Forum Topic

Where is sunny Hammersmith ?

Where exactly does Hammersmith end and Shepherd's Bush begin? Likewise, where are the boundaries between Hammersmith and Kensington, Chiswick and Fulham?If one assumes that the exact centre of the west end is where the statue of Eros is located, where is the exact geographical centre of Hammersmith?And finally, how did Hammersmith's name come about - where did it originate? How old is the name?Now, there's something to think about!  ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 6864d10 Comments

Any news on the Dalling Road Jazz Club Carol? There must be someone who remembers it.

Audrey Walton ● 6853d

Nice bit of swing Hugh - thanks for that!  ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 6860d

And if you like swing,Take a look at this web site.                http://www.legendsofswing.com/home.html

Hugh Telford ● 6862d

Gerry,you can still see Humphs Band over at the Bull,s HeadBarnes................................                          Humphrey Lyttelton, a self-taught trumpet player, is one of the father figures of British jazz. He is the chairman of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and presents The Best of British Jazz on Radio 2. He was educated at Eton and went to Camberwell Art School. On leaving school he worked briefly in a steel works in south Wales. In 1993 he won a Sony Gold Award for Services to Broadcasting. Humphrey has written several music books as well as his autobiography. He has worked as a music reviewer, written for Punch, been a cartoonist on The Daily Mail and a restaurant critic for Harpers and Queen.He is a great-grandfather and his favourite pastimes are bird-watching and calligraphy. In April 2000 he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Post Office British Jazz Awards

Hugh Telford ● 6862d

Carol,There isn't a hope that I could direct you to the actual spot...I was 17/18 years old ...57 years ago!  Do let us know what you find out, especially since you live in Dalling Road.

Ann S. Allridge ● 6862d

Gerry you sure do stir the old brain cells!! I went to many of Humph's concerts and actually thought he was probably dead and gone by now. Thanks to Google I find he's still very much alive and very active still on the music scene. I never went to that milk bar, had to get home quick or I'd be in trouble for being out so late..... Lovely memories, thanks Gerry.

Audrey Walton ● 6863d

Where was the Dalling Road Jazz Club, I live on that road and would be interested to know where it used to be.  I am sure if my dad was still alive he would remember it.

Carol Burge ● 6863d

Last week I had a nostalgia kick about dear old sunny Hammersmith. Humphrey Lyttleton had a prog on Radio4 about the big bands of the 30s, 40s and 50s. He mentioned Lou Praeger and Ambrose who used to be resident and guest bands at the Hammersmith Palais. Other guest bands were Loe Loss, Lew Stone and Nat Gonella and Harry Gold and his Pieces of Eight! I fondly remember dancing at the Palais of a Friday night in the late 40s and early 50s...after the dance we'd turn right out of the Palais and walk along to a lovely milk bar in Hammersmith B'way and have a strawberry milk shake...or if we had enough money that week we'd go for a giant knickerbocker glory! Also fondly remember the enormous Commodore cinema...had many a cuddly session in the back stalls of the 1/9s !!!  ;-)

Gerry Tan ● 6864d

Gerry,Me again.I find it odd that I've mentioned the Dalling Road Jazz Club a couple of times in postings, and there's been never a comment from a single soul.  Surely there's somebody still in Hammersmith (and on line) who remembers the place?    And the old Classic - all those lovely Nelson Eddy films.They can't say we're not trying to kick some life into the Hammersmith Forum, can they?

Ann S. Allridge ● 6864d

Gerry,We're all too bl...y lazy to try and work out those problems you are setting.  I guess the only way to do it would be to sit down with a map but you'd have to know your Hammersmith, the Bush, etc., pretty well beforehand.All that ever bothered me back in the Middle Ages, was the fact that Chiswick ended just before the Commodore.I wouldn't mind now getting a 1/9d ticket and going in to watch H. Bogart and company;  get an ice cream in the interval, and pray to God I didn't have a smoker sitting near me!

Ann S. Allridge ● 6864d