{"id":4713,"date":"2011-08-15T19:05:16","date_gmt":"2011-08-15T18:05:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uncarved.org\/blog\/?p=4713"},"modified":"2012-03-08T22:42:29","modified_gmt":"2012-03-08T22:42:29","slug":"the-secret-ska-history-of-stamford-hill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uncarved.org\/blog\/2011\/08\/the-secret-ska-history-of-stamford-hill\/","title":{"rendered":"The secret Ska history of Stamford Hill by Malcolm Imrie"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stamford Hill<\/a> is right at the northern end of the London Borough of Hackney, bordering Haringey\/Tottenham. I’ve lived around there for about 15 years now and have always had an interest in its history.<\/p>\n

Last May, Richie<\/strong> (Maharishi Hi-Fi \/ Musical Fever) hosted another one of his excellent nights, this time at the Mascara Bar<\/a> (previously Panagea Project, opposite Morrisons Supermarket). I’m no die-hard Ska or Rocksteady expert, but Richie’s nights are always excellent (see reviews here<\/a> and here<\/a>). I’ll happily leave the selections to Richie and his favoured DJs any time – an amazing night for the old and young is standard.<\/p>\n

Riche also has an uncanny habit of organising great events within about 2 minutes of my flat, which is most definitely to his credit. This time one of my favourite reggae writers of all time, Penny Reel<\/a>, was on the bill – and<\/em> there was a local history angle. I was sold.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It was an education, musically and socially. I had the pleasure of meeting Nick Kimberley, who published the world’s first reggae fanzine, Pressure Drop<\/em>, with Penny Reel in 1974. I get very excited about things like that and the connections\/differences with Woofah<\/a>. Before that night I didn’t know anything about the R&B Records operation. Naturally there were tunes aplenty and further help was on hand in the form of a text produced especially for the night by Malcolm Imrie<\/strong>, who has kindly allowed me to republish it here:<\/p>\n

R&B Records<\/strong>
\n 1959-1984<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bunny Lee: “The main t’ree people was when I come a Englan’ forty odd years ago, right, was who now. . .? Mrs King. . . and. . . husband name Benny. Benny use’ to come a Jamaica too, yunno, an’ put out \u2014 a get record. Him use’ to put out anyt’ing wha Ken Lack<\/em> [Caltone imprint] make, Rita an’ Benny, y’understan…”<\/em><\/p>\n

Rita and Benny King, R&B Records?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Yes, Rita an’ Benny, right. Them did ‘aye a big distributing place from \u2014 dem was powerful people inna the business. Mrs King was a force to reckon with. Them use’ to have a place inna Stamford Hill. If she na sell the record is better yu come outta the business.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Chuckles.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“When she talk everybody jump!”<\/em><\/p>\n

Interview with Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee by Pete I on www.reggae-vibes.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

******<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1959, Stamford Hill was a lot livelier than it is today. A good place to be a teenager. Full of cafes, like the popular E&A salt beef bar on the corner of Clapton Common and Stamford Hill or Carmel’s kosher restaurant a few doors further down on the other side of the street (oddly, the newish shop there is still called Carmel). Even Windus Road (just round the corner from the Mascara Bar) had three milk bars \u2014 you can still see the sign of one of them outside what is now a Hassidic pizza takeaway.<\/p>\n

A lot of people would hang out and play pinball in “the Schtip”, the Yiddish name (I think it means ‘taking money’) everyone used for the amusement arcade almost next door to the E&A (it’s still there, with a different name and no pinball). As well as the grand Regent (where Sainsbury’s now stands), soon to be the Gaumont and finally the Odeon, you could take your pick of around eight other cinemas within half a mile.<\/p>\n

Three years earlier, ten-year-old local girl Helen Shapiro was singing in a group called Susie and the Hula Hoops, along with a boy called Markie Feld, later to change his name to Marc Bolan. Two years on, in 1962, she’d have two number one hits. In ’59 she and Markie were both members of Stamford Hill Boys and Girls Club in Montefiore House (now replaced by a block of flats just south of Holmleigh Road), as were Alan Sugar, one day to get knighted for services to himself, and Malcolm Edwards, soon to become Malcolm McLaren.<\/p>\n

And in only a few months’ time, they are about to get the first ten-pin bowling alley in Europe (watch its gala opening here<\/a> or below)<\/p>\n