 |
In memory of Clive Leyland, who passed away on 22nd December 2007, Barrie Seddon who joined him on 26th April 2018 and Michael Austen who joined them both in August 2019.All were members of the final Auld Triangle who contributed so much to both the Band and the award winning Westhoughton folk club, we won the 'Best Folk Club of the year" award in first ever Radio Two folk Awards in February 2000.Clive was in the "Final Triangle" for eight years and was an incredible musician. After the Auld Triangle Clive continued performing with Bandersnatch, as a session musician and as a Solo artist. He released a solo cd "A Northern Man" in 2004 for which I had the pleasure of doing a shoot for the cover with him. His website can be found here: http://www.cliveleyland.com/Barrie joined Auld Triangle in 1994 having had a much varied career in the music industry. After the demise of Auld Triangle he was last seen playing in his band 'The Grandads', with Chris Jones and Roger Ennis, and had been spotted acting as a roadie for the Happy Mondays.As he was cremated to the sounds of the Rolling Stones I just thought - What a Guy!Barrie's story can be found on the Manchester Beat website: https://manchesterbeat.com/index.php/my-story/barrie-seddon |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
Michael was there from the beginning forming the band with Pat,
his sister. Pat described Michael as being:
|
 |
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards - Best Folk Club Award - February
2000
 |
|
In February 2000 Westhoughton were awarded the "Best Folk Club Award"
in the inaugural BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
|
We were even recognised by the BBC's "Northwest Tonight" show |
The Westhoughton Folk Club Retirement 'Do' Gallery
©All the photos are the copyright of Roger Liptrot ©
So after 35 years Westhoughton Folk Club has finally shut it's doors, my first visit was in 1987 as part of the Royton Folk Club team that won Mike Billingtons inaugral 'Radio Manchester' Folk Club quiz alongside Stanley Accrington and Helen Howard. We'd beaten the Westhoughton team of Pat Ryan, Ken and Donald in an earlier round (a point I've never made to Pat Batty for fear of a lifetime ban!) and it had been decided by GMR that Westhoughton was the best place to hold the final. Once there I was hooked, not only some of the finest artists from these islands appeared but also top acts from Canada and the States such as Tom Russell, Lucy Kaplansky, Tanglefoot, Dave Mallett and James Keelaghan. I've no doubt that more eloquent writers than me will be paying their own tributes elsewhere so I'll just show you some photos of an unforgetable night and thank Pat Batty and her 'support team' for my twenty years of enjoyment!
The late Angela Barker wrote a wonderful poem commemorating The Westhoughton Folk Club and 35 years of Auld Triangle - Follow this Link
As with everything that Pat Batty is involved in the night was a huge success with dancing to Rogues Gallery (enhanced by the additions of Bernard Wrigley, compere for the night, on bass, Phil Beer on fiddle and Barrie Seddon on percussion) and 'floor' spots by some of the artists that had come to join the evenings fun. These included Maddy Prior, Vin Garbutt, Julie Matthews, The (original) Oldham Tinkers, John Leonard and John Squire, Strawhead, The Tom Topping Band, Ken and Ruth and was rounded off by John Wright leading all those taking part in a wonderful rendition of Reconciliation ('To ra loo ra li') accompanied, in no small part, by the audience of Westhoughton 'regulars'.
Sadly this was to be the last occasion that I saw John Wright as we also lost him a short time after, I'm so grateful to have a diary, in the form of my photos, of the many occasions that I've seen John perform over the years. It's just so hard to believe that I won't be adding to it. Thankfully we've got his music and his dvd as a permanent reminder of a good friend.
©All
the photos are the copyright of Roger Liptrot ©
Click on thumbnail for enlarged view!
The Ceilidh
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Rogues Gallery (and friends)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Bernard Wrigley
 |
 |
 |
The Oldham Tinkers
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Julie Matthews
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Ken and Ruth
 |
 |
 |
 |
John Leonard and John Squire
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Maddy Prior
(images courtesy of Ian Austen)
 |
 |
 |
Phil Beer
 |
 |
 |
 |
Strawhead
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Tom Topping Band
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Vin Garbutt
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Others
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Finale
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Take me Back to the Galleries
|
