Guest Book

I think the Salisbury was a bit like what you describe in the 60,s
a lot of clocking went on in those very large mirrors.
Ray I remember that young Lady from the Chandos took her on one of the Office Run Ashore. There was a small Pub a little further up across from the Salisbury use to serve a potent winter brew. had some really good times around the area. considering I spent 53% of my total service time at Admiralty not many pubs escaped my presence.

Whilst like everybody who ever served at the Admiralty I also frequented the Chandos, but my favourite pub in the sixties was the Salisbury, halfway up St Martins Lane.
Being in the heart of theatre land there were always a few well known faces in there and the beer was fantastic.
When I worked a Crown paints I took a bunch of my colleagues there one night in the late eighties having gone on about it being a fantastic place.
I got some really funny looks from my colleagues after the very very short visit because in the twenty or so years that had passed since my time in London, the clientele had changed very dramatically in that time.
Suffice to say that there was a distinct cloud of strong perfume emanating from the very large crowd of exclusively male customers.
My reputation was never the same after that night out!

We've come full circle again - back to President, the Chandos and big Bierta, who you loved, or we wouldn't have spent so many hours in there, with you chatting her up.

Getting closer Ray Stranger on the shore came out in late 1962,I had left Seahawk in 1961. I remember in the Shower room at Seahawk a cloud of Foo Foo, I did indulge in the Aromas of Bougie when on the Hermes in Oct 1962 before returning to President in Aug 1963 in the Asweps Office, you were there then Ray.

You're dead right of course - I was on my 4th consecutive year at sea in 1968, and I didn't even see an Albatross, much less hear one. i tbink it must have been 'Stranger on the Shore' by Acker Bilk that I was thinking of. No doubt you'll both correct me again.....I too used a lot of Eau de Bugis Street, now just a station on the Singapore Metro system, with not a Kai-Tai in sight.

Ray one other thing you got wrong. I never ever used Old Spice, the only aftershave I ever used and still use to this day was "Aromas of Bougis Street" a smell you would never forget.

Ah, Mr Brooker Johnny has caught out your memory! Fleetwood Mac released Albatross in November 1968 a goodly few years after we were at Culdrose.

Ray I may be wrong but I think Albatross by Fleetwood Mac was released on 1968, a bit after my time and Kens. At Seahawk I was madly in Love with a trainee Met Wren, Married but alas after leaving the Mob to go into a Pub it didnt last. however we still keep in touch.

Ah, it's all coming back to me now! I also remember quite clearly some Wren continuously putting money in the jukebox and playing the same tune - Albatross by Fleetwood Mac. I bet that's too specific a memory for anyone else to recall.......

Ray, I tell you, you have some memory!
In those days if you used the phrase, "I think you are essence" that was the ultimate compliment. Can't imagine any of the young bucks of today using anything so mild as a chat up line. Something like "am I on for it tonight" is the current literary gem. You were right about the dancing as well, my party piece was one on each hand and never missed a beat!