressed into Skinners or similar which were the baggiest at that time.

[Guest MBarrett]

If you were at Wigan 1973-81, you must have worn bags, possibly Spencer's or something similar as these were the dress code from the get-go.

 

I'm sure that's correct.

 

In my orbit Levi Sta-Prest and that kind of style was still credible street fashion into 1970/71.

 

But then there was a whole kind of crossover thing with the hippy fashions going on. So trousers started getting wider. Not just flared at the bottom, but wider down the whole leg. Because they weren't that easily available in the shops I remember taking the leg seams apart on a pair of cords and a pair of Levis and putting in my own inserts to make the legs wider. 

 

I lived mainly in Wolverhampton from 1970 to 74 and I am sure it was round about 1973 that you could first buy the wide-legged Karmen Ghia cords. They were on sale in what I considered the trendiest blokes clothes shop in Wolverhampton. So that is what I consider to be the street fashion of that era and I am sure would have been the same for people going to Wigan from Day 1. 

 

Then as Manus says above around 75/76 it all changed again. But doubtless for reasons of comfort, easy of dancing, etc. the wide-legged style hung on at Wigan and got more extreme for longer than in the "outside world".

 

I wasn't at Wigan so I don't know, but that's my general take on it.

Edited November 25, 2014 by MBarrett

[dedji1955]

I asked him this morning and he honestly couldn't remember what year but he said that 'Vernon' won the dancing competition

Vernon said he didn't win the competition outright but it was a tie with a Guy from Scotland

[Zed1]

Was wearing 'straights' all the time by the start of 78, though did continue to wear my baggies at Wigan for several months after (better to dance in), so presume this makes me a fully paid up Tourist Div. I'd go and stick some more fake patches on my Adidas bag but this got nicked in 77.

 

'Push Div's off the Balcony' eh?.......

[Frankie Crocker]

The early soulies from what year/decade?............It was Levi`s Sta Prest or Levi/Wrangler/Lee jeans in the 60s and then progressed into Skinners or similar which were the baggiest at that time.

Hi Steve. Was referring to the early years at Wigan as it's the photos under discussion. You're right about the skinhead/suadehead fashions before this, and of course Skinners parallel wide-bottomed denims for the Manchester followers and something similar for the Merseyside lot, was it Coopers? Parallels were in by 1972. Parallel cords were in by 1974. During the first years of the Casino, tailored bags or Spencer's cords by mail order were the norm, if memory serves correctly, through the Footsee years, This England programme and a year or so beyond by which time, the High Street fashions of 1977 were making an impact on the dress code as the Spencer's brigade fell by the wayside and a new crowd emerged.

[Frankie Crocker]

I really hope your tongue is now poking outside your cheek.

 

Otherwise this tosh will become as infamous as your initial 100 club rant that I notice you now have deflected away from.

 

I wore baggies once to Wigan and was definitely greeted as a tourist, aka dickhead, and soon joined the bright new barmy Wigan army, ski jumpers and skinny jeans, admittedly at the back hiding behind the big boys incase of any trouble!

 

I really hope your tongue is now poking outside your cheek.

 

Otherwise this tosh will become as infamous as your initial 100 club rant that I notice you now have deflected away from.

 

I wore baggies once to Wigan and was definitely greeted as a tourist, aka dickhead, and soon joined the bright new barmy Wigan army, ski jumpers and skinny jeans, admittedly at the back hiding behind the big boys incase of any trouble!

No, tongue now pointing at you with thumbs in ears and fingers wiggling...

 

Don't recall any rant but have posted controversial remarks on the subject of tourists at the 100 Club.

 

You must have been at Wigan late on in the minority of baggie wearers but you were the genuine article - the others were pretenders, tourists, jazz funkers, hand-baggers, call them what you want...some saw the light and stuck with Northern Soul, others merely experimenting moved onto Punk or whatever the High Street was pushing.

 

After a few visits to the Casino in parallels, I upgraded to cord bags and bomber jacket, then Spencer's and trenchcoat, I guess like many a diehard and a good few dyed in the wool soulies on here. The only tosh I see on the topic is when the term 'clown-wear' is used to denigrate the many wearers of 70's dress code attending contemporary soul events.

 

ATB

 

Frankie

 

PS What's a ski jumper?

Edited November 25, 2014 by FRANKIE CROCKER

[Guest Dave Ward]

I started in'74, baggy  green cords with a high,waistband, US bowling shirt, braces and towelling wristbands, Soon taken to one side and basically told that I looked like an idiot. Lesson learned, 24" black pleated parallels black T shirt, dropped the badges, hair cut short, white socks 'cos I was a posing bastard. I did have a long grey leather coat though. Also remember the Jazz Funkers about 1977, we'd get on the train after the 'nighter at Wigan, to get to the Ritz in Manchester, they would have long fringes, that they constantly flicked, furry mohair jumpers, and tight jeans worn with sandals We just stank of sweat !

Edited November 26, 2014 by Dave Ward

[Mellorful]

I didn't wear baggy trousers until Russ Taylor gave me a pair in 1980 and I wore them once in full "Northern" regalia to the 6TS at West Hampstead for a laugh. I went from 73-79ish; maybe being punk influenced in 77 helped me avoid the drafts up the trouser leg.

But are you gonna post a photo of you dressed in the bags so it can be stored for posterity or is there anyone in the SS comminity who can oblige

Maybe this should become a new thread ...embarrasing photo's at NS events......

[manus]

Plenty of folk never wore bags at all , I didn't , so maybe I went to an alternative Wigan , I also had a wedge haircut 75/76 and wore sandals.

[jocko]

Plenty of folk never wore bags at all , I didn't , so maybe I went to an alternative Wigan , I also had a wedge haircut 75/76 and wore sandals.

 

I assume it was about this time you were forcibly frogmarched out of Newcastle and sent to the South  

 

Hope you are well young man.

[manus]

I assume it was about this time you were forcibly frogmarched out of Newcastle and sent to the South  

 

Hope you are well young man.

 

Ha Ha no I eventually headed South in the mid 80s Jock although I did live in London for a bit in 78 trying to escape the pop music lol

 

All the best

[Soulboyrecords]

These were taken at a midweek-night (not a nighter) just for the locals, more or less. I think the age limit was lower, a bit like a youth night. If memory serves they were Daily Mirror stock photo's for a piece they did in the early days.

As for the baggies, I think it depended on your crew, I wore them for the first few years - but then we sort of moved on. As for full-length leathers, no way could I afford one as a schoolboy and later a lowly apprentice. Rich boys and criminals only methinks - to use another massive generalisation

I had a full length leather - I'm not a criminal nor a rich boy. Me dad made it, he was a tailor !  Here it is on the left - face partially concealed, leather in partial glory. c 78-79 ish. Stroud and Glos folks on the right - Rod Wood and Tim Bone

 

[Orotava]

I had a full length leather - I'm not a criminal nor a rich boy. Me dad made it, he was a tailor !  Here it is on the left - face partially concealed, leather in partial glory. c 78-79 ish. Stroud and Glos folks on the right - Rod Wood and Tim Bone

 

Wigan Casino 1978.jpg

 

Blimey, I used to work with Tim Bone at British Gas - had no idea he went to Wigan...

[Soulboyrecords]

Blimey, I used to work with Tim Bone at British Gas - had no idea he went to Wigan...

The very same person ! Bumped into him (and Rod!) at a soul do a few weeks ago

[Guest]

But are you gonna post a photo of you dressed in the bags so it can be stored for posterity or is there anyone in the SS comminity who can oblige

Maybe this should become a new thread ...embarrasing photo's at NS events......

Ady....fashionably embarrassed? 

 

 

I started in'74, baggy  green cords with a high,waistband, US bowling shirt, braces and towelling wristbands, Soon taken to one side and basically told that I looked like an idiot. Lesson learned, 24" black pleated parallels black T shirt, dropped the badges, hair cut short, white socks 'cos I was a posing bastard. I did have a long grey leather coat though. Also remember the Jazz Funkers about 1977, we'd get on the train after the 'nighter at Wigan, to get to the Ritz in Manchester, they would have long fringes, that they constantly flicked, furry mohair jumpers, and tight jeans worn with sandals We just stank of sweat !

 

Dave, you would have known Sammy and Grant from Blackburn, we occasionally used to score gear from those two.....the usual Saturday afternoon hunting sometimes lead us out of town.

 

Plenty of folk never wore bags at all , I didn't , so maybe I went to an alternative Wigan , I also had a wedge haircut 75/76 and wore sandals.

With 2 guys in white lab-coats.......I remember!

[Jkpnefc]

 Skinners parallel wide-bottomed denims for the Manchester followers and something similar for the Merseyside lot, was it Coopers? 

Flemings methinks

[dedji1955]

Flemings methinks

Flemings where very popular throughout the North West.. A lot of the local Wigan folk wore both the blue denim and the White bakers from Flemings

The tricky part was getting them back from the Shop on Walton Road, Liverpool without getting rolled

[manus]

 

 

With 2 guys in white lab-coats.......I remember!

 

Lol but they were long leather white labs coats and they walked with a limp

 

 

Strangely enough though I did wear a long white belted overcoat to go to the alternative Wigan around 74/75

[Guest]

Flemings methinks

Those are the ones!.........I was trying to remember as I typed "Skinners" 

[Guest Dave Ward]

Dave, you would have known Sammy and Grant from Blackburn, we occasionally used to score gear from those two.....the usual Saturday afternoon hunting sometimes lead us out of town.

No, I kind of hung about on the outskirts of the Preston Crew, Was a bit of an independent, got my stuff from a fat lass on the local Leyland estate, who " Couldn't get on with them", because they kept her awake all-night, Which suited me fine ! Blackburn corner was RH side in M's, Burnley on the Left. I was LH corner in the big room, with Wolves, Preston. etc.

[Frankie Crocker]

Flemings methinks

Spot on. Thanks for jogging the memory.

[Paul R]

Ady....fashionably embarrassed? 

 

Dave, you would have known Sammy and Grant from Blackburn, we occasionally used to score gear from those two.....the usual Saturday afternoon hunting sometimes lead us out of town.

 

With 2 guys in white lab-coats.......I remember!

Sammy & Grant & their mob. A bunch not to be messed with. One of their crew held a flick knife in my side and accused me of selling chalkies!!! he went away when I totally denied it & gave him a quid note.  Good job he didn't search me, cash in one pocket, and the other pocket full of white oval gut rot medication!

 

Paul

[Guest]

Sammy & Grant & their mob. A bunch not to be messed with. One of their crew held a flick knife in my side and accused me of selling chalkies!!! he went away when I totally denied it & gave him a quid note.  Good job he didn't search me, cash in one pocket, and the other pocket full of white oval gut rot medication!

 

Paul

We got the last bus with them a few times.......they were fine. We bought a shit load of duromine off  them, we didn`t know anything about them at all so we necked them like "normal" about 10 probably.......nothing happened, no buzz or anything. So we took some more.....bad idea or what?..................still no buzz but we were all still awake till about the following Wednesday!

Worst gear on the planet!

Edited November 26, 2014 by Guest

[Guest Dave Ward]

Went to a Dayer in Blackburn, got jumped by a local crew and was stupid enough to take my leather coat off for the fight. Of course my coat was robbed, I fought my way out with a steel comb, quickly arrested by a local bobby, and got my face smacked in the police car. Probably the same mob, Steve.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Dave Ward

[Ady Croasdell]

But are you gonna post a photo of you dressed in the bags so it can be stored for posterity or is there anyone in the SS comminity who can oblige

Maybe this should become a new thread ...embarrasing photo's at NS events......

Bleeding Opplegardener's already done it.

[Gerry H]

this was 1980 me & Vernon i hadn't seen him for about 25 years i was dancing in Winsford & he jumped on my back lol i`ve seen him a few times since last time in Radcliffe February hoping he`s there next week i`m taking a couple of cd`s for him he`s always happy i ask him who really won that competition he says it was a long time ago maby winstanly knows

[Cheltsoulnights]

On 20/11/2014 at 22:13, Pete S said:

 

The shot from behind, that's showing about 3/4 of the dancefloor, after the floor ends at the back there was like 20 feet or so of carpet and then the back bar where the records were sold, directly underneath where the guy took the photo from

More Like 14ft or less

The sides had 20ft

[Cheltsoulnights]

On 24/11/2014 at 23:58, FRANKIE CROCKER said:

 

Statement with tongue slightly in cheek... Hacks me off when latterday arrivals hurl flack at the earlier generation for what they wore. Towards the end of Wigan, and despite the many great 60's records emerging, the Jazz Funk brigade were steering the dress-code along High Street fashion lines, hardly an underground cult anymore. You're right, the Wigan DJ's tended to dress ordinarily with the exception of Dave Evison and maybe a couple of other latecomers. Don't recall Gethro much after the mid 70's but he was always sharply dressed. At Soul On The Square on Saturday, there were plenty of lads and lasses dressed the part, kitted out to dance and a world apart from the students present.

Spencers is a company that made clothing. You are referring to high waister Baggies? In 81 we bought Zoots from them as in the real world Jazz Funk was ruling.

Baggies were over around 78/79

Just a thought

[Cheltsoulnights]

On 24/11/2014 at 17:42, manusf3a said:

The coats used to be the mark of the criminal elite in early days .I never had one I had instead a denim jacket style black leather with popper fastenings like a levi denim jacket in style.Another criminal"look",round our way was denim shirt and jeans and not bringing a bag with you.Mick Gav r.i.p  good friend from Wellingborough occasionaly would have a tesco  type bag with a spare shirt  as would others in that crew.

 

In fact I remember meeting up with Gav and the crew one night and getting the train to Bedford for an all nighter at the Night Spot probably about 78 time,we got the nighter and outside there was a bunch of wannabe skinhead locals(quadraphenia had not long come out and the lookalike mods and skins were multiplying like rabbits on sex boast pills all over the land) they were steaming into and beating the shit out of a bunch of soulies with bags and baggie pants etc ho were waiting outside for the nighter to open.Of course Gavin,meself,Terry I think/,Danny Price and the rest of the Wellingborough lads rushed in and mincemeated the local skins who ran off up the road being pursued by us,I think I threw a steel roadsign at them as a parting gift.Well I read on soul source (one of the forums)last year I think and had to laugh as I read a desciption of the incident that said it was "A fight between local skinheads and  JAZZFUNKERS???????", at that time our lot were wearing either levi501s or narrow cut peg trousers ,Gav and Glen Stuart aand a couple of others had Oxfam type narrow lapel jackets,me my denim style leather  but I dont see how we could of been mistaken for jazzfunkers of that time.Incidentely a large group of lads stood watching from the steps as their fellow soulies were getting a kicking  must just have been a certain bunch there waiting that night before other folk arrived as I couldnt see that happening at any other soul do even these days of realative maturity and non A G A G R in our lives,people would help. 

Haha

Sheepskin Coat..... Drug Dealer lol

[Cheltsoulnights]

On 25/11/2014 at 00:09, Dave Ward said:

Oh come on, by '78 even at Wigan, it was pleated pegs and baseball shirts, The Jazz Funk boys had stupid mohair sweaters, tight jeans, sandals and flick wedge haircuts.

Yep Pegs

Short sleeved shirts not Baseball

Never saw Jazz Funkers at Wigan. Unless you mean the odd one? 

[Joefromupnorth]

On 21/11/2014 at 08:45, HARRY CROSBY said:

My mate Kim white(Selby), in the yellow shirt, in the dancing competition. Happy days

Harry how are you me old mate ?  Happy New Year to Di and yourself.

Further on in this thread there's a photo with Chris standing out......so many years since he passed away, do you have or can you send me a link to the video of him giving it large near the stage when Eddie Holman was on.

Had it but lost in a PC crash some years back.

Never seen you since your spot at Radcliffe mate and that was a few years ago........hope we can meet up sometime.

[Keith Gildart]

Anyone have contact details for Francesco? I'm looking for a good photo for a book cover that will be published next year with Manchester University Press. Or if anyone has a decent photo of Casino, Mecca, and own the copyright and would be willing to share that would be great.

[Guest Penzance SoulBro]

On 18/10/2019 at 11:42, Keith Gildart said:

Anyone have contact details for Francesco? I'm looking for a good photo for a book cover that will be published next year with Manchester University Press. Or if anyone has a decent photo of Casino, Mecca, and own the copyright and would be willing to share that would be great.

 

[Debbie]

I'm in the second photo, far left middle.  Short black hair, wearing a khaki vest top. I've got long silver hair now