https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7241003.stm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/article...h_feature.shtml

Edited February 12, 200817 yr by Gene-R

I went there twice, and only found out 3 weeks ago it went on 7 weeks after we thought it had closed..[THANKs MALC BURTON] multiply you best shag ever by 1000 and you may just, just start too know what this little back street venue was all about...

I went there twice, and only found out 3 weeks ago it went on 7 weeks after we thought it had closed..[THANKs MALC BURTON] multiply you best shag ever by 1000 and you may just, just start too know what this little back street venue was all about...

Just had a look at the opening thread , and the date is wrong on the plaque .......

1972 ?

It closed in 1973 ......

Malc Burton

Edited February 12, 200817 yr by Malc Burton

Just had a look at the opening thread , and the date is wrong on the plaque .......

1972 ?

It closed in 1973 ......

Malc Burton

Didn't it also open in 1965?

Didn't it also open in 1965?

Quite right ......

Chris Burton bought the Old Regent Cinema in Hose Street in 1964 , which he converted into a ballroom , opening in 1965 as The Golden Torch .......

1964 - 1972 ? - it is not April 1st , is it ? ............

Malc Burton

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7241003.stm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/article...h_feature.shtml

Nice to see despite the dates, but mores the pity that the artists didn't recieve recognition when we were dancing to the music. to busy letting dogey djs promote nice pop tunes for dogey record companies.

chris

Edited February 12, 200817 yr by bridget

I took a photo of this last year on my desk Its a terrible photo ie unclear etc however it does say

THE TORCH TUNSTALL

WED 5TH MAY 1971

TORCH 7TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

7-45 TO 11-30

ADMITS 2 FOR FOR 8p each

free beer for half an hour during evening

so 1964 would mean 1971 was the 7th birthday party...

Btw Malc remeber the converstaion we had where we thought the OJAY that didn't happen was the last all nighter in Feb 1973, interesting comment on the bbc staffs site where someone else confirmed the Ojays were indded cancelled, we must have heard that the nighter had been cancled and thought thay meant for ever and a day, funny old game..

Edited February 12, 200817 yr by PaulDonnelly

Nice to see despite the dates, but mores the pity that the artists didn't recieve recognition when we were dancing to the music. to busy letting dogey djs promote nice pop tunes for dogey record companies.

chris

Intrigued Chris???? please continue

Intrigued Chris???? please continue

Hi Paul,

Sorry but I thought it was common knowledge that 60ts and early 70ts djs 'selected' tunes they wanted playing for say 'favours'. perhaps I should say 'common speculation'

Chris

Hi Paul,

Sorry but I thought it was common knowledge that 60ts and early 70ts djs 'selected' tunes they wanted playing for say 'favours'. perhaps I should say 'common speculation'

Chris

The really dodgy DJ behaviour didn't really start until Simon Soussain got manipulating people at Wigan. As far as I remember the Torch DJs played great records they found and dug.

Hi Paul,

Sorry but I thought it was common knowledge that 60ts and early 70ts djs 'selected' tunes they wanted playing for say 'favours'. perhaps I should say 'common speculation'

Chris

your comment "to busy letting dogey djs promote nice pop tunes for dogey record companies" I thought you were describing Station Rd not Hose St...

As me mam said "you'll learn something everday lad if you keep them luggs clean" thanks for the info.

Nice to see despite the dates, but mores the pity that the artists didn't recieve recognition when we were dancing to the music. to busy letting dogey djs promote nice pop tunes for dogey record companies.chris

Is the above highlighted comment aimed at the gentlemen who were the DJs at The Torch , and are you implying that they were recipients of payloa , Chris ? .......

Malc Burton

Nice to see despite the dates, but mores the pity that the artists didn't recieve recognition when we were dancing to the music. to busy letting dogey djs promote nice pop tunes for dogey record companies.

chris

To be fair the Torch did bring a lot of artistes across to play live and they did recieve recognition in that way

I went there twice, and only found out 3 weeks ago it went on 7 weeks after we thought it had closed..[THANKs MALC BURTON] multiply you best shag ever by 1000 and you may just, just start too know what this little back street venue was all about...

Well i have heard it described in many ways but.............................. that just about nails it matey s

Is the above highlighted comment aimed at the gentlemen who were the DJs at The Torch , and are you implying that they were recipients of payloa , Chris ? .......

Malc Burton

No, I wasn't refering to any N/s Djs or venues. thread started with the recognition by the BBC of the Torch. My comment was about BBC djs and Payola, as its called, spinning such dross when they could have been instrumental in promoting such Artists has J.J. Barnes and the likes. Perhaps then they wouldn't have ended up has car park attendants, grave diggers and dying without as much as a head stone to mark their passing.

chris

JUST got up-----------half asleep after a night shift---a very interesting thread ,buti always thought The Torch closed about March 73-----but good work by those two guys anyway.

Tony C.

No, I wasn't refering to any N/s Djs or venues. thread started with the recognition by the BBC of the Torch. My comment was about BBC djs and Payola, as its called, spinning such dross when they could have been instrumental in promoting such Artists has J.J. Barnes and the likes. Perhaps then they wouldn't have ended up has car park attendants, grave diggers and dying without as much as a head stone to mark their passing.

chris

Just had a look at the opening thread , and the date is wrong on the plaque .......

1972 ?

It closed in 1973 ......

Malc Burton

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remember the last nite Malc did,nt it shut around midnite ?

Regards Ian Cunliffe

didn't everyone clear off to Troggs Nr Bolton that night Ian

According to Dave Nowell's book, 'Too Darn Soulful' it opened on 30 January 1965 featuring Billy J Kramer & the Dakotas. Chris Burton was refused the renewal of his licence on 16 March 1973 because of the 'drug problem'.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remember the last nite Malc did,nt it shut around midnite ?

Regards Ian Cunliffe

Edited February 13, 200817 yr by Malc Burton

155 days later the Casino kicked off....

I would just like to add that John O'Brien the guy who paid for and commissioned the plaque, has recently recovered from a Massive brain tumor operation. He realised he had the dates wrong before it went up 2 weeks ago. Due to his major operation it has left him sometimes confused and dazed, so i think we can forgive him for a mistake he made in pure sentiment to a place he loved. To add insult to injury he has the correct dates Tatooed on his arm. You really have to feel for him dont you !!!!

Edited February 14, 200817 yr by Brav

And crammed in between the 2 dates were the short lived all niters at Great Moor Street at "VA-VA,S2 IN Bolton--in what i,ve heard described as the golden age for Northern soul Discoveries--summer 1973

Heady times indeed(so i,ve been told)

Tony C.

155 days later the Casino kicked off....

And crammed in between the 2 dates were the short lived all niters at Great Moor Street at "VA-VA,S2 IN Bolton--in what i,ve heard described as the golden age for Northern soul Discoveries--summer 1973

Heady times indeed(so i,ve been told)

Tony C.

Correct .....

The all - nighters started after the closure of The Torch in the last week of March 1973 ......

The amount of current sounds , and the discoveries that Richard played first played there , was highly creditable ......

Malc Burton

Edited February 15, 200817 yr by Malc Burton

I'd just like to add a post that OB has put on the Radio Stoke Northern website, John O'Brien is a top bloke & as Brav has already said unfortunately, John hasn't been too well over the recent months & he's shown remarkable courage in fighting back against his brain tumour.

Cheers

Amo

OB

Firstly I gotta get this off my chest-- The plaque I put up to commemorate the TORCH looks great if I say so myself! BUT I made a mistake with the dates.... it says 1964-1972 but should be 1965-1973, sorry bout that but in my defence, since my op, me heads wrecked and I forget things and get confused easily-- mind you I don't know how I got the date wrong, its tattooed on my arm!!! forgive me. Anyway, it was Mary who got the ball rolling 4 years ago with a campaign to have a plaque put up but it just seemed to fizzle out. So a man with time on his hands decided to just DO IT-- I think that it would be fitting if Stoke-on-Trent city council put up a proper blue heritage plaque but I for one wont hold my breath on that one. They have just cut down a copse of 50 trees and replaced them with an aluminium one 100 yards from where I live! got the message?... SUNDAY at the Wheel, how much better can it get? Pete and John spinning the tunes I cut my teeth on, the people there are so friendly and listening to their stories about how it was in the 60s just makes me sad that I didn't go then, but a good Irish Catholic boy like me got sellotaped to the ceiling every Saturday night by me parents!!to stop me going--so im making up for lost time. There is so much to say but can I just condense it into....its GOOD NEWS WEEK..just got back from seeing oncologist-tumours have shrunk again AND ive lost a stone in 6 weeks, now a slim 17 stones and loosing weight weekly, thrown the slippers away and wearing shoes!lol. Mary, not requested a song for 2 months- please will you play "You don't want me no more" by Major Lance (no subliminal message there)and if you do, ill be with Joe and Sylvia in sunny Devon listening to it before going to Exeter soul club. Once again sorry for screwing up the dates on the plaque...cheers OB xxx

I'd just like to add a post that OB has put on the Radio Stoke Northern website, John O'Brien is a top bloke & as Brav has already said unfortunately, John hasn't been too well over the recent months & he's shown remarkable courage in fighting back against his brain tumour.

Cheers

Amo

OB

Firstly I gotta get this off my chest-- The plaque I put up to commemorate the TORCH looks great if I say so myself! BUT I made a mistake with the dates.... it says 1964-1972 but should be 1965-1973, sorry bout that but in my defence, since my op, me heads wrecked and I forget things and get confused easily-- mind you I don't know how I got the date wrong, its tattooed on my arm!!! forgive me. Anyway, it was Mary who got the ball rolling 4 years ago with a campaign to have a plaque put up but it just seemed to fizzle out. So a man with time on his hands decided to just DO IT-- I think that it would be fitting if Stoke-on-Trent city council put up a proper blue heritage plaque but I for one wont hold my breath on that one. They have just cut down a copse of 50 trees and replaced them with an aluminium one 100 yards from where I live! got the message?... SUNDAY at the Wheel, how much better can it get? Pete and John spinning the tunes I cut my teeth on, the people there are so friendly and listening to their stories about how it was in the 60s just makes me sad that I didn't go then, but a good Irish Catholic boy like me got sellotaped to the ceiling every Saturday night by me parents!!to stop me going--so im making up for lost time. There is so much to say but can I just condense it into....its GOOD NEWS WEEK..just got back from seeing oncologist-tumours have shrunk again AND ive lost a stone in 6 weeks, now a slim 17 stones and loosing weight weekly, thrown the slippers away and wearing shoes!lol. Mary, not requested a song for 2 months- please will you play "You don't want me no more" by Major Lance (no subliminal message there)and if you do, ill be with Joe and Sylvia in sunny Devon listening to it before going to Exeter soul club. Once again sorry for screwing up the dates on the plaque...cheers OB xxx

Good on ya mate,and as they say "action speaks louder than words" ......Get well soon...

I thought I would write about my memories of the Torch. I am Jane, Ade's wife. I went to the last Torch event. It was in 1973. A gang of us travelled up from Cradley Labour Club, Black Country, West Midlands. I travelled with the twins (Laurie and Ian) and Steve (can't rememer his surname now) in the car, whilst my cousin Oscar and the rest of the gang travelled by train. It was so exciting! It was our very first time at the Torch and we didn't realise that it would be the last! I can't remember what time we got there or what time we left. There weren't many people in there I do remember that but the music played was great and we all had a good dance. I remember feeling disappointed about the last record played: Go Now by Bessie Banks (I think it was this version). We had a good night and sang in the car all of the way home! Best wishes, Jane

a small one but here it is. We had a run over Hose Street, Tunstall on our Lamby's earlier this afternoon and behold, a plaque has been fixed to the builders yard wall where the legendary Torch once stood. I dont know when it was put there but a mate spotted a certain Mr Minshull in the area yesterday afternoon. Does anybody know who put it there, was there an unveiling ceremony, or did someone erect it in the dead of night? Anyone who made it/had it made could certainly make a little money from producing them as I would certainly have one.

a small one but here it is. We had a run over Hose Street, Tunstall on our Lamby's earlier this afternoon and behold, a plaque has been fixed to the builders yard wall where the legendary Torch once stood. I dont know when it was put there but a mate spotted a certain Mr Minshull in the area yesterday afternoon. Does anybody know who put it there, was there an unveiling ceremony, or did someone erect it in the dead of night? Anyone who made it/had it made could certainly make a little money from producing them as I would certainly have one.

Please see

Edited by site

Edited February 17, 200817 yr by Nickg

Topics merged.

Nick

cheers nick.. i haven't been on ss for a week, and didnt realise there was already a thread about this.. Ispent the last week in me garage getting me lamby back on the road. first ride on it to day and spotted the torch tribute, i got excited and posted it up. The red lamby is mine

I think the last event there was an alldayer...as Iremember it was'nt that good.Saw MAJOR LANCE LIVE there now that was fecking awesome.First time I met Matchie was at the TORCH and the fella is still out and about.....must be what around 35ish now lol