Who Remembers the Punch & Judy man!?

[wsteve55]

I remember watching this,by St.George's hall,but then it moved to various sites around town,and I think his son took over managing Punch,and his missus! Is it still around at all now?

[Spike]

Great Pic Steve

I think I can remember seeing one? im probably too young. Saw one in Southport deffo.

This pic is from the old Liverpool Life museum.

[Spike]

Just seen his posh Speaker on the tent.

[lindac8941]

I vaguely remember seeing Punch and Judy, Dont think I ever saw the one in Lime Street tho, that I was told used to be there. Think I may have saw one in Southport or some other holiday resort. To be quite honest, I thought Punch was quite scary and a wife beater.Dont think they could get away with it now.

[ItsaZappathing]

Great Pic Steve

I think I can remember seeing one? im probably too young. Saw one in Southport deffo.

This pic is from the old Liverpool Life museum.

Spike....Too young ? I remember it in town. In fact the guy who did it in town used to go around the schools. It wasn't Codman though.

[underworld]

There is still plenty of them around. It is something that interests me and I must read up on the history of P+J. I'm sure there is a deep hidden meaning in watching one of these and they are quite sinister. My kids never seemed that keen on them and they can't be very pc these days. But then is Tom an Jerry?

[steveb]

Hi

yes, professor Codman, one of the oldest punch and judy operators in the UK.
He always had his dog with him. Sadly I think all the male Codmans have died
out. The show is still operated today by various other people. 2 of the Codmans
are buried in Anfield Cemetery CE11, but the graves are un marked.

[gynsman]

Think I remember seeing P & J in Williamson Square??

[robbo176]

2 of the Codmans
are buried in Anfield Cemetery CE11, but the graves are un marked.

I remember watching the punch & Judy in Williamson Sq maybe late 70's early 80's

its sad that their graves are unmarked as they brought pleasure to generations of Liverpool kids

[gregs dad]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/415745070_8b06af0af1_o.jpg
The Codman Punch and Judy was in Lime st by the post with the notices on before being moved to St Georges plateau over the Merseyrail entrance

Just found this http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/journey/lime_street/punch_judy/liverpool.shtml

[lindylou]

They have one in LLandudno every Sunday during the summer season. Seen it loads of times. :)
Strangely, I can't recall watching Punch & Judy in Liverpool !

[wsteve55]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/415745070_8b06af0af1_o.jpg
The Codman Punch and Judy was in Lime st by the post with the notices on before being moved to St Georges plateau over the Merseyrail entrance

Just found this http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/journey/lime_street/punch_judy/liverpool.shtml

Thanks for this,Joe! That's the corner I saw P&J,but the audience wasn't so big,or enthusiastic!!

[GNASHER]

Prof.Codman lived on Farnworth St in the '60's.Around where Wightman St now meets it.

[lindylou]

Prof.Codman lived on Farnworth St in the '60's.Around where Wightman St now meets it.

You learn something new every day ! I never knew that.

[az_gila]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/415745070_8b06af0af1_o.jpg
The Codman Punch and Judy was in Lime st by the post with the notices on before being moved to St Georges plateau over the Merseyrail entrance

Just found this http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/journey/lime_street/punch_judy/liverpool.shtml

That looks like a football crowd, not a Punch and Judy crowd - look at the rosettes and scarves they are wearing - of course, being black/white we can't see which team they supported...:^

[Samp]

I remember the Punch and Judy show being located as in Joe’s photo; in the fifties it was on the triangle section as you turn from Lime St into St Johns Lane. opposite the Washington Hotel. It was a cobbled car park area and the theatre was by the post as Joe said. I remember stopping to watch it one Saturday lunchtime, there was a guy standing next to me laughing, it turned out to be ‘Jerry Calona’ (if that is how you spell his name?) he made a hit record with ‘Ebb Tide’. I think he was on the Empire that week.

[ItsaZappathing]

Prof.Codman lived on Farnworth St in the '60's.Around where Wightman St now meets it.

He did indeed, the same street my dad was brought up in.:PDT11

[gregs dad]

Liverpool bringing the cup back in 1965 see;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/exacta2a/sets/72157600357855719/
for further happy people

[steveb]

He did indeed, the same street my dad was brought up in.:PDT11

I think you will find that he was one of the sons, as parent Codmans died
in the early 1900,s, one in 1901 and one in 1904.

[wsteve55]

Liverpool bringing the cup back in 1965 see;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/exacta2a/sets/72157600357855719/
for further happy people

Ha,thought the crowd was a bit too big!!:nod:

[ItsaZappathing]

I think you will find that he was one of the sons, as parent Codmans died
in the early 1900,s, one in 1901 and one in 1904.

Ta for that.:PDT11 I think he knew that.:PDT11

[wsteve55]

Does anyone here, know anything of the history of "Punch & Judy"? I vaguely recall some French connection?(no pun intended!)

[az_gila]

Does anyone here, know anything of the history of "Punch & Judy"? I vaguely recall some French connection?(no pun intended!)

Wiki to the rescue.... and very interesting...

The Punch and Judy show can trace its roots to the 16th-century Italian commedia dell'arte. The figure of Punch derives from the Neapolitan stock character of Pulcinella, which was Anglicized to Punchinello. He is a manifestation of the Lord of Misrule and Trickster figures of deep-rooted mythologies. Punch's wife was originally "Joan".

May 9, 1662 - the date on which the figure who later became Mr Punch made his first recorded appearance in England - is traditionally reckoned by "professors" as Punch's UK birthday. The diarist Samuel Pepys observed a marionette show featuring an early version of the Punch character in Covent Garden in London. It was performed by an Italian puppet showman, Pietro Gimonde (aka "Signor Bologna"). Pepys described the event in his diary as "an Italian puppet play, that is within the rails there, which is very pretty."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_and_Judy

[Ron Ham]

Remember the P&J in in Lime St well , Jeez am I the only old B***** here ? It was a must see when we kids went into town followed by a wander round the the back streets of the Market to see all the strange characters & salesmen there , all free entertainment . Ron

[lindylou]

Jeez am I the only old B***** here ?

hee,hee! you sound like me Ron ! ... I always say the same thing about myself - - I must be the oldest bladdy one in here .. remembering black & white telly and Four Feather Falls ! !! :lol: I don't mind even if I am !! :lol: :celb (6):

[GNASHER]

I remember it.Was there for years.The cafe outside of the station took it's name from it.

[lindylou]

Even though I know it was there, I don't have a memory of actually seeing it. I must have passed it of course, but can't picture it in my mind. I don't remember ever standing watching it.

[lindac8941]

hee,hee! you sound like me Ron ! ... I always say the same thing about myself - - I must be the oldest bladdy one in here .. remembering black & white telly and Four Feather Falls ! !! :lol: I don't mind even if I am !! :lol: :celb (6):


Loved Four Feather Falls. So I must be a similar age to you Lindylou.

[Ged]

I think you're all lying. I remember seeing it on that piece of land on Joe's pic and it was known as the quadrant. That would be late 60s. Theo riginal punch and judy cafe was on the left of the block by the Gloucester street entrance to the station. Then when that new concourse was put up in the 60s, it was moved to underneasth Concourse house. A few pics in books of the P&J show at that site and also on line.

[gregs dad]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/415768348_687845ba0b_o.jpg
Here`s the Punch and Judy cafe with crowds trying to get in,in 1965.
(Only kidding it`s Liverpool`s cup crowd)

[The Dead Cat]

I remember watching this,by St.George's hall,but then it moved to various sites around town,and I think his son took over managing Punch,and his missus! Is it still around at all now?

Cool picture! Do you know where and when it was taken? If it wasn't too long ago, the lad in the red and blue jumper doesn't half look like me!

[Norm NZ]

This pic taken around 1950 was from a old 'Echo's of Yesterday' I have posted this years ago on Yo, but dug it out again for those who may be interested. Cheers All,:PDT_Aliboronz_24:

[kdraper42]

Yes like gynsman, ( he must be as old as me ) I remember it being in Williamsons Square, and also on the corner of St Georges Hall, cant quite remember which was first? We as kids loved seeing it, my last visit about 3 years ago, we saw it in Llandudno when visiting, back home ( always call Liverpool home ) and I was so pleased to see the kids still where amused by it and their imagination was still being used , as did ours all those years ago , before all of this technology stuff( game boys , etc) a bit of old fashioned entertainment, cant beat it . Cheers Keith.

[Ron Ham]

When the P&J was located on the Quadrant by St Georges Hall it actually had an address ,No 1 Lime st , believe it or not ! Ron

[wsteve55]

Cool picture! Do you know where and when it was taken? If it wasn't too long ago, the lad in the red and blue jumper doesn't half look like me!

It was in Williamson square,,by the M.P.T.E office/shop. It was taken sometime in the early 80's.( I think?) Thought you looked familiar:unibrow:

[wsteve55]

This pic taken around 1950 was from a old 'Echo's of Yesterday' I have posted this years ago on Yo, but dug it out again for those who may be interested. Cheers All,:PDT_Aliboronz_24:

Great pic' there,Norm!

[wsteve55]

Does anyone here know, if the Codman's are still involved with old mr. Punch?

[GNASHER]

The Codman family still run the show in Llandudno.

[gynsman]

Although I can't remember it Mum assures me I've seen P & J on St. George's Plateau.

[squiggs]

I think I saw P&J at St Georges too !, but I know that they came to my primary school (St Silas) too !

[lindylou]

The Codman family still run the show in Llandudno.

ah, is that them. I've seen them there lots of times.

[The Dead Cat]

It was in Williamson square,,by the M.P.T.E office/shop. It was taken sometime in the early 80's.( I think?) Thought you looked familiar:unibrow:

Haha, Cheers! I have a feeling it wasn't me though! I was only born in '85!

[underworld]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4544731165_b0554c785c_o.jpg

[GNASHER]

I remember it being on the plateau above the phone box in the photo.

[wsteve55]

Great pic' UW! I remember it being,just to the left of the phone box,but it sounds like it moved around to several other sites!