Shelley the Lifeboat Labrador (15 page)

After the service we all went to the Sovereign for a drink and the wives and girlfriends joined us later at pick up time. One year the BBC Morning Service came from Shoreham and we were asked to attend wearing our jumpers.  It was nice to see ones self on television.  One of the crew Kerion seemed to get featured more than most which I am sure was due to his singing.  Kerion was a carpenter. There was David Wainwright who was an excellent ILB Helmsman and a plumber. Many others had hidden talents.  It was always useful when something was needed to be done and it was a very close knit community.  The then coxswain Ken Everard was the Shoreham Port electrician and he was very supportive indeed when it came to doing the odd electrical job.  As for me I could offer free medical products and had access to nappies for crew member’s wives who had just had a new addition.

Life carried on at the station.  There were some sad times for example when a  local line fishing boat had taken out some anglers from Burgess Hill and got lost in a thick fog only to be hit by a passing coaster.  The lifeboat was out for hours and returned back to the slipway in late evening with 7 bodies on board. It was very upsetting indeed as several of the crew knew some of those lost. 

The Athenia B disaster reached a national level when it went aground off Brighton.  The then coxswain Kenny Voice got a silver medal for his seamanship and the crew all received velum’s (which were parchment certificates) for the rescue in terrible conditions.

We all got involved in many different situations. It should be remembered that a shout involved all whether they were working on the boat or back at the boathouse – it was a team effort.  If there was a shortage crew, there would be a chance to join the off shore boat to help out. It was a chance for the coxswain to monitor other crew members.  There were regular exercises which gave all the opportunity to get to sea.  The wish of every crew member was to get a coveted place on the main lifeboat and this was highly contested.

Most stations around the country are run the same way and there is a set pattern in training and recruiting new members.  These are exciting and fulfilling jobs and although voluntary, anyone could be forgiven for thinking that there would be a waiting list.  A lot is due to work commitments and the fact that stations are often situated in small communities.                                                                                                

Dogs were always popular amongst crew members and if one looks at a lifeboat station many crew are fishermen and work alone and find a companion in having a dog as a pet.  For me Shelley was great company and became my right arm. I had deep feelings for her and we shared our lives together – very much like Mac the coastguard did with his dog. 

If only my late father had been around to see me as I was now?  He was concerned for me following the break up of my marriage.  I am sure if he could have taken a step forward in time he would have been pleased and amused as to the way life had worked out for me.  When I left home to work in London at Kodak he handed me a letter at Maidstone railway station. On opening it there was a list of things to be aware of in my life and not to do.  Many years later I went up to him with this letter telling him I had done most of the things he suggested I did not do.  “Good for you,” he said with a smile.  “You can now call yourself a man my son.” 

I still have this letter and often think how right he was, knowing he would have been proud of the way I turned out ‘warts and all!’                        

End of Chapter 20

IT’S A JAZZ LIFE FOR SHELLEY – CHAPTER 21

As I mentioned earlier I had always loved jazz from and early age first listening to BBC Radios Jazz Club and then I became interested in the traditional jazz of the era and went to the Ken Colyer Club in London.  Being a purist (A name given to those that preferred New Orleans jazz) I spent a lot of time at Kens all night sessions at Studio 51 which was just off Leicester Square. These would start at midnight and finish at 6am.  We were real ravers and wore the long jumpers – college scarves and sandals.

Perhaps its time to tell you a little more about my-self and the pains of growing up in the 60’s!  This will then give you an idea of what Shelley had to put up with later in life.

It was at that time I did three Aldermaston CND marches and was arrested outside the US embassy, which I am glad to say without charge.  I began to collect a lot of LP records and at Colyers saw many of the top bands of the time.  It was a fun period and was harmless at the same time.  The Riverboat Shuffles from Tower Pier to Margate and back saw me listening to George Melly singing The Lobster Song and Bob Wallis amongst many others.  To me then Modern Jazz was a no go.

Later when I worked for Kodak my music taste changed and I moved over to modern from traditional jazz in a very short period.  I then jumped again and went to the Avante Garde jazz of Mingus, Monk, Coltrane and Archie Shepp. 

Ronnie Scott’s opened in Gerrard Street then later moved to Frith Street in Soho.  I had got to know Carlo Krahmer of Esquire Records well and used the club a lot more seeing just about every jazz great that existed. Ronnie’s was part of my everyday life for well over four years. I could be seen in there at least twice a week and got to meet up with Spike Milligan, George Melly (again) and many of the top musicians of that era. I used the small musicians bar in the basement and spent many a happy hour chatting.

I shared a taxi with Stan Getz one evening and went back with the great                                

Milt Jackson from the MJQ to his hotel for a few drinks and sometimes would go over the road with Ronnie to watch him play poker in a private club.  I got to know Larry who did all the lighting and we became good pals often discussing the world’s problems until the early hours.  Ronnie also asked me into his office at the back of the club several times where we chatted about each others lives and his love of the Brighton area. Could I have been a ‘jazz groupie’ – well yes!

One evening I went back to his office and Coleman Hawkins was sitting there. Another time there was Ben Webster resulting in a large collection of autographs.  Stan Tracey the house pianist became a source of admiration as did Tony Oxley the drummer.  I remember once hitching a lift to Ramsgate to see the Tracey Band only to find the audience in the pavilion there was so small that Stan asked us all to come closer to the stage to listen to him.  It ended up being a very informal session and one of the best I have seen for many years.

Ronnie always gave me his time and several years later I found out he was playing at a pub in Hove.  I managed to twist Chris and Mike Fox from the lifeboat to join me for the lunch time session – being a pub I took Shelley.  On arrival we found the downstairs room had been booked and after a little bribing Shelley was allowed in providing she behaved herself.  I was standing at the bar chatting prior to the start when there was this tap on my shoulder and it was Ronnie with Tony Combie along with Doug Dobell who ran Dobell’s record shop in Charing Cross Road.  I think Chris and Mike were taken aback to see that Ronnie remembered me.  If the truth be known so was I as I had not been to the club for a long time. 

The three of us managed to get in the front row and Shelley nestled under my chair and fell asleep giving the odd snore from time to time.  Ronnie was well known for his dry sense of humour and his jokes.  Needless to say a comment regarding a certain member of the audience falling asleep, during his first set, was made falling on deaf ears as far as Shelley was concerned.  The interval came along with more memories of the old days and Ronnie was highly impressed with Shelley even buying her a packet of crisps!                                       

Ronnie added another opening comment to the set regarding a certain person being a lot quieter than he used to be in the early days of the club.  If the truth be known I did sometimes get rather carried away when guest musicians appeared there. This was due to an over indulgence in alcohol in the musicians bar with Brandy often my favourite tipple – especially when with George Melly. 

I recall the time when the Dankworth band were playing and I was impressed with a sax player called Duncan Lamont. Whenever he finished a solo I yelled out enthusiastically.  After a while John Dankworth said to all and sundry that it was nice that at least Duncan had one fan in the audience and perhaps in his life.  To this day I have always liked Duncan’s playing and we met again only last year when I went to a concert at the Dankworth house (a one off visit). I asked John if he was there and he pointed over to him sitting with his wife Cleo Laine.

I did try to get some of the lifeboat crew interested in jazz.  It was not easy and for some reason it has not been easy most of my life to get my friends interested in this art form.  People either love or hate jazz.  As for Shelley my word was her command so she was my jazz dog!

I once again took Mike and Chris to the Brighton Corn Exchange to see Art Blakey and the Stan Tracey quartet playing.  I also managed to get Brenda to join us.  We were in the second row from the front and the Tracey Quartet came on first.  Just in front of us was this student who through the complete set carried on reading a book oblivious to the music and those around him.

After a while enough was enough and the tenor player Art Themen left the stage and went up to him asking what he was doing  paying to come  to a concert if he was only interested in reading.   There was a loud round of applause from those sitting around him.  Again I was to meet Art later in life and we often referred to that occasion.  Stan was a wonderful person and like many musicians he always had time to chat and say hello.  Jazz was known for this and I shared some very happy occasions with many.                  

In New York (on one of my business trips) I went to The Village Vanguard with Willis Conover the Voice of America radio presenter having had a meal with him at Jim and Andy’s (this was the top musician’s hangout for good food).  In the interval I remember sitting with Sonny Rollins and Willis having a chat when Gerry Mulligan joined us.  It was a once in a life time experience.  I had contacted Willis (who did not know me) and asked if we could meet up and to my surprise he said yes as he was going to be in New York that weekend.  He took me all over the place and had a very nice secretary in tow!

At Slugs Jazz club in Harlem I met Cecil Taylor, Pharaoh Saunders, Lee Morgan, Ornette Coleman and many others including Howard Johnson a tuba player.  Howard was great and he spent several days with me showing me the sights of New York and taking me into some of the best record stores and jazz venues.  My autograph collection also grew at the same time.  I started collecting them by accident and carried on.  Some were written on business cards and others on napkins and any piece of paper I could find.  I still have them all and wonder what their value is to-day as many of the musicians have sadly gone to the big band in the sky including Ronnie Scott and Carlo Krahmer who were responsible for my initial interest alongside Warren and Veryan when I was working at Kodak in London – I have a lot to thank them all for!

Back at Hove we listened to the Ronnie session followed by fond farewells, which unknown to me would be our last meeting as sadly Ronnie would pass away suddenly.  I then stopped going to live jazz gigs and decided to live with the memories of that period and my vast record collection.                 

Chris and Mike enjoyed the music very much but I don’t think jazz was going to be a priority when it came to their listening options.  As for Shelley she had no choice as she lived me with.  At times I did have the habit of asking certain jazz friends back to my flat for a late session after closing time.  Shelley would stay with us for a while before saying her fond farewells before departing to my bedroom.  For some reason as the night went on the music became louder. I am not sure if this was due to the liquid refreshment but from time to time it did go over the top resulting in a few bangs on the ceiling plus the odd knock at the door.  I am glad to say it did not happen too often but when it did I had to agree with those making the complaint and was always apologetic.

The problem is with jazz music that those that like it do have the habit of trying to force it onto others to listen.  It is an art form and those involved in it alongside those that like it all share a common bond in trying to promote it to others without meaning to.

‘I Love You Madly’ was the late Duke Ellington’s favourite comment – jazz gave to me the feeling of - freedom – peace – happiness whilst at the same time giving me the chance to meet many people.  My interest in it has remained giving me a great deal of pleasure and will forever play an important part in my life and I see no wrong in that!

People that like jazz are contented and have a nice feeling towards others – also they seem to like dogs.  Is this due to the fact that dogs can help one relax?  To be able to hug, stoke or pat and animal and get some tender loving care in return is important.  For me sitting down in my armchair with a nice record playing with Shelley by my side brings back some wonderful memories and that is why I felt like writing this chapter.