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mrepstein · 1 month

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The Flat That Epstein Bought - Liverpool Echo - July 11, 1964

HOME - with the man behind the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black, Billy J. Kramer, etc, etc.

Reported by Barbara Anne Taylor

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I don’t want to brag or cause any jealousy, but I used to queue for the Saturday matinee at a cinema that was next to a furniture shop that was called Epstein and Son and that Epstein’s other son manages the Beatles.

And that is as exciting as dancing with a man who danced with a girl who danced with the Prince of Wales.

The other son is Brian, who has in his time pursued many careers until he found his present crock of gold. He did originally embark, with no lack of enthusiasm, on a career in his family’s furniture business.

CRAFTY CHERUB

“I was 21 at the time,” said Mr. Epstein, who looks like a sharp-clothed, crafty cherub, “and extremely interested in design and interior decorating - still am. I served,” he added stoically, “my apprenticeship with the Times Furnishing Company in Liverpool.

“I was fanatically keen on what I regarded as contemporary at the time. I felt quite a missionary zeal about it, so I wasn’t fired with enthusiasm about the furniture in my father’s shop. It all looked to me like greasy great walnut bedroom suites.

“I was full of notions about the customers really wanting the sort of furniture I wanted them to have. I overlooked the fact that my father is a successful business man because he knows what his customers want. However, I persuaded him to stock some of the furniture of my choice.”

When I asked Mr. Epstein if his chosen furniture sold, he received the question a trifle incredulously: “I saw to it,” he said stonily, “that it did” - and having subsequently witnessed something of his adroitness as a salesman, who can fail to believe him?

Mr. Epstein is clever at picking people; he picked his parents very wisely, for his indulgent father then set him up in his own furniture shop in Hoylake.

He was able to revel in the furniture of his choice and provide an interior decorating service to boot. “It was the interior decorating side I enjoyed most, I had lots of ideas and I love experimenting with colour.”

When I asked Mr. Epstein if he was able to submit his clients to his ideas he replied: “The customer is always right.”

Mr. Epstein inhabits the top floor and the roof, where he has potted plants and wrought iron furniture, and swinging chintz hammocks and a splendid view.

He has two bedrooms and a study and one large, long combined living and dining room, which is decorated in white, grapish green and amber and is inspiringly tidy.

“I can’t bear clutter, I’m obsessive about plainness and simplicity, in fact, this room looks cluttered to me,” he said, eyeing with some distaste this positive precedent for orderliness.

The Buyer of Antiques

“I like buying antiques, although I have no knowledge of them. I don’t care about their period or their history. I just care about their shape. I couldn’t live with only modern furniture now, you grow out of such utter devotion. It’s rather sad really.”

“I find it completely absorbing searching for exactly what I want but there’s really not much choice, is there? I mean, there appears to be a lot but when you get down to it there is really very little.

“And isn’t it sad when finally you’ve found exactly what you want, then you discover that it’s exactly what hundreds of other people want too. It sort of spoils the specialness of it.

“I found it an exciting experience furnishing my first home, it takes a lot of time and thought, because you are imprinting something of yourself there. I think there is something of me in this flat, though it’s not exactly right. I long to have a separate dining room... well, what I really long for is a house.

Knows What He Wants

“I know exactly what I want. I can’t describe it to you, I could perhaps draw it. It is certainly nothing like the castles and follies I keep being offered. It’s a house I’ve had in my head for ages, I’ll know it the moment I see it.

“Till then I’m happy here. I look forward to coming home, that’s the big test, and my friends seem to like it and that’s also important because I love entertaining.

“Yes the Beatles approve - at least they approve of most of the furniture: they were a bit scornful about the antiques. Paul is very fond of the rocking chair, but what they all approved of most was the way I had their photographs framed. Cilla thinks it is all fab.”

#Brian Epstein #1964 #60s #newspaper #Whaddon House

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glendajackson · 10 months

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RIP Glenda Jackson (1936-2023)

Glenda's love affair with acting began in her teens. Near Hoylake, in the North Country she comes from, there were three neighborhood cinemas, each showing two films a week. She hardly missed a one, and very quickly in her growing up, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford became her ideals.

They still are, and she longs to meet them. "They had incredible style and ability," she says. "They knew their medium and what they could do with it. They had a superb sort of arrogance. When they walked, they ground the poor beneath their heels." (When she was told of Glenda's devotion recently, Joan Crawford asked, "Who's Glenda Jackson?") Glenda remembers every film Joan Crawford made; and that she wore a different gown in every scene, no matter how humble the character she was playing. And, when her husband died, "the marvelous, tight-fitting black dress and widow's weeds she wore to the first board meeting of his company after the funeral."

For years, hunger was a commonplace in the lives of Roy and Glenda. They had five shillings (about 70 cents) between them when they were married 12 years ago. Their first flat was so inhospitable that they spent their nights in a "super four-poster," center stage in the London repertory theater where they were both working, and the bed was one of the props. An understanding carpenter would bring morning coffee when he awakened them. "It was the largest bedroom I ever slept in," says Roy.

It was the beginning of two years in which the only steady work either of them could get was waiting on tables, working in factories and pubs, selling in shops, where Glenda would steal little things like food or packages of razor blades that she could hide under her skirt. They don't apologize for this now. "It kept us alive," Roy says. "The terrible part about hunger" says Glenda, "is that you can never see when it will end."

Despite this hiatus in her career, Glenda has somehow managed to appear in about 200 productions, which could go far toward explaining why she is so skillful and adaptable as an actress. Often, when she was in repertory, she did a new play every week, seven shows plus morning and late-night rehearsals for next week. She would double as assistant stage manager, which meant sweeping out the theater at night, scrounging props and stage furniture, painting scenery.

Glenda was, she says, the first actress in London to go on stage completely nude. It was a play in which, incredibly, she was both Christine Keeler on her way to jail, and Jacqueline Kennedy at the funeral of her husband. Christine's bathtub, overturned, became the President's coffin. The whole skit lasted only four minutes.

Since then she has been willing to act in the nude, "as long as the purpose is not spurious or sensational." Clothes, she feels, like stage sets, often only hamper and distract from the action. "You can't equate nudity and sex," she says. "Actually, the greatest intimacy between two people doesn't depend at all on whether they can lie together naked."

What does she regard, then, as a convincing way to evoke intimacy? "Maybe a couple cutting their toenails. No one ever does that in public." In any event, she is delighted that "the whole enormous hang-up about sex is well and truly smashed, and a much saner attitude is around."

#glenda jackson #</3 #interview is from 1970

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bluesman56 · 2 years

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Native Orchids by Tony

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runawayballista · 7 months

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i need cassette beasts to have enough of a fandomt hat people start making truly weird shit for it. come on. look at the source material. transforming into monsters. the weird experience of fusing with your friends. theres aslo some truly rancid ship potential out there. im not even particularly invested in hoylake/kirby but the potential for comedy porn is serious and should be investigated

#glitch world isekai

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aristobun · 3 months

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" I know we haven't seen each other in over a decade, but you can tell me anything, you know that right? I'm still the same friend from years ago, " Darcy says.

Helene gives him a little smile in appreciation before dropping her gaze for just a moment, so she can prepare herself to tell him exactly what has been going on. It's been almost four years now since she ended things with Joel, but the memory of their time together was pretty fresh in her mind on the daily.

" It's not just a five minute conversation, Darcy, this is gonna take all afternoon, " she chuckles, though the pain is hiding behind her eyes.

As soon as he catches sight of a glimpse of sorrow within her expression, he moves over to the counter and flips the kettle on to boil it and make them both a nice, warm drink. He usually goes with tea because most people don't mind it and in fact end up preferring it if they aren't in the best of spirits, so that is what he places into the mugs.

" Do you take sugar? " he asks, laughing the moment she scowls at the thought of it. " I'm guessing that's a no then. I have mine with two sugars still, just like when we were kids. "

" I haven't had sugar in my tea since I was about 14. I don't know what happened, but one day I just tried it without sugar and now I can't stand the taste of it if it's in there, " she thinks back on that time for a minute as the memories flood on in.

" Yea.. no, don't think I could do that. If there's nothing sweet in there, I don't want it, " he says, pouring the water into the mugs so the tea can brew for a little while.

Helene lets out a soft little puff of air as she sits herself at the kitchen table, glancing outside and feeling the rays of sunshine burst through the windows. The flowers in his garden seem to be gently swaying in a light breeze and suddenly, she smiles. The fact that he has such a well groomed and protected flower garden makes her happy.

" How long have you been keeping this garden so perfect? " she asks, accepting the mug of tea and offered digestive biscuit with a warm smile.

" Only since I got back here, but I've never missed a day of tending to them. I'd imagine my Gran would kill me if I allowed a day to go by, " he laughs, sipping his tea.

Darcy had been living in Chester for the last 12 years, but thoughts of home had brought him back just under two years ago and he was now living in his Grandmothers bungalow about a 20 minute drive from where they had all grown up as kids. They just happened to pass by one another while they were both out shopping in Hoylake today.

" I remember your Gran so well.. she used to send me back home at the end of the day with a little bottle of apple juice and a freshly baked scone, " she says, smiling.

Helene reached her hand across the table and grasped his own, squeezing it gently to let him know that she understands such a loss, because her own Grandmother had passed a few years prior as well. The memory of their childhood came racing back in that moment and she sighed, but it was a much happier sounding sigh than the one before.

" I haven't forgotten, you know.. don't think you can get away with telling me all the details by starting a different topic of conversation, " Darcy grins, sipping his tea.

" Fine, but I promise you.. you're not gonna be happy about it, " she says, eyes lifting to meet his own after he takes a bite of the digestive biscuit after dunking it in the tea.

" I'm willing to take that risk, Starling, " his grin is still plastered on his face, because he thinks this is just going to be some mild situation, not at all prepared for the worst.

Darcy bristled almost immediately upon hearing the name Joel, paired with the word abuse, which Helene did notice but elected to ignore as she further explained everything that had happened over the course of their three year relationship.

It seemed that the male sitting across from her was gripping his mug a little too tightly between both hands, which she did offer some relief from in the form of a sad, understanding smile.

Her friend was absolutely shaken by the news she had filled him in on, especially now that he knew this about the person he used to be friends with.. and was again, for the past year and a half, buddies with again.

The thought alone of Joel having handled Helene in such a way made his blood boil and he would be lying if he said he didn't feel like putting the guys head through a wall for the damage he had caused.

" Guess I'll be paying old pal Joel a visit this afternoon, ay? " he says, downing the rest of his cuppa and finishing up the other half of the biscuit before making a grab for his coat.

" Darcy, please don't do that. I kept it from family and friends for so long because I knew that everyone would have the same reaction, " she begged him, setting her tea aside and tugging on the back of his coat as he made his way out into the hallway. " Darcy, please. "

It makes him pause for a brief moment, weighing the options in front of him, but he still has it in his mind to at the very least, knock the son of a bitch onto his ass.

The anger that was currently racing through his veins made it very difficult to even conceive of any other option at this point and he turns to look at her, shooting a sad smile her way but letting her know at the same time that he cannot just sit idly by and do nothing.

And then off he went, right out the door. This wasn't even Helene's house, but she made sure to stay put until he returned from his rampage, because no doubt, he was going to need someone there when he got back from dealing with whatever Joel could offer.

#save #helene marie starling #darcy howard palmer #my writing #my drabbles #helene's childhood friend

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tim-dennis · 1 year

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Rays of sunlight over Red Rocks, Hoylake

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bikepackinguk · 8 months

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Day Seventy-one

It's a bright sunny day! Almost too bright, the forecast has some high temperatures so it's time to get slathered in sun block.

After loading up on a good cooked breakfast at the B&B in Preston, it's time to get across the River Ribble and get on ournof the urban labyrinth. A few wrong turns and busy roads but eventually I'm riding out of town following the cycle path as it tracks the A59 southwest.

There's barely a cloud in the sky and the temperature is rising, but the ride along the A road is helped by having some long sections of bike paths alongside periodically, and the flat terrain means it's time to crank the miles out.

The road being lined with hedges and trees does mean a lack of much scenery besides vehicles, but it's a price to be paid to make some good pacing.

It's some solid mileage being put in as the road crosses the River Douglas and I finally turn off the road at Banks, where we finally hit the Ribble Estuary and get a great view back across the water to yesterday's ride, with Blackpool Tower still visible on the horizon.

Further around the corner I get in to Southport, with a beach heaving with holidaymakers enjoying the sea and sun.

Carrying along the coastline, the road runs alongside some big sandy dunes before hitting Ainsdale, where it yhen swings back inland to hit the A565.

Fortunately this busy dual carriageway is well provisioned with fully segregated cycle paths, so I'm able to hrind out some good miles at good pace as the road leads on nice and level.

I take a pit stop for lunch by Formby in order to get some shade and relief from the scorching sun overhead. The rising air temperature is making it a sweaty day, but I'm well provisioned for water.

I head off the main road to swing back to the coastline proper at Hightown, with some nice rides around the dunes here before dropping on to the beachside promenade at Crosby. There are some great views across the water over to Wallasey and the Welsh coastline.

I carry on a ways along Crosby beach before the windswept sand is piled high enough on the path that riding through it becomes impossible, and strike back inland a little.

Liverpool seems very well supplied with cycle routes, but with so many criss-crossing each other it swiftly becomes a pain to work out which one leads where, and I end up just following the A road once more. This still has cycle pathing all along, making for more great progress.

Past tye docklands at Bootle, I have a few weong turns before arriving into the historic city centre of Liverpool, which is bustling in the heat.

I grab a ticket for the ferry across the River Mersey, and join the long queue for the 4pm crossing, which puts us in at Seacombe.

Onwards! There's a simply lovely stretch of non-traffic riding back downriver to New Brighton, which then continues along the promenades past Wallasey.

The hills along the coast of Wales are growing clearer and taller as they draw near, and whilst the temperature is still high the clouds are starting to grow in the sky, giving a welcome break from the sun's rays.

It's finally goodbye to the promenade riding at Hoylake, where the route jumps on to a long, long old rail route that runs all the way back along yhe River Dee Estuary. It's some bumpy going at times with a few gravelly sections, but is still fairly level meaning more miles being eaten up.

At Neston there are a few climbs thrown in, but with a day of level riding the legs are still in good states and these are ascended without any drama.

Past the Ness Botanical Gardens, there's a lovely long zoom downhill with a beautiful view of the Ruver Dee and the hills behind it as the route sails down for a ride through an RSPB nature reserve.

Halfway through the Burton Mere Wetlands, I encounter a very nice looking sign. I've crossed the border into Wales!

Pretty pleased with that! Some solid progress to get this far today, but with the evening setting in I think I've earned a good lie down.

A little scouting around has a nice secluded spot near Deeside Industrial Park, where I'm having a good lie down. The temperature is forecast to still be hitting 20 degrees even by midnight, so I may not even need the sleeping bag tonight! Here's to tomorrow!

TTFN!

#bikepacking #bicycle touring #wild camping

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