Stapleford group from the 1950’s-60’s

Starting out as the Trentside Five, a Skiffle and Rock ‘n’ Roll group, led by Pete Sturman from Nottingham they became the Trentside 4 in 1962 when Pete left and Johnny Jalland took the helm.

Trentside Five. First line up 1957-1962:
Pete Sturman – Guitar, Vocals
Geoffrey Wilcox – Guitar
Trevor Gutheridge – Guitar
Dave Singleton – Drums and Washboard
Tony Rawlings – Bass

Pete Sturman and the Trentside Five

Formed in 1957 around the Stapleford/Long Eaton area they were a Skiffle turned rock and roll group fronted by Pete Sturman who was born in 1935, who had been playing guitar for 12 years. With the River Trent at Long Eaton’s southern proximity the name of the group reflected their location.

Pete Sturman – Guitar, Vocals
Geoff Wilcox – Guitar
Trevor Gutheridge – Guitar
Dave Singleton – Drums and Washboard
Tony Rawlings – Bass

They played coffee bars eventually playing the famous Two I’s in Soho and also won the British Skiffle championship in Derby.

They came second to the Vagabonds in the National Skiffle Contest at the Palais de Danse, Nottingham on Friday 4th October 1957 winning £10. The Vagabonds were led by Vince Eager, then still called Roy Taylor who went on to the National Final where they could win a £250 prize or a £2,000 contract to tour the Mecca dance halls. Flu had caused three of the groups from Bristol, Kidderminster and Birmingham to pull out and the only other two groups taking part were The Black Cats and The Dynamics both from Leicester. Two Palais dance band leaders, Gene Mavo and Ted Poole, were among the judges.

By the beginning of 1958 they had been engaged as the resident group on the BBC’s Saturday Skiffle Club programme. They also cut a demo disc Dixie Darling b/w Downbound Train. Dixie Darlin’ was written by The Carter Family but the Trentside Five may well have heard it first by Skiffle king Lonnie Donegan YouTube. The Downbound Train was written and recorded by Chuck Berry in 1955 YouTube.

Back in Long Eaton during 1960 they would also play the Royal Hotel on the High Street. On other nights would also perform Johnny Jalland & his Rhythm Group and The Versatile Vick & Mick Shaw with Group. Also played The Shoulder of Mutton, South Normanton. They were also frequent visitors to Nottingham playing the Crescent Club, Cavendish Cinema, Beeston Jazz Club, the Oliver Cromwell St Anns Road and the William Crane School Aspley.

Occasionally billed as Pete Sturman and Trentside Rhythm Group there was a major change in the line up when in 1962 Pete Sturman and Trevor Gotheridge left and Johnny Jalland joined and they became known as The Trentside Four.

Another later Trentside 5 Line up just before the change to the Trentside 4, I suspect:
Pete Sturman
Trevor Gotheridge
Archie Braddock
Vic Shaw
Ray Gale

More wholesale changes happened when all the previous members left and were replaced by Archie Braddock, Ray Gale and Vic Shaw who used to be guitarist and singer with Johnny Clay and his orchestra in 1960. The most recognised line up of the new Trentside Four was:

Johnny Jalland (Ripley) – Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Archie Braddock (Long Eaton) – Bass Guitar
Vic Shaw (Stapleford) – Lead Guitar
Ray Gale (Nottingham)- Drums

John Harrison may have played bass with the Trentside Four part time.

John Jalland (from a facebook post on Old Clubland Acts, 2021)

“When l first started singing in1958 my 1st gig was at the Albany music Hall on Birkin avenue, Hyson Green, my 2nd gig was at the Meadow lnn on Arkwright St, both sadly gone. Agents then became interested in me. A gig l did was for Jimmy Haynes, l went to the Gamecock at Haworth near Retford, l did Saturday night, Sunday noon and night for the princely sum of £8 out of which Jimmy took £3. l paid 10 shillings for bed breakfast and evening meal and came home thinking l was a star. l also worked for Val Terry who had an office on Bridlesmith Gate and a new agent Jack Denman who paid me £2 per night l was rich! Wonderful memories. l wonder if the Gamecock is still there?“

More on the Trentside Four later………

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Geoffrey Wilcox’s daughter Sallianne got in touch May 2025 to give a little background to Geoff Wilcox’s career with the Trentside Five.

My dad was Geoffrey Wilcox. He was born in 1930 and grew up in Boston, Lincolnshire until 1940/1 when his family moved to Nottingham. Geoff taught himself to play guitar and customised his own guitar to play the Skiffle sound. He started his own group but left and joined the Trentside Five in 1956/57. He played with them on the BBC on ‘Come Dancing’ in 1957 and a year later on BBC radio. Unfortunately the BBC have no archive of their TV performance as records of ‘Come Dancing’ only survive from the 1970s.

I have some original photographs of Trentside Five, which my father kept, along with the 78″ demo record made in 1958. Unfortunately I don’t know where the demo was recorded, but I recall that it was one of his most treasured possessions. Geoff also appeared on the photograph used for the band’s business card. On the back of the original photograph my dad wrote it was taken at the Astoria Ballroom.

My dad told me that he was keen to move the band to London after radio and TV appearances and the demo. However a couple of members didn’t want to leave Nottingham and this led to him leaving the band in 1959. Instead he concentrated on his career as a draughtsman, which he did for over 25 years, becoming Chief Draughtsman for Metool who were based in Beeston, Nottingham. Geoff continued to play his guitar as a hobby, but didn’t join another group to play live music.

Geoff enjoyed listening to Skiffle, Jazz, Rock and Roll, and Country and Western music. Among his favourite artists were Lonnie Donegan, Chris Barber, Johnny Cash, Ken Colyer, The Everly Brothers and Willie Nelson.

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NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS

1957

1958

1959

1960

1961

TRENTSIDE FOUR

The Trentside Five, occasionally billed as Pete Sturman and Trentside Rhythm Group, had a major change in the line up when in 1962 Pete Sturman and Trevor Gotheridge left and Johnny Jalland joined and they became known as The Trentside Four.

More wholesale changes happened when all the previous members of the Trentside Five left and were replaced by Archie Braddock, Ray Gale and Vic Shaw who used to be guitarist and singer with Johnny Clay and his orchestra in 1960. The most recognised line up of the new Trentside Four was:

Johnny Jalland (Ripley) – Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Archie Braddock (Long Eaton) – Bass Guitar
Vic Shaw (Stapleford) – Lead Guitar
Ray Gale (Nottingham)- Drums