The Halifax Plebeians aka "The Jazz Club" was a real venue.
The video shows the interior of the club and many of those who went there in 1967.
The 3 Mod girls were snapped inside The Plebs (1965 Christmas?) The girl on the left was the one I modelled the appearance of Angie Thornton in the novels. Believed to be: (Left) Karen Roberts, (Centre) Sue Crossley.
Paul 'Mahmoud' Foster on his fuel-injected SX 225. A good mate of mine. We had some brilliant times back then on the local scene. (Paul's other nickname was 'Abdul', on account of his dark complexion).
Unfortunately, the book is no longer in print. 2nd hand copies can be found on the web.
Plebs: The Halifax Jazz Club 1961-1968
Sephton Enterprise, 2001
ISBN1870682157, 9781870682152
The Jazz crowd ca.1963 queuing to go into the club
Photo from 1966. The eagle-eyed will recognise the football player, a youthful Frank Worthington, at the back, near the stage. He was frequently seen enjoying the party and night life in Halifax. At the time he was a young player signed by Huddersfield Town.
John Knight (Jimmy Mack author) on his TV 175 with 'Charly' Charlesworth.
These were the fake "Drifters" who appeared at the club. They were really The Fantastics, who conned a few venues into hiring them by masquerading as the real Drifters.
'Acky' Arkulisz (one of the local 'Faces') was a close friend from childhood. The group were The Toniks (?).
A great night
Beryl Marsden
was brilliant.
Rod Stewart and
Mick Fleetwood
were also in the group that night
The SOUL SISTERS on stage at the club.
A good night down at the club. The two heads at the bottom centre of the photo are 'Muddy' and 'Acky', who were dating at the time. Anyone recognising others please email with the info.
Paul Mountain was the owner of the club and is shown standing outside. The Plebs cellar door entrance had the iconic P over the doorway. At the top of the yard is the Upper George public house. (Still going strong).
The Steampacket
appearing at the club
was yet another
great all-nighter at the
club. The place heaved
with bodies.
The refreshment bar only served soft drinks. The Plebeians had no drinks licence. If you look behind the girls you will be able to make out a poster advertising Julie Driscoll and The Brian Augur Trinity who appeared there.
The club was
remodelled in 1962. These hand drawn illustrations give some idea of the size of the place. 20 yards x 12. Today, the club would not have been allowed to open. Imagine 100 dancers in such a tiny place? Usually there were between 50-70.
One of the best all-nighters that it was my luck to enjoy. Farlowe was on top form and brought the house down. At the end ge stepped off the stage and mixed with the crowd.
Julian Moseley's colourful Plebeian reminiscence.
(Link: JAZZ CLUB).
From THE HALIFAX COURIER (OBITUARY 2017)
A music club owner who brought huge artists to Halifax as they began on their careers has died aged 72.
Paul Mountain was born and raised in Pellon. He attended Clare Hall Secondary School where he met a group of like-minded boys together with whom, in 1961, he would go on to establish the Plebeians’ Jazz Club based in an old warehouse in the Upper George Yard in Halifax
​
The Plebeians’ continued until 1968 and was a huge success, being the first music club for the baby boomer generation in Halifax.
​
By 1962, Paul was in sole charge of the club and steered the evolution of its change from jazz to rhythm & blues and eventually to soul music, reflecting the changes in popular music styles of the sixties.
