GUITARIST John Sharples stands on the flattened site of the former Garrick Club and can conjur up the sights, sounds and smells of the past.

The lead guitarist with The Vulcans -- one of Leigh's own favourite groups of the 60s -- can hear the organist and drums, see compere Roy Hastings and smell burgers from the kitchen.

Next week (March 7) will mark 25 years since the doors closed on Tyldesley impresario Roy Jackson's famous nightspot behind the Odeon Cinema in Leigh Road.

The Journal's recent look back on the club's history obviously brought back many happy memories.

John, now 60, was an original member of the group which formed in the late 50s, and was made up of Graham Yates, Graham Jones, Geoff Bowdler and Tony Ivers.

T

hey were the first group to dress like The Beatles and spent many happy weeks playing at Lancashire's finest private members' club.

He said the group often doubled up with shows at both the Garrick and Southport's Gaiety Theatre in which Roy had a share, and they were often called upon to finish the night in Leigh.

He said: "They were good days, happy days when music was live, not like the backing track rubbish today. We worked with a lot of the Liverpool comedians at the club including Doddy, Tarby, and Johnnie Hackett.

"We shared a dressing rooms with some of the big stars, but many had their own hangers-on so you couldn't really get near them."

John was lead singer with Nostalgia until recently and enjoyed a recent re-union when some of the Vulcans reformed for a one-off revival in the town.

H

e said: "The Garrick days were great, sadly the only place where music is played live now is Liverpool. I often stand in the middle of the site of the old club and I can see and hear the activity again. It's just a pity people can't do the same in Leigh today."

A childhood pal of Roy Jackson, who was brought up in poverty in Green Street, Hindsford, 74-years-old Eddie Cartwright recalls their schooldays and Roy's determination to make something of himself.

He said they were pupils at St Anne's School in Hindsford and then went on to Hesketh Fletcher. Roy left at 14 after getting a job as a mechanic at Bill Clemmitt's Majestic Garage at the bottom of Castle Street in Tyldesley.

Boss Bill owned a gold coloured 1939 American Buick and gave Roy, then 14, a Bullnosed Morris engine to tinker with and they kept it at Eddie's Lodge Road home.

He said we went into the Forces and lost track of each other.

"The next thing I knew Roy had a greengrocery business going round on a flat wagon, then he had a cooked meats and confectionery shop in Atherton's Market Street. He then moved into estate agency before opening his first nightclub The Caroline in Atherton.

"As the Garrick got going Roy bought a big house in Manchester Road, Tyldesley, and had a swimming pool, which was something special then."

Eddie said: "He was always something of an entrepreneur. I think it stems from his very strict upbringing. We were all brought up in poverty then, but Roy didn't get much of anything. I think that gave him the drive to become a success in life."

P

eter Bowdler who operated the PA and lights recalls Paul Raven (later Gary Glitter) being a wow in his skin-tight pants.

He had recently returned from Hamburg and bragged about the young ladies he lured into the van.

He remembers Gene Vincent being paid off after a row with Roy who called him an old American rock and roll has been. Vincent retorted that the club owner was a fat cigar smoking slob and the row continued on TV!

Has anyone got any memories or pictures of Leigh's 60s swinging hotspot for teenagers, The Beachcomber. Contact Lesley Richardsatlrichards@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk or write to the Leigh Journal, 44-46, Railway Road, Leigh, WN7 4AT.