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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Perkins1820 on Friday 19 April 19 23:49 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
I’m looking for any source of information on Charlie Mac’s ballroom that would have been frequented by Irish emigrants in London in the 1960s. In particular some photos of the place would be great - it’s where my parents in law met, would love to dig something up for them.
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This blog mentions Charlie Mack's:
https://tonyconboy.blogspot.com/2009/12/flared-frocks-and-brylcreem.html
"Catholic Charlie Mack's:
My sister Carmel was a great lady for the dances and for a time favoured Charlie Mack's in Victoria or Bayswater. It had a reputation as being a very Catholic establishment with the possibility of having to pass some test to prove your religious ethos, to the supervising 'matriach', to get in. This presented no problem to us at that time! I remember it being close to New Scotland Yard with its rotating geometrical sign and to a street named Strutting Ground!"
May help you locate it, or someone may remember :)
Modified to add:
Someone else looking for it too
https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070213134332AAd4mpC
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Great info! Thank you!
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Worth contacting?
https://www.londonirishcentre.org/history-of-lic
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Great suggestion - thanks!
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I remember it being close to New Scotland Yard with its rotating geometrical sign and to a street named Strutting Ground!"
Strutton Ground is a small shopping/market street running off Victoria Street opposite where New Scotland Yard stood(until recently).
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Hi everyone
Just read your interesting comments - hopefully, together we can move this research further!
Charlie Mac's (Westminster Ballroom) was located in the basement of 30 Strutton Ground, Westminster. Friends and I visited it regularly on Saturdays and I meet my future husband there in 1967!
It was always packed, there was a big glitter ball hanging from the ceiling, Charlie hosted the evening and, as you say, Mrs Mac stood at the bottom of the stairs (at the left and the cloakroom was on the right). She made sure that everyone was dressed appropriately, before they could enter the hall!
Music included 1960s Pop, Country and Western and Irish favourites. There were also Old Time Waltzes and The Gay Gordons and it was always a great evening!
Hope this helps a little, but I'm sorry that I haven't any photos.
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Music included 1960s Pop, Country and Western and Irish favourites. There were also Old Time Waltzes and The Gay Gordons and it was always a great evening!
No Siege of Ennis then ?
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Welcome to rootschat, Sue.
Unfortunately Perkins1820 does not appear to have used this site for 3 years, but they may still be receiving notifications of your response.
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Hello again!
Sorry - how could I forgotten Siege of Ennis, also played!
By the way, lots of girls at St Louise's Hostel, 33 Medway Street (a short walk away) went to Charlie's - I was one of them! In those days, there were Irish and other nationalities, eg English, Canadian, American, Swiss, and most residents were working or students. The hostel (2 buildings, opposite each other) is still there. It now serves a different clientele and the interior has been modernised, but the little garden at the back looks much the same! At that time, Channel 4 Studios was being built and it was just a fenced-off building site! Charlie's was previously owned by The Army and Navy Stores in Victoria Street and earlier it had been used as a cinema. Lots of other things to share so, if anyone is interested, just let me know!
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Hello everyone
Fondly, we remember the 60s -
Great times in London and at Charlie Mac''s (Strutton Ground, Westminster) and now we hope that other people will share their memories.
Cheers!
Sue and Jim Maguire (Hutton, WsM, Somerset))