The Doormen : the dance hall peacekeepers!

Bradford dance halls had for many years through to the ‘Rock n’ Roll’ era an assortment of males, some in a full-time capacity, others part-time to act as peacekeepers when patrons ‘got out of hand’ at their venues. The word ‘Bouncer’ was first used in an English newspaper in 1883, the word meaning ‘chucker out’. However in the dance halls of the 1950s-60s the name doormen was still used. It was still a time when most males wore suits, and most doormen were dressed to a high standard, resplendent in double-breasted dinner suits with white shirts and bow ties.

A certain ability to defend oneself was required, as sometimes doormen as well as troublemakers could be injured when being ejected. However, in most cases, a few diplomatic choice words from the doorman would be enough to generally avoid a fracas.

The Gaumont Ballroom had a variety of such men, two of whom were very popular with the young teenagers, namely Aubrey and Ken. Both were stalwarts who could be relied on in any situation, always looking very smart and alert in their dinner suits. Both were ex-KOYLI World War Two veterans and one of them, if not both had received the Military Medal for gallantry. Aubrey was small and stocky, but for his stature strong and dependable who could handle himself diplomatically or physically. 

Ken was a little taller and again stocky with an old-fashioned quiff and a slightly broken nose as a result of once being the boxing champion of his regiment. You would want both these gentlemen on your side, whatever the situation. A quick call over the microphone "Doormen to the floor" would bring these two peacekeepers to the trouble scene, problem solved!

The Majestic Ballroom for the rock 'n’ roll nights also had its peacekeepers who again were very popular with the teenagers. 

There was Sandy the Scot who was everyone’s friend and would be looking at his watch at 10 30 asking the DJs to wind –up, shouting “Come on Dal, get a move on, I wanna gi’ home” as he like most people had a bus to catch. Tall and elegant Jim who was the spitting image of Sean Connery, and always seemed to have a bevy of young beauties around him. Laurie another good-looking peacekeeper, it did seem that the Majestic had more than its fair share of good-looking doormen. Again the slightest hint of unrest and the same message from the DJs went over the microphone (doormen to the floor) and within seconds they would converge on the trouble from all sides, confidently sorting out the problem before it got out of hand. Sometimes a top group would mean a large capacity crowd, then one of our Bradford City policemen resplendent in uniform could be hired to patrol the foyer.

Authors note: As both the Gaumont and Majestic dancehalls were my domain as the disc jockey for five years both these venues had a nonalcohol policy and served just soft drinks.  Over my time I would say that any serious trouble inside these dancehalls over this period was minimal. The following was about as serious as it got! 

At one time at the Gaumont when Dadio and I were on the DJ stand a big fracas developed, this as stated was not usual.  However, it is vivid in my memory because a knife was thrown at the DJ stand during the melee and actually stuck in the backdrop about two feet from Dadio’s head.  Surely we were not that bad! 

Again, at the Gaumont, I was physically threatened by a drunk.  During a break, I was at the soft drinks bar when this stocky Scots guy came up and threatened me, because, he said, I had not played his girlfriend's record request.  At this point, the two doormen Aubrey and Ken, in the form of the Cavalry arrived, picked up my aggressor, and threw him out.  I thought no more about this until 10.30 pm.  As we were closing Ray the manager told me that my ‘friend’ was hanging about outside, promising he would get me on the way out.  Ray said not to worry as he was getting a taxi and would see me home as we both lived in Wyke.  The minute the taxi pulled up outside I was rushed down the steps in 'presidential fashion' with my raincoat over my head surrounded by Ray, Aubrey, and Ken.  They literally threw me into the taxi which all resembled a scene from ‘The Untouchables’, the American TV series.  As we sped away I noticed my Scots friend cowering in a doorway. I therefore had visions of another confrontation, but later found out that he was in town on holiday for a few days.

They would be many doormen in and around Bradford at that time looking after dance halls and other venues and in most cases trouble was rare, like the Majestic and Gaumont ballrooms there was a no-alcohol policy for teenagers, just soft drinks, and after the dances, most of the teenagers just wished to get the last buses home, why, because nearly everyone to quote the old saying ‘had to be up for work in the morning', seems a pity that these doormen (peacekeepers) of yesteryear who were in some way part of that scene, are generally overlooked, and forgotten as without these gentlemen in dinner suits, many dance halls would not have functioned.

Perhaps in a small way I can say thank you.

NOTE: do you have photographs of any of our Bradford-based doormen? 

We'd love to publish them on the site.

RAY MOORE

In the short space of four years, 32-year-old West Bowling-born Mr. Raymond Moore has realised his ambition to rise from doorman to manager of the Gaumont Ballroom Bradford. But Mr. Moore, who lives in Milner Ing, Delph Hill, Wyke will see little of his wife and children, now he has won a promotion. Working a full six days a week, he does not have to put much time in, but he does being so keen to Improve and manage the Gaumont Ballroom.

He began with the Rank Organisation as a doorman in 1957 at the Gaumont Ballroom Bradford, opening the doors for people to come in and out. From then on it was his ambition to one day be the manager of the place. The next move was to the Majestic Ballroom in Bradford, as a doorman, but was soon promoted to the chief of staff. He later moved to the Leeds Majestic as a training manager, and after six months was back at the Bradford Majestic as under manager, under Mr Lawrence.

It was in August 1960 that Mr. Moore achieved his ambition to become the manager of the Gaumont Ballroom Bradford. He promised to bring some fresh ideas to patrons in the next few weeks by creating something different. So it was for the next two years that he made it a success, especially with the advent of rock n roll, bringing top pop stars augmented by many bookings for Bradford's own rock n roll groups. A large boost for our local teenagers who now had something of their own to be proud of.

All this after Ray Moore's vision of what was required and transferred to Bradford's rock n roll scene.