Nice ones. I thought the Casino was much larger. When I watched the Casino parts in the Northern Soul movie I thought they used a venue similar in the interior but significantly smaller than WC actually was. Guess I'm wrong then.

Rushbrooke, Evison & Minshull on the first one, Brian on the second one?

Not sure it's Evison, looks to tall, but the rest I'm reasonably confident with.

Great pics.....clearest I've seen!

Cheers,

Mark R

Edited November 20, 201410 yr by Mark R

Note - no clown outfits!

Nice ones. I thought the Casino was much larger. When I watched the Casino parts in the Northern Soul movie I thought they used a venue similar in the interior but significantly smaller than WC actually was. Guess I'm wrong then.

 

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

Great pics, so many memories from the old place . Spent almost every Saturday night there .

Great that these treasures are still surfacing. Looks like 1980 judging from the clothes. Cameras were still on the rare side back then and were the property of parents rather than us youngsters, so photos of this sort are priceless.

 Great pics Pete, ..the Casino was much larger than what it appears in them photos , and although the N.Soul film was pretty good, the mock up interior Casino shots  were dissapointing (IMO) , it was much darker inside than portrayed in the movie.

Great pics Pete, ..the Casino was much larger than what it appears in them photos , and although the N.Soul film was pretty good, the mock up interior Casino shots were dissapointing (IMO) , it was much darker inside than portrayed in the movie.

And the bogs were hanging!

Fantastic pictures, how come so bright? I don't remember it being that bright and a camera flash wouldn't do it surely,

Fantastic pictures, how come so bright? I don't remember it being that bright and a camera flash wouldn't do it surely,

 

Agreed. I think these have had some sort of remastering, never seen such clear pictures, especially as I assume they were taken from the Balcony. 

 

The third one is the 7th anniversary dance competition I think, John Nielson from Scotland in the cerise (posh pink) top, he was against Vernon.  There are various pictures of that night on FB.

 

The others all look 81, but busier than many nights, when it was rumoured of closing a few times a full bus from Scotland came, possibly late Summer 81 and I would think the middle one is one of those nights as look like a few familiar faces up top right where we all sat, stood and danced. Or in the record bar where even by then I was finding myself more and more!

 

Edit on closer look the first one looks maybe older? And now wondering if the John N competition was last night in September, did they have a dance competition that night, it looks packed. I think in short I'm guessing, badly  Anyone confirm?

Edited November 20, 201410 yr by jocko

No clown wear but one die-hard is wearing a bowling shirt!  He must have stood out! 

I have some pictures from the same night, certainly the same dance competition will try to dig them out to confirm.....

No clown wear but one die-hard is wearing a bowling shirt!  He must have stood out! 

Gimme the classic threads any day ie bags, bowlers and brogues. Brian Ferry has a lot to answer for with flicked haircuts, cap-shirts, narrow belts, drainpipe jeans, plastic sandals etc. Surprised the Fashion Police didn't close The Casino down earlier...

Agreed. I think these have had some sort of remastering, never seen such clear pictures, especially as I assume they were taken from the Balcony. 

 

The third one is the 7th anniversary dance competition I think, John Nielson from Scotland in the cerise (posh pink) top, he was against Vernon.  There are various pictures of that night on FB.

 

The others all look 81, but busier than many nights, when it was rumoured of closing a few times a full bus from Scotland came, possibly late Summer 81 and I would think the middle one is one of those nights as look like a few familiar faces up top right where we all sat, stood and danced. Or in the record bar where even by then I was finding myself more and more!

 

Edit on closer look the first one looks maybe older? And now wondering if the John N competition was last night in September, did they have a dance competition that night, it looks packed. I think in short I'm guessing, badly  Anyone confirm?

 

I have another 4 photos I think of the stage during the dancing competition.  

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

Have you noticed in the second photo,how the majority of the dancers are facing the stage/dj's.Almost out of reverence,certainly out of respect.How times have changed.

on the second photo, it looks like somebody's getting shirt lifted on the stage! not simon cuerden is it??

Have you noticed in the second photo,how the majority of the dancers are facing the stage/dj's.Almost out of reverence,certainly out of respect.How times have changed.

 

It was out of necessity because there would be no room if people didn't dance side to side facing the stage, the only people going in the opposite direction would be at the edges of the dancefloor

Great pictures thanks Mr Smith.

Much brighter than I remember it....when they opened the doors the light used come streaming in and hurt your eyes....or did I imagine that?

As to the fashion....these were taken long after the days of the bags...."we" were wearing straight leg jeans by '77....well us trendy Lancashire lads were!

Kev H is right....you did mostly face the stage when you were dancing....never really thought about that.

Great pictures thanks Mr Smith.

Much brighter than I remember it....when they opened the doors the light used come streaming in and hurt your eyes....or did I imagine that?

As to the fashion....these were taken long after the days of the bags...."we" were wearing straight leg jeans by '77....well us trendy Lancashire lads were!

Kev H is right....you did mostly face the stage when you were dancing....never really thought about that.

It did get light inside especially in summer months 6ish onwards. Was there some skylights or similar in roof where light came in i seem to remember....long time ago now and av slept since then.

It did get light inside especially in summer months 6ish onwards. Was there some skylights or similar in roof where light came in i seem to remember....long time ago now and av slept since then.

Can't remember skylights, but I do remember a window in the gable end (opposite end to stage) with a window partly covered by black polythene that was coming adrift and let in light during summer.

Edited November 21, 201410 yr by Stevie

Thats it stevie...good memory pal.

Blimey - the punters look so young don't they!

Look at picture 3 the guy under the piano - where the hell is he now - priceless great pics

Look at picture 3 the guy under the piano - where the hell is he now - priceless great pics

 

 

Barry posted a few photos sourced via facebook on this thread

 

 

which seemed to be from the same night ?

 

but it appears that they no longer available online via fb 

 

though one 'reversed ' image posted via the bbc is still online posted by zed1 in that thread

 

 

I thought i'd seen the piano man before.!!

Excellent.  Looks about the era i ventured oop North. (4 times)

 I did xmas 79, feb 80, 7th anniv and feb 81  i can't remember a dance comp on the stage at the 7th, might have been in M's if it was   

Barry posted a few photos sourced via facebook on this thread

 

 

which seemed to be from the same night ?

 

but it appears that they no longer available online via fb 

 

though one 'reversed ' image posted via the bbc is still online posted by zed1 in that thread

 

 

 

I know the two girls taking pictures in this, and have just asked what night it was. So will report back. Based on Ian's comment above, back to thinking it was 7th anniversary, my only anniversary and pretty sure there was definitely a dance competition that night, as well as a raffle for a music centre! Remember them

It has been confirmed as last of an era, the real one 19/9/81. For the dance comp anyway. A couple of Selby birds just round from piano taking the pictures confirmed. Curly perms were just hitting Selby

It has been confirmed as last of an era, the real one 19/9/81. For the dance comp anyway. A couple of Selby birds just round from piano taking the pictures confirmed. Curly perms were just hitting Selby

It's our Chez in the shorts I believe

on the second photo, it looks like somebody's getting shirt lifted on the stage!

 

You're right...outrageous

Just dug a few of mine out...this is me stood outside the Casino after a nighter in 1981, sporting a de rigueur full-length leather coat and "Speedo" bag covered in (original!) badges.

  

I hated the dance comps, for me, just interrupted the evenings proceedings, same with the anniversaries when Gerry Marshall & Co would come on stage with a cake....b@ll@cks!

Mind you, always loved it when the clocks went back in the Autumn as we always gained an extra hour of music, like a little bonus that was.

Fantastic pictures, how come so bright? I don't remember it being that bright and a camera flash wouldn't do it surely,

SLR camera with fast film maybe? Not an expert, but 1,000 or 2,000 ASA might achieve this whereas Kodakrome 64 would not. Did the negatives survive? If so, there's a chance of making even sharper pictures.

Mind you, always loved it when the clocks went back in the Autumn as we always gained an extra hour of music, like a little bonus that was.

 

Less time for our gang to wait for the bus to to Bolton, then on to Oldham too

Just dug a few of mine out...this is me stood outside the Casino after a nighter in 1981, sporting a de rigueur full-length leather coat and "Speedo" bag covered in (original!) badges.

  

A full leather in 81, thats more outrageous than being shirtlifted on stage.

It has been confirmed as last of an era, the real one 19/9/81. For the dance comp anyway. A couple of Selby birds just round from piano taking the pictures confirmed. Curly perms were just hitting Selby

Many folks including Vernon claim that it was the 7th Anniversary Dance Competition

A ticket from that night shows it to be Sat/Sun 13th September 1980

Many folks including Vernon claim that it was the 7th Anniversary Dance Competition

A ticket from that night shows it to be Sat/Sun 13th September 1980

That seems to make sense as i was at the 19/9 night and my memory says it was more packed than in the photo's. It does look about the size of a good Saturday night crowd at that time.

 Great pics Pete, ..the Casino was much larger than what it appears in them photos , and although the N.Soul film was pretty good, the mock up interior Casino shots  were dissapointing (IMO) , it was much darker inside than portrayed in the movie.

I think we were mostly much smaller, rather than the Casino being larger. I know I was

Barry posted a few photos sourced via facebook on this thread

 

 

which seemed to be from the same night ?

 

but it appears that they no longer available online via fb 

 

though one 'reversed ' image posted via the bbc is still online posted by zed1 in that thread

 

 

*

Edited November 22, 201410 yr by chalky

Was sent these sometime ago....just been sat on the PC.

 

]

Edited November 22, 201410 yr by chalky

Barry posted a few photos sourced via facebook on this thread

 

 

which seemed to be from the same night ?

 

but it appears that they no longer available online via fb 

 

though one 'reversed ' image posted via the bbc is still online posted by zed1 in that thread

 

 

 

This is one of a whole load of 'last night' 19/9/81 photos taken by Liverpool-based photographer Francesco Mellina which were shown at a do at the Wigan Arcade a few years ago but never published. Quite a few were on a BBC Lancashire website for ages (i.e. the one with Pat Brady, Gary Rushbrooke and RW on the stage, RW with his Wigan bowling shirt, etc) but it now seems to have disappeared.  

 

I emailed Franceso about them a few years ago and he said he has a couple of hundred which have never seen the light of day. He asked if I was interested in publishing them but of course on my own I wouldn't be able to raise the funds. Definitely a project there for someone though, or some kind of collective effort - would be great to see them all. He is on Facebook if anyone wants to contact him.

A full leather in 81, thats more outrageous than being shirtlifted on stage.

 

But...but...but it was cold in the morning s during winter!

Could've been worse...a sheepskin coat!?

These are some of Franceso's photos.  A photobook isn't hard to do and a digital version is pretty simply.

 

It has been confirmed as last of an era, the real one 19/9/81. For the dance comp anyway. A couple of Selby birds just round from piano taking the pictures confirmed. Curly perms were just hitting Selby

 

Can't see it. End of era night was jam-packed solid. The pastel colours look late 70's but you have one geezer with a bowling shirt and another with dungarees! Put a gun to my head and I'd say 78/9.

These are some of Franceso's photos.  A photobook isn't hard to do and a digital version is pretty simply.

 

 

I meant the 100+ that no-one has seen - only Francesco currently has access to them 

These are some of Franceso's photos.  A photobook isn't hard to do and a digital version is pretty simply.

 

 

I meant the 100+ that no-one has seen - only Francesco currently has access to them