Wigan Dance Competition Winners

[Guest Dukker]

ref: #39

I remember Paul "Spud" Murphy and Vernon both from Bradford...Vernon taught me to spin and Paul...well who could ever dance like him?

For the years I went to Wigan (3rd-5th Anniversaries) it was Paul v Sandy in most finals!!!

 

Paul did eventually win, I think it was the night Martha Reeves played? (She gave me a signed album which Tony Hatfield snatched from me!! 

 

Reading these posts and looking up on Youtube brings it all back like it was Yesterday..Happy Days!!!

 

Who remembers the girls? a petite girl called Shirley from Carlisle? or the tall girl only known as Sandy Shaw? They were great movers..

 

I never entered the dance competitions, those guys were on another level to me, but I was always one of the first in and camped out in front of the right hand speaker in front of the DJ's as you looked at stage.

 

We were the crew from Boston Spa & Wetherby. Interested to hear from anyone who remembers us.

 

Happy Days...

[Wiganer1]

What about simmo?

[Lionelonthevinyl]

What about simmo?

[Lionelonthevinyl]

Whoops sorry about the last post mark. Rog only ever talks about jethro in the dance comps..did he actually win any?....Rob

[Frankie Crocker]

Wigan 1st Anniversary

Hi i'm Angie Lawrence's brother and she didnt win it.

Steve Ceasar did.

Kim Habbits 2nd

Jethro of wolves 3rd.

And My girl at the time Sharon Dyke of Gloucester 4th.

My recollection also. Steve Caesar from Leeds won in 1974. Kim Habbits [from Leigh who featured in This England?] Jethro from Wolverhampton, the Peoples' Champion in third but you couldn't separate them, it was so close.

[Mark Bicknell]

Baz from reding 1977.

 

Think he came second.

[Geeselad]

can I give an honourable mention to Biddulph's Gary Fultcher, never saw him in action but I believe he came a close and contested 2nd to Sandy one year.

[Quinvy]

It must be wonderful to be a great dancer. I always envied them. I would have been happy just to be able to spin, but I was crap when I were a lad, and I'm still crap now.

[givemesoul]

I've no idea, but if Dennis Lee didn't win one - he should have.

I'm pretty sure little dennis did i was working with him at the time,how the f**k we worked i dont know

[Frankie Crocker]

Didnt think Baz won it - thought he came second to Sandy from Bolton? Remember watching it!

Alan

My recollection also. 1977, 4th Anniversary Wigan dance competition was won by Sandy Holt outright. Last anniversary I attended. Grapevine has it he won again, 1978 it appears, perhaps after being eliminated in an earlier round? All good clean fun and an integral part of the scene. All winners should be cast in bronze and put on plinths between Wigan Wallgate and Station Road.

[Guest manusf3a]

Danny Daniels from Peterbrough won it. Fairly sure it was 75 or 76.

Bit earlier I reckon,spun them all off the floor,Danny r.i,p bless him ,all round good guy and could spin like you have never seen.,Danny won the moped,a very well liked lad by everyone who knew him ,I knew who he was then but didnt really get to know him really well till years later when he was starting to get very ill.Theres a whole thread on here to his memory bless him.

Edited September 27, 2013 by manusf3a

[Guest mr murf]

Re 5th anniversary dance it was a draw between sandy and me what a fantastic night

[Knockerdj]

On 01/03/2010 at 20:53, Davetay said:

 

 

 

Neil Rushton's ex won one or the early dance competitions at Wigan (poss the 1st one)

 

I can't remember her name ? (Angie?) she was good, it was before she was with Neil.

 

I think Frank Booper (if that's the right spelling) came second.

 

Chris Ghearson (spelling again?) was also one of the final contestants.

 

[Knockerdj]

My best mate, Mark Mahony came 2nd in the 1978 final. He was better known to many as "Mona" and he was from Chesterfield. 

[Janie Nichols]

On 02/03/2010 at 19:56, Davetay said:

 

 

 

As I said earlier Angie won the 1st one.

When was it, Christmas 73 around that time?

Or was it later?

 

Dave.

I dont think Angie won at Wigan . I think she won other dance competitions elsewhere.

I won one of the very early ones against two guys.  
i really thought it was the first anniversary .

I won £100 first prize.
The record I won too was Come on Train Don Thomas.

i left the stage before being photographed.

perhaps if the winners could name the record that won them the title all the mystery could be cleared up . 

janie Nichols xx

[Chalky]

I compiled a list with some help which is as definitive as I could make, still a few names missing. As said there was competitions at other times not just the anniversaries so it may be one of those you won if not on this list? I will go through the topic to see if can add to the list.

1974 1st Anniversary. 1st Steve Caesar, 2nd Kim Habbits (Gethro's GF), 3rd Gethro
1975 2nd Anniversary. 1st Steve "Danny' Daniels, 2nd ?, 3rd?
1976 3rd Anniversary. 1st Sandy Holt, 2nd Baz ?, 3rd ?
1977 4th Anniversary. 1st Winston Omeally, 2nd?, 3rd ?,
1978 5th Anniversary. 1st Sandy Holt (Bolton), 2nd Shirley Drury, 3rd Dale Baker?
1979 6th Anniversary. 1st Sparky (Warrington?) 2nd ?, 3rd ?
1980 7th Anniversary. 1st John Neilson 2nd Vernon Pryce, 3rd Simon O’Malley 
1981 8th Anniversary. Vernon Pryce, John Neilson & Kim White

[Dobber]

12 hours ago, Janie Nichols said:

I dont think Angie won at Wigan . I think she won other dance competitions elsewhere.

I won one of the very early ones against two guys.  
i really thought it was the first anniversary .

I won £100 first prize.
The record I won too was Come on Train Don Thomas.

i left the stage before being photographed.

perhaps if the winners could name the record that won them the title all the mystery could be cleared up . 

janie Nichols xx

£100 and a record! bet that felt like a lottery win back then

lee

[Leicester Boy]

1 hour ago, Dobber said:

£100 and a record! bet that felt like a lottery win back then

lee

The right record and it would be.

[Mithras]

A moped on the 2nd never forgot it...

[Billywhizz]

On 27/09/2013 at 03:45, Guest manusf3a said:

Bit earlier I reckon,spun them all off the floor,Danny r.i,p bless him ,all round good guy and could spin like you have never seen.,Danny won the moped,a very well liked lad by everyone who knew him ,I knew who he was then but didnt really get to know him really well till years later when he was starting to get very ill.Theres a whole thread on here to his memory bless him.

 SOLD THAT NIGHT  CASH ,WENT INTO ARMY ,FEW YEARS ,

[Janie Nichols]

On 07/01/2024 at 12:51, Leicester Boy said:

The right record and it would be.

I didn’t win a record along with the prize money.

just the money.

i won the dance competition to Come on Train.

ic there was a list of the final record that each winner danced to we could complimented list of winners more accurately I think .

each dancer never  would forget which record the won too

[Knockerdj]

On 07/01/2024 at 11:28, Chalky said:

I compiled a list with some help which is as definitive as I could make, still a few names missing. As said there was competitions at other times not just the anniversaries so it may be one of those you won if not on this list? I will go through the topic to see if can add to the list.

1974 1st Anniversary. 1st Steve Caesar, 2nd Kim Habbits (Gethro's GF), 3rd Gethro
1975 2nd Anniversary. 1st Steve "Danny' Daniels, 2nd ?, 3rd?
1976 3rd Anniversary. 1st Sandy Holt, 2nd Baz ?, 3rd ?
1977 4th Anniversary. 1st Winston Omeally, 2nd?, 3rd ?,
1978 5th Anniversary. 1st Sandy Holt (Bolton), 2nd Shirley Drury, 3rd Dale Baker?
1979 6th Anniversary. 1st Sparky (Warrington?) 2nd ?, 3rd ?
1980 7th Anniversary. 1st John Neilson 2nd Vernon Pryce, 3rd Simon O’Malley 
1981 8th Anniversary. Vernon Pryce, John Neilson & Kim White

Hiya Chalky, Mona came 2nd in the 78 final. I remember him going every week in the run up to the anniversary, getting through the heats each week. People like Gray Weaver, Rob Salway etc will confirm this. Best person to ask, if you could get in touch with him, would be Gethro. They were best mates at the time, Knocker

Just now, Knockerdj said:

Hiya Chalky, Mona came 2nd in the 78 final. I remember him going every week in the run up to the anniversary, getting through the heats each week. People like Gray Weaver, Rob Salway etc will confirm this. Best person to ask, if you could get in touch with him, would be Gethro. They were best mates at the time, Knocker

Mona's girlfriend at the time was Lisa Bradbury (Notts). She is on Facebook and will confirm it for you

[Chalky]

7 hours ago, Knockerdj said:

Hiya Chalky, Mona came 2nd in the 78 final. I remember him going every week in the run up to the anniversary, getting through the heats each week. People like Gray Weaver, Rob Salway etc will confirm this. Best person to ask, if you could get in touch with him, would be Gethro. They were best mates at the time, Knocker

Mona's girlfriend at the time was Lisa Bradbury (Notts). She is on Facebook and will confirm it for you

Cheers Knocker, hope yer well pal

[Mike]

 

 

Martin t site has the below up with 4 place info

Mr Peebles, Dave Mc.Aleer and myself were press ganged into judging the dancing competition and with a rather nice system of points we ended up with Steve Ceasar of Leeds wining; 2nd Kim Habbits ( not bad we hope ) of Wolverhampton; 3rd was Gethro ( that's how he said it was spelled ) also of Wolverhampton and 4th was Sharon Dyke of Gloucester. 

via

http://martins_box.tripod.com/id3.htm

ps

Am fairly sure that Gerry H (RIP ) Bangor once told me during a lift that he finished second in one such comp at Wigan, anyone confirm and year if possible?

[Soulfulhound]

I came last in the Cleethorpes dancing competition on the pier in 1975 if that's any good...?

[3 Before 8]

Well Chris you never early for anything