UK Singles Chart

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

"R" is up on page one.

Just 260 acts left. Losing the will to live here. Not because I don't find this interesting, I love researching stuff but my internet is *painfully* slow right now. It's been like this since lockdown started...

Anyways, info needed on the following:

The Ramrods – American instrumental rock group, one of their members Eugene Moore. I can't find anything on him.

Ezz Reco and the Launchers with Boysie Grant – Jamaican singer Boysie Grant eludes me. There's some stuff on him online, but can't find concrete birth details (born circa 1945). He was rumoured to have died in the 1970s but this was subsequently revealed to be a hoax.

The Rockin' Berries – Brum beat group. Member Bobby Thomson was either born in 1941 or 1942. He's still a live as I found a page of him doing a hospital benefit in 2018.

The Routers – A surf rock outfit from the States. Same problem as B. Bumble and the Stingers and several other groups of that period – the records were made by session musicians. They came, they recorded, and in some instances were not even credited! Then a "touring band" was used to promote the track. So I don't actually know who played on it, and to top it off I can't find info on two of the key touring members for the single, Lynn Frasier and Al Kait. Interestingly Bill Pitman is still about though, aged 100 years young!

The Royal Guardsmen – An American rock band. Couldn't find bio details for any of these members online so I had to do all the work myself through Ancestry. The one member I can't track down is John Burdett – suggesting he wasn't born in Ocala, Florida where the band is from.

Marion Ryan with the Peter Knight Orchestra and the Beryl Stott Chorus – Beryl Stott, interestingly the wife of orchestra leader Wally Stott (later Angela Morley after a sex change), and yet little to nothing on her fate. Then I found a link on Google Books. She killed herself in 1967. Then I found the Ancestry record. Can't find her DOB though.
 

[YoungWillz 21,267]

The Royal Guardsmen.

 

Interesting history here: https://www.crazedfanboy.com/spotlight/guardsmen.html

 

Which includes this picture:

 

Which should probably give an approximate year of birth for Burdett if you have everyone else's - this does seem to relate to a reunion sometime around 1977/78, so possibly year of birth 1949/50?

When Burdett quit in 1968, he seems to have moved to Bucks County, Pennsylvania according to the article. The official site for the band which is stated in the article to be maintained by Burdett no longer exists, which could be a worrying sign?

 

This article suggests Burdett might have been originally from Minnesota: https://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/music/Royal-Guardsmen-return-Snoopy-in-tow-50-years-after-Florida-s-first-pop-hit_167682029/ and this linkedin profile suggests he is in Saginaw, Michigan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-burdett-a9896a20

 

Apologies if you've looked at all of these.

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

50 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

The Royal Guardsmen.

 

Interesting history here: https://www.crazedfanboy.com/spotlight/guardsmen.html

 

Which includes this picture:

 

Which should probably give an approximate year of birth for Burdett if you have everyone else's - this does seem to relate to a reunion sometime around 1977/78, so possibly year of birth 1949/50?

When Burdett quit in 1968, he seems to have moved to Bucks County, Pennsylvania according to the article. The official site for the band which is stated in the article to be maintained by Burdett no longer exists, which could be a worrying sign?

 

This article suggests Burdett might have been originally from Minnesota: https://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/music/Royal-Guardsmen-return-Snoopy-in-tow-50-years-after-Florida-s-first-pop-hit_167682029/ and this linkedin profile suggests he is in Saginaw, Michigan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-burdett-a9896a20

 

Apologies if you've looked at all of these.

Exactly what I needed. Found the same man in three of these places on Ancestry. Francis John Burdett b. 31 Oct 1949. Also lived in California and Texas by the looks of it... hmm that's a lot of houses! Seems to be living too.

Added, cheers!

[YoungWillz 21,267]

The Rockin' Berries.

 

Can't be of much more help with Bobby Thomson, especially as in various places he's called "Thompson"! Definitely born in Liverpool, played with The Dominoes before they went King Size, briefly in Rory Storm And The Hurricanes and with Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers. Now coincidentally, his linkedin page (indicating currently in Dudley) claims he recorded on One Way Love for the Rebel Rousers so you'll have to add him in to the listing for that band! https://uk.linkedin.com/in/bobby-thomson-0953ba42

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

3 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Exactly what I needed. Found the same man in three of these places on Ancestry. Francis John Burdett b. 31 Oct 1949. Also lived in California and Texas by the looks of it... hmm that's a lot of houses! Seems to be living too.

Added, cheers!

And here are the song writing credits for Snoopy vs Osama (ehhh what??) that confirms his real first name is indeed Francis.

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

6 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

The Rockin' Berries.

 

Can't be of much more help with Bobby Thomson, especially as in various places he's called "Thompson"! Definitely born in Liverpool, played with The Dominoes before they went King Size, briefly in Rory Storm And The Hurricanes and with Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers. Now coincidentally, his linkedin page (indicating currently in Dudley) claims he recorded on One Way Love for the Rebel Rousers so you'll have to add him in to the listing for that band! https://uk.linkedin.com/in/bobby-thomson-0953ba42

Added to Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers. Cheers!

Just had a look. There's only one Robert THOMSON (without the P) born in that area in that period according to the GRO. A Robert W J Thomson born in 1941 in Southport. There are others though and he could've been born elsewhere in the country, and there may have been a P in there at one point (would explain alternate spelling being used in places). Shall leave this one for now.

[Joey Russ 7,282]

34 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

And here are the song writing credits for Snoopy vs Osama (ehhh what??) that confirms his real first name is indeed Francis.

I just listened to the song. It’s exactly what the title says it is. And you get to hear rip off Tom Petty too...

[YoungWillz 21,267]

Boysie Grant.

 

Lord knows I have tried! The only thing is I'm pretty sure he's older than born in 1945. The sources I have seen indicate he's definitely from Kingston, Jamaica. He vocalises on a couple of calypso numbers including Linstead Market for Reynolds Calypso Clippers - now that was issued in 1955, making him 9 or 10 on that record! I just doubt it, even looking at the 1960s pictures he looks in his late 20s/early 30s.

 

https://www.discogs.com/Reynolds-Calypso-Clippers-Linstead-Market-Solus-Market/release/5561316

 

Edit: Boysie will most likely be a nickname - without a real name.....

[YoungWillz 21,267]

The Ramrods.

 

Just a question. If you have details for the Litkes and Eugene is their cousin, isn't there a way of searching your sources for the Litkes' parents, their siblings and then back down to Moore somehow? They all seem to be from Connecticut, but given he left the music biz decades ago he's practically unsearchable except through Ancestry or the like I'd have thought.

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

12 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

Boysie Grant.

 

Lord knows I have tried! The only thing is I'm pretty sure he's older than born in 1945. The sources I have seen indicate he's definitely from Kingston, Jamaica. He vocalises on a couple of calypso numbers including Linstead Market for Reynolds Calypso Clippers - now that was issued in 1955, making him 9 or 10 on that record! I just doubt it, even looking at the 1960s pictures he looks in his late 20s/early 30s.

 

https://www.discogs.com/Reynolds-Calypso-Clippers-Linstead-Market-Solus-Market/release/5561316

 

Edit: Boysie will most likely be a nickname - without a real name.....

The c. 1945 year came from this book. I think you're right, so I've amended it and added a note to the section.

A few finds on this since...

This book states that he lived in England for many years and worked as a bandleader. Unfortunately, due to new tighter restrictions on Google books, I can't see further down the paragraph.

In terms of his name, it's possible that his real first name is actually Boysie or Boyse, it's not short for anything, according to Google anyway.

Then there's this, photos of him at the Christening of his son in Westminster, 1966. His wife is Yvonne, and their son son Gershwin. I've found Gershwin on the GRO – b. Gershwin GRANT 1965 in Lambeth. Gives Yvonne's maiden name as Lundie. Useful knowing that Grant was his real surname too. Nothing else on any of them in the GRO after this point.

That should be enough for Ancestry but all I found was this bleak family tree. A man called Boysie Anthony Grant, b. 1931, Trinidad and d. 1991, Trinidad. Though I can't find any mention of Trindad being linked with him online. There's also a Boysie Grant b. c. 1920 who travelled between Jamaica and New York in the mid 1940s. 

None the wiser really.

 

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

13 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

The Ramrods.

 

Just a question. If you have details for the Litkes and Eugene is their cousin, isn't there a way of searching your sources for the Litkes' parents, their siblings and then back down to Moore somehow? They all seem to be from Connecticut, but given he left the music biz decades ago he's practically unsearchable except through Ancestry or the like I'd have thought.

Just spent half an hour playing about with this on Ancestry. I got the Litke's parents names (including their mother's maiden name). Can't find "Moore" cousins on either side. Maybe distant cousins, or could've been fabricated for band image.

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

"T" is up.

Quite a few dead ends.

The Temperance Seven – what a nightmare they were to research. I'm fairly happy I have the right lineup for their hits. Several of their members seem to have fallen off the face of the earth though.

Them – Belfast band. Ronnie Millings left early to raise a family. He'd be about 83 now if 1937 is indeed the correct year of birth. Can't find anything on him. Dead(?)

Jamo Thomas – Soul and funk singer. Despite having a huge hit the U.S., he just disappeared. Nobody even seems certain if he was from Chicago or the Bahamas. Strange stuff indeed.

David Thorne / Richard Wolfe – Recorded a version of The Alley Cat Song then vanished. Can find a year of birth of 1928 for the orchestra leader Wolfe, but that's it.

The Three Good Reasons – A Bradford vocal trio. All three members seem to still be alive but can't find any bio details.

Timebox – Missing a full DOD for Holmes.

Trash – Scottish group. Missing bio details for two members.

Tony Tribe – This one just tops weird. Jamaican singer who had a hit with a cover of Red Red Wine, moves to the UK in '56 then supposedly dies in a car accident in Canada in the 1970s. Just one problem – some people online think it's b/s and there doesn't seem to be anything on Ancestry either. Anyone know how a better place to sieve through Canadian records?

The Truth – London duo. Missing bio details for both despite one of them being a relatively prominent stand up comedian now.

The Tymes – Just missing the DOB for deceased member George Hilliard.
 

[YoungWillz 21,267]

The Tymes.

 

I see you have a date of death for Hilliard, so I'm surprised you don't have a date of birth. All I can find is he was born in Franklin, Virginia, if that's of any help in tracking the dob down.

[YoungWillz 21,267]

The Truth.

 

This interview from January 2018 probably tells you all you need to know about Frank Aiello. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t64d6

 

From Highbury in London, aged 74 at the time of recording so let's say born circa 1943, now living on the Isle of Wight.

[Miracle Aligner 249]

On 28/04/2020 at 02:44, Ulitzer95 said:

Exactly what I needed. Found the same man in three of these places on Ancestry. Francis John Burdett b. 31 Oct 1949. Also lived in California and Texas by the looks of it... hmm that's a lot of houses! Seems to be living too.

Added, cheers!

 

Please tell me your actually a genealogist and haven't took out an ancestry subscription to stalk long list celebrities. 

 

And if it is for genealogy, I hope you like the image of latter day saints pouring over your family history to determine whether you'll get to heaven. Just buy the fucking birth certs or go to the library. 

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

41 minutes ago, Miracle Aligner said:

 

Please tell me your actually a genealogist and haven't took out an ancestry subscription to stalk long list celebrities. 

 

And if it is for genealogy, I hope you like the image of latter day saints pouring over your family history to determine whether you'll get to heaven. Just buy the fucking birth certs or go to the library. 

Hello Deathray, how's the ban going?

No, I'm not a genealogist. I got it to research my Family Tree and just kept the subscription rolling (as you can never "complete" a family tree, it's just something you keep adding to over time). It isn't expensive and the site is hugely popular, in fact it has about 3million+ subscribers. Say, why don't you join? Could potentially be a new audience for you there seeing as those on DL are getting tired of your nightly tantrums.

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

2 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

The Tymes.

 

I see you have a date of death for Hilliard, so I'm surprised you don't have a date of birth. All I can find is he was born in Franklin, Virginia, if that's of any help in tracking the dob down.

Cheers @YoungWillz, I've added the info for Aiello.

Just found Hilliard. Franklin, Virginia helped as before there were too many to pick from. So the forum that posted the death notice said he was "George E. Hilliard"...

Ancestry: George Earl Hilliard b. 8 Oct 1940 in Southampton, Virginia. Residency recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1993 and 1996. Must be our guy.

Group details are complete, thanks.

[YoungWillz 21,267]

I'm getting eyestrain squinting at covers, records etc!

 

Three Good Reasons.

 

This article places Peter Clegg in Bradford in 2001: https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8043308.alehouse-rockers/

 

Otherwise, a struggle.

[YoungWillz 21,267]

Them.

 

Comment here suggests Ronnie Millings was born Belfast on 27 April, 1940: https://garagehangover.com/them/ (same reference for the line-up you used).

[Miracle Aligner 249]

3 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Hello Deathray, how's the ban going?

No, I'm not a genealogist. I got it to research my Family Tree and just kept the subscription rolling (as you can never "complete" a family tree, it's just something you keep adding to over time). It isn't expensive and the site is hugely popular, in fact it has about 3million+ subscribers. Say, why don't you join? Could potentially be a new audience for you there seeing as those on DL are getting tired of your nightly tantrums.

 

Your post seems a bit of an overreaction to a question about that sites links to Mormons and whether they like it to be frank. 

 

Fair enough if your happy with that sites links to Mormons. I'm not.

[Toast 16,249]

8 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

No, I'm not a genealogist. I got it to research my Family Tree and just kept the subscription rolling (as you can never "complete" a family tree, it's just something you keep adding to over time). It isn't expensive and the site is hugely popular, in fact it has about 3million+ subscribers.

 

Ancestry is cheaper if you don't keep your sub going.  If you don't renew, they come after you with cheap offers to try and tempt you back.  I haven't paid more than half-price for ages.

 

9 hours ago, Miracle Aligner said:

And if it is for genealogy, I hope you like the image of latter day saints pouring over your family history to determine whether you'll get to heaven. Just buy the fucking birth certs or go to the library. 

 

It's Family Search that is the LDS site.  I think the original founders of Ancestry were Mormons, but not sure if there's any connection now.

Anyway, putting your family tree on the Ancestry site is optional.  I've never put any of my stuff on there.  I just use it to look things up.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,366]

10 hours ago, Miracle Aligner said:

 

Please tell me your actually a genealogist and haven't took out an ancestry subscription to stalk long list celebrities. 

 

And if it is for genealogy, I hope you like the image of latter day saints pouring over your family history to determine whether you'll get to heaven. Just buy the fucking birth certs or go to the library. 

 

There's the giveaway! 

[Redrumours 862]

4 minutes ago, DevonDeathTrip said:

 

There's the giveaway! 

You're not kidding!

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

Finished "H".

The Happenings – missing info on one member
Harmony Grass – missing info on 5 members
Harpers Bizarre – missing info on one member
Ronnie Harris – born around 1928, was living in Portsmouth in 2017. Is he still alive?
The Hollies – can't find a full DOB for original drummer Don Rathbone. Can't trace him in GRO either. Odd.

[YoungWillz 21,267]

14 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Finished "H".

The Happenings – missing info on one member
Harmony Grass – missing info on 5 members
Harpers Bizarre – missing info on one member
Ronnie Harris – born around 1928, was living in Portsmouth in 2017. Is he still alive?
The Hollies – can't find a full DOB for original drummer Don Rathbone. Can't trace him in GRO either. Odd.

Hilarious, given I've just found that Don Rathbone's father was an undertaker! How apt he's avoiding the death scene here!

 

Now I'm off to research Manchester's golden history of undertaking!