Latest Interesting Article

The Fabulous 40 Thieves Club continued ...

 

This is a continuation of the article, "The Fabulous Forty Thieves Club" (CLICK HERE for the original article).  We are delighted to publish your comments along with any photos you submit to us.

5th June 2014

Message from Rick Carey abut his recollections of the 40 Thieves Club

From March, 1970 to April, 1972 I was stationed at NAS Bermuda as a 2nd Class Petty Officer.  I was an air traffic controller. 
Many of us were regular patrons at the 40 Thieves Club.  Enough we could push our way upstairs after getting passed through by the doorman.  The tourist's would moan about that, unless we found a pretty girl or so to go up with us.
We always had great times there.  The workers, the crowd, the tourists, the bands, and shows.  Good times.
Rick Cary

4th June 2014

Message from Fred Aubrey

"I do have everlasting fond memories of the Forty Thieves Night Club.  Such entertainers as Tom Jones, Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick, Chuck Jackson, and many more.  The very best to you Roger."
Fred Aubrey

30th May 2014

Mike Caulkett wrote to us about the Forty Thieves article as follows:-

Many thanks for writing about the Forty Thieves Club. It was really interesting and brought back happy memories of numerous evenings spent at the club.

I do have a little related story. In the mid-60s I was living with Bill Pritchard and the late Gordon Howard in a house called Palm Springs on Middle Road in Paget. During this time the Rockin Berries were appearing at the 40 Thieves and I made several visits to the club to see them.

Geoff Turton the tall auburn haired singer/guitarist had a fantastic voice and Clive Lea the singer/impressionist was quite funny. Or was it the drink! There is no doubt that Geoff was the star of the show and there was much talk about him going solo. He did later leave the group but is currently (2014) back in the group who still perform with several new names.

I think it was Gordon who, somehow found himself chatting with someone from the group and it transpired that due to some mismanagement, or was it lack of funds, they had nowhere to stay and he duly invited them to move in with us at Palm Springs -  and Clive Lea and Bobby Thompson did just that.

(l-r) Clive Lea in police helmet, an unknown friend of Gordon's, Gordon Howard,
Bobby Thompson in helmet and handcuffed to Clive Lea with Mike Caulkett on the end.
Bobby Thompson with cups of tea

We now had the bizarre situation of two members of a pop group lodging with three policemen! The arrangement worked really well and we had a lot of laughs, both were really nice chaps and Clive Lea was very funny around the house.

Before they left they signed the back of one of the groups promotional photos and a couple of other photos were taken which I have scanned and sent with this message. Unfortunately they are very small. I have blocked out a “non PC word”  from the comments on the card.

Rockin Berries promotional photo given to the lads at Palm Springs
Message on back of photo (slightly censored!)
 

Editors note – After receiving this information I wrote again to Mike because I seemed to recall him doing an Indian fakir stunt one time on a bed of nails just to show that you didn't have to be hypnotised by Martin St. James to do it.  I could also vaguely recall seeing a photo of the said bed of nails with Mike lying on it!   

Mike wrote back on 30th May 2014

 Hi Roger
 I did dress up as an Indian Fakir and lay on my homemade bed of nails but that was for a Police Drama group fancy dress party. I did encourage people to stand on me! Fortunately they had more sense than me, or had drunk less, because the nails were well spaced and I would still have the board attached to my back had they stood on me.
Mike arrives with his bed of nails

I did do as you suggest and challenge the need to be hypnotised to carry out some of the feats done whilst, apparently, hypnotised but that was in the PRC bar. I put my head on one chair and my feet on another and encouraged people to stand on me and several did so and at the same time, one of them being Dave Parsons. Wonderful stuff that rum and coke!

Mike demonstrates the fine art of lying on a bed of nails

I have to say that I really did enjoy the Martin St. James Shows and well remember one of the early ones where John Barnett became a coffee percolator. I seem to recall that Malcy Smith was barred from the club for a while due to him going under all the time. Great times and memories. 

Best wishes 
Mike