'Ordinary' Teesside Characters

I wrote his name down tonight funnily enough. Opened a club in Middlesbrough after being turned away from one in London for being black. Quite an enigma - not unlike the groundbreaking astor
 
Wildcatmike said:
I wrote his name down tonight funnily enough. Opened a club in Middlesbrough after being turned away from one in London for being black. Quite an enigma - not unlike the groundbreaking astor
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I met Astor in about 1980. I was about 17 and DJing at a working man's club in Boro when the main 'turn' cancelled. This old gadgie stepped out of the audience, refused a mic and belted out a whole set of songs and gags, unaccompanied, to a packed room of about 250. Now, I've got a really loud voice and can project with the best of them but solo, to 250, without a mic, for an hour? Forget it. The audience of course loved him.

Told my mam the next day and of course being from central Boro, she knew all about him from back in the day and regarded him as something of a legend. You've prompted me now to do a bit of research on him and his story. Cheers mate!
 
HarryVegas said:
I met Astor in about 1980. I was about 17 and DJing at a working man's club in Boro when the main 'turn' cancelled. This old gadgie stepped out of the audience, refused a mic and belted out a whole set of songs and gags, unaccompanied, to a packed room of about 250. Now, I've got a really loud voice and can project with the best of them but solo, to 250, without a mic, for an hour? Forget it. The audience of course loved him.

Told my mam the next day and of course being from central Boro, she knew all about him from back in the day and regarded him as something of a legend. You've prompted me now to do a bit of research on him and his story. Cheers mate!
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Hello Harry! Yes Astor is pretty legendary. He was cited by Charlie Williams as effectively being the uK's first black stand up comedian... quite a trailblazer... the mouth of the tees. I am speaking to his family to get some of the detail and hopefully celebrate him in my production.
 
Wildcatmike said:
Hello Harry! Yes Astor is pretty legendary. He was cited by Charlie Williams as effectively being the uK's first black stand up comedian... quite a trailblazer... the mouth of the tees. I am speaking to his family to get some of the detail and hopefully celebrate him in my production.
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Yes, just read the quote from Charlie Williams. You'll have to let me know when your production is on, I'd love to pop down and see it. Incidentally, bumped into your Kev a couple of years ago at the Battle of Stockton gig, was great to see him in such fine fettle (y)
 
Wildcatmike said:
I'm devising a new Pub Opera that tells the story of (extra) 'ordinary' Teessiders no longer with us. I'm interested if anyone can add to my list so far which includes Astor Garriques, Matty Chipchase, Ivy Close, Vin Garbutt, Sister Mary (of Stockton OLSB Infamy), Ali Brownlee, Frankie Bointon. I'm trying to stay away from the obvious (still worthy) more famous sons and daughters... and share stories of our own. The piece will be staged in 2021 and I am proud to be collaborating with Mackenzie Thorpe on the visuals for the show. Please give me ideas and why their stories would add to the list.
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I have looked at your list of Teesside Heroes and can’t for the life of me understand why Vin Garbutt, who I classed as a friend or Frankie Boynton are on the list. You need to be looking at people who gave up their time to help others and not a well know folk singer and a football fan.

Edit: I think this a great idea and would like to see it. Sorry if I have come over negative.
 
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There was a guy from Grangetown (Kevin Larkin) who run the Boys Club football team. Kevin helped to keep a lot of lads on the straight and narrow.

Kevin was a Boro season ticket holder in his latter years, but gave up a lot of his free time to help others.
 
Norman_Conquest said:
I have looked at your list of Teesside Heroes and can’t for the life of me understand why Vin Garbutt, who I classed as a friend or Frankie Boynton are on the list. You need to be looking at people who gave up their time to help others and not a well know folk singer and a football fan.

Edit: I think this a great idea and would like to see it. Sorry if I have come over negative.
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I understand your reasoning but both are characters that really interest me. Vin in particular who I collaborated with on many occasions. Frankie.... I just think had something very atypical Teesside about him. The show isn't about people who necessary helped others... indeed you'll find there will be a few wrong'uns in there. It is about people from the community who stood out. I hope you come and enjoy it for what it is... a reflection of precious days and Teesside memories.
 
Wildcatmike said:
I understand your reasoning but both are characters that really interest me. Vin in particular who I collaborated with on many occasions. Frankie.... I just think had something very atypical Teesside about him. The show isn't about people who necessary helped others... indeed you'll find there will be a few wrong'uns in there. It is about people from the community who stood out. I hope you come and enjoy it for what it is... a reflection of precious days and Teesside memories.
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Perhaps my use of the word hero is wrong tbh but I spend a lot of my time convincing children that they can all be heroes... so I kind of interpret it differently to the norm.
 
i remember Bam Bam in Rome drunk weeping on my shoulder sad at what a chunt he;d been over the years. It was hard to disagree - at least he worked it out
 
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