Some of the memories being shared over at the RAF Seletar forum. Now, if we can only figure out where exactly the building is today?
From Tex
I was a member of the club between 1955-57 and again from 1959 to 62. I remember the Drama Festivals over the years and enjoyed being involved in them….it was a very successful club and holds lots of happy memories for my wife and me.
Lew was a member (The Sound Man) of the Seletar Theatre Club from 1962 until the end of his tour in Oct 1963.
The club was very successful during that time, putting on six or seven productions a year and winning the Services Drama Festival in 1962. However, when preparations for the 1963 Festival were in full swing, disaster stuck. In the afternoon of 6th August 1963 fire destroyed everything inside the Theatre and only the shell was left. When I left at the end of Oct 63 negotiations were still going on with the insurance company.
From Matt
The Theatre Club was going full tilt and showing no sign of any fire when I was a member there. I joined in late 1968 and remained a member right up to the end of my extended tour in March 1971. They put on many productions and always to full houses. My job there was assisting with stage construction sometimes – but nearly always taking care of backdrops. My arty talents such as they were were put to use creating the posters and designing the programs for most of the productions that were on during my time there.
I must have known Lew, because I was in the play that won the Services Drama Festival. It was called “JB” and was directed by my mum, Julie Goss. I have very fond memories of the club which was very successful while we were there from 1960 to 1963. I still have some of the old programmes in the attic.
I was the station photographer at RAF Seletar 1962 -64. Just after JB I was asked to take photos of productions at the theatre club – I think the first was Alladin? Xmas ’62 – and I continued until repat in Aug 1964. I still have many photos from that time, plus old programmes, of the productions, the fire, etc.. I remember Julie Goss very well. I am still in touch with John Baker (lighting) who went on to work with Joan Littlewood at Stratford (East), then Chichester, now in South Africa. Also Joyce Dobbie.
I did 12 years in the RAF, my best postings were Butzweilerhof and Seletar – great memories!
Re location of Theatre Club. Just been looking at Google Maps – entered ‘Seletar’ and up it came. Sat pix a bit bit dark and cloudy – but could make out the SHQ, the station cinema and post office – still there.
From memory, the Theatre club was in Oxford Street, which branched at a sharp angle from Piccadilly (where did they get these names!). On the corner was the Anglican Church, and I think the Club was the next building along – but again from memory there was also the families NAAFI shop in that row.
The schools were in the Crescent on the right hand side of Picadilly going toward the main camp entrance.
Unfortunately the pix are quite dark and it is difficult to be sure, but there does seem to be quite a lot of the old buildings standing.
Worth a chufti, though!
All best.
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As a family we were at Seletar from 1966 – 1969. We practically lived at the Club, dad (Chris Levy) is a lifetime member. He produced many plays in that period and I prompted on those plays plus the ones Tony Miles produced. Pam Ayres was there at the same time and was in a play dad produced called “Wanted, One Body”. Two other names I recall were John Stubbs and John Bates. I celebrated my 18th birthday on Club Night (Fridays) in 1968. I have very fond memories of our time at Seletar.
Hi Margaret,
I think we might know each other? I was a member of the club and was lead role (Charles Condomine) in the very last production. Fond memories indeed! To think that this was forty years ago, where does the time go?
John Bates was the nearest thing to a professional in the club, very good, and I recall John Stubbs has an old Vauxhall which was called the ‘Stubbs Charger’. He threatened to drive it into the sea when he came home, I do not know if he ever did this.
I do actually recall many of the names from those days, Rocky Thompson & Maureen, Ted Worsley (Gummage) and Win and many others if I put my mind to it.
Are there any plans that you know of to have a reunion?
Just remembered, the name is John Stubbert, and the car was the ‘Stubbert Charger’, reminiscent of a Beethoven composition?
Hi Margaret I think we must have been neibours as my elder sister Carolyn was best friends with your younger sister Ruth Levy when we were at Oxford Street. I remember my mother , Ann Hook as she was then, was a keen member of the club she acted in a few plays but prefered to be wardrobe mistress. We were there from 1966-69 too, I remember two other members, Andy Carr and Rodger Peach, My parents divorced shortly after returning to the UK and Mother then Married another former member Colin Collins in 1971
happy memories.
Hi Ian, I remember your family living next door to us in Oxford Street. Ruth is now married with two adult children. Sadly my mum died in 2006 but dad is still going strong. Fancy your mum marrying Colin Collins – I remember him well, in fact we went out on a date once! I wonder if he remembers me – tell him we went for a meal and saw a midnight movie in the City. I think very fondly of our tour of Seletar.
My name is John Stubbert. I knew Malcom, Margaret, and in fact hundreds of bods. I remember Malcolm bought a small drum one Xmas, for his son. Ouch! And yes, I did own a Vauxhall, and I sold it on.
Hi John,
Funny thing is that I do not remember any drum, but I’m sure you are right. I expect I’ll have a few sleepless nights trying to remember this event.
Talking of remembering things, do you recall ‘dying’ at rehersals when you played the professor in ‘Under the Sycamore Tree’, your singing was diablollical, but it all went well ‘on the night’.
Will there be any re-unions happening at all?
Hello Stubbs me old matey. Fancy finding this site after all these years. Lovely to see these names popping up all over the place. Brings tears to my eyes so it does. I remember all the names mentioned, but yours in particular as you were such a wonderful role model for all concerned. Went back to Seletar two years ago. The club has gone and so has Seletar last year. The commandant himself gave me and my beautiful wife a guided tour around the station, what was left of it and told me the whole place was being torn down to make way for a civil aerospace development park. Hope everything is good with you and your lovely wife.
Roger Peach
Roger, I can’t believe it’s you after all these years! Remember me, Julie McNally (at that time of course)? I am sitting here looking at a phot of us in the Theatre Club (you with a very silly grin on your face!) I have often wondered how you are and it is so great to see you face on this site. I have tried several times to contact anyone I know from those days. Please reply to this and confirm I have got the right Roger! I’m sure I have. Looking forward to speaking to you soon.
Julie
Hi Roger – this is the second time I have tried to reply to your above words. You must remember me – Julie McNally (that was). I knew your name and photo as soon as I saw you. Happy memories of our time at Seletar – still have a great photo of you and me in the lounge bar of the Theatre Club. I absolutely loved being involved with it all. Seems so long ago now. Hope you will get in touch – will leave my email here for you. Hope you are doing OK – I was married for 27 years, had three lovely sons, divorced and remarried to a great guy 10 years ago. Live in Chesterfield Derbyshire. Now 60 years old!!!!
Dear Julie. How could I possibly forget the beautiful granddaughter of an Indian Princess? You have always held a special place in my heart since those balmy days in Singapore in the Theatre Club. I remember keeping in touch with you when you returned to the UK and your heady days in London, I think it was, and your return to your parents later near to RAF Wyton. We went out one evening for a few drinks to chew over the cud, as we were always ever good friends. Good to hear that you are now very happy and settled in life with your second husband, and I am also very much settled and in love with my second wife and enjoying a well earnt retirement, which keeps me extremely busy. Hence the delay in my initial response to you. I did actually reply to a conversation you were having with a female friend on the site, but I didn’t hear anything from you, so it was wonderful when you contacted me via John Stubbings emails, although I haven’t heard from him. I am absolutely delighted to hear from you Julie and would love to catch up with the goss, so let’s exchange the emails somehow and then really get down to brass tacks. We live just north of Manchester and we have a wonderful family, and our grandchildren are just wonderful. Get back to me and lets see where we go from there. Roger. xxx
Hi Roger – it was so great to see your two emails in reply to my message on the Theatre Club site. I am so pleased to hear you are happily married and have grandkids. My three boys have still to make me a grandma – something I can’t wait to be! What a great photo of you on your message. Straight away I got my photo of you out and compared them and you have ‘aged’ very well I must say! Can you believe all the years that have passed since we last spoke. We live in Chesterfield, Derbyshire but I’ve only been here since 1987 – my first husband came from Birmingham and all my boys were born there. My email address is at the bottom of this message but I’m not sure if you will be able to see it. I’ll put it here but sometimes these things are deleted for security reasons but here goes – julieskel@hotmail.com. Maybe you can send me an email to see if it works. Take good care of yourself – hopefully we can be in touch more often.Love, Julie xx
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Re: Location of the Theatre
I lived at 7 Oxford Street, and the theatre was just down from us, towards the Church. My parents, Doug and Pip Janes were members during the late 60′s (67-69?).
I remember your mum and dad very well. Please send them my best regards.
Malcolm Porter
Malcolm. Nice to hear from you. My father died December 1996, but my mum Pip is still alive and 70 this May. I’ll mention you to her.
Best wishes
David
Thank for that David,
Sorry to hear of Doug’s death. He was a very nice man, I consulted him of a few occasions when I had problems to resolve, he was always sympathetic and tried his best to help me.
I trust that Pip is keeping well? Did she go back to IoM?
Best regards,
Malcolm
Yes, my mum is living in Ramsey now and is a well as can be expected at 70. My sister still lives there too so she is not alone and still gets out and about.
Hi David,
Thanks for that. It must be 40 years since I last saw anyone from the STC. I wonder if we would recognise each other. It is possible that we pass in in the streets and never know??
I too have some very happy memories of time spent in Seletar theatre club from 1960 to 1962. Although many of us kept in touch and in fact held a couple of reunion dinners in the mid sixties I do not remember learning about the fire. Thus it was quite a surprise when in 2004 whilst in Singapore I decided to take a sentimental trip out to Seletar. The church next to the cub site was being used as a storage area and of course the theatre club was no longer.
I remember Tex and his wife well, also Pete Goss, his Dad Ken and his Mum Julie. I acted in several of Julies productions and kept in touch right up to the time of her death.
The mention of winning a drama festival with the production of JB must have been a second time for Julie as she had previously directed the same play at Seletar in the early sixties with David Topham in the lead role.
Hello All,
I have just gone into this site for the first time and find all the great comments about the Theatre Club. Over the past 12 years I have been to Singapore almost every year and in fact lit a ballet there in 2004 at the new Esplanade Theatre, just like old times.
My reason for looking at the site was to try and find out names of productions between 1961-1963 inclusive. I know the last I worked on in 63 was Orpheus Decending By Tennessee Williams and Directed by Joyce Dobbie. I departed Singapore on the very day I was due for demob and arrrived back in UK as a private citizen but still had to have a medical to leave the RAF.
Since 1963 I have worked in Theatre and Pete Goss, you will remember your mum, Julie helped me get my first job.
Since 1973 I have been in Cape Town south Africa and have been responsible for lighting dozens of Drama’s, Ballet’s and Opera’s as well as a couple of TV shows and Orchestral Concerts (with special lighting effects.
In 1996 I left permanent employment in theatre and set-up my own Guest House in Cape Town called Verona Lodge and ran it for 8 years (it is still running). I am retired but still light productions from time to time.
Pete, if you have names of productions I would love to get details.
Best regards t you all,
John T. (as I was called in prof. theatre)
Hello John Baker !
Remember me ? My wife,,Jytte and I certainly remember you and are both pleased to learn that you are still alive and kicking !. I’m Ray Bellinger and was a member of STC from Dec 62 joining Julie Goss’s production of Aladdin ( I covered your Abanazar !! ) and leaving in June 65 following the production if ‘The Gazebo’ STC averaged six productions a year and my initial production was ‘Bonaventure’ which I joinly produced with Dave Richardson and which benefited from your skillfull stage lighting and Lew Lewin’s sound.Following ‘Bonaventure’ came Joyce Dobbie’s production of the whitehall farce ‘Simple Spymen’ which in turn was followed by Coward’s ‘ Nude with Violin’ produced by Margaret Alderton and I see in my programme that the large cast included Stc ‘regulars’ including Pam Maloney , Margaret Drew , Joy Marshall Joan Lightfoot , Joyce Wade , Joyce Dobbie , Jean Brocklebank ‘Colin Hart , John Betteridge , Bill Hickman , Dave Hickman ,Spike Gaden and Barry Lambert.
STC’s entry in the 1963 Services Drama Festival was Tennessee Williams ‘Orpheus. Decending’
produced by Margaret Alderton with a large cast which included Joyce Dobbie as ‘Lady Tollerance’ and Colin Hart as ‘Val Xavier’ and would be your final production at STC. As you will no doubt recall that,on August 6th 1963 and whilst in early rehearsals for ‘Orpheus’ the theatre burnt down !!!As you will recall it was decided that even without the theatre ‘Orpheus’ would go ahead as our festival entry and it was entirely due to your guidence John and the backup of the expertise of Ken Lightfoot , Pete Mileson ,Joyce Dobie and and others ‘Orpheus’ had its dress ‘ tech, first night and last night in one single performence at the Cultural Centre Singapore.
This was to be your final roduction for STC as you were due for demob and to seek your fame and fortune in the professional theatre and you were richly rewarded with the ‘Lifetime Membership of STC’
After an interim production of ‘The Vigil’ staged in the church the rebuilt STC eventually reopened in July 1964 with ‘The Brides of March’ produced by myself followed by ‘The Rape of the Belt ‘ in Oct 64 and ‘Flat Spin ‘ in Nov 64. ‘Turn Again Whittington ‘ written and drected by myself was staged in Feb 65 was really my swansong.The last production before I returned to UK was ‘The Gazebo’ and I was pleased to note that STC was in safe hands.
I returned to UK in June 65 but then thats another story. Both in our seventies both Jytte and I have retired and living in Swindon (01793539763 ) and still love the theatre.We have been back to Singapore a couple of times in recent years and have called in Seletar.The theatre building was still there on the corner of Oxford street but instead of a chorus line it was full of MT spares !!.
Finally no doubt you will recall Spike Gaden.The last time we met Spike was 24 years ago and
I understand he married, left the business and moved to Scotland.Yesterday I read in the Muthilll Golf Club (Perth) website that Spike passed away on the 4th August this year.
Sad news to end on but we send our best wishes to your good self and any ne else that may pick up this site.
Kind regards and happy memories
Ray Bellinger.
Hi John, I have just stumbled randomly across your comment. I’m spikes daughter Rachel. I’m fascinated by all your comments, like my dad you all seem to have achieved so much. He often spoke of his time in the theatre and although he moved up to Scotland and persued a huge intrest in golf the theatre was always close to his heart. So many people have been in contact recently who Ive never met but who worked with my dad and it means a lot to me he has been remembered so widely.
Rachel Gaden
Sorry not great at this technology, should have replied to Ray!
Hi John,
Mum was trying to find your Christmas card from last year to get your address but so far no luck. Is it possible you could send her some contact details? Sue Gaden – sue@theceramicexperience.com 01764 652644
Hope your well. Rachel
I think most of you predate my time at STC, but the name Chris Levy probably still echos in the rafters, as does Pam Ayres!
Margaret,
I’m dreadfully sorry but Mother Passed away in 2001 and Colin followed her three years later. I still miss them both, as after the divorce I lived with them until I left home at 21. They were devoted to one another and Colin was devastated when Mum died. I’ve been maried now for 27 years and have two adult children of my own. Carolyn’s husband passed away too around the same time as mum, she has three daughters and numerous grandchildren now as well.
I remember so much of Singapore and Seletar, trips to Tiger balm Gardens and the swimming pool, the best bit was half days at school on weds, Thurs, and Fridays. I was only 10.
Regards
Ian
Hi Ian, sorry to hear that both your mum and Colin have now passed away. My mum died in 2006 but dad is still going strong – he is now 84. We think back on our Seletar days with very fond memories.
Hi John, I remember you very well together with John Bates and many more from the Theatre Club. I see that Pam Ayres has just brought out a new book. Dad is still going strong but mum died in 2006.
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Hi Rachel Gaden
It was a great pleasure to hear from you Inspite of the sad timing of Spike’s death. Your dad Spike ,or to give him his full moniker Gorden Austin Gaden was a lovely man to know and we spent many a happy hour discussing the merits of the world of theatre and as I indicated after he left the RAF got his first job at Chichester Theatre (helped by former STC John Baker – see it all comes together !) From that start Spike moved on to lighting westend shows including ‘ On the twentieth century ‘ ‘ Annie ‘ with Shiela Hancock and Stratford Johns and plays by Micheal Frayn.
Spike would often do the ‘getin’ of shows on tour to Bath and would call in and see us and in fact the last time we met was in Bath September 1st 1987 (our silver wedding day) and Spike was lighting a production of ‘An Inportence of being Ernest ‘ with Hinge and Bracket..By this time he had met your mum , Sue ,(also in the business – design ) and if I recall both you Rachel and Robin were in your prams.
I fully understand Spike leaving the unsocial hours of the theatre and settling down to normal family life.As i said we lost touch and time goes by.If you like give me a call 01793 539763 or skype ‘ray and jytte bellinger ‘ Thanks for making contact Rachel . Kind Regards to your family – Ray Bellinger.
Hello Rachel,
I am also not good at going into blogs and getting replies out. I saw the comment from Ray Bellinger about you father having died. I wish that I had known sooner but that is my fault for not keeping up with news. Please accept my condolences he was a great guy and I am sure will be missed by you all.
I was really shocked yesterday to read of your dads passing and have sent an email to you mum. Your dad and I worked together in Watford when your dad left the RAF I think that was in 1965. Your dad went on to work at Chichester and I went to Exeter. I have been in Cape Town since 1973 and done the lighting for Opera, Ballet and Drama.
I know it is a difficult time but I send you all Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
John.
Hello Ray,
Yes, I remember you well (as the line goes from the musical GIGI). I only discovered this blog a few month ago and it is so wonderful to see all the comments. If it had not been for your posting I would still not have known that Spike had died. I did wonder why I had not received a reply to my Christmas card and had a preminition that something was not well. As you will see from my comment to Rachel, I have sent an email to Spike,s wife, Sue.
Only in the last few days have I been copying slides taken at Seletar and putting then onto computer. I do not have a lot of slides, quite a few had lost all the picture due to such long storage. Your list of names managed to solve one picture of Joyce Dobbie, Alan Hills and another young man, I now know it was Barry Lambert.
I would love to make more contact with you and others on your list of names.
My email is: johnbaker@telkomsa.net
I will try to be in touch soon.
John
Hello Anton,
I remember you from Theatre Club days at Seletar. You did quite a lot of back stage work and also played parts in productions. Recently I came across a photo of you in “The Love of Four Colonels” and have now loaded it onto my computer (not very good pictures, but a memory).
Julie Goss did direct “JB” twice, once at Seletar and the second time at RAF Lyneham. I did the lighting on both occasions and also did the voice of Satanmask (just one line). I could sent photo of you if you send email address, just remember it is not the most wonderful picture. My email: johnbaker@telkomsa.net
John.