A number of agents existed in this period, working with some of the major venues and groups of the time. Some are listed below but there were many others. Can you assist????

I have a couple of contracts off agents that are not in your list and as was usual in them days you sometimes worked for agents that you never saw so would not have known them if you had met them.  That was the great thing about Brian Mills he was friendly and aproachable.

Anyway one of these agents was John Smart entertainments 4 Langdale Drive Sunnybank Bury. The clubs on my contract were Rafa club, Spa hotel, Monton Trades and Labour, St Bonifaces Borough Social Failsworth cycling club and The Spinners.

My other contract was from J T Promotions Gloucester Rd  Urmston and was for  The Piper which if memory serves me right was a restaurant in Preston and was a full weeks work for the grand sum of £50 which wasnt bad for 1972.      

Al Richie
12/3/11               

Alan Arnison Agency
Alan Cheetham
Alan Lewis Enterprises
AH Agency
Barry Perkins Organisation
BDH
Brian Mills, Walkden
Barry Semp Enterprises, Didsbury (circa 1965)
Barry Chaytow Enterprises, Middleton
Brian Durkin
Brian Gant, Rochdale
Brian Mills, Walkden
Bryan Yorke
Baron Artistes
Barny Smith
Bunny Lewis
Chris Wright
Clive Kelly/Jimmy Powell, CubiKlub, Rochale
Don Read, Bolton
Delrick Entertainment, Warrington
Derek Oultram Entertainments, Bollington
Dixon Agency
Dial Theatrical Enterprises
DK Enterprises, Didsbury
Esquire Entertainments, Davyhulme
Frank Booth
George Gray, Eccles
Intermac International
Ian Hamilton / Hammat International
Jeff Bates Promotions, Blackpool
JT Enterprises, Blackpool
JT Promotions, Urmston
Kevin Kent
Kennedy Street Artistes
McKiernan Agency, Stockport
Les Mac
Les Thorpe?, Lancashire Hill, Stockport.
Maurice Johnson - booked acts for Stamford Arms, Altricham
Miller Bourne
North West Productions
Oliver Batson Enterprises, Stockport
Oldham Entertainment Agency (Dave Cunningham)
Paddy McKiernan
Paul Ingham
Parkside Entertainments
Paul Vonk
Parabil, Warrington
Robert Holland-Ford, Moston
Roy Mozley
Roy D Spencer and Associates
Rowntrees
RTC Promotions
Sounds Entertainments
Stuart Littlewood
Sonny Ross Agency, Corporation St
Wycrest Agency (Andrea Cassel)

Eccles based George Gray (real name George Sidlow) had been an alto sax player in the RAF. On leaving the RAF, he worked as a blacksmith at Mitchell and Shackleton, Monton near Eccles, where he met Peter Hughes - the drummer with the Chuckles - who also worked there as an apprentice.

At night, George would play in a trio at the College Club in Manchester backing visiting artistse.

Managed Chuckles, working under the name Unit Management.

Later worked with Paul Julian and Carlton Edge under title Baron Artistes

Copy of a Unit Management contract     

I knew George Sidlow (Grey) when he worked at Mitchell Shackleton (sadly now demolished), and I remember him practising his sax in the forge at MS.

He used to play Friday evenings at the Station Hotel Pendlebury, before going on the College Theatre Club. His act always ended with, 'Pennies from Heaven' when the audience then threw pennie on the stage - for charity - or so they said!

There was an even greater sax player at Mitchell Shackleton called Granville Williams, whose world fame did not come until after his retirement. Will find some info on him.

Albert Beckett
13/3/10

Not really an agency, perhaps a way to get your acts at a discount.

Ran by Pat Day, the agency booked its own clubs - Rowntrees Sound (Hanging Ditch), Top of the Town (Cross Street), Spring Gardens and Takis (Oxford St). I can remember Pat being pleased she had managed to get a pre-"Gin House" Amen Corner  for their usual low rates. Most groups at the clubs got between 15 and 25 pounds for the night.

On looking at an old contract, I spotted the following "The Artistes should arrive no later than 7 pm.  Should they arrive after this time, a reduction of $2 for every 15 mins will be made".  Remembering that they often tried to sling the band out of the club within minutes of the bar closing, it was somewhat unfeeling.

Copy of a Rowntrees contract       

Based at The Blue Note Club in Gore Street, the agency booker was Rick Chandler and had, I believe, something to do with IVAN'S MEADS, a great Manchester band with a minor hit record Sins of the Family in the mid sixties.

LE Agency

Run by William Leyland, booking most of the Wigan area gigs - including Wigan Casino and his own Pink Elephant club at Aspall, Wigan..

Managed Harlem John's Reshuffle.

Delrick Entertainments

Warrington-based agency run by Dave Warwick and George Swindells. Booked for most of the vast number of Warrington gigs, especially Warrington Co-op Hall, where Dave was the DJ.

Whilst George eventually went to the USA, Dave started his ownhighly successful David Anthony Promotions, which handles TV Presenters. Previously Dave had major success with two of his acts, Poacher and Rick Astley.

Alan Lewis Enterprises 208 Chapel Street, Salford 3 Managed Four Pennies.
Paul Ingham Middleton
"Paul was our first booker I used to go to school with him – I’m sure he was the same age as me. We did all those clubs in the early days, we kept good company didn’t we? I passed Paul’s house a few months ago, he lived across the road from Peter Cowap’s hardware shop on Alkrington. I remember calling to his house on many occasions to drop off his 10%, but we soon got fed up of that and gave him a real hard time. Paul would tell the promoters not to give us the money and would collect it himself later in the night to get his commission. Of course we then refused to go on until we got paid and for a time we had a stand off. Paul then called us with a gig to try and make up as friends again. The gig was Platts Social Club!!!!!! We were an out and out mod band something like the small faces..... Platts was a ROCKER club. When the curtains went back and we saw all the bikers we shit our selves. We did a couple of numbers and a big greasy bugger came up and asked for an Elvis song, we played Heartbreak Hotel about fifteen times that night but to no avail, we had to have a police escort to get out of the building and even then the kicked hell out of the van. We put out a contract on Paul but there were no takers for the £20. Good old days! I'd love to hear from Paul again. Boy were we a pain in the arse!" Danny Hardman
Don Read Based at the beachcomber Club, Bank Street, Bolton
Don Read was a very perceptive, unassuming man who you would never guess had his finger on the pulse of the hip music scene. He managed my group - Outrage - along with The Warriors (featuring Jon Anderson, eventual member of Yes), The John Evans Smash (featuring Ian Anderson, the future lead singer and flautist in Jethro Tull), The Dawnbreakers and Leicestershire band, The Family. I think he had some connection with Wynder K Frog. He was also responsible for bringing many great groups to the 3 Beachcomber clubs, including the Small Faces, the Who, the Action and Preston's own, very underated David John and the Mood, who had the distinction of not only producing superb Bo Diddley style material of great intensity on stage but also fetured on the Vocalion label, which most record buffs will know is a premier jazz/blues label and equal in stature to Blue Note, Sue and Ace. A major achievement in itself. Don helped most of his groups to greater things and in our case, managed to get Kim Fowley to produce our stuff. I believe he ceased trading in 1967 and last time I heard of him he lived in Irlam of the Heights with a well known lady ex jazz singer. Geoff Parkinson
JT Enterprises, Blackpool
I've just remembered another Blackpool agent we used, 'JT. Enterprises'. I'm not sure but I think his name was John Taylor, his name appeares at the bottom of The Love Trade picture. Phil Coggan
Jeff Bates Promotions
Jeff Bates Promotions was also a well established Blackpool agent we used. Jeff Bates was agent/manager to a few groups but mainly to Bruce and the Spiders, who were one of Blackpool's truly pro groups in that, the band was their full time job. Jeff was very strict with them and made sure they were up to date with chart material. They gigged at least five days a week. Phil Coggan
JT Promotions
I recently spoke to a nice gent & a good friend who was a major player in the early days.  His name is Tony Yorke.  He had an agency in Urmston with Jonnie Martin  called JT Promotions. Tony seemed to have it well sorted & plenty of work was around them. He still continues to work from his Altrincham office doing a lot of live events.  He also opened a club in Swinton, the old Wishing Well  - had some great artists on there & compered it himself.  He also had a club in Bolton.  He also compered the Talk of the North for myself - good luck tony Roy Mozley 9/4/12
Brian Mills
Brian Mills, based in Walkden, had hundreds of acts, not just groups. He booked the Willows acts many times and many of the football clubs I did for him through the 70s as well, such as Bolton Wanderers, Preston NE, Everton 2000 club and the 4 cabaret clubs - Embasy, Carlton and the other two whose names I've forgotten. Alan Roberts I remember Brian Mills from back in the mid to late 60s. He was a nice man. At the time I was the guitarist in THE WOODLANDERS (2 guys & a girl singer) & we worked through BARNY SMITH ENTERPRISES who booked mainly cabaret lounges & casino's with some social clubs. My memory of that time was that BRIAN MILLS & BARNY SMITH formed an affiliation, working closely together. I recall BARNY SMITH bringing Irish show bands over to tour along with many continental acts. Ken Porter 4/9/09
Les Mac Associates
Les Mac Associates was run by Les McSheffrey. Originally from Nothern Ireland, Les played bass in Margo and the Marvettes (a highly popular act on the northern cabaret scene, pictured right) before he started working with Ian Hamilton at their office in Didsbury. After Ian left for Australia, Les carried on the agency - working with manny northen based acts including Noel Burns Junior and Cherry Rowland, travelled to Australia for a while then operated a camp/caravan holiday park in the south of France. Sadly, Les died some years ago.       Intermac International   Another well known agency in the mid 1960s with offices in Manchester was Intermac International. The proprietor was a guy by the name of John Knowles. He handled quite a number of the then 'well known' Manchester groups - but more than that I cannot tell you. Raymond Sanderson/Atlas 19/8/09
Miller Bourne I became Les Mack's partner then we were joined by Mike Bourne. Mike and I bought out Les when he got married and decided to move to the north east where his wife lived. We looked after many groups such as Sweet Chariot, Union Express, The Big Jump Band, Warm Sensation and several others. We also represented Maxton G Beesley, Coleridge Taylor, Franklyn James, Diane Chandler, Talli Halliday, Cherry Roland, The Marbles, Wellington Boothe, Annie Lawrence and many others. We started to book lots of entertainers into South Africa and opened an agency there. A lot of the artists liked it so much that they are still there. Mike Bourne spent many years in South Africa. Ray Millar moved to London where he still works as an agent. Ray was a bass player with the Strand Showband and then later with Margo and the Marvettes. Ray Millar 6/2/10 During the 70's the Miller Bourne agency had a partner in Madrid who booked many beat and pop groups to work all over Spain and especially in Madrid. His partner's name was Manuel Barrera, who attended the wedding on the Isle of Man before he went to South Africa. (translated from Spanish - probably quite badly) Manuel Barrera 2/8/10
Parabil
Bunny Lewis Agents that worked different parts of the country but one that’s not mentioned is  Bunny Lewis who was a female impersonator.  He  ran his office from his house which was in Fallowfield at the beginning of Princess Parkway. Running the office was a Johnny Martin who may be the one who was in The Cresters but at the time was solo with a comedy act involving a suitcase full of hats and impersonating people.  Tthe most memorable being Old Mother Riley. Bunny Lewis’s boyfriend (I think) lived with him and I do know he made all his dresses and he was a well known Manchester comedian called Jackie Carlton. One thing that sticks in my mind was the fact that Bunny had two little pet monkeys running riot in the place.  Bunny roped me in to march to the town hall with hundreds of other acts to complain about a new gambling law that would have affected the entertainment business. There was an agent called Mr Bean (I kid you not) - I think his name was Tony. I  do remember two of his children had an act  - I think called The Millionaires. Al Richie 26/2/11 Oliver Batson Agency He gave us [Vince Reno & the Sabres] a great deal of work in the early 60's. Several times with our good friends Farons Flamingo's and a lot of other class acts. We learned so much from our association with this agency. Ken Hobin (Guitarist) 22/8/11