Posted April 9, 200916 yr Plenty of people must remember the Birch in Ashton-under-lyne,run for most of it's 10 plus years on a weekly basis every Thursday night by Tom Smith. Once a year on Maundy Thursday Richard Searling would guest and the place was rammed, the Birch has since been pulled down and is flats.Tom now works at Beat n Ryhthm in Manchester,people I remember were Greg Pollitt,big Scotty,Robbo,Ian Cunliffe all the local guys Chris Churm,Steve Dearden,John Hillel,Charlie and Eileen Taylor and of course the girls Julie,Alma,Barbara and Lesley who I married and loads more people too numerous to mention. Have a wonderful weekend folks, Steve
April 9, 200916 yr The ordinary Thursdays were OK too, kept the Flag flying and all that. Last place I saw Brian Leah before he passed. ATB Tony
April 9, 200916 yr Author Some more names have come to me Mark Bicknel who will be giddy today,Les & Shirley Pyatt,Phil Etchells,Bob Hinsley,Bob Scott,Jimmy Hamnet,Les Hare,Mark Tobin,Dave Slater the Macc lads, Matchy yep lots of peeps the original landlord was called Ken nice guy. Oh yeah Phil Dunne and Dave Steele.
April 9, 200916 yr Larry Semmins said: Some more names have come to me Mark Bicknel who will be giddy today,Les & Shirley Pyatt,Phil Etchells,Bob Hinsley,Bob Scott,Jimmy Hamnet,Les Hare,Mark Tobin,Dave Slater the Macc lads, Matchy yep lots of peeps the original landlord was called Ken nice guy. Oh yeah Phil Dunne and Dave Steele. More names from me Wayne (train driver), Chris Sheppard, Big Mick (Bolton), Carl & Maria, Me & Lou. I'll post others when I think of them. When the Thursdays stopped it went to Saturday night and Tom had grests on from all over.
April 9, 200916 yr Author Yep Wayne Skeffington and Chris both Rochdale fans,and of course Mick not seen him since his 50th and Carl and Maria who I saw at Prestatyn.
April 9, 200916 yr Larry Semmins said: Yep Wayne Skeffington and Chris both Rochdale fans,and of course Mick not seen him since his 50th and Carl and Maria who I saw at Prestatyn. No, we have not seen Mick since his 50th, but i've pm him a few times. Not seen Wayne for ages, saw Chris just before Christmas and like you said saw Carl & Maria at Prestatyn and Middleton.
April 9, 200916 yr Larry Semmins said: Yep Wayne Skeffington and Chris both Rochdale fans,and of course Mick not seen him since his 50th and Carl and Maria who I saw at Prestatyn. If you dragged vyourself to Heywood tomorrow there's a better than good chance that you'd see the Willinghams again, seeing as they're guesting ATB Tony
April 14, 200916 yr WOW THE BIRCH NOW THAT WAS A SOULNITE !!! It was the IN PLACE to be every Thursday nite brilliant music great people and a great place to buy 45,s CHEAP !!!! So many wonderful memories of that place never ever had a bad nite there in all the times i went A MASSIVE RAP TO TOMMY SMITH FOR PUTTING ON SUCH A GREAT NITE !!!!
April 14, 200916 yr What years was it on? Trying to bget a perspective on time. Cheap 45s, Richard guesting at easter etc. are we talking the 70s?
April 14, 200916 yr Steve G said: What years was it on? Trying to bget a perspective on time. Cheap 45s, Richard guesting at easter etc. are we talking the 70s? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Steve mid 90,s and believe me great place for buying 45,s some of my buys there BRAND NEW FACES..£25 HOUSTON OUTLAWS AINT NO TELLIN £1 PURPLE MUNDI £35 ALEX PATTEN UK DEMO £25 I could go on and on defo a top place for buying rare 45,s every now and again someone would walk in with a small box of 45,s and whoever got in there first usually got a bargain ..
April 14, 200916 yr IANCSLOFT said: Hi Steve mid 90,s and believe me great place for buying 45,s some of my buys there BRAND NEW FACES..£25 HOUSTON OUTLAWS AINT NO TELLIN £1 PURPLE MUNDI £35 ALEX PATTEN UK DEMO £25 I could go on and on defo a top place for buying rare 45,s every now and again someone would walk in with a small box of 45,s and whoever got in there first usually got a bargain .. Wow! Yeah a lot of stuff ended in in M/c. Went to the record fairs there religiously in the early 90s - got some great stuff myself....Steve
April 15, 200916 yr Author Chris Churm was there every week and usually had a sales box got some good stuff off him like Beloyd for a £10 amongst others. The Mrs and her mates had nowhere to go when Hyde Botanical shut another brilliant night B T W called into the Birch and say's to Tommy not got any northern have you mate!!! I guess he had.Also remember Steve Birtwhistle selling his records there The Blue Jays Point of view went quick I recall, Derek and Janet Whatmough also came along yep great nights great people.
April 16, 200916 yr Larry Semmins said: Chris Churm was there every week and usually had a sales box got some good stuff off him like Beloyd for a £10 amongst others. The Mrs and her mates had nowhere to go when Hyde Botanical shut another brilliant night B T W called into the Birch and say's to Tommy not got any northern have you mate!!! I guess he had.Also remember Steve Birtwhistle selling his records there The Blue Jays Point of view went quick I recall, Derek and Janet Whatmough also came along yep great nights great people. How did I forget about Derek & Janet from Bolton! I saw Chris at the weekend and asked him about Wayne, he told me Wayne has not been out to a soul do for 4 years.
April 17, 200916 yr davetay said: How did I forget about Derek & Janet from Bolton! I saw Chris at the weekend and asked him about Wayne, he told me Wayne has not been out to a soul do for 4 years. Remind me again, after you've met Derek Whatmough, how the F*ck d'ye forget him????????????? Tony
April 17, 200916 yr tonyp said: Remind me again, after you've met Derek Whatmough, how the F*ck d'ye forget him????????????? Tony Ya good question
Plenty of people must remember the Birch in Ashton-under-lyne,run for most of it's 10 plus years on a weekly basis every Thursday
night by Tom Smith. Once a year on Maundy Thursday Richard Searling would guest and the place was rammed, the Birch has since
been pulled down and is flats.Tom now works at Beat n Ryhthm in Manchester,people I remember were Greg Pollitt,big Scotty,Robbo,Ian
Cunliffe all the local guys Chris Churm,Steve Dearden,John Hillel,Charlie and Eileen Taylor and of course the girls Julie,Alma,Barbara and
Lesley who I married and loads more people too numerous to mention. Have a wonderful weekend folks, Steve