Botwell House played host to many of the leading British bands during the early to mid 1960s. I would be grateful for any additions to the list below. Gigs were sourced from the Harrow Weekly Post and the Hayes Gazette. Thanks also to Brian Mansell and Andy Neill
4 August 1962 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
1 September 1962 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
18 January 1963 – The Checkmates (Says at the Peppermint Stick) Advert in the Harrow Weekly Post says that future Fridays feature The Amusing Flintstones, The Viscounts and Jimmy Crawford and The Ravens
19 February 1963 – The Spotnicks (Says at the Peppermint Stick)
3 June 1963 – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes
5 August 1963 – The Rolling Stones
19 February 1964 – The Spotnicks (Says at the Peppermint Stick)
18 May 1964 – Open Air Beat Festival with The Searchers, Eden Kane & The Downbeats, The Migil Five, The Animals, Chris Sandford & The Coronets, The Undertakers, The Interns, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, The Gamblers, Julie Grant, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Daniel Boone & The Emeralds, The Sorrows, The Hawks, Adam Faith and Dusty Springfield (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
3 June 1964 – Pop Festival with Del Shannon, Eden Kane, Kenny Lynch, Shane Fenton, Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Robb Storme & The Whispers, Jimmy Crawford & The Ravens, Tony Holland & The Pack-A-Beats, Vince Taylor & The Playboys, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Rey Anton & The ‘M’ Squad, Jackie Lynton & The Teenbeats, Freddie & The Dreamers, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, Cherry Roland and Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (Says at the Peppermint Stick)
19 February 1965 – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and Hogsnort Rupert
19 March 1965 – Them
19 April 1965 – The Who
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WAINWRIGHTS GENTLEMEN, we played there every thursday at one point as the manager there was my rythym guitarists father !!!
regards, Jan Frewer
I’m afraid that Jan is referring to Wistowe House, Hayes. Not Botwell House.
Ernie Fripp ran Wistowe and his son Alfie was indeed in Wainwrights. I played there with the Javelins for many months in 1963/4 and remember it well.
Botwell House was attached to the Catholic Church further down the road from Wistowe and I also went there every week from 1962 to 1965. It had bands on Fridays and Saturdays and even started a Monday night session with Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.
I played there a few times with the Javelins too.
Good memory, I love it. I am now livking in Mexico working in my Photographic Art business. http://www.artgandi. com
Yes I used to go to both
I remember the Javelins do you have a pic please?
my Name is Frances Mason used to live in Lansbury Drive Hayes
went to Wistow Blue Moon heaps of places was at Studios when Goldfinger got painted and had to go to hospital. I worked at E M I Records.
Those were the good old days
I think Jan Frewer is actually thinking of “Wistowe House”, further down Church Road than Botwell House.
Wainwrights Gentlemen did indeed play there on Thursdays and Mr Fripp who ran it was Alfie Fripp’s (the rythym guitarist) father.
I worked with a Alf Fripp back in the 60’s was he in engineering also?
Tony Tacon (above) very kindly sent me the Javelins’ entire gig list from December 1962-December 1964. Ian Gillan gave notice to the band at Botwell House, Hayes on 13 November 1964 but sang with The Javelins on 15 November (Carlton Ballroom, Slough) and 19 November (Wistowe House, Hayes) before joining Wainwright’s Gentlemen (see Strange Brew article)
The following are Javelins’ gigs at Botwell House:
9 March 1963
7 June 1963
10 October 1964
30 October 1964
13 November 1964
Don’t forget the Botwell open air music festival June 3 1963
When was the open air music festival at Botwell House when Screaming Lord Sutch performed and who were the other acts?(think it was early 60s)
I have been looking for this gig for some time. The Who played as did the Searchers I think. Screaming Lord Such did a stage act with a Coffin on fire on stage. Down the road was a club – was it the Blue Moon Club and Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames played as did “Milly” and loads of others.
Yes Steve, it was the Blue Moon Club, (this was the ‘Mod’ club) where Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames were regulars (I remember the drummer used to do a drum solo on the congas which lasted about ten minutes and the rest of the band used to go off to the bar during it). The Alan Price Trio used to be regulars too….
The ones that come to mind are as follows, I think they are right but hey 50 years ago, I am 74 now and the grey cells are going, remember this day well as it was the day my old dad won the Tote (similar to the Lottery played in clubs up and down the land) at the Hayes Workingmans Club £200 a great sum in those days.
Johnny kidd and thePirates. Joe Brown & the Bruvvers, Nero and the Glatiators, Heinz, The Tremeloes, Freddie and the dreamers, Chris Farlowe, Screamin Lord Sutch andpossiblt the spotniks.
Hi Brian know that name, think we were at Springfield school together. I was Carol Lynn’s friend. Was at the open air concert. It was brilliant
Gerry & the Pacemakers, Del Shannon backed by the Eagles, the Most Brothers, Billy J Kramer & the Dakotas
There are some pictures posted on the westlondonchat.com, taken from the book ‘The Beat Merchants’ by Alan Clayson
We have a programme that lists Screaming Lord Sutch at the 3rd Annual Beat Festival May 18th 1964 if that helps
Yes, I was in the audience on Whit Monday June 3rd 1963 when the coffin was at the front of the stage when it suddenly opened and Screaming Lord Sutch ran into the crowd, scattering the first few rows of people. Always remember that.
Also watched Freddie & the Dreamers play on stage….utter rubbish we thought, so although they were playing that evening inside for the dance, naturally we did not stay for that !
Did you know a Bernard?
I went to Botwell School until 1961 and was very proud to, at a young 13 to go with friends the 1963 Pop Festival. Now it means so much to have been there and remember the event. We were so lucky!
That was awsome
I was there Dion (runaround sue) (roam around) Joe Brown I think Freddie and the dreamers. Anyway it was great, lots of acts,
yes it was wistowe house and my dad ernie fripp operated the club and i played at the club with paul careen and the ALPINES and later played there with WAINWRIGHTS GENTLEMEN.
Hi there
I have done an article on wainwrights gentlemen at strange brew
Good memory, I love it. I am now liv
ing in Mexico working in my Photographic Art business. http://www.artgandi. com
Hi all, the venue at Botwell House, Hayes was known as ‘The Peppermint Stick’ and I used to attend regularly. The place was sometimes raided by the police looking for ‘Purple Hearts’ which were the recreational pills of the day (you had to be very careful during a raid to make sure that the guy next to you didn’t slip his pills into your pocket!) The hall was indeed attached to the Catholic Church of ‘The Immaculate Heart of Mary’ which boasted a massive original painting by Annigoni above the altar (still there I believe). The church was run by the ‘Claretian Fathers’, an American order of priests and it was their Father Gamm, a very astute business man, who set up the club and subsequently the ‘London Teenage Pop Festival’ of 1963 and ’64, probably the first open air pop festivals of their kind in the UK (disregarding the earlier Jazz festivals). I was a volunteer at these festivals and they were amazing events with some of the biggest names in pop attending , including Dusty Springfield, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Freddie and the Dreamers, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, Screaming Lord Sutch (who, as earlier mentioned, arrived on stage leaping out of a coffin with a huge axe and subsequently chasing around the audience with the axe), Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, Billy J. Kramer and Eden Kane amongst many others.
Yes attended both outdoor festivals as my Dad worked in the club . I have vivid memories of screaming lord Sutch as was only 10 at time & remember popping into
‘Purple heart club’ as we called it in Friday eve after Guides to get autographs as bands were setting up for evening! Met Georgie fame etc
The painting in the church is still there,
Mary who?
I’m looking at a 1963 ‘Disc And Music Echo’ advert for
London’s Greatest Ever Pop Festival
Whit Monday 3rd June at Botwell
11am – 6pm
Lineup includes
Dell Shannon Gerry And The Pacemakers Vince Taylor Eden Kane
Kenny Lynch Billy J Kramer And The Dakotas Brian Poole And The Tremeloes Freddie And The Dreamers Screaming Lord Sutch
Mickie Most Cliff Bennett And The Rebel Rousers
As well as a few ‘who they’ names
eg The Cresters The Blue Diamonds
Yes I remember them all great fun.
I remember the raids too
I often talk about the good times some people in Tasmania here find it hard to believe. Our town was the best in the sixties we got to see so much talent.
Screeming Lord Such was a Classic. I met Cliff a few times and Mick Jagger
and quite a few others.
We were a different breed in those days.
I was only a tot myself then but the elder siblings recall these events. The Claretians are a Spanish order, named after St. Anthony Mary Claret
I can remember seeing Peter Jay and The Jaywalkers in Botwell
My mum Barbara Mulcahy used to work in the office for father Gamm and helped with organising some of the fetes and music.
I remember 2 girls called auntie bluey and blockhead, auntie bluey was a real looker one night asked me to hold a canister, it was full of purple hearts💜
I was there in the audience, Eden Kane sat on my lap and sang “Cupid draw back your bow” to me . This was filmed as one of our neighbours saw it on TV, the News I think.
The following year the Festival was in the back playground of Botwell House School and Screaming Lord Sutch leaped off of the very high stage and ran around the audience I thought he was going to land on me, the stage was very high.
Great site,
I attendend Botwell regular and the other Clubs was great fun those day’s.
I met a few of the artists like most of us did in those days.
I remember getting Mick Jagger’s autograph for a friend of mine Jean and amazed at Screeming Lord Such with the coffin and fire.
Would anyone remember Cliff Richard and The Shadow’s when they came to Southall?
Botwell Hall rock started in the early 60’s and was instigated by a priest, Father Scanlan who set up the fist rock festivals in the UK, an American, I have been led to believe.
I thought it was Father Gamm, & Father Scanlan was at Yeading. These were great times.
Hi you are right got names mixed up – apologies
It was father gam, a force to be reckoned with.
Remember going to Botwell every Fri/Sat. Bouncers with red jackets and infered torch. Great times and bands! Also Irish Church outdoor pop festivals, with Sutch to Del Shannon! Fantastic memories! There was a rumour at the time that Father Gamm, run off to America with the takings??? Don’t know if this was true? Saw Lulu & Luvvers, Javlins, The Zombies, Stones, to name but a few! Ooooh to go back in time!
I was one of the red jackets on duty at those Botwell gigs. Loved being there,
and with the bands too… But realy wanted to be in amoungst the audiance so I could let loose and dance… Cliff Bennett was my favourite group, so the Blue Moon became my place to rave when he was there… Used to get high as kite just boogying, still do … Yes were great times… Am glad to have been part of those experiences too… We wont get those times back,
but as I understand it amazing things are going to happen in our near future… Best Wishes, peter turner…
Hi Peter…I remember the red coats …you…John Sawney (I believe he was your cousin) and Ian Bradshaw…don’t remember any others. Yes ..you were a good dancer..are you still doing it 🕺🕺🤔😂..Jan
Avril Bradley posted this link on Hayes and Harlington site
Thank you
https://www.bradfordtimeline.co.uk/mindex63b.htm
The two Botwell festivals were held on the small playing field at the side of the church hall which was used as the changing room for the groups involved, it was organised by Fr. Gamm who did not run off with the cash. He did leave the priesthood and I think worked for Hillingdon council. Gabriel Butler lists most of the groups I remember. Servicemen from the U.S. base at Ruislip used to dig pits in the gardens fill them with charcoal and roast oxen carved and sold to the punters proceeds going to the church. I knew one of the bouncers, Johnny Jones well and he got the autographs of the groups taking part for my then girlfriend as he was covering the changing rooms. This was the event with Billy J Kramer, Joe Brown and S.L Sutch, plus many more acts. Great memories.
Just to clarify a point or two. Fr Gamm returned to America (without stealing any funds). He actually just died a couple of years ago living in the Claretian Missionaries retirement home in California.
I am presently in the parish at Botwell and if anyone has any photographs from the old days and any of these performances it would be great to get a copy for our records.
Hello Paul just come across this you might remember me up at Botwell Club with your dad a wit and a very kind and intelligent man. Glad to see you went into the priesthood and where do they send you? Hayes!
I live in Burton upon Trent now recovering from a from hip but aim to see Hayes when when better. Glad to see my home town is in good hands.
There are photo’s in Alan Clayson’s book ‘Beat Merchants’ published in 1995. Often copies come up for sale on eBay, its the best, most informative and readable book on the 1960’s music scene that I’ve read, highly recommend it.
These were amazing times for 1960’s music industry. My late husband John Wyatt was very involved in the Friday nights at Botwell as a “redcoat”. As well as running the Catholic Housing Aid Society with Fr Alphonse Knapp who later left the priesthood to marry and have three daughters.
Lots of happy memories of those times.