Issue 13 August 2021

2
A Warm & Toasty Welcome
Welcome to the August issue of the and will continue for the rest of the year,
Warm and Toasty Newsletter! ending on 17th December.
We are hoping that by the time you read It’s a joyful show to keep you
this all restrictions will have lifted and we entertained and connected!
are free once again to get out and about,
hug family and friends and do all the things With live singers and fun features such as
we used to do – make the most of it and the Memory of the Week, the Retro Raffle
most importantly – have fun! quiz, Party food of The Week, Jeanette’s
Poem of The Week and general silliness
This issue contains the usual smorgasbord and laughter
of features - memories, jokes, quizzes, pho-
tos and interviews. "Great banter...great music…
always sets me up for the weekend"
We are coming back!
www.facebook.com/thewarmandtoastyclub
We will be back with our in-person Mem-
ory Afternoons at two venues (depending Do join us if you can!
on continued Government approval) and
Special thanks for the contributors to
here are the dates (All Dates are 2-4pm)
This newsletter –
 Shrub End Social Centre,
 Editor – Johnno
252-254 Shrub End Rd,
 Main Contributor - Deborah
Colchester CO3 4SA
 Contributors – Mary, Don, Morag, Mat-
25.8.21 - 22.9.21 - 20.10.21 -
thew, Gill and Paddy
24.11.21 - 15.12 21
 Typesetting and graphic design –
Steve Brady
 Greenstead Community Centre,
 Photos – Tom Hardy, Andre Kimche,
Hawthorn Ave, Colchester CO4 3QE
Jeanette, Alan Wareham, Deborah and
9.9.21 - 14.10.21 - 11.11.21 - 9.12.21
Morag
If you require further info please
contact Johnno via email at
thewarmandtoastyclub@gmail.com , Your Warm and Toasty Club team
on the blower on 07594154709 or on the - Johnno, Jeanette, Tom, and Dave!
web www.thewarmandtoastyclub.co.uk
This may be the last newsletter for a while
as we may be too busy to be able to organ-
ise in-person events and put a newsletter
together, if we can we will but if you don't
hear from us next month you'll know why
Our Online Memory Afternoon chat show
continues to go out live on the internet on
our Facebook page every Friday at 1pm

The Warm and Toasty Club are proud to be funded by

The National Lottery Community Fund
and Colchester Borough Council Thank You!
 Holiday Memories by Deborah
“Oh I do like to be beside the seaside…”
Mary remembers going on holiday with her
mum each year; her dad would never go with
them as he wouldn’t leave the house unat-
tended as he kept all of his money under the
bed! They always got the train to Blackpool, to
the same little boarding house near the North
Pier. Living in the Midlands Mary couldn’t wait
to see the sea. They ate fish and chips from
Joe’s Plaice and went to the Tower Ballroom
with Reginald Dixon playing the theatre organ
while people danced. She was fascinated by
the seahorses in the aquarium at the en-
trance. They would walk along the Golden
Mile with the bearded lady, the smallest man
in the world and the living mermaid. They
watched a lady being sawn in half and would
put a penny in the laughing policeman!
Deborah’s childhood memories are of go-
ing to Butlins holiday camps in Clacton,
Skegness, Bognor Regis and
Minehead. The drive in a hot
car (without air conditioning)
with 4 travel sick children on
the backseat was not fun, with
mum passing round the barley
sugars, and having to stop at
houses to ask for buckets of
water to wash the side of the
car down.
“We would be so excited when we eventually
arrived at what we called “Butlitz” with the se-
curity gates and the high walls stopping peo-
ple getting in or out! There was a tannoy sys-
tem in the chalets which would call you when
it was your turn for breakfast or dinner ( just
like “Hi-de-Hi”). The dining hall was set out in
long rows of tables, and whenever someone
dropped a plate, everyone would cheer. For
food you had only two choices “take it or leave
it”.
There were Redcoats holding competitions for
the most glamorous grandmother, the bonni-
est baby and the knobbliest knees, races, ac-
tivities and an evening of entertainment,
where a sign would flash to alert parents say-
ing “Baby crying in Chalet C19”. My sister won
the talent contest by singing “I don’t know how
3
to love him” and won a free holiday back to
Butlins at the end of the season”!
Johnno’s memories. “During the 1970’s we
used to holiday in Jaywick, one week a year
for about 8-10 years on the trot. My Dad
worked at Old Street ticket office, so we would
get discounted privilege tickets to travel on the
train from Dalston, Hackney, via Liverpool
Street to Clacton.
For us kids Jaywick was a magical and beauti-
ful place, we usually rented a chalet on the
front and could spend all day on the wonderful
beach, or ride a donkey and play in the
amusement arcades.
One year we discovered there was a billiard
table under the top of the dining table in our
chalet, it genuinely made our week to play on
that table, and we talked about it for years.
I think Jaywick and the Essex coast were a big
part of us moving to Colchester and I still love
to visit Jaywick. I even incorporated those
positive memories into a song I wrote called
This is Essex”.
Gill’s memories- Our summer holidays were
spent with my sister and parents in Jaywick
where our Grandparents lived and we had
lovely times. When we went in 1954 Grandad
told us about the big flood of 1953 and how
the sea came to the bottom of his road about
a quarter of a mile away. When we walked to
the beach we could see the flood lines high on
the walls of the homes nearer the coast and it
must have been terrible.
As a child Paddy used to go on the back of
his oldest brother Denny’s motor bike, camp-
ing in different parts of the country. On a holi-
day in Scotland they had a B&B and he had to
stay there as “security” on the last day while
Denny went off to the bank to get some
money to pay the bill!
Our honeymoon in 1967 was in Swanage and
we can remember visiting the Blue Pool, Corfe
Castle and Poole Pottery. We bought our din-
ner service from there and we are still using
some of it to this day!
 4
Ice Lolly of the Week
Fab vs
- which one was your fave?
 Fab is an ice cream brand made by
Nestlé. Both the ice lolly on a stick
brands 'Zoom' and 'FAB', were intro-
duced in United Kingdom by J. Lyons
& Co. Ltd., and were brought out in or-
der to take advantage of the popularity
of Gerry Anderson's television series
Fireball XL5 and Thunderbirds.
 The lolly consists of strawberry fruit
ice and cream with the top portion
dipped in chocolate and coated with
sugar confectionery (Sugar strands)
 Fab first appeared in 1967, the "Fab"
was deemed to be a more feminine
looking lolly designed in mind for girls.
The lolly was originally pitched at the
female market with the association to
purchase being the attraction of Lady
Penelope.
Jubbly
 The phrase ‘Lubbly Jubbly’ was origi-
nally an advertising slogan for a trian-
gular-shaped frozen orange drink that
was popular in the 1950s and 1960s.
 It had 4 sided packaging and looked a
bit like a pyramid. I must admit I didn't
realize they were supposed to be
drinks, as I only had them as ice lollys.
You would cut off one end of the pack-
age and ate the ice lolly by gradually
pushing it out of the packaging, which
was made from a sort of heavy waxed
cardboard.
 Quote from a fan “The Jubbly was no-
toriously difficult to eat so me and my
mates used to smash them on the
nearest brick wall before opening
them. This mushed them up a treat and
made rapid eating much easier”.
 The Queen famously had one in 1977. It
was all over the papers.

Do you remember shopping in…?

The pandemic has seen a lot of our popular shops
disappear from the high street. But can you remember
these shops?

 BHS
 Littlewoods
 Woolworths
 Richard Shops
 Timothy Whites
 Tandy
 Fine Fare
 Etam
 Our Price Records
 Spud-U-Like
 John Menzies
 Stead and Simpsons
 C and A
 Navy and Army
 5
Do You Remember?
This original copy of Dandy (left) with the free jumping
frog is on sale on ebay for £6,993.90

Comics!
Mary remembers cutting out and collecting the Rupert Bear comic
strips from her dad’s Daily Express. She also used to get the comic
Sunny Stories for 2d, which was written by Enid Blyton.

There were serials such as the Wishing Chair, the Naughtiest Girl in
School and the Magic Faraway Tree which later were published as
story books and became the favourite books of her children and also
grandchildren!

Don’s favourite comics throughout the war years were the Beano and
Dandy. The Beano (1938-) is the longest running and best selling British chil-
dren's comic published weekly with Dennis the Menace and his dog Gnasher
and Minnie the Minx. The Dandy with characters Desperate Dan, Korky the
Cat and Beryl the Peril was printed from 1937-2012. Then there was the Hot-
spur (1939-1959) a story paper for boys and The Eagle (1950-69) with Dan
Dare. Marvel comics started appearing from 1961, with superheroes Super-
man, Spiderman and the Hulk.

Deborah remembers getting the comic Twinkle (1968-1999 ) aimed at young

girls, often with a free gift, dressing dolls, puzzles and comic strips of Nurse
Nancy. Bunty (1958-2001) was aimed at older girls up to age 14, with fictional
stories in comic strip form. Jackie (1964-1993) was aimed at teenage girls,
with a mix of fashion and beauty tips, short stories on romance or family is-
sues and Cathy and Claire’s problem page. The centre pages of the maga-
zine usually contained a pull-out poster of a popular band or film star. Deb-
orah remembers her sisters having posters of David Cassidy, Donny Osmond,
David Soul and the Bay City Rollers stuck on their bedroom wall!

Radio Fun (1938-1961) was a comic which mainly featured comic strip ver-
sions of radio and film stars, including Arthur Askey, Benny Hill, Charlie
Drake, Jack Warner and Norman Wisdom. Picturegoer was aimed at teenag-
ers and young adults, reading about film stars, recent film releases and fan
club information. Mary was in the fan club of actress Jean Kent. Don adver-
tised in the Picturegoer for a penfriend. He got lots of replies and decided to
pick a boy and a girl. He married the girl!

Most children’s comics came out every week with an annual out at Christmas.

Which comics and annuals do you remember?

 6A Warm & Toasty Interview - Matthew Crampton
Matthew is a storyteller, writer and folk singer, based in North London; Gospel Oak
to be precise, though he comes from Goffs Oak in Hertfordshire. (That’s a lot of oak in
his geography). He’s been performing and writing for ten years or so. Before that,
among other things, he was a speechwriter in London and Hong Kong, the administrator
of an association of film producers, a dramaturg at The Old
Vic theatre, a masseur and a finance director. His awards
include Hebridean Fish of the Year 2008.

You can see and hear him in action at

matthewcrampton.com
Lots of video stuff at the Matthew Crampton
youtube channel

How did you first get into performing?

I was in my late 40s, single and bored of evenings by the TV. So, to meet people, I
joined a swing dance class. God, I hated it. Not only was I incapable of learning the
steps, but I got sweaty and embarrassed. So I tried a folk choir instead. That was great.
Then I started going to folk clubs and soon I was learning songs to perform myself. Peo-
ple enjoyed my singing. Even I enjoyed my singing. One thing led to another and I
started getting paid gigs. And repeat bookings. Now, ten years later, I’m still sweaty, but
not quite so embarrassed. They laughed when I said I wanted to be a comic singer.
Well, they’re not laughing now…

What's your favourite song to sing/piece to perform and why?

My two most requested songs are The Man on the Flying Trapeze and With Her ‘Ead
Tucked Underneath Her Arm. I love singing old music hall songs – they’re designed to
get people singing along and having a laugh. It’s a direct and honest transaction.

Do you have a favourite childhood memory?

I can still feel the excitement of hearing my Dad fill up the pad-
dling pool on a hot day. The pool was only small but it took
AGES to be deep enough for us to jump in and start squealing.
We kept the hose running to fill up a plastic policeman’s helmet
with water, then take turns to put it on over our heads. Such sim-
ple ecstasy.

What/who makes you laugh?

Eric Morecambe hearing the fire engine siren speed past: ‘They won’t sell many ice
creams at that speed’. Niles Crane in Frasier, dressed unwillingly as a pirate: ‘Where are
your buccaneers?’ ‘Under my buccen’ hat.’ Bill Bailey on stage with a head mic: ‘I know,
I look like a Klingon personal trainer.’ That fantastic Dad’s Army episode where Captain
Mainwaring’s identical twin brother arrives, drunk and dissolute. Cold Comfort Farm by
Stella Gibbons: ‘there’s something nasty in the woodshed!’ Early Billy Connolly. Mel
 A Warm & Toasty Interview - Matthew Crampton 7
Brooks’ The Producers: ‘So I said Himmler, I said Marty, let’s throw ourselves a Nazi
Party.’ Falling off my seat, literally, watching Richard Prior Live. Anything by Victoria
Wood.

We know you write lovely books Matthew, can you tell us a little bit about
them?

I get serious when I write books. Also, they’re all different. My first book Tales from The
Anglers’ Retreat was about fly-fishing on the Scottish islands of South Uist and Benbe-
cula. It’s still, amazingly, my top seller; more people buy it than fish there. Then I wrote
The Trebor Story, a history of the sweet firm Trebor, which had a factory in Colchester.
Aside from music hall, I’ve toured the country with shows about migration that mix story-
telling with folk song. One was based on my book Human Cargo: Songs & Stories of
Emigration, Slavery & Transportation. I also love designing new editions, with illustra-
tions, of other books, such as Animal Farm by George Orwell and Seventy Years a
Showman – the amazing story of Britain’s Barnum, ‘Lord’ George Sanger. More about
my books at muddlerbooks.com.

What’s your funniest onstage moment(s)?

Every so often I sense an audience is REALLY up for fun. Then I can delve into the
wilder reaches of my joke repertoire, not necessarily dark or rude, but a bit more crazy.
But if they’re truly up for it, even simple stuff works. Decibel-wise, the loudest laugh I
spurred was with the old classic ‘So I went to the chemist for some lotion. They said, can
you walk this way? I said, if I could walk this way (cue audience screaming the punch-
line) I WOULDN’T NEED THE LOTION.’

There was once this very serious Valentine’s Day gig, when I was reading love poems
with an orchestra. All the couples were given red roses. That kind of gig. Very proper
and a bit schmaltzy. Anyway, I sensed the audience were curiously up for a giggle. So I
said (and I still can’t believe I said this) ‘But of course, apart from Love, there’s another
four letter word associated with Valentine’s Day… and that is … Lust. To demonstrate
that, I’ll need a lady volunteer … no, actually … I’ll need TWO lady volunteers.’ One of
the violinists p****d herself laughing, literally. Maybe you had to be there…

What are your favourite ice lollies?

When I was young, I loved a Strawberry Mivvi, biting through that

fruity shell to get to the ice cream inside. Oh and I was, and am,
partial to a 99 cornet. But today, if push comes to shove, and I
won’t hesitate to do that on a hot, hungry day, it’s a Magnum.
Which reminds me: Last week I went on a barging holiday. There
was no boat. I just pushed people into canals…

I thank you … appearing all week ….

 8 Who Said ? (ANSWERS ON BACK)

??
1. I have a dream that my four little children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be judged by the col-
our of their skin, but by the content of their character.
2. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to
speak out and remove all doubt.
3. Hatred can be overcome only by love.
4. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman,
but I have the heart and stomach of a king.
5. Well behaved women rarely make history.
6. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
7. If you want something said, ask a man; if you want

?
something done, ask a woman.
8. I have walked that long road to freedom…I have discov-
ered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only
finds that there are many more hills to climb.
9. If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
10. Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to con-
tinue that counts.

Mary's Poem Corner

Written by Mary to her daughter Deborah

Don’t let yourself get frazzled, dear,

Be a bit more like me.
I keep myself calm and placid,
and my face is wrinkle-free.
I gaze upon the flowers and trees,
the birds and autumn skies.
There’s only one thing wrong with me
-
I do tell awful lies!
 Member of The Month - Morag 9

Where did you grow up and what brought you to Colchester?

I was born in Colchester

The best jobs you have ever had?

Nursing

Favourite Singers?
Cliff Richard

What hobbies have you enjoyed?

I like to sing and help people

Your favourite places?

Scotland, abroad.

What were/are the best years of your Life?

1960

Yesterday I saw a guy spill all his Scrabble

letters on the road.

I asked him, “What’s the word on the Why did the chicken go
street?” to the séance?

To get to the other side.

We would like to give thanks to the brilliant Colchester Press, who have printed all of our
newsletters. They are lovely people and do a great job, we can’t recommend them highly
enough. Thank you
 10
Sing us one of the old songs sweetheart…
I expect you to get singing...

 “Nelly The Elephant” (To Bombay a travelling circus came) -

Mandy Miller
 “My Brother” (Who put salt in the sugar bowl? Who put a real life
toad-in-the-hole?) - Terry Scott
 “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” (She was afraid to come
out of the locker) - Brian Hyland
 “Right Said Fred” (and so we had a cuppa tea) - Bernard Cribbins
 “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” (Last night I heard my mama sing-
ing a song) - Middle of the Road
 “Delaney’s Donkey” (There was Riley pushin’ it, shovin’ it and
shushing’ it) - Val Doonican
 “The Streak” (Don’t look Ethel!) - Ray Stevens
 “Three Little Fishies In An Itty Bitty Pool” (boop boop dittem dattem wattem
chu) - Frankie Howerd
 “Dick-A-Dum Dum” - Des O’Connor
 “The Nikky Nokky Noo Song” (He taught the king to sing…) - Ken Dodd and
the Diddymen
 “The Ying Tong Song” - The Goons
 “Do Do Do The Funky Gibbon” - The Goodies
 “Three Wheels on my Wagon” (I’m singing higgity, haggity, hog-
gety high) - The New Christy Minstrels
 “The Laughing Gnome” (I was walking …down the high street) - David Bowie
 “Tutti Frutti” ( A wop bop a loo bop, a wop bam boom) - Little Richard
 “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (There she was just a walkin’ down the street) - Man-
fred Mann

Warm & Toasty Links & Friends

Website: www.thewarmandtoastyclub.weebly.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thewarmandtoastyclub
Twitter: www.twitter.com/WarmToastyClub
Friends and Supporters
National Lottery Community Fund; Colchester Arts Centre;
Colchester Borough Homes; Shrub End Social Centre;
Colchester Recalled Oral History Group; Fresh On The Net Music Blog;
Essex Sound and Video Archive; FaNs; Age Concern Colchester;
Colchester Borough Council and Community 360
 11
1960s Film Quiz
1. Which meal was taken at Tiffany's in the film with Audrey Hepburn?
2. Which Miss was Maggie Smith whose
Prime won an Oscar in '69?
3. Which musical by Lionel Bart
was based on a Dickens novel?
4. Which nanny did Julie Andrews
win an Oscar for playing?
5. Which role did Warren Beatty
play to Faye Dunaway's Bonnie?
6. Which Sweet girl was played
by Shirley Maclaine in the 1968 musical?
7. Which western actor won his
only Oscar for 'True Grit'?
8. Who played Alfie?
9. Who played Fanny Brice in 'Funny Girl'?
10. Who played James Bond in 'Dr No'?

1970’s Quiz
1. Bobby Fisher became champion at which game?
2. Who was Prime Minister of the UK for the
longest during the 1970s?
3. What was the biggest selling car of the 70s?
4. In which year of the 70s was ‘Jaws’ released?
5. Where was Little Jimmy Osmond’s Long Haired Lover from?
6. Which ‘Carry On’ actor starred in the 70s sitcom ‘Bless This
House’?
7. Who was the original twirling hostess of the generation game?
8. What was the average house price in 1970?
9. In which English seaside resort was a nudist beach opened in
August 1979?
10. What was the best-selling single of the Seventies in the UK?
12

Spend at least 15 minutes watching, reading, or

listening to someone or something that makes
you laugh. Life is hard enough, so treat yourself
to one of the best medicines - laughter.

I just wanted to say thank you to our readers, it means so much to hear that you have
been enjoying these newsletters. And many thanks to our team and contributors - we
never could have done this without you - it’s been a real team effort and you’ve been
brilliant.
Fifteen months on from Issue 1 and speaking personally, this has slowly become
something I love to do and I really cherish the time I get to connect with you through
this newsletter.
Can’t wait to see you all in person soon, best wishes, Johnno x

Who said ? 1960s Film Quiz 1970s Quiz - answers

- answers - answers
1. Cheese
1. Martin Luther King 1. Breakfast 2. Edward Heath
2. Abraham Lincoln 2. Jean Brodie 3. Ford Cortina
3. Mahatma Gandhi 3. Oliver! 4. 1975
4. Elizabeth I 4. Mary Poppins 5. Liverpool
5. Marilyn Monroe 5. Clyde 6. Sid James
6. Muhammad Ali 6. Charity 7. Anthea Redfern
7. Margaret Thatcher 7. John Wayne 8. £4,975
8. Nelson Mandela 8. Michael Caine 9. Brighton
9. Mother Teresa 9. Streisand 10. Mull of Kintyre –
10.Winston Churchil 10.Sean Connery Wings

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Telephone - 07594154709
ber or email address if you are trying
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