Please click on photograph to enlarge this shot of the finale of Puss In Boots..
Taken in January 1966 along with many more.
These were taken without the aid of a flash gun or any high intensity lamps. So how was it done in the days before digital media?
Make up. All very professional.
Clotilde – Janet Stone
The Chorus Girls
Mandrake – Michael Leadbeater.
Jason – Jane Elkington & Whiskey his Cat – Anne-Marie Munday
Finally the Sing-along.
Back in 1965
Frankie Coxon in Make-up.
Ugly Sisters (Mick Wright & Harry Hanshaw)
Thelma thinking about?
Happy memories! I recall all of these YF members as I was very much involved with ‘Gussies Youth Fellowship’ during this period. It was a vibrant community of young people at this time encouraged by an excellent and energetic vicar – Reverend Tony Betts assisted by a young Curate Adrian Jones. Tony organised annual youth camps including his two previous parishes – Coventry and Higham in Kent. These camps were the highlight each year for so many and were the source of lasting memories for all those taking part which totalled in excess of seventy on most occasions. Tony was at St Augustine’s for about fourteen years before moving to Bracebridge in Lincolnshire. Everything in the parish thrived under Tony which was a reflection of the enthusiasm and vitality that he brought to his ministry. He will be long remembered.
Thanks for showing an interest Harry. I don’t actually recall meeting you but there were, as you wrote, rather a lot of us.
I see that you were Edna, one of the ugly sisters in Cinderella so I am attaching a photograph of you waiting in the wings.
I will also add photographs of Tony Betts & Adrian Jones and, indeed, Dennis Ryder.
Best wishes
Mike
Dear Harry
Nice to stumble on this site and see you and others, My memoryn is that Adrian Jones was only at Gissies a few years . A long stint was Dennis Ryder (or should it be rRder) and when Denis moved on I remember the youthgroup organising a “This is your Life ” skits at the parish’s farewell evening to Denis & wife (Pat? not sure)
A feature of things with Gussies, Higham Kent, a London suburb and West Sussex were the annual camps. One year I distinctly remember going out with many from the camp into town (Think it was Chideock Dorset) at the height of the Profumo affair. Rumoured John Profumo was in the town and the evening was livened up by many in the dtreets singing “Oh No John No John No”
On stronger things at Gussies Derby were indeed thePantos and the years before my involvement had very talented folk inckuding Roger Jerram & Pam ? the latter of whom later featured in some of the musical societies in the town.
I remembered we used to have “rave” evenings with local pop groups in what was then the Church Hall in Almond St – went well several times until one group of thugs broke it up and police were called.
All good wishes
David (David G Hurford now in East Sussex
I’m pleased this site is still being used to link you fellows up. Dennis Rider’s wife’s name was indeed Pat. Their children were Sarah and Simon. I have the camp lists to prove it.
And, of course, Shaggy. the dog.
See photograph of the family under Camps & Trips.
Thanks Mike – we had a great time at that Panto! Mick Wright was a friend of mine from work and was in the choir at St Marks, Chaddesden. He followed me to St Augustine’s when I joined at the age of 17 in 1962. He went on to marry a Gussies girl Linda Eyre in 1968. Back in 1962 Dennis Ryder, as you will know was Tony’s Curate and ran the Youth Fellowship as one of his duties. The YF met every Thursday evening in the Church Hall in Almond St. and was very well attended. The two main annual events were the Pantomime and the Youth Camp. All the Fellowship members sat together in the Night Chappel for Evensong every Sunday. When Dennis Ryder left he was replaced by Adrian Jones who encouraged me into taking a leadership role in the running of the YF. Indeed, he also encouraged me to become a Clayton Volunteer and I was accepted for the exchange programme in 1967 when I did youth work during the summer period in New York. A great experience! On my return and following Adrians departure I ran the YF for a further seven years. During this time I did a LEA youth leadership course and took up a three night weekly part time job at Lees Brook, Chaddesden which I took over in 1972. I did this until I was 45. I got married in 1975 and moved away to Cowers Lane near Wirksworth and sadly moved on from St Augustine’s. This was shortly after Tony left – I was Church Warden at the time.
Very best regards,
Harry
Hello Harry.
Michael Leadbeater here! Charlie Easton sent me the link for this site ( we still keep in touch). What a great surprise to see your comments. Not only were we at Gussies YF we were also at the Loco Works together. I remember you sitting next to me during class room sessions.
I really left Derby in the autumn of 1966 when I began exploring ordained ministry. After seven years of A level catch-up and university I was ordained in 1973 (deacon) and 1974 (priest) for a parish in Leeds in the then Diocese of Ripon. I married in 1974 and have two children, now in their 40’s! I also have two grandchildren.
I remember the panto’s well. I played Mandrake in the 1966 production of Puss in Boots. I also remember a very enjoyable weekend visit to Higham.
It will be good to hear from you. The years pass very quickly- I’ll be 76 in June, so I expect you will be similar.
Michael
It’s Charlie Elston. The spell-checker seems to know better!
M
Hello Michael,
Sorry for the late response – I have not checked the site for some time and an email from Mike Kent prompted to me to re-visit. Yes, happy days indeed. Those Training School days in the Derby Loco Works – it was the first school of its kind in the country and copied by many other Companies including Rolls Royce. The decline of the Railway Workshops was, of course inevitable but nevertheless quite sad. I stayed at the Derby Loco site until it closed in 2004 when the activity was limited to bogie design and manufacture. At this stage Bombardier moved the manufacturing into their other sites in Europe but moved the Design to Derby C&W – which is where I relocated to. I initially retired at 60 but within three weeks was asked to go back to assist with a Project in trouble. I finally retired at 65.
I married in 1975 and have a son and daughter (now also in their 40’s) and three grandchildren.
Memories of my time at Gussies are treasured, the Pantos, Annual Camps, Ice Skating trips and even midnight walks but the main thing was the mixing with friends and camaraderie that took place. I had a so much respect for the Rev Tony Betts – he was so hard working and spent a lot of his time encouraging young people.
It would be good to follow up on many other things Michael and to know a little more about your experiences since we saw each other last.
My email address is eldergreave@gmail.com – it would be so good to hear from you further.
Very best wishes,
Harry
Harry & Michadel: Just to say further to my earlier comments just now I left Derby 1969 to undertake Youth & Community work course training in London. After qualifying I worked with YMCAs in Wimbledon Romford and Lewes 1979-1997. In the summer before I started at Wimbleon I was a volunteer at Camp Wanakita a camp in 1,000 acres(!) on the shores of Lake Koshlong in Haliburton Highlands run by Hamilton YMCA. In later I was pleased that some of the teenagers I worked with in UK were volunteer workers at Camp Wanakita.
YMCA movemenet was formed 6 June 1844. As 100th anniversary was D Day not much was made of it but 1994 was 150th anniversary a lot happened. I did a study visit to several YMCAs in Ontario ending up again at Camp Wanakita (Which by now I had been to several times) and this co-incided with some of the placements I had secured being at that summer’s camp.
One last comment. Our family were very touched when Tony Betts kindly agreed to return to Derby to take funeral of my father.
David
Posts don’t always appear in date order, David. I have no idea why but there are too few to get lost. Please just page up to see your original post.
Mike K