[more from the early days] One of the eccentric performers who visited the club regularly was Fred Osborne, who would perform on various stringed instruments from the one string fiddle to the dulcimer: he would sometimes dress up as a pirate to sing sea shanties! There were two Indian lads who were regulars, and after much persuasion got up one night to sing amazing wedding songs from their part of the world.

I recall an occasion when various club members arranged to take over a farmhouse for a "Folk Weekend" in the Cleveland Hills. It was embarrassing for me as my Bond threewheeler couldn't make it up the bank, and I had to walk on to get some help from the lads to push it the last quarter of a mile. We had a good weekend mind, 'cos the hangover lasted till Tuesday.

My first recollection of going to Stockton Folk Club was when it was held in the Talbot. I recall hearing a girl singing "The Trimdon Grange Explosion" which moved me greatly - I expect that was the first time I heard a song by Tommy Armstrong. As the history says, we were all seated round the billiard tables, but another thing to mention, for the benefit of younger readers, is that it was all lit by candlelight, something that these days would be impossible (Health & Safety). [Don't think the candles were a regular feature - Ed]

I also remember later going to one session at the Black Lion. To get to the entrance you walked down a long alley down the side of the pub and into a room at the rear. To help readers imagine the size in those days, the room was full and I recall noticing that the floor was marked out with white lines for a badminton court. I played a floor spot that night, I think I sang "Lily of the West" a Joan Baez number, accompanied on my trusty old nylon strung guitar, an instrument I haven't played in many a year. There was a lot of noise, which soon subsided once the audience realised that a singer had started to play - a well-mannered bunch they were.

When the club moved to the Sun, I went along one night on my own and was immediately invited to a party the following Saturday - a good illustration of how friendly the club was, and is! Terry [Conway] and I love[d] coming to Stockton....We were very honoured when Ron Angel came out of retirement to hear us on our last guest night at the club, since he had been so unwell.

So, long may a lovely club continue to flourish!

I have very fond memories of all the people who performed there and was very happy to see a photograph of some of them on your site. Please pass on my best to any of them who might remember me.

[Franc directed cult film Quadrophenia amongst others. He also devised the TV format for Auf Wiedersehen Pet for which Mick Connell was an inspiration]

I used to fetch up at the Stork and Castle with my chums as the teenage Hireman Chiles (?), singing stuff we'd collected through years of field research in hidden corners of the British Isles. Or did we learn stuff from from Corrie Folk Trio LPs?.

Fred Osborne took a shine to us, and gave us a kind mention in his column in a mag called the 'Banjo, Mandolin Guitar monthly', or some such.

[ Stu McFarlane, Mac of the Teesside Fettlers, died peacefully in Gracelands Care Home Guisborough on November 1st, aged 80. Richard shared these memories.]

I first saw Mac performing with The Creel, a trio consisting of Dave Lewis on Mandolin, Malcolm Harrison on Guitar and Mac himself as vocalist and front man. They were a busy band and highly regarded. This would be late 60s / early 70s I guess.

When Malcolm Harrison left the band for London, Mac and Dave Lewis joined the Fettlers. [Mac became a fixture and was in the] line-up that was to earn so much fame and put Teesside on the map: Stu McFarlane (Vocal and Spoons), Ron Angel (Vocal and Whistle/Flute/Harmonica), Frank Porter (Guitar) and Sean McManus (Piano Accordion). [For other members of the Teesside Fettlers over time see main History text]

Mac kept the band going through many changes in later years and was acknowledged by many as the face of the Fettlers.

A talented raconteur with a big voice, after working at Dorman Long he joined BBC Radio Cleveland, producing the Folk Radio Show. His experience as an entertainer came in handy and he soon became a popular rario pesonality: he was highly skilled too in recording and editing audio in the days of tape.

I was fortunate to be favoured by Mac and enjoyed many appearances on his shows, solo and with Penny Hedge, the first band I joined with Pete King, Roy Enticknap, Brian Griffiths and Pete Wray.

Mac sang my song "Whitby Whaler" after he and Ron approached me during a folk day at The Wheatsheaf in Hutton Rudby, organised by John Taylor. They were very much my heroes so I was delighted to agree. Mac recorded it on the album "Ring of Iron" and sang it widely, including on BBC TV's Songs of Praise.

I learned a lot from Mac. He was a talented and disciplined performer.