THE nightlife scene of Huddersfield in the past continues to spark memories.

John Crossley of Quarmby says: “Surely the only place to be was the Amsterdam Bar on Queen Street South during its first couple of years in the 1970s.

“It was opened by two blokes, one from Amsterdam and the other from Manchester, and had a wonderful atmosphere with a mixture of Dutch and English pop music. A sensational pub which attracted coach parties from other towns.

“Who can forget Hylda Baker appearing live – not on stage, but on the bar top – with her trade mark handbag and looking for the lost little hand on her watch?”

Readers under a certain age will not have a clue about Hylda Baker, right, but she was a big music hall star. Partway through her act she would look at her wrist to see the time and comment: “I must get a little hand put on this watch.”

You probably had to be there, for it to be funny.

Eddie Loughrey of Sheffield lived in Huddersfield until he got married in 1994. He recalls the Starlight Club where he met long-term friend Stuart Black of Brighouse in 1978.

“I first went there on a Saturday afternoon to a junior disco when I was 14. After it closed, Barry Downey relaunched it as the King of Clubs.”

They also went to Lord Jim's on Venn Street and the Coach House club.

As a youngster, he lived with his mum in Town Terrace and was sad to hear that the Market Tavern on Leeds Road had been demolished.

“Many years ago, I used to deliver their Examiner and was always offered some pop and crisps. I believe it was run by Agnes Gill. When the Amsterdam Bar opened with Philip and Ken as owners, Philip’s sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Johnny, moved into the Tavern.

“I started dee-jaying there about 1979/1980. It closed in 1984 and Barbara Shires then took it over.”

Geoff Turner of Denby Dale recalls times even further back, when teenagers went to listen and dance to big bands.

Among venues he attended were Huddersfield Town Hall (where he met his wife), Cambridge Road Baths, the Majestic (Masonic Hall), Charlie Frost’s, Thongsbridge Drill Hall, Holmfirth Civic, the Embassy (at both Bradford and Wakefield) and the Majestic (at both Leeds and Manchester).

“All finished in time to catch the last bus home at 11 45pm,” he says. “We had fabulous Saturday nights.”