The emergence of the British Skiffle craze in the mid fifties was as sudden and unexpected as any other music movement that has happened since. In, what seemed like, the blink of an eye, the youth of Britain took to this “simple to play” music in their tens of thousands and started a revolution that sowed the seeds for the sixties pop explosion. Without knowing of it’s deep American roots and the British trad jazz musicians who had helped bring it to the attention of the public at large, they found a voice, and it can be seen as the first genuine teenage music scene on our shores.
A simple musical style, Skiffle was an archaic form of early 20th century American Country Blues and Jazz using simple improvised instruments. As the British musical scene moved away from the “Swing” of the big band era to the more authentic trad jazz, a young Lonnie Donegan was to become a catalyst for a British revival of this largely forgotten music in the mid 1950’s.
First playing in the 1940’s he joined influential Jazz player Chris Barber and his band who was a significant figure in influencing the British rhythm and blues scene of the 1960s. He then formed The Tony Donegan Jazz Band. He would play blues and folk songs in his repertoire and adopted the name Lonnie. He re-joined Chris Barber and also played in Ken Colyer’s band where he would play a Skiffle break with a couple of other members of the band in the interval.
Lonnie recorded an up tempo cover of Lead Belly’s “Rock Island Line” in July 1954 and British Skiffle was born. Lead Belly (1889 – 1949) carried forward a tradition of American folk blues from the early twentieth century and was able to marry it with country music and gospel and write new topical songs of the day, leaving a recorded legacy from the 1930’s and 1940’s. As George Harrison is quoted “if there was no Lead Belly, there would have been no Lonnie Donegan; no Lonnie Donegan, no Beatles. Therefore no Lead Belly, no Beatles.”
Lonnie Donegan’s version of “Rock Island Line” was a highly influential record which he followed up and a Skiffle craze broke out in Britain. It grew from the British jazz scene, as it was, but the main impact of Skiffle was as a grassroots amateur youth movement. A “Punk” movement of it’s day the classic line up would include a tea chest bass, a washboard and one or two acoustic guitars and maybe a jug. Simple acoustic instruments were acquired or made. A washboard played with thimbles on your fingers for a percussive sound, a tea chest bass which was a chest with a broom handle fixed into it and a piece of rope attached to the top of the broom handle and the box at the other. Bending the broom handle would give the twanging of the rope some pitch. Guitars were often made as they were relatively expensive and still a luxury item available only to those in the music scene already or with money. Add to that a banjo or kazoo and plenty of youthful enthusiasm and Britain’s first genuine youth movement lifted off.
Almost anybody could play Skiffle. By the time of its height in 1957 it was thought there were over 30,000 groups across Britain. The sale of guitars grew. Ballrooms, Church Halls and Cafes played host to every bunch of kids that would turn up.
Skiffle might also be seen as a link between the old traditions of jazz and the new emerging rock music. The influence on the soon to be 60’s and 70’s rock stars was immense. This was not a musical style that reached the recording studio’s, except a few notable exceptions and by 1958 it was largely over. Outside of Lonnie Donegan’s obvious impact and a few other leading lights like The Vipers and the Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group, the most famous Skiffle group is The Quarrymen featuring John Lennon who met Paul McCartney at the now famous garden fête in Woolton in 1957. George Harrison joined a year later and the rest as they say ………
Jazz in Nottingham
Nottingham in the fifties had a very healthy Jazz scene with Bill Kinnell and Ken Allsopp leading the way as the top promoters in the region. Both had been co-founders of Nottingham’s Rhythm Club in 1941. Bill Kinnell split from Ken in 1947 to form the Nottingham Jazz Club and between them and a host of other jazz aficionados they were able to hold jazz events almost every night of the week. Mick Gill’s Imperial Jazz Band and the Mercia Jazz Band were leading trad jazz groups in the area with Mick Gill leaving a recording legacy. Johnny Hobbs, Brian Wooley, John Crocker and others would emerge from the local scene and the biggest names on the trad jazz circuit would visit regularly.
1955
The trad jazz bands would start to have a short Skiffle spot during their gigs. This was put up with but not particularly appreciated by the jazz connoisseurs of the day. In May of 1955 Peter Philips writing in the Nottingham Evening Post wasn’t convinced by Skiffle either.
Although we rightly associate Skiffle with young teenage kids and their ad hoc instruments some of the first to explore the new Skiffle sound were the established trad jazz groups and on a visit to Ken Allsopp’s Rhythm club night at the Trent Bridge Hotel in 1955, Ken Colyer had a Skiffle group to play as well as the regular jazz band.
The world renowned T.B.I. (Trent Bridge Inn) next to Trent Bridge Cricket Ground was known and advertised as the Trent Bridge Hotel for a large part of the twentieth century and was home to a lot of Ken Allsopp’s jazz nights for many years. In December 1955 Ken Colyer is playing alongside local Nottingham group the Mercia Jazz Band at the Queens Hall Ballroom with his jazz and Skiffle groups.
Bill Kinnell had some Skiffle at his jazz nights too. Fred Baker’s Skiffle group using washing machines and dustbin must have been an entertaining night.
1956
The Boat in Beeston Rylands was another hotbed for jazz and in 1956 Skiffle arrived here too.
In 1956 Bill Kinnell was running his jazz club nights at the Test Match in West Bridgford and Mick Gill’s band played more Skiffle here too.
Ken Colyer was a national figure in the trad jazz scene and wherever he went he had the Skiffle group. Here in Kirkby-In-Ashfield.
In March 1956 there was a big gig featuring Chris Barber, Lonnie Donegan’s Skiffle Group and Mick Gill at the Bridgford Ballroom, Central Avenue. This venue was better known as the Dancing Slipper and this would become Bill Kinnell’s flagship venue for many years.
Further Jazz nights in Nottingham were held at the Queens Hall Ballroom and the New Locarno, West Bridgford. As the New Locarno was advertised as “under new management” I assume that this may be the Dancing Slipper when Bill Kinnell took over.
By the end of 1956 there were many more groups and bands adding a Skiffle to their performance. Nottingham’s Mick Gill playing at the Boat and Horses in Beeston.
The teenagers were starting to get in on the action and at the Mayfair Ballroom, Long Eaton The Erewash Valley Skiffle Group played on a roc ‘n’ roll and jazz night.
1957
As 1957 dawned the youth of Britain, fired up by American Rock ‘n’ Roll and with Elvis Presley a figurehead, frantically put together groups and hit the streets, playing street corners, school playgrounds, church halls, cafes and anywhere else they could find. Learning the Skiffle songs that were in fact old folk blues of the American blacks and the white country songs exemplified by Hank Williams they found a voice and spread across the country. Unlike the jazz musicians who had Skiffle sessions during their jazz nights this new breed of teenager were learning their craft from a standing start. With little formal training or technical skill their main weapon was a youthful enthusiasm that would push them forward.
In Long Eaton, The Down-Town Skiffle Group were one of these new teenage bands having formed in September 1956. They were proving to be popular straight away.
Johnny Francis: Guitar & Vocals, Dave Beresford: Double Bass, Terry Beresford: Guitar and John Palmer: Washboard & Drums had secured a slot on the television programme “Carrol Levis Discovery Show” later on February 6th and were planning to play Lonnie Donegan’s “Lost John” and one of their own numbers.
In an early opportunity at promotion the Downtown Skiffle Group managed to get their name and pictures in the local press in conjunction with “Bennetts” hairdressers of Sandiacre.
Another group close by were the Zephyr Skiffle Outfit (The Zephyrs). They were from Toton and Long Eaton and featured Spike Woods who is still active in 2022.
Spike Woods also played alongside Wocko Watkins and the famed Anne Briggs. All three would soon move into the folk circuit.
Another group from the same area where the Riverside Skiffle Group who practiced in a cabin cruiser at Trent Lock. A six piece containing Enid Hosker, Jeanette Grimwade, married couple Glenys Butler & Colin Butler, Wally Mottershead & Ken Barnes.
Hucknall’s Star Four Square Skiffle Group and The Oak Trio bring skiffle to the the Oak Cabin in Watnall.
Much more coming ……………..
Notes:
List of local Skiffle groups named in this article with estimated date and place.
Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group – National
Chris Barber Jazz Band – National
Ken Colyer Jazz and Skiffle Group – National
Mick Gill Jazz and Skiffle Group – Nottingham, 1955
Fred Baker and Skiffle Group – Nottingham, 1955-57
Fred Baker: Guitar & Vocals, Cliff Lee: Guitar & Vocals, J.J. Jepson: Banjo, Colin Morris: Washing Machines, Mac Viney: Dustbin
The Downtown Skiffle Group (The Downtowners) – Sandiacre & Risley, 1955-56
Johnny Francis: Guitar & Vocals, Dave Beresford: Double Bass, Terry Beresford: Guitar and John Palmer: Washboard & Drums.
The Zephyr Skiffle Outfit (The Zephrs) – Toton, Long Eaton, 1956
Danny Danby: Guitar, Spike Woods: Guitar & Vocals, Shep Shepherd: Drums, Chris Needham: Double Bass, Wocko Watkins: Guitar
The Riverside Skiffle Group (Riverside Ramblers) – Long Eaton – 1956-57
Enid Hosker, Jeanette Grimwade, Glenys Butler, Colin Butler, Wally Mottershead, Ken Barnes
Eric Peat Skiffle Group – Mansfield ??, 1957
The Carlton Streamliners – Carlton, Nottingham, 1957
The Grasshoppers – Carlton, Nottingham, 1957
The Attic Boys – Carlton, Nottingham, 1957
The Black Jacks Skiffle Group – Colwick, Nottingham, 1957
Chilwell Cotton Pickers Skiffle Group – Chilwell, Nottingham, 1957
The Saints – Sherwood/Mapperly, Nottingham – 1957?
Pat Bonser
Four Square Skiffle Group – Hucknall – 1957
The Oak Trio – Watnall – 1957
Much more coming ………….
A few links to some interesting skiffle web pages