HISTORY

Barber's Picture Palace brought the magic of moving pictures to Wolverton in 1911

Barber image and advert courtesy of The Living Archive

Step back in time and stroll along Wolvertonʼs Stratford Road where two venues once vied for attention. Decades later, one of them is relegated to memory, but the other is still flourishing, Sammy Jones has the history...

pint goes hand in hand with a gig at The Craufurd Arms for many people today, but back in 1907 when it opened its doors for the first time, things were quite different; the venue had been built by the Peopleʼs Refreshment Association, and temperance was to be applauded.

Todayʼs heavily stocked bar would have caused much upset with those responsible for erecting the premises.

Before Milton Keynes was a twinkle in the eyes of its developers, Wolverton was one of the bustling towns in the area. Less than 70 years before The Craufurd Arms opened, the town had sprung up to house those earning a living at The Works.

It was a new railway town, and a place where people worked hard together, and in those close-knit communities of old, they enjoyed letting their hair down together too. The lack of alcohol mattered not a jot. Music was all the fun needed.

By the 1940s, traditional dances and big band sounds were staples at the venue, with acts like The Rhythm Aces proving to be major draws.

“Back then, there was no television and only one radio channel which predominantly offered news and set shows, and little else, apart from cinema,” Dennis Lyman recalled, “We went for something to do, for exercise, and to meet people.”

“The bands always played tunes that you could sing to as well as dance to.

“Because of the lack of anything else to do, you created something else of your own and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. You would still get the occasional drunks in, but they were forcefully ushered out!

“The area was full of musicians then, because everyone played in the local troupes, like the Bradwell Silver Band. Thatʼs how many people learned to play, and they would then play the dances in the evenings.

“When war came, if anything, the dances became more frequent - you didn't sit at home and mope, you got out there and got on with it!”

The 20th century was a period of rapid change, and within two decades, the town had gone from wartime blues, through the dawn of rock & roll and into the swinging 60s.

At that point it was local bands like The Fenders who were stage-stepping, and by the 1970s, funny folks like Mike Reid and Roger De Courcey – with his sidekick Nookie Bear – were jostling for position on those venue flyers.

In 1979, The Specials and The Undertones were among those who stopped by, and another relatively unknown group of youngsters from Sussex took their turn at the venue the same year.

That band – The Cure - would go on to shift more than 27 million albums.

Freddie Fingers Lee, who had been heavily influenced by Jerry Lee Lewis, and also played with Screaming Lord Sutch and Ian Hunter, was a curious performer.

The Craufurd advert referred to the ‘One-eyed king of the boogie-woogie piano and a great rock 'n' roll act,ʼ and that was certainly so - Freddie would regularly remove his glass eye and pop it in a pint of beer during performances!

The pubʼs backroom had gone from hosting polite dances to ska artists over the course of four decades, but although it continued to welcome live music on an ad-hoc basis, it wasnʼt until 2009 when the foundations of the venue we know today were set down.

When Jason Hall took on the venue it heralded a new era, and 14 years on – now with co-owner Max Harvey – it is firmly established on the touring itinerary of artists nationally and internationally.

Big bands gracing the small stage have included Skindred, Soulfly, Reel Big Fish, Slaves, Idles, Supergrass main man Gaz Coombes, Therapy? and Wolf Alice.

“We will continue to build on the foundations we have set,” Jason promises, and that includes continuing to extend a helping hand to artists in the area.

“The local music scene is a community with all walks of life and we want to be the catalyst that helps this grow into something beautiful.”

Next door to The Craufurd Arms, Barbers Picture Palace could once be found keeping busy and taking attention too.

George Barber had already opened a cinema in Bletchley when he opened The Palace in Wolverton, back in 1911.

Film was a new phenomenon and the forward thinking businessman was at the fore of this exciting entertainment which gave the townʼs residents the opportunity to settle back with some escapism.

A French detective story, Zigomar, was the first film to air. It would have been an exciting innovation, but it was over quickly; lasting for little more than half an hour.

In those early days, it was more about moving pictures rather than high-definition quality.

We have 4DX sensory cinema today, but any interactive experience back then would have been supplied by the person sucking the mint humbug in the next seat along, or fidgeting behind you, kicking the back of your chair!

Decades of on-screen entertainment followed at The Palace, but with Barber passing away in the 1940s, the venue subsequently got moved on and troubled times followed. 1961 was hardly underway when the venue shut up shop permanently, but a businessman from Dunstable was eyeing up the property with plans to turn it into a music mecca.

Eddie Green knew what to do too; having already enjoyed huge success with The California (‘The Caliʼ) Ballroom in Dunstable, which he had launched to ‘keep young boys and girls off the streetsʼ.

Rock 'n' roll was in its infancy and music would replace film as the regular form of entertainment.

The Palace continued on its musical journey after Eddieʼs death in 1964, although it was chasing some of the same audiences who frequented Bletchleyʼs Wilton Hall.

The Palaceʼs cheeky adverts went all out to lure audiences from across town: ‘All the prettiest girls in Bletchley go to the Palace, & to prove it, admission before 9.30 for pretty girls 3/6.ʼ

Such advertising would never make it onto the newspaper pages today.

The dimly lit venue had one large dance floor, but operated across two levels; while headline bands performed downstairs, their supporting artists would entertain on the first floor.

Artists who performed there included crooners The Walker Brothers, pop players Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, beat group The Undertakers and American singer Brenda Lee.

Almost-local favourites The Barron Knights were among other names passing through.

Many of the artists who played The Palace would do another set over at ‘The Caliʼ the same day, which would maximise exposure for artists, and doubtless door fees for the promoters!

On occasion, there were daytime dances – staff members at key employers including The Works and McCorquodale would down tools and pop across the road for a quick dance during their lunch break, before getting back on the ‘shop floorʼ.

Bingo became a thing too, and it wouldnʼt be too long before the game won the war of entertainment – instead of full houses watching live artists, it became a place where people would sit, felt tip pen in hand, in the hope of achieving a full house on paper. The times they were a-changinʼ again.

Bingo continued for decades, until the eve of the new millennium in fact, but the venue is now used as a place of worship.

Meanwhile, next door at The Craufurd Arms itʼs the business of music that continues as usual, which involves a constant stream of new blood, established acts, local bands and occasional legends who show up at the leading venue. Have you popped in yet?

The Craufurd and The Palace on Wolverton's Stratford Road

In 1979 a little-known band called The Cure played in Wolverton

> Additional info: Milton Keynes – Wired For Sound, a 350-page history of music in the new city. Visit FB @miltonkeyneswiredforsound for more information and to order yours.

Milton Keynes Museum is one of the best interactive museums, a perfect outing for all ages, staffed by friendly volunteers, and highly recommended by visitors on TripAdvisor. This feature was written by Milton Keynes Museum. Find out more about forthcoming events and see our opening times at: miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk