A Night at the Orchid

Val

I could not find the blog or comment I posted about the 60s, so I have jotted this down.

The Ford Zodiac and it’s silky smooth six cylinder engine purred like a well contented cat as it moved swiftly along the Brighton Road, slowing briefly the driver executed a U turn and stopped outside a large dance hall bearing the legend, ‘The Orchid Ballroom’. He remained in the car just long enough to light a cigarette and then opened the door and stepped out. Anyone passing would have seen a tall, well built man wearing a classic camel hair coat, open at the front and with belt hanging loose. The man locked the car and entered the dance hall, moving swiftly down the stairs into the warm, beating heart of the dance hall. He breathed deeply and inhaled the heady scent of perfume and cigarette smoke, he smiled to himself as the music skirled up the stairs to greet him, always the same song, ‘You’ve lost that loving feeling’, always the Righteous Brothers. He  checked his overcoat and over tipped the girl, knowing full well that she would give him his coat without him waiting in the usual Saturday night crush at the end of the evening. Anyone passing who cared to look and a few did, would have noticed his height, 6′ 4″ and  the beautifully cut Mohair suit that he carried off so well, together with the self assured way that he moved through the crowd. He went to walk into the Gentlemans toilet and as he did so three youths started to barge out, the tall man held his ground and said nothing but the youths looked down, standing back as he entered. He checked himself in the mirror and made a few minor adjustments to his gold silk tie before taking a comb from the top pocket of his jacket and running it back through his hair. Satisfied with what he saw he made his way out to the dance hall and his heart quickened a pace as he took in the bright lights, the swirl of sound, the scents and smells.. and the women, ah, the women, he smiled again, he was home, this is were he belonged, this was why he was the best salesman in the showroom, this was why he spent what he did on his clothing, this was what it all came to in the end, the Saturday night dance at the Orchid.. and he owned the place.

To Be Continued…

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Author: oldmovieguy

Another Boomer who wishes he had the stamina of youth to go with the cash of age. Fond of pricking the hot air balloons of pomposity and cutting little dictaors down to size.

65 thoughts on “A Night at the Orchid”

  1. OMG, oh my goodness, this is brilliant, please, please continue, please.

    Your first mention of the Ford Zodiac, did it for me, I knew this tale wasn’t going to be long enough.
    Val xxxxxxxxxxx

  2. Nice one OMG.

    On an historical pop point, are you sure it wasn’t the The Righteous Brothers singing You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin?

  3. Spot on Tocino, change made.

    Blimey Val, calm down girl, good job I never said Rolls Royce, you may have gone off bang, go and have a lie down.
    I’ll work on it later 😉

  7. Zen. Mary Hopkins if I’m not mistaken and you are right, they WERE the days.

    Psue. I’ll let you decide when it’s finished.

  10. OMG you sure got style. I remember this from the first posting; boy those scents are coming right up my nostrils now! (On my patch it was the Empire ballroom, Leicester Square, or the Locarno, Streatham Hill, South London.)

  11. Papaguinea
    It was Ken Makintosh when I met MrsOMG at Streatham Locarno, remember ‘dreamtime,’ and the slow, smoochie numbers?

  12. OMG – alas I cannot remember as most visits were to the Empire, Leicester Square and of course dear old Joe Loss and me tap dancing down the stairs to the Glen Miller tune “In the Mood”. The good old days indeed, the guys rushing to the floor for the last dance! (My visits to Streatham were more in the era of The Cat’s Whiskers but I will google ‘dreamtime’ and see if it resonates!)

  13. I remember The Orchid. Not that I ever entered, but my parents did a lot of Ballroom there. It’s not fictitious, Pseu, it’s a real place (or was, I haven’t been along that road for 20 years or more), and those two words set the scene perfectly for OMG’s story.

    Good on ya’, OMG. keep it comin’! 😆

  16. OMG,

    I did my basic training in Woking in the early 60’s. I spent almost six months there. One of the fun nights out was a visit to the Atlanta Ballroom. On a Thursday night it was Trad Jazz night and there were some very well known acts appearing. Out of curiosity, I did a Google search and found that acts such as Tom Jones, The Stones and others have appeared there as well. Funny old world!

  19. Ooh look Mummy, a Z-Car!

    I suddenly feel I may be at least half a generation behind some of you guys, in some cases one-and-a-half. 🙂 Yes,I know that it’s a four-headlight Zodiac and not a two-headlight Zephyr, but hey….!

    Taxi!

    OZ

  24. Bearsy
    My first job after leaving school was at a Standard Triumph agency in Mortlake, SW London. I started out cleaning the cars on the second hand lot together with serving gas etc and then when the new showroom opened on the other side of the level crossing the Guvner sent me to the Standard Triumph salesman’s school in Coventry, I was the youngest guy ever to attend, not even old enough to drive legally, good grounding though. Those TR’s go for bundles now, check out the site, ‘Classic Chrome,’ and you’ll see what I mean. It’s just down the lane from the garage I have mentioned, I pop in from time to time to dribble all over the cars, the guy who runs it says prices have been driven up by European buyers making hay while the Euro rides high against the pound.

  26. Bearsy’s ‘chariot’ was my conveyance to the General Lying in at Waterloo for the birth of #1 daughter. There was a roundabout there at the time and he left it parked for some time. I don’t think parking wardens had been invented at the time!

  27. Boadicea
    In 1969 I went with a mate to the Lying in at Waterloo to see his new daughter, stopping to have a few ‘liveners’ on the way prior to wetting the babies head later. We were in there for about thirty seconds as a sister had smelt beer on our breath and we were told to leave at once before a policeman was summonsed. It all got smoothed over and I gallantly volunteered to wait in a nearby pub while he went to see his wife and brand new daughter.

  28. After several Minis, I bought a short-wheelbase Series II Landrover in my late teens and was amazed to find it was an absolute babe-magnet. When we went into town, most other lads used to borrow their Dad’s Ford or whatever, but they only got the girls unlucky enough not to find room in the Landy. Sigh!

    OZ

  29. Oz
    Did enjoy that clip from Z cars, take a look about 33 seconds in, it looks as if Fancy Smith is about to plant a kisser on Jock Wiers lips and if you follow Jocks eye line, he thinks so to!

  32. It is, Bearsy.

    Mine was not quite as pristine as this one, and unfortunately was wrapped round a tree and written off; not by me, I hasten to add!

  34. OMG – By God, you’re right! And why are they cuddled up like that? Was it cold or were they filming in Brighton instead of the usual Kirkby?

    “Kirkby itself would be policed by “K” Division of the newly created Merseyside Police. The TV Cop Series ‘Z Cars’ portrayed Kirkby in all but name, and Knowsley Council tried to distance themselves at the time from the shows portrayal of an area with a lot of crime. To be honest, there was a lot of crime.”

    OZ

  36. Bearsy :

    The only car on the road that a TR2 driver respected, Araminta – until the E-type and Daimler SP250 came along.

    Funnily enough, Bearsy, the boyfriend who wrote it off, had a TR2! We swapped cars for the weekend.

  37. I wonder what some of these cars would cost to insure today. I was horrified to find out how much my grandson in the UK had to pay for insurance for a normal, boring, tiny little box on wheels.

    I put my learner driver 17 year old grandson on my insurance here – and it cost me – nothing. Once he passed his test (a week later) – it still cost me nothing extra, except that my ‘excess’ doubled to $1,000.

  38. Boadicea :

    I wonder what some of these cars would cost to insure today. I was horrified to find out how much my grandson in the UK had to pay for insurance for a normal, boring, tiny little box on wheels.

    I put my learner driver 17 year old grandson on my insurance here – and it cost me – nothing. Once he passed his test (a week later) – it still cost me nothing extra, except that my ‘excess’ doubled to $1,000.

    Actually, it’s not too bad, Boadicea. You can get a very reasonable “Classic Car” insurance with a limited mileage.

  39. You can get a very reasonable “Classic Car” insurance with a limited mileage.

    If you are between 50 and 60 and don’t drive beyond the end of the road? Only joking!

  42. I have to say that, with the arguable exception of my own Landrover, back in the day Charioteers seem to have had remarkably good taste in cars. 🙂

    OZ

  43. I am waiting, OZ, in fear and trepidation, for OMG or Araminta, or perhaps your good self, to make a comment along the lines of –

    “So you’re the bastard that cut me up on the A3 50 years ago in that ‘orrid orange car … “

  44. Does anyone remember the Sunbeam Tiger?

    I had a friend who collected them, he had five at one point. I don’t think he ever had more than one of them running at the same time, though!

  46. O Zangado :

    I have to say that, with the arguable exception of my own Landrover, back in the day Charioteers seem to have had remarkably good taste in cars. :-)

    OZ

    The Consul was mine and a bit ‘down the track’. The first vehicle husband #1 and I owned was a van, which we bought for £5. It had no heater, no indicators and we rearranged the interior so that we could use it to sleep in. The back of the front (and only) seat was held up with a broom handle which used to jump out of its slots every so often – it wasn’t wise to lean too heavily against it!

  48. I was driving Boadicea’s van, not a million miles from where the Morden Mosque is now, when the broom handle fell out. Have you ever tried to brake when you’re flat on your back? I’m sure my fervent prayers are what brought the Mosque to life, many years later. 😀

  50. the boyfriend who wrote it off, had a TR2! We swapped cars for the weekend.

    I trust he gave you his TR in exchange!

  51. Bearsy
    Just checked on Classic Chrome, they have a Triumph TR3A going for a song…..£24000. Shall I put in a bid on your behalf?

  53. OMG – Whaaat!! £24 large?? My French mistress (No, let me rephrase that – My French teacher) first arrived through the school gates in suede knee boots and a TR3A which in later years she traded in for a TR6, all of which made quite an impression on a pimply, all-male IVth form.

    OZ

  55. Stand by for a night at the Orchid II…….the older woman……coming to this theatre soon.

  57. ‘A night at the Orchid II, The Older Woman.’. The blog that blows the lid of the 60’s and the raw, savage underbelly that is….a Mecca Ballroom in Purley.
    You will sway to the beat of the devil music.
    You will gasp at scenes of unbridled passion in the milk bar.
    You will laugh at the uproarious antics of spotty youths desperate for a quick grope when the lights go low.
    Can you afford NOT to see this blog which has the whole of Surbiton buzzing?

    A night at the Orchid II……coming soon to a PC near you.

  58. … and for that perfect after film experience, enjoy the exotic cuisine at the Taj Mahal in Church Street, just around the corner from this cinema. Sanjoy and his staff will be ready to welcome patrons with complimentary poppadums (just show your ticket). Luncheon Vouchers accepted. No Gypsies or Irish, no added MSG.

  59. Bearsey
    You’ve given me an idea, this ‘teasing’ build up, so beloved of the movie industry, could attract potential advertisers to this site as the hordes sit dribbling and slathering, waiting for it to hit the screens. How about we split the income with the owner of the site? Can you take care of it mate as I will be nipping of for a swift half or three down the ‘Lord Nelson’.
    Cheers.

  60. Is that the one opposite Wimbledon Hospital?
    Er, yes, great idea, I shall speak with her tomorrow, when she awakes (but before she is fully compost minties). 😎

  61. G’day Bearsy – Or possibly the Berni Inn in Lord Street Prawn cocktail starter followd by steak and chips washed down by a bottle of Hungarian ‘Bull’s Blood’ with Black Forest gateau for puddin’, cup of coffee and a choccy mint. Boy, did we know how to impress a girl in those days.

    OZ

  63. I don’t really remember the 60‘s in the terms of wine, it all seemed to be about beer. I can remember Mateus Rosé, Blue Nun and Martini. I thought that Bulls Blood was more of a 70’s wine?

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