|
Lytham St.Annes Express, January 30th, 1975
BLIND VALET WINS FIRST PRIZE
THE "Express" received its biggest postbag ever for the
competition for the best letter on memories of the Hotel Majestic, St Annes, now
being demolished. The winner of the £3 first prize was a registered blind
person, Mr, Mike BuckIey, of Birkdale street, Cheetham, Manchester, head valet
at the Hotel Piccadilly, Manchester.
Mr Buckley was employed three times at the Majestic in
the last 20 years. The last time was nine years ago as head night porter. "I got
a sick feeling when I heard about your photograph showing the gutted Majestic,"
he wrote to the "Express." "I have seen and met many well-known and Prominent
people there. "And there are indeed many stories to be told — but not In a
newspaper!"
The £3 prizemoney at Mr .Buckley's request, go to the
blind. His memories of the past are so varied that his letter is a little longer
than the suggested length.
The second prize of £2 goes to Mrs Irene Kenyon, of 55
Holmefield-road, St Annes, who recalls a day in 1934 when she and her sister
were attendants to St Annes Hospital Fête rose queen.
The third prize of £1 has been awarded to Mrs Jeannie
Simmons, of 912 Blackpool - road, Lea, Preston, who recalls "Happy Days Are Here
Again," first in 1929, and then, would you believe it, again in 1942 when the
war was On!
There were many other interesting letters and a selection of them will be
published in subsequent Issues, as will, of course, any others which may yet come
in too late for a prize.
|
|
College speech day
MANY years ago — although it only seems like yesterday—I
was a pupil at Linden Hurst College.
The junior school was directly opposite the Hotel
Majestic, so we could easily see interesting people coming and
going.
The senior school (now a modern block of flats in
Beech-road) and the junior school held their speech day in the ballroom. Miss
Mark the head- mistress, used to chat to the parents in the lounge.
I remember standing on the stage with rows of other
girls all dressed in white singing the school songs and going up for our
prizes.
My most recent-and happy memory of the Majestic, was the
occasion of my daughter's wedding reception on Easter .Sunday, 1969. It was a
lovely spring day. so we were able to stand on the Majestic lawns.
E. WARD, Westby-road, St. Annes.
--------------------------
THOSE 'HAPPY DAYS'
I WAS almost in tears when I saw the destruction of the
Hotel Majestic' ballroom on January 9. Back in 1929, a dancing school in St
Annes put on a month-long cabaret, and I remember we opened with "Happy Days Are
Here Again." How we enjoyed every blessed moment of that month (no time for
vandalism in those days).
On to 1942, and back to the Majestic once more, now
taken over by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Again I found myself on the ballroom stage, rehearsing
for weeks and coaching one of the London clerks in the old number "Happy Days."
The fire-watching, ready to save my beloved Hotel Majestic from any incendiary
bombs, or panic stations when the hose pipes wouldn't meet on the
roof.
After the war and the Horse Club buffet dances. All were
happy days for those of us in St Annes.
JENNIE SIMMONS (Mrs) Blackpool-road, Lea,
Preston.
|
FILMS AND FAMOUS
PEOPLE
I HEARD stories while there of the days when one could
take afternoon tea as a non-resident for a shilling, and that Included listening
to Geraldo and his music. Many great people stayed there including the late Sir
Winston Churchill. There have been a number of managers, many now with posts all
over the world. Each manager subscribed to a large scrap book, notes, newspaper
cuttings, photo's etc. of people who stayed there and this was passed down to
each Manager. I, like many. would love to know where that is now. It would make
very interesting reading.
Parts of the film "A Kind of Loving" were made at the
Majestic. Mr Jack Corby, who was head night porter for a number of years, was
asked one night if he would play the sergeant, detective in "Whistle Down The
Wind." He went on location with Hayley Mills.
I myself, in the course of duty, met Ted Rodgers, Tommy
Steele. Cliff Richard's Shadows, Mrs (piano) Mills, Tommy Cooper and many nice
show people. Football teams stayed at the Majestic in the later years. Some of
them used to bribe me for chicken butties and to bring girls in after their
managers had retired!
I worked on many splendid functions. The Mayoral Ball,
each year was a ball to remember, a fantastic indoor garden was set up with
flowers and plants flown in from all over the world. The basement was like a
rabbit warren. One night, it took myself, and two of my staff, a couple of hours
to trap an intruder who turned out to be an escaped prisoner. He had been hiding
for several days and living oft the pig swill!
MICHEAL BUCKLEY Piccadilly Hotel,
Manchester.
-------------------
£2 prizewinner
Palace for fairy
princesses
MY MEMORY dates back to 1934 on the "Hospital Fete and
Gala Day." My sister and I, being twins, were both chosen to be attendants to
the rose queen. We proudly rode in an open carriage to the pier, where the
Mayoress performed the crowning ceremony, then on to Ashton Gardens for lunch in
a big marquee.
In the afternoon, we toured around visiting the patients
in the War Memorial Hospital. That night we were taken to the Hotel Majestic. As
we entered the ballroom we were presented with boxes of chocolates. We were
happily entertained and also had ice cream and glasses of lemonade. It was a
thrilling experience, being only 14 years of age and never having been in the
Hotel Majestic before, we felt like fairy princesses in a fairy palace. It was
the perfect finish to a wonderful day.
IRENE KENYON Holmefield-rd, St. Annes
-------------
|
|
College speech day
MANY years ago — although it only seems like yesterday—I
was a pupil at Linden Hurst College.
The junior school was directly opposite the Hotel
Majestic, so we could easily see interesting people coming and
going.
The senior school (now a modern block of flats in
Beech-road) and the junior school held their speech day in the ballroom. Miss
Mark the head- mistress, used to chat to the parents in the lounge.
I remember standing on the stage with rows of other
girls all dressed in white singing the school songs and going up for our
prizes.
My most recent-and happy memory of the Majestic, was the
occasion of my daughter's wedding reception on Easter .Sunday, 1969. It was a
lovely spring day. so we were able to stand on the Majestic lawns.
E. WARD, Westby-road, St. Annes.
|
Like Buckingham Palace
I FIRST visited St Annes about 1928, helping a Mrs
Rhodes at 17 Clifton-drive North (now 326) opposite the main entrance to Ashton
Gardens, from where one could stand and see the tram shelter at Squires Gate in
full view. About this time a Mr Critchley was given the Freedom of the Borough,
and that particular day was a general holiday.
All residents were invited to the Hotel Majestic, and
Mrs Rhodes took me along with her, and we were all individually announced, as we
entered the reception. To me Buckingham Palace couldn't have seemed ,better
—flowers everywhere, gorgeous hats and clothes and soft music being played by
the then "Gerald Bright," later known as Geraldo.
I also remember Wilkie Warren on the sands with his
pierrots and Crowds of people around taking part.
My husband, two sons and I came to live here in 1947,
and wouldn't ever like to change from the homely atmosphere
everywhere,
S. M. STEELE, Smithy-lane Ansdell.
|
