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Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Tue 22 Jan, 2019 8:14 pm
by misterbeck
New to this, so hope I'm on the right page, so to speak.
I'm friendly with some people who are friends of Selwyn Brash, the son of the late owner of Hernando's, which, as someone correctly said, was near the junction of Harehills Rd and Roundhay Rd. There was a night-club upstairs where my friends the Dalmors used to play regularly. Anyone remember it ?
Also, The Windmill club. On North street, just opposite the top of Skinner lane, in a big old house. It was owned by Denis and Mavis Huckerby. We were in show-business and were regulars there, on stage and off in the mid to later 60s. Would like to hear from anyone who remembers it.
misterbeck.

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Tue 22 Jan, 2019 8:47 pm
by iansmithofotley
I used to got to Hernando's in the late 1960's when Michael Brash was the proprietor. It was a great little club and I had many good times there. I never saw any trouble there, ever. I also remember the cafe, on the ground floor, which was right on the corner of the junction of Harehills Road/Roundhay Road.

I also remember the Windmill Club which was in mansion type place off North Street/Lovell Road. It was one of the first gambling clubs in Leeds. It was a strange place as many of the clientele were 'well to do' and liked gambling and many of the clientele were villains. I remember a couple of the doormen - Kenny Dobson who also sold flowers in Briggate and outside St James's Hospital, he was a friendly bloke who died, aged 80 yrs. in 2006. The other one was Eugene Lacey, who I knew, but that's all. I also knew Dennis Huckerby but only to pass the time of day with.

There is a thread here, which may be of interest to you:

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=914

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Sat 09 Feb, 2019 10:50 pm
by harrym1byt
iansmithofotley wrote:I also remember the cafe, on the ground floor, which was right on the corner of the junction of Harehills Road/Roundhay Road.
If it's the same one, he used to make a really tasty omelette. counter right in front of you as you walked in, then a table area down and to the right.

There used to be a regular customer (I would sometimes go in) who seemed to frequent the place, in the early 1970's - thin guy often wore shorts, when shorts were less common in those days.

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Mon 11 Feb, 2019 7:25 pm
by misterbeck
Yes, I remember Eugene Lacey, he was pretty unforgettable. I think he had a brother who owned a greasy spoon cafe behind the Corn Exchange.
There were two doormen we knew very well at the Windmill club; one was Barry Samples, a professional wrestler, and the other one was called Danny, I forget his surname. Danny was a giant of a man, six foot eight or nine. He was living with one of the barmaids a blowsy blonde named Rose, who eventually turned up at the Fairway pub, where, on a Sunday lunchtime, you could watch a stripper, then listen to Ed O' Donnell and his trad jazz band.
Meanwhile, back at the Windmill, another great character was the compere, Tony Heath, whose son, by a strange quirk of fate, is now married to my niece !

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Tue 12 Feb, 2019 10:31 pm
by harrym1byt
misterbeck wrote:Yes, I remember Eugene Lacey, he was pretty unforgettable. I think he had a brother who owned a greasy spoon cafe behind the Corn Exchange.
I take it Eugene was the cafe owner/cook. not the guy who was the customer I mentioned?

Long time ago and I never went in often enough to be on name terms..

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Wed 13 Feb, 2019 3:12 pm
by volvojack
Not being of sound mind and body anymore I can't remember if I have posted this before.
The Windmill Club on North Street was owned by Denis and Mavis Huckerby .The Lad on the door was Kenny Dobson but the main Bouncer /Wrestler was a Giant Jim Moran. If he said "Get your drinks off" when it wa time to go you just did that sharpish. The mention of the Compere Tony Heath reminds me that not only was he a singer but a very good comedian.

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Wed 13 Feb, 2019 9:46 pm
by tilly
Not of sound mind who would have thought it Jack. He.He.

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2019 10:05 am
by volvojack
Don't think Big Jim was very good at reading or writing as he used to get any fan mail sent to Danny Haazelgrave Barbers on Selby Road and Danny used to read them out to him

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2019 5:30 pm
by iansmithofotley
Hi Jack,

Here are some photographs from the Windmill Club:

16998169_10206617446154100_1561978804321736569_n.jpg
16998169_10206617446154100_1561978804321736569_n.jpg (48.7 KiB) Viewed 13776 times
49454369_10210719884872339_605277079461691392_n.jpg
49454369_10210719884872339_605277079461691392_n.jpg (57.91 KiB) Viewed 13776 times
49371984_10210719889592457_2098603505672519680_n.jpg
49371984_10210719889592457_2098603505672519680_n.jpg (49.71 KiB) Viewed 13776 times
Ian

Re: Hernando's and the Windmill club.

Posted: Mon 18 Feb, 2019 7:22 am
by uncle mick
iansmithofotley wrote:Hi Jack,

Here are some photographs from the Windmill Club:

16998169_10206617446154100_1561978804321736569_n.jpg
49454369_10210719884872339_605277079461691392_n.jpg
49371984_10210719889592457_2098603505672519680_n.jpg
Ian
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Small chap in the last of your photos Tony "Ascot" Heath ??