Heart of the Midlands - Who did you see there?


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It was a kids saying :)

However,, Joe Spungin had an arrangement with 'Lamcote Coaches', which if I remember was at Radcliffe on Trent?

Was it originally called that because it was on Lamcote Street, the Meadows?

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Hello. My name is Jason ROPER. My father is ALAN ROPER and I can tell you that he his ALIVE & doing VERY WELL!! hehe. After THOTM, he actually moved to work for the Nottingham Evening Post w

Always thought Lamcote Coaches (or Motors back in the 50s-60s) got its name from the Lamcote House and Farm, encompassing most of that end of RoT in the 20s-30s. Most of Lamcote Farm was later deve

It’s with deep sadness that I let you all know that Alan Roper, my father, passed away yesterday 2nd November 2020, aged 84 from pneumonia and covid-19.   I’m, to say the least, Devastated.

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camms used to take us from whitehart or 41 club carnt ever remember breaking down but i might be wrong always drunk on way home and usually asleep.

they used to take us on our trips with boots to redmile too they were always good nights and the drivers would do a big circle round the city to drop people of reasonably near there homes cliton west bridgeford medowes city carlton and back to basefordvia arnold and bullwell.

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It was a kids saying :)

However,, Joe Spungin had an arrangement with 'Lamcote Coaches', which if I remember was at Radcliffe on Trent?

Was it originally called that because it was on Lamcote Street, the Meadows?

NTGM009622.jpg

Always thought Lamcote Coaches (or Motors back in the 50s-60s) got its name from the Lamcote House and Farm, encompassing most of that end of RoT in the 20s-30s. Most of Lamcote Farm was later developed as the Canadian Estate for RCAF personnel from Langar and their families. Lamcote Manor was owned by the Earl of Manvers - hence the Manvers Arms where Ashley enjoys a drink.

Mainly a petrol station and workshop back in the 50s, Lamcote Motors sold Cleveland Petrol. Had 1 or 2 buses but nothing on a big scale.

A good friend of mine used to work there after school and on the weekends, serving petrol and selling bits and pieces from their shop (the 2 storey place at the back of the picture).

I seem to recollect that the building may have been a wooden structure and much smaller back in the 50s, possibly an old stables complex but I may be wrong. Inside, you could buy all sorts of things, bicycle lamps, batteries, inner tubes, tyres the place was stacked from floor to the low ceiling. The owners worked upstairs and the access upstairs was via a wooden stairway as you went through the shop door and I distinctly remember that you could hear them talking and walking about upstairs and see movement through the cracks in the floorboards.

My friend was a good mate to have, according to a lot of our gang. You went there when he was working, bought something for your bike and gave him the money. He would ring up the sale and give you change which somehow was always more than you gave him in the first place! End result, goods for nothing and a couple of bob in your pocket. Never tried it myself, probably because the odd occasion I went in there, my mate was not working.

Just a bit of RoT trivia.

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Trevor

Many thanks for the Info on Lamcote Coaches.

Remember I went to Trent Bridge School near to Lamcote Street, and always thought

they were connected.

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HOM - saw Ken Dodd there - one of the best live acts i have ever seen!!disgustingly hilarious - classic example of a brilliant live act being totally opposite of his public persona.

Also whilst taxi driving for Fonacar dropped of Dave Allen there from the Albany Hotel - one of the most pleasant passengers ever.

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I remember The Heart of the Midlands. I went to the opening night to see Gene Pitney, had dinner seats at the front, later joined the members bar upstairs where you could have chicken or scampi and chips in a basket. Loved it.

Can anyone remember a married couple who, with their sons played quite often? They did comedy as well as singing a variety of modern and old songs.

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Freddie Star

laughed till I cried

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I saw Frankie Laine there in July 1975, or 1976, can't remember which year. Who was the compere/singer in the first half of the show?

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ref #39. Have heard that the singer used to be with the band at the Commodore in the early sixties. Anyone remember his name?

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Ref # 39 & 41. The thread Nottingham Bands in the 60s, item #42 has the answer. It was Alan Roper.

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Hi all new to this site

left Nottm 11 yrs ago but still come back often

my Mum and Dad used to take in artists in in the 70's Solomon King stayed with us and played at the Heart of the Mids also Guys and Dolls went to see them

if I remember right if you went on a weds they gave you a ticket to get in the following week for free....??

John

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We went there a lot in the early 70's when it first opened, saw lots of famous acts and was even ointroduced to some of them afterwards, (but we preferred the Commodore as we always got free tickets because my hubbie advertised for them in his shop window)..............We also knew Alan Roper very well, that was the place that made him, and he was never the same when the place closed down, he just played the piano in a pub somewhere afterwards, cannot remember the pubs name, but can remember seeing him there, I think it was near Clifton................

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ref #41. Have heard that the singer used to be with the band at the Commodore in the early sixties. Anyone remember his name?

There was a bloke called Gary who compared and sang in the band at the Commodore....I knew the Stevenson lads well who ran it, John and Graham......

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I saw Frankie Laine there in July 1975, or 1976, can't remember which year. Who was the compere/singer in the first half of the show?

Ditto Chulla I would have never remembered the date.

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Blimey the firm i worked for put the security system in and frankie vaughn was on at the time, we were in the dressing room wiring the fire door, i remember there were lots of his fishing rods in the corner,i tried his top hat on and started singing give me the moonlight! GUESS WHO WALKED IN ??

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