From The Beatles to Morecambe and Wise and from The Rolling Stones to former Norwich Market traders Mike and Bernie Winters. The biggest stars around headed our way during the busy summer seasons at Great Yarmouth.
The shows were big attractions loved by people from across the country and round the corner.
The men and women who entertained us on our black and white television sets were there...in full technicolour.
Getting tickets for the Yarmouth shows was a highlight of the summer.
There were the regular performances from Monday to Saturday at the theatres and then, when they had a day off, there were the Sunday Specials with the most popular musicians of the day.
Some of the rockers were also part of the summer shows such as Billy Fury and Marty Wilde.
Many of these stars took part in big events, including cricket matches and donkey derbies, to raise large amounts of money for local charities.
They became part of our community.
One man who loved the Sunday Specials was John Pegg who, at 14, became lead singer with the Freethorpe group, Johnny & The Sapphires, performing the hits of the day in the early 1960s.
He wrote a booklet for family and friends called Showtime, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s. Summer seasons in Great Yarmouth at the Windmill, Royal Aquarium, Wellington Pier, Britannia Pier and A.B.C. Regal,
It is full of advertisements for the shows which appeared in our papers and set the scene for a great story.
John tells how he looked at the adverts on a Saturday and then set off to Yarmouth on the bus to get tickets for the show he wanted to see the next day.
“Each show had two performances at 6.10pm and 8.35pm. I would always go the first show so I could catch the last bus home,” he said.
The first one he saw was at the Britannia Pier and on the bill was Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Karl Denver, Joe Brown and Vince Eager.
“I was hooked,” said John.
Think of the greatest 60s groups and singers and the chances are they had rocked the Yarmouth way.
Other stars at the theatres on a Sunday included The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Shadows, Gene Vincent, Billy Fury, Gerry & the Pacemakers, Gene Pitney and so many more.
“It was at the ABC I was lucky enough to get tickets to see my American idol Roy Orbison. To think that I was able to see him perform live was a dream come true, he sounded just like his records and he received a sanding ovation,” said John.
And of course Yarmouth had its very own rock 'n' roll band.
Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers who toured with both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
Yes, times have changed but the Hippodrome Circus is, thanks to the Jay family, the jewel in the GREAT Yarmouth crown.
Take a look for yourself...it is very special.
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