The Grafton

The Grafton Ballroom in Liverpool, United Kingdom opened in 1924. Now a legend, it was a purpose-built dance hall able to accommodate 1200 dancers. It was built next to the Locarno Ballroom which is now known as the Liverpool Olympia.

Joe Loss, Victor Sylvester, Duke Ellington and The Beatles have all played The Grafton

Since the 1970's, the Grafton has been historically notorious as Liverpool's leading Grab-a-granny venue. most Thursday nights, adolescent young men from all over the city would head for the Grafton in the hope of forging a brief romantic encounter with one of the city's thirty-something divorcees.

They were rarely unsuccessful.

I've had many - a - night in the Grafton when I was 18 :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

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Originally Posted by kev

The Grafton Ballroom in Liverpool, United Kingdom opened in 1924. Now a legend, it was a purpose-built dance hall able to accommodate 1200 dancers. It was built next to the Locarno Ballroom which is now known as the Liverpool Olympia.

Joe Loss, Victor Sylvester, Duke Ellington and The Beatles have all played The Grafton

Since the 1970's, the Grafton has been historically notorious as Liverpool's leading Grab-a-granny venue. most Thursday nights, adolescent young men from all over the city would head for the Grafton in the hope of forging a brief romantic encounter with one of the city's thirty-something divorcees.

They were rarely unsuccessful.

I've had many - a - night in the Grafton when I was 18 :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

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oh my god,i went there a couple of times, it was fun though, i used to work next door at the carlton casino (back then)

Oh, the stories we could share.

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Originally Posted by kev

Oh, the stories we could share.

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quite scary int it lol:ninja:

Yes, I went with a mate once and he phoned me at 6am the next morning, not knowing where he was. He was attempting to leave a block of flats somewhere.

It turned out to be middle of Kirby :shock:

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Originally Posted by kev

Yes, I went with a mate once and he phoned me at 6am the next morning, not knowing where he was. He was attempting to leave a block of flats somewhere.

It turned out to be middle of Kirby :shock:

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so it was a good night then?ha ha

For him? Probably :PDT_Xtremez_42:

Regards the Grafton, I can give you a couple of blitz stories if you want?, and a couple of black taxi ones ;)

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Originally Posted by FKoE

I can give you a couple of blitz stories if you want?

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Meaning drunk? Go ed then

No seriously, May blitz stories, and after..... I'll write a synopsis tomorrow fer yers ...

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Originally Posted by FKoE

No seriously, May blitz stories, and after..... I'll write a synopsis tomorrow fer yers ...

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Looking forward to that, cheers :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

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Grab-a-granny

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:PDT_Xtremez_12: I go for more between the ages of 18 -23.

Just kidding, I know what age group you mean.:Colorz_Grey_PDT_16:

Is there much trouble in there?

Have always thought about taking me mates down there for a laugh, reckon it'd be safe enough for a couple of tourists to have a good time?

I remember Liverpool playing a European tie in Turkey and in response to a banner reading "Welcome to Hell" someone had a banner that read "You call this hell? You wanna try the Grafton on a Saturday night!"

Genius! LOL!! :D

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Originally Posted by matt

I remember Liverpool playing a European tie in Turkey and in response to a banner reading "Welcome to Hell" someone had a banner that read "You call this hell? You wanna try the Grafton on a Saturday night!"

Genius! LOL!! :D

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I SAW THAT!!! Funny! :D:D

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Originally Posted by kev

Looking forward to that, cheers :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

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Well I'll get on it this weekend, I shattered at the mo'..

:037: :unibrow:

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Originally Posted by Kev

Yes, I went with a mate once and he phoned me at 6am the next morning, not knowing where he was. He was attempting to leave a block of flats somewhere.

It turned out to be middle of Kirby :shock:

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I did the same thing. Do we know each other? :celb (23):

:D

1937 & 2006.

oh deary me the grafton eh...... i bet everyone in the city and beyond has a few tales about that place, i rememeber i was in greece on holiday

on year and became friends with some scottish lads, telling me that they used to come down here to play footie. one time,the guy said they all went to this

nightclub and dont remember much, but must've been good cos the scored(if ya catch my drift) with some 30 odd yr olds. for days they were trying to think of

the name, then, one day one of the guys comes up to me shouting "the grafton, it was the grafton club" oh f**k me, i shoulda known, i thought:celb (23):

During the 40s and 50s The Grafton was THE place to go. It

had a sprung dancefloor and it would bounce when they jived on it. All the big bands used to come and play on there. My dad sung on the Grafton during the

50s - they called him "Liverpool's Boy Wonder" and his photo was outside in the display. My mum said she only needed her hips replacing cos she wore them

out jiving at the Grafton!:celb (23): It was a very respectable place in them days. No alocohol - just tea and orange juice.

The Grafton was a very Ritzy place inside. You only had to go to the toilets to see that. Leather

clad buttoned doors and a room off the toilets with only fiull length mirrors all around. It put modern places to shame. And that is no

exageration.

I met a Londoner, in London, and he told me of his experiences of Liverpool in the 1950s. He said the Grafton was brilliant, far better

than anything London had at the time.

We lived across the road from the

Grafton in Hughes St. Me Mum and Dad were never out of the place in the early 50s and mum learned all her dance steps on the top floor of The Olympia Pub as

a kid. Her mate Jean Rogers was the daughter of the parents who ran the pub. I've still got a couple of their dance competition medals somewhere.
Here's

a few pics. The first one is of my Mum's mate (far left). She reckons it was taken in '48 or '49. The others were taken earlier this year when I popped in

to see a mate of mine. If anyone's old enough to recall how it used to be, they'll be dissapointed how it looks

nowadays.

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/...rafton4849.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/graf/001.jpg




http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/graf/002.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/graf/003.jpg

I was in there during the mid/ late 1990's when I was 17/18. Still

the same then.

Did you grab a granny?

Courtesy of Liverpool City Library and the Records Office

Joined up just to post this poem I wrote. Posted it on a site called Authors Den, but You lot might like it too>>>

Grab a granny, grab a gran.
Do the business if you can.
Down a bevvy, down a few.
Anything in a skirt will do.
Hit the dance floor, hit it fast.
Don't know how long the band can last.
One more shimmy, one more beer.
Kicking out times nearly here.
Out the night club, off yer head.
Donna, taxi and home to bed.
Grab a granny, grab a gran.
Do the business if you can.

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Originally Posted by MikeDainty

Joined up just to post this poem I wrote. Posted it on a site called Authors Den, but You lot might like it too>>>

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I like it.
I know he has a broad Mancunian accent, but the rhythm is well suited for John Cooper Clarke to recite.

SWEETPATOOTI

If you can go that far back in time we may have danced togther.
The Grafton was the place to be seen to the more "well-behaved" clientele. Tea and coffe was the order, but NO crumpet :lol: while the "Lacarno" was the place to pull or have a punch-up:slywink:
Many a friday and saturday spent in both, with my Merchants seamans discharge book sticking out me sky-rocket (back pocket) pre 1959.
As for "Grab a Granny", no such things in them days. Teddy Boys and Italian style suits and haircuts where the order of the day.
In the days when we had nothing, we had fun.
Phredd

In my grandmothers days the Grafton was 'select' and would host tea dances. No shenanigans then - it was all very respectable.

As a young jack ashore,the Grafton was on our hunting ground,we never went there on a weekend,the Grafton was for Wednesdays and Fridays ,it was the Locarno on a Saturday. Those grab a granny nights were a bit of a misnomer,Wednesdays would see housewives from out of town, who were usually with friends and were up for shopping and dancing;Fridays it was full of hen parties and a young man could'nt go wrong on either night .I never once saw trouble at the Grafton and it was the exception to the rule at the Locarno too. I remember going to the Locarno with a shipmate in early '61. It was advertised to go on past midnight,this was on a Thursday and by 10.0clock most people had gone home. We had clicked with a couple of good jivers and Terry said that we should stop to the bitter end. As the minutes crept past ten,some members of the band put their overcoats on,this was in the days of the big bands. slowly some of them slipped away and the bar staff put the towels on(it was not half past ten yet) Soon there were just the four of us ,and a piano player,drummer and a guitarist. The bouncers came and stood around our table asking us if we had'nt got homes to go to. Terry said this gig was supposed to go on to the early hours;I kept my mouth shut,they were big men those bouncers.
One of them said to his mate"These guys must love hospital food " And all the while I was motioning to Terry to get the hell out of there. With the bouncers almost shoving us out of there, we slowly made our way to the exit,with Terry all the while complaining that he wanted his money back.
There were other places to go on the rand, Reeces,the Peepermint Lounge
and a place just by the Bluecoat School, I think it was over Bon Marche.
If I did'nt go out at least four times a week my mother would think I was sickening for something,they were great days,going home each morning from a different direction,
BrianD

My parents met in the Grafton. My mum used to tell me how it was a respectable place with respectable people:handclap:

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Originally Posted by John(Zappa)

My parents met in the Grafton. My mum used to tell me how it was a respectable place with respectable people:handclap:

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I met my first wife there when it wasn't so respectable but 'despite' that I still have fond memories of the Graften

What is the best place now, for a 'grab a granny'-experience?

The last time I was in the Grafton was1960. I worked for a short time at John Relf in Hygea Street just round the corner from the Grafton

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Originally Posted by Splodge

What is the best place now, for a 'grab a granny'-experience?

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Why?

You desperate?

:)

Some great nights in the Grafton.Saw the Edgar Broughton Band there,that was a good night.A mates wedding do,and my 'going away' do, great nights as my mates mum worked behind the bar. :gnasher::wasted:

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Originally Posted by Splodge

What is the best place now, for a 'grab a granny'-experience?

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That's you Wayne isn't it? Don't tell Coleen now for God's sake. :PDT_Xtremez_42: :)

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Originally Posted by Splodge

What is the best place now, for a 'grab a granny'-experience?

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"Age Concern" Stanley st.:002:

The Grafton in the 50's with Guest Bands like Ronnie Scott, Ted Heath, Jack Parnell.
When the neon sign over the Band read 'Jive' - wow! That place rocked!(and rolled).
btw the resident band of Mrs Wilf Hamer (with Chips Chippendale) could hold their own with most visiting bands.