Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I was walking from the Stanley Park gates at Walton Lane; the number 19 tram was slowly grinding and screeching along the tracks as it changed direction on its way to the city centre. The tram slowed down, a moment of madness, I jumped onto the platform and made my way upstairs. I was experiencing my first leave from National Service; it was January 1953, and I was still wearing my army ‘Royal Corps Signals' uniform.
I started to wander in the city centre. In my excitement at experiencing freedom from the constraints of the discipline of the past six weeks, I was walking down Bold Street when I was alerted to the loud sound of Jazz music bouncing from a building on Slater Street. A mixed crowd was gathering on the steps of the building, starting to ascend into the building. At the end of a corridor, before turning onto the stairs, was a recess where someone was taking admission money. At the top of the stairs, the Trad jazz sound was deafening; it was difficult to adjust. I was now standing in a large room, with an attractive large brick bay window; a rudimentary constructed kitchen was planted partly in the window space. The Jazz band was positioned in front of the window. The walls were painted in Yellow Poster paint, scrolled in large black fashionable lettering K I N K A J O O. Another room was visible with access via another corridor. So this is the new jazz venue everyone is talking about. Moving over to the large bay window at the back of the room, peeping out was a beautiful, enclosed, immaculately maintained garden stretching as far as the eye could see. This garden was the domain of the Nuns who resided in the convent on the next street. Bags, Ralph Whatmough’s trad jazz band, was hardly visible amongst the listening throng. Bags specialized in playing numbers that other local jazz bands did not venture to perform. Mingling amongst the crowd, I suddenly found myself standing next to the future owner of the Cavern Club, Alan Sytner.
The K I N K A J OO Jazz Venue was the brainchild of Neil English. During the day, the KINKAJOO transformed into an art studio supplying a majority of the large department stores dotted around the city centre. At the time of conception, Slater Street employed four full-time poster writers. The business started to go downhill when the department stores established their own art studios. When I purchased the business from Neil English, they were reduced to one poster writer who departed shortly afterwards to join T.J. Hughes. The era of the jazz band promotions was long finished. The local authority prosecuted Neil English and shut down his jazz venture. The sanitary arrangements were inadequate; visitors to the promotions were forced to relieve themselves in the outside passageway.
Alan Sytner and Bags Whatmough were standing outside a large detached house on Croxteth Road, Liverpool, waiting for the owner of the property. Alan agreed to the owners' letting agreements. He excitedly turned to Bags ‘It’s my birthday today, Ralph. I’m twenty-one, that’s a good enough excuse to call our new venture the 21 club. This was Alan’s first venture into promoting jazz, quickly followed by the opening of the famous ‘Cavern Jazz Club ' in Mathew Street, Liverpool 1. I purchased this business in 1955. It became a precursor to establishing the Iron Door Club.

Very interesting story, Geoff. What was Neil prosecuted for?

There were only two toilets in the building, and Neil dedicated one for the Ladies. The gents used the one remaining, rather than joining the queue, some gents decided to urinate in the passageway between the two buildings. Obviously, passersby complained. The police raided the premises and prosecuted Neil. I cannot recall the details on the charge sheet, but the court's decision was a fine and immediate closure of the premises for this use. Thanks for joining the discussion again, Jeffery. Hope you have managed to overcome your planning difficulties x

Geoff, thanks for your introduction to Jazz Clubs in Liverpool during the era of the Iron Door Club. This interesting article has reminded me of a Beatles' celebration that I attended in Saint John, NB in December 1980, shortly after the death of John Lennon.

Mr. Robert Percival, previously from Liverpool and an artist with the NB Museum, kindly gave the group a presentation on Liverpool Jazz Clubs. As I understand it, Mr. Percival was an artist from Liverpool and did work for a number of jazz clubs. Sadly, he passed away in 1995 in Saint John, N.B.

Mr. Percival's presentation was not completely accurate and Bill Harry agreed to make corrections to the text of the original address. The edited article is available at the following link. Of course, your comments are welcomed should you have time to read it. A major short-coming is the absence discussion regarding the role of the Iron Door Club on Liverpool music scene.

https://www.rickresource.com/liverpool/ ... ljazz.html

Bob Percy's day job was responsible for all the artwork and window dressing team at the large Lewis's Department store in Liverpool city centre. Bob retained an attic room at 17 Slater Street, Liverpool 2. When you published Bob's version of his stay in Liverpool some years ago, I was disturbed and did not recognize the area he described. Bob Percy was heavily involved. Along with Neil English in promoting Trad Jazz, the puzzle he was stone deaf.

13_temple_street wrote: Mon Jun 15, 2026 6:06 pm Bob Percy's day job was responsible for all the artwork and window dressing team at the large Lewis's Department store in Liverpool city centre. Bob retained an attic room at 17 Slater Street, Liverpool 2. When you published Bob's version of his stay in Liverpool some years ago, I was disturbed and did not recognize the area he described. Bob Percy was heavily involved. Along with Neil English in promoting Trad Jazz, the puzzle he was stone deaf.

Thanks very much Geoff. So it goes with history that memories fade particularly when you factor in the consequences of aging and moving away for the streets. I am grateful for your comments and those of Bill Harry too that have set the record straight. Being deaf, it is understandable that the details of life's events can be incomplete. I enjoyed his company, his affable nature and his enthusiasm for Liverpool.