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THE HELLIONS
The Hellions were a group of enthusiastic teenagers based in Sedbergh who got together to enjoy making music. We were all beginners and we all lived for our music. We were one of many such groups gripped in the early 1960's by the modern sounds and changes that were happening on the music scene as Rock and Roll was born.
We were inspired by artists like; Buddy Holly, The Shadows, Chuck Berry and many others in the early days. We practiced every Monday and strived to perfect new material every week. The Hellions members were Garth Steadman Lead Guitar, Alan Steadman Drums, Carole Haygarth Bass Guitar, Dawson Douglass Rhythm Guitar, and Peter Day Lead vocals and Harmonica. We all progressed together and were gradually influenced by the Blues, and groups like the Yardbirds, Rolling Stones and The Kinks were some of our favourites. Our first gigs were at Sedbergh and other local village halls. We practiced very hard and improved steadily. We then started to get bookings further a field and progressed to a regular Wednesday booking at the Pavilion at Keswick where we supported many of our heroes like the Paramount's later to be known as Procol Harum, the Kinks, Shane Fenton (later to be Alvin Stardust) & the Fentones, the Settlers and many other famous bands at that time.
For transport we used to borrow dad's meat delivery van to carry all five of us and our equipment and I remember many Wednesday evenings loading up at Keswick after 1.00 am and travelling back to Sedbergh, before the days of motorways, arriving home about 3.30 and having to unload all the equipment, as the van and I were needed at 06.30 to set off up the Dales delivering meat. We used to play all around south Cumbria and North Lancashire including Kendal, Ulverston, Millom, Barrow and for a quite a while alternate Saturdays at Appleby and Sedbergh and were one of the many Cumbrian bands playing at the many-packed Friday or Saturday village and town hall dances. One very enjoyable gig was when we doubled up with our friends Wee Willie Henry and the Wanderers for a private function on the lake steamer Swan, on Windermere. We had never heard of Discos in those days and all musical entertainment was live. We also managed to get a regular booking on Friday nights at the Floral Hall at Morecambe and were fortunate to play alongside many different famous groups who appeared each week. One night, In December 1965, when we were playing with the Hollies we had a problem with some of our dated equipment and were surprised when the Hollies allowed us to use some of their "state of the art gear". Our equipment at first was basic with home made column speakers, using old radio speakers and even one home made electric bass guitar (made from a butchers block). Alan's first set of drums, were old fashioned, with a huge bass drum and in the early days, when he was only fourteen and not very tall, we could hardly see him behind the Bass drum.
As we started earning money from gigs we saved up for new equipment and on several occasions Dawson and I went to London to browse the many music shops. On these trips we never did any thing else but browse and try equipment from dawn to dusk.
We were getting better as we practised and we boasted that on a Friday gig, when we were the only group appearing, that we could play from 9.00 pm to 1.00 am without repeating one number. Pete was an ardent Rolling Stones fan and he had a pen pal in America from whom he managed to get a copy of the Stones latest release in America that was not yet on sale here. It was called Get off of my Cloud. We learned it and were playing it in our area as it was released in the UK. It later became number one in the charts. Our practice room was behind my shop and every Monday evening we practiced together. There was always an audience of young locals who never missed our practice evening. During one practice there was a knock on the door and in walked Derek Quinn and Roy Crewsdon of Freddie and the Dreamers fame. They were staying at the White Hart Hotel and had heard us playing. They came regularly to Sedbergh, as they were friends of Pete, the son of the owner of the White Hart Hotel. Whenever they were in Sedbergh they always came to our practice nights and taught us some of their latest releases.
If we had a free night we tried to go and hear other groups, Wee Willie Henry and the Wanderers, The Rythmics, Ray and The Teenbeats and Marshal Scott and the Deputies were all very good Cumbrian groups at that time. The Yardbirds were one of our favourite groups. Eric Clapton was their lead guitarist at that time and we were bowled over by their talent. Chart topping groups like The Who and The Rolling Stones also used to come to Morecambe and we used to love to listen to them and learn of course.
The conclusion of this report will appear next month to coincide with the People's Hall celebrations.
OCTOBER GARDENING
There is a particular kind of rose called Rosa moyesii which is cultivated for its large showy hips. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to like growing in the garden here in Firbank - or at least it doesn't think it worthwhile to produce fruit. It flowers enthusiastically and grows apace - great stiffly arching stems bearing dark green foliage - but all the beginnings of rosehips which form, wither and dry up before they reach maturity. However, as far as big hips go, we do not despair. There are other much more obliging species of rose. Two of the best are native to this country: R. sherardii, the "Northern Downy Rose" has rich red, round hips and R. rubiginosa, the "Sweet Briar" or "Eglantine" has oval, orange red hips. Both have single deep pink flowers and R. rubiginosa has fragrant foliage.
Rosa rugosa, the "Japanese Rose" has a number of different varieties and cultivars, most of which reliably fruit. 'Trau Dagmar Hartopp is good compact form, with pale pink, single flowers and large bright red hips, and R. 'Scabrosa' has mid pink blooms and good autumn colour, and the largest fruits of the lot. I grow the cultivar 'Roseraie de I'Hay' which has double, deep pink highly scented blooms. These, like many other double flowers, are mostly sterile, so my plant bears only one or two groups of small dark red hips. However, its sterility means that the plant is forever trying to produce fertile flowers so it produces bloom after bloom right through the summer and well into the autumn. It can therefore be forgiven for its scarcity of fruit. Elaine Horne
GARSDALE VILLAGE HALL
As we no longer live in Garsdale, Jill and Billy Adams have offered to become the booking officials for hiring the Village Hall.
You can get them on 21085 and they will be only too happy to arrange opening the hall for you. Many Thanks. Rosemary Lord
HOUSE GROUP
On a regular basis, a number of people, including, some from the Sedbergh area, attend Sue & Peter's House Group in Kendal.
They have lots of activities which include Bible Study, Song Books, Hymns (where they can choose a Hymn), Prayers and caring support for each other. Supper of cold drinks, tea & coffee and biscuits & cakes are provided and Birthdays are always celebrated.
The Group is described as a very nice caring group and everyone is welcome to attend. Presently attending are Georgina, Glenys, Ray, Sarah, Maria, Sally, Christine, Alan, John, Lisa, Brenda, Shirley, Lee and Hazel. Georgina
BULL HOTEL MUSIC QUIZ
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who showed their support for the Charity Music Quiz, which was held for "Hearing Dogs for the Deaf".
Special thanks to the locals who donated raffle gifts. The event was a success and we managed to raise £307.50.
Another event will follow in November.
FROM ACROSS THE WATER
Life at Le Rigal, Dordogne, France
It is now just over 2 months since Jacky, Chris, Alice and Eliza Holton moved to France, complete with 2 cats, a border collie and 2 artic lorries full of stuff including Chris' tractor (we arrived in Sedbergh 11 years ago with only one car load!)
The journey from Sedbergh was an adventure in itself, we chose the hottest days of the year to travel 750 miles in an old Volvo pulling a huge trailer packed full of "useful" bits including a large chicken coop (that Andrew, Dorthe and Ella Pratt had kindly decorated) and enough netting for a tennis court. The car wasn't too keen to pull such a load and sprung an oil leak, the cats meowed every 5 seconds nearly expiring in the 38 degree heat with our only airconditoning being the windows and the children couldn't move for all the essential goods packed around them. Only the dog found solice in the footwell, sleeping most of the way. At 45 mph it was a long, long way. You can fly here in only one and a half hours!
We are all settling in well, Alice has started school and loves it and Eliza spends a few hours at a nursery so it won't be long before they are talking to each other in French. Although we are only 30 minutes from Bergerac airport our farm is situated in gently rolling wooded countryside with pretty villages in all directions. Just like Sedbergh the folk are very friendly and we've already been given many gifts of vegetables and fruit to make us feel welcome as well as offers of practical help. Our nearest neighbour has even offered to help us plough our vegetable plot.
Many people asked us why we were going and how could we leave such a beautiful place like Sedbergh (not to mention family and friends and such a wonderful job at the chemist) and although it was a wrench we hope that we have made the right decision. Two of the reasons for moving was because we (Chris !!) wanted a new building project and for the four of us to spend more time together, we also wanted a little more land ( we now have 110 acres ).
Le Rigal, the name of our farm, dates to the eighteenth century and has a courtyard of beautiful but ramshackle barns and houses, so Chris is in his element and by next spring our first holiday Gite will be ready, complete with salt water swimming pool. We will keep you all informed of progress via a series of Lookaround articles entitled "La Vie en France", and hope to see some of you next year.
We've already tried out some of the activities that the area has to offer, the girls have enjoyed pony riding, we've been canoeing, on pedallos, we've cycled and walked plus visited the wonderful medieval towns dotted all around, not to mention the markets and of course the area is famous for its wine and the Dordogne river. We've had a wonderful summer with visitors, both family and friends, Caroline, Adam, Emma and Rachel Hopkins were the first, then Drs Orr and Girls, Maureen and Ian Dancer, the Glanville family, the Seymore family (and bump), Sandy and Beth Roy, Steve Copestake and Mum and Dad from Dent. We can be contacted on lerigal@orange.fr and we will have a website up and running before too long. Thank you all for all your cards and best wishes,we do miss you and Sedbergh and we were very excited when 'Charlie' our postman delivered our copy of the Lookaround!
We look forward to seeing everybody at Christmas, with much love to all , Jacky, Chris, Alice and Eliza Holton
SEDBERGH & DISTRICT HISTORY SOCIETY
History Lectures
The longer nights herald the start of the History Society's evening lectures and this Winter's series promises to be as interesting as ever. As usual most of the lectures will be held in the main hall of Settlebeck High School starting at 7.30pm.
The first lecture is on Wednesday 4th October and concerns Ingleborough, the fell that dominates the countryside as you travel by road to the east across the Pennines. It has always been described as having a hill fort on its summit but recent archaeological work carried out by Yvonne Luke has cast doubt on this assumption. She will describe her discoveries which are of major significance.
The second lecture on Wednesday 18th October is to be given by Kevin Lancaster. In past centuries corn had to be grown locally and this meant that corn mills were needed to process it. These mills were very important for the local economy and were profitable businesses and as a result featured prominently in legal documents. Kevin will review the written evidence for the many corn mills in Dentdale and attempt to locate their sites. Appropriately this lecture will be held in Dentdale Memorial Hall.
HOMOEOPATHY - NATURALLY HEALTHY MEDICINE
Just to remind you that if you are looking for a safe and effective alternative (or complement) to conventional medicine I hold a drop-in Clinic in the Community Office every Wednesday morning from 10am to 12 noon. There is no need to make an appointment but if you do, you will not have to wait. I can also see you at other times including in your own home. My telephone number is 015396 20648. I can also, on request, send you my literature.
Alongside Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Homoeopathy is one of the three great medical systems in the world. It treats a wide variety of physical, emotional and mental conditions by the administration of small quantities of highly potentised natural substances. There are no toxic side effects (unlike in the case of a number of conventional medicines) although there can be a temporary and short-lived aggravation of the symptoms as part of the healing process. Homoeopathy treats the whole of the human being and not simply the "part" that appears to be ill. It can treat everything from coughs and colds to long-standing chronic disease.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to know more. Ian McPherson
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