Groups Thar Played At The Bull.

A Memory of Hornchurch.

Hi , My name is Eric Bell & I was born in 1947,& raised in Hornchurch.
When I was around 17 I was lucky enough to work at Jim Moore`s music shop in Hornchurch Road.
What a great job for a young guitar nut eh!! I formed a group called "The Nighthawks" & we played
quite frequently at the Bull. I remember old Jack Lewis, (who was a great friend of Jim Moor), who ran the pub. .Nice guy, as far as I was concerned anyway. I remember we played there one new years eve,
possibly 1964 or 1965. It was a cracking night, -- we were all having a great time playing and I`m sure the punters had a great time too! I now live in Benfleet, Essex, as Hornchurch was far too expensive to buy out first home. I love it down here. Since my parents went , I now only have my sister Sheila ( who used to run our fan club) who lives in Elm Park.
Any thing anyone can tell me about other bands etc, from those great days, I would love to hear from you. I played with a group in the Benfleet / Southend area called "Brett" for about 20 years too! From 1980 to 1999.
I went to Suttons Secondary Modern school from around 1958 to 1962, so any memories from there would be good.
Fondly, Eric

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Added 17 September 2016

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I went to Suttons 1960-1965. Some of the boysin my year formed a band and called themselves, Tony and the Tempests and I believe they used to play at the Bull. Tony's surname was Ambler. They used to practise in Mr Evan's geography room after school and I got up and sang Louie Louie with them once. It was great fun

By Elaine Stebbings on Fri Sep 29th 2017, at 1:44 pm

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I was a South Hornchurch lad and went to Brittons School 1958 - 1963
The Bull at Hornchurch was a regular haunt for my mates and I after we left school. We could make a cheap pint of draught cider last for hours and (being underage) skulk at the back of the pub listening to live rock bands till closing time.
There was a regular band fronted by a singer and another group who were like a mini-version of the "Shadows" playing all the same stuff on red & white Stratocaster copies. Great Times!
Sadly the Bull gradually attracted a rougher element until one night a fight broke out and I witnessed a heavy wooden chair smashed to pieces over a chap's head. Amazingly he got up seemingly without injury but we left in a hurry and rarely went back.

By alandvi.187 on Mon Feb 4th 2019, at 4:58 pm

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I came from Palmers Boys’ Grammar School at 19 years old to see if I enjoyed teaching. It was a tough school and I was given D6 as a form group by Mr Goddard, the Headmaster. I had to learn on the job very quickly but I must have enjoyed the challenge as I spent a year there and then went on to College and taught English and some PE for the next 44 years, mostly in Essex. Alan Stammers 03.01.2021

By Alan Stammers on Sun Jan 3rd 2021, at 5:29 pm

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The comment I left earlier was in ref. to the alandvi.187 comment mentioning Brittons School. I can only remember Mrs Everett who taught Needlework. Can anyone remind me of other Staff Members.
Alan Stammers

By Alan Stammers on Sun Jan 3rd 2021, at 5:39 pm

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Hi Elaine, great to hear from you. Yes I seem to remember "Tony & The Tempests". It`s possible we may have met them at the school rehearsing, as we went there too to rehearse !
Regards, Eric

By ericlesliebell on Mon Jan 4th 2021, at 8:50 am

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