Looking Back: Sheffield Girl - The First 19¾ YEARS

BACK TO SHEFFIELD

After my freedom in London, I cannot settle back into the strictures of living at home - so I go to work firstly at The Millstone Public House in Hathersage, and then in the cocktail bar of The Lilybank Hotel in Matlock, Derbyshire, and it's the Liberal Party By-Elections, (May 1962) there are film crews, photographers and reporters galore, everyone is here - Liberal Party leaders - Joe Grimond and Jeremy Thorpe; Journalists - Ludovic Kennedy, Lew Gardner, and the lovely Peter Eckersley (who's also a scriptwriter for Coronation Street)...we had a ball, and they help me to celebrate my 21st birthday! Pop Star Eden Kane comes to stay - and it's a case of 'padlock your door, girls!'

But London constantly beckons, so off I go again, but not a good start, the promised job is rather more than I had bargained for, so out of a job again and cash running out, may have to go home with my tail between my legs. Then at the 11th hour - I get a job in a west end hotel, which comes complete with accommodation at Ashley Court, in the very best part of Kensington! - and so begins a very special era ... and London really begins to swing! On the day I go for my interview at The Stratford Court Hotel, I meet Swiss German, Eugen, the man with whom I shall become obsessed over the next three years - but it doesn't stop me from having loads of fun...

I meet my hero - Gene Pitney, who uses 'Stratters' as a base, and become his voluntary P.A. Amongst so very many stars that stay at the hotel, are two of my favourites - the very handsome Richard Beymer (West Side Story) and the rather strange (but also very handsome) Dean Stockwell (Quantum Leap). The Rolling Stones and I become the best of friends - not! And I witness the strange metamorphosis of their manager, that nice Andy Oldham, into the strange, aloof, Andrew Loog Oldham...

This is the hotel where the crew of El-Al Airlines stay - and life is never dull when they are around!

Continued...

Copyright © Freda Brown.