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1. Mrs. Petford
 | Mrs.Petford ran many popular trips from her Queen Street home
Photo from Terry Larkin
Mrs Petford was well-known because of the many trips she ran from South Bank in the fifties, the most popular destination being Blackpool.
Her other claim to fame was being the mother-in-law of Terry Larkin!
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2. Blackpool Trippers
 | South Bankers on one of Mrs. Petford's trips to Blackpool
Photo from Terry Larkin
Mrs.Petford is standing 2nd from right clutching her handbag while Norman Petford is crouching next to her. |
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3. Buster Webster
 | Buster Webster in Blackpool
Photo from Terry Larkin |
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4. Blackpool 2004
 | Ex Slaggy Islanders in front of the Sutcliffe Hotel in Albert Road
The RAFA club in Newbiggin Terrace, Redcar put on a weekend trip to Blackpool on May 14th and we decided to go along as we hadn't been to Blackpool for over thirty years. The RAFA crowd have been going every year for twenty five years(!) and have been using the same hotel. We figured it must be okay if they keep going back - and we weren't wrong.
Unfortunately, our friend Ralph Taylor, the RAFA Chairman and organiser of the trip, who had attended every year and was looking forward to this one, passed away just a few weeks before the event. Another casualty was Slaggy Islander Kevin Doyle, a late victim of gout!
However, we got away on time and it was surprising the number of ex Slaggy Islanders in the party. Among them were my old friends Tommy Searle and Brian Lazenby plus three old friends of my wife who were in her class at the Central. Pam (Gatenby) Murtha, Jean (Cropper) Watson and Jean (Kent) Evison. There was no way we were not going to enjoy ourselves. In the event we had a great time and never stopped laughing.
The hotel was good, the food was good and the entertainment had to be seen to be believed! |
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5. Anticipation
 | The party of mainly ex Slaggies waiting in anticipation on Friday night
We had an unbelievable night in the Blackpool British Legion, being entertained by THIRTY turns! A lot of entertainers have retired to the area but like to keep their hands in by appearing at the British Legion. On the Friday night they had a competition of TEN duets with three judges being picked out of our group. The way it worked was that one person would get up and do a couple of songs followed by the other who would also sing two songs and finally they would both perform as a DUET which we would judge.
TEN Duets + TWENTY solos = THIRTY ACTS!!!
Also they slotted in Bingo and my wife and her friend won a couple of houses! |
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6. Tommy's Tickled
 | | An amused Tommy Searle pictured with his wife Kath, Brian and Sharon Lazenby |
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7. It could have been these...
 | This couple's routine had us laughing
Announce as "Joyce and Sean" they had a dry humour which appealed to us and Joyce could definitely have been a Slaggy Islander - and I said so.... to a chorus of "Cheeky sod!" from the women of our party. What'd I say? |
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8. Keep Laughing
 | Seated: Jimmy Adams, Joe Shackleton and Jean Cropper with Ted Moody behind
Jimmy, Jean and Ted were all born in South Bank while Joe married into it with the late Jean Loughborough and lived there for several years. |
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9. Happy Drinkers
 | See no evil, hear no evil speak no evil
Wood eye make monkeys out of you lads? |
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10. Back at the hotel
 | | Brian Lazenby rounds off a good night with his wife Sharon |
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11. Tram Ride
 | | Brian Lazenby on the tram to Fleetwood |
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12. Back in Blackpool
 | | A stroll along the promenade to take in the sights |
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13. The Sea Front
 | The famous Blackpool Tower
We would have liked to have gone to the top but the Tower Management have followed modern Fairground practices and charged a lumpa to see everything even if you only want to see or do one thing. You know what they can do with their tower. Anyway, we've been to the top of Eiffel which is MUCH bigger! How do you write a raspberry? |
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14. Carousel
 | | On the North Pier a Double Decker Carousel |
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15. Tide Out
 | | From the end of the Central Pier a view of the beach |
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16. Elvis
 | | Elvis is alive and well in Blackpool. Where's Tommy Searle? |
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17. Are You From South Bank?
 | | Seen in a Hotel window - not ours... |
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18. Back to the BL
 | | Saturday night at the British Legion featured Pan's Person |
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19. Hot Stuff
 | | "A nice little mover, Grandma!" |
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20. Mario Lanza?
 | A holidaymaker from Edinburgh in an Elvis wig wowed us with his talent
"The best singer we've ever heard!" was the general concensus.
Later we were told that he was happy with his wife, life and job in Edinburgh and had no desire to be a star.
Fantastic. |
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21. Better than Lanza
 | Our operatic entertainer also had a flair for comedy!
Our un-named singer was able to move us with his sensitive handling of love songs and then with a risque version of "Ghost Riders" he had us in fits of laughter. |
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22. Laugh or Cry?
 | | Pam Murtha (Gatenby) didn't know whether to laugh or cry |
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23. Uh Huh
 | Back at the Sutcliffe Tommy Searle emerged on the stage
Sorry the photo's so dark but the only warning we got was the barman running past us. Evidently he had seen Tommy disapear behind the curtains and ran over to see what was going on but as he got there Elvis Searle made his grand entrance!
Tommy said he must have heard about us South Bankers!! |
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24. Mainly Slaggies
 | | The group enjoy nightcaps |
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25. Roger
 | | "Weather's here. Wish you were fine!" |
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26. Elvis Searle
 | "I bought this wig for my 3 year old grand daughter. Honest."
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26. "How do I look?"
 | Jean Evison (Kent) tries it on for size!
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28. Hysterics
 | | Pam Murtha (Gatenby) thinks the wig suits Jean |
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29. Snap
 | | "Stoppit! I'll wet meself!" "And me!!!" |
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30. Joe takes over
 | | Red-faced Joe calms the girls down |
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31. Say Goodnight Brian
 | | "Goodnight Brian" |
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32. Tranquil Sunday
 | | Another beautiful day in Blackpool |
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33. What's that?
 | What's that noise?
I could hear a strangely familiar noise coming from the south... |
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34. There it is!
 | | That's what the sound is... |
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35. Fly Past
 | | Lancaster and escort fly past |
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36. RAF March Past
 | | March to the Cenotaph |
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37. Dedication
 | | "We will remember them" |
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38. Blackpool Plaza
 | | Posers! |
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39. Sea Hair
 | | "Sea Hair"! (Groan) |
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40. Sitting out
 | | A last sit out side the hotel before the trip home |
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41. "Tell your fortune, Dearie?"
 | | Vera Adams (Shackleton) and Jean Watson (Cropper) find a nice little earner |
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42. Next Door
 | | The next door name made us feel at home! |
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44. Slaggy Hotel?
 | | Slaggy Islanders assembled in front of the next door hotel |
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44. Quasi Modo?
 | Brian and Sharon pose for a last photo - unaware of Tommy!
We all had a great time and we hope we can do it all over again... Watch this space! |
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45. A bout of gout!
 | | Kevin recovered from his gout and attended the D-Day Parade in Redcar |
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46. A "Petford" Trip
 | One of Mrs. Petford's trips to Blackpool about 1950
Photo from Alma Dales
Back row l-r: ?, Cliff Dales, Kevin Dales, John Bunn, Les Fawcett, George Dales, ?Cassidy, Sam Pearsal.
Centre row: ?, Stamper Phillips, Amy Dales, Margaret Walsh, Tess Dales, Sheila Fawcett, Betty Dales, John Wheeler, ?, ?, ?.
Front row: ?, Phyllis Petford, Mary Elizabeth Phillips, ?, ?, ?.
On floor: ?. |
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47. Welders Trip
 | South Bankers Georgie Green with brothers Richard and Jimmy White
Photo from Ray Ward
Smith's Docks Welders had a trip to Blackpool in 1952. |
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