Don Hale Blog

THE LOSS OF HMS CONWAY During the early morning of 14 th  April 1953, HMS Conway, a large 19 th  century wooden battleship used for the training and education of cadets, all hoping to become officers in the Merchant and Royal Navy, was driven ashore and wrecked by some exceptionally strong tides, and eventually broke her back in the Menai Strait.  Archive report by Don Hale.   This in fact, was the second attempt to move such a large and difficult ship from her relatively safe berth at Bangor, and head back to Birkenhead for a refit. A similar attempt the day before had been aborted due to extreme difficulties, and the assessment that it was always going to be a ‘great risk.’  HMS Conway was considered to be the largest ever ship to attempt to pass through this notoriously demanding stretch of swirling waters known as the ‘Swellies, that separates Anglesey from the mainland, and included a challenging passage under two major bridges. The vessel had an enormous draft of 22 feet, combine

SOUNDS FROM THE 60s - A nostalgic look back at the top stars from Club & The Esquire Some great memories and loads of exclusive stories and photographs from a memorable era SEE ALSO THE EXCLUSIVE VIDEO AND HEAR JOE COCKER LIVE:  https://youtu.be/_bZk5TzTWAA This is a revised, updated and expanded book: SOUNDS FROM THE 60s - which takes you behind the scenes with the stars of rock n' roll, pop, blues and jazz at two of the top Northern UK clubs, Club 60 & The Esquire, owned by Terry Thornton.                                  Joe Cocker as Vance Arnold with his band members 'The Avengers' This is a fascinating and unique account of life behind the scenes during the 1960s in the great industrial city of Sheffield, when a musty old beer cellar helped stage a remarkable revival of popular music, and provided a unique live showcase and platform for a host of top British and international performers. Joe Cocker as Vance Arnold and the Avengers at the Esquire in Sheffield i

JUDGE RINDER INVESTIGATED RIPPER LINKS TO OTHER MURDERS...AND DON HALE'S REVEALING BOOK - MURDER IN THE GRAVEYARD... *This is the Amazon book link:   https://amzn.to/3qAUl9I   Report by Don Hale.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   About five years ago, TV reality show icon, Judge Robert Rinder investigated whether the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe may have viciously attacked and murdered three other additional female victims in high-profile crime cases that still-remain unsolved. ** SEE JUDGE RINDER’S CRIME SHOW NOW:   https :// youtu . be / OfWGPGFT5b0 **SEE THE AWARD WINNING BBC TV DOCUMENTARY - MURDER IN THE GRAVEYARD ON YOUTUBE :  https://youtu.be/Y3Fe-KGQRUw **SEE STEPHEN DOWNING'S OWN STORY - ANOTHER AWARD WINNING BBC DOCUMENTARY:  https://youtu.be/zE1QEtfhXiE **SEE BBC TV'S SOPHIE RAWORTH AND HER INTERVIEW WITH DON HALE:  https://youtu.be/2XDiD3K6Fig   The experienced criminal barrister who normally presides as the popular Judge in a mock courtroom overseeing a

Some of the NWRRC club members who took part in the Christmas Handicap race from Llandudno promenade to the Welcome sign last Sunday. Christmas Handicap success for North Wales runners Report by Don Hale. Photographs courtesy of Tom Roberts, Mark Jessett and John Hatton. North Wales Road Runners staged their annual Christmas Handicap race on Llandudno promenade last Sunday morning with 19 athletes competing in a unique social-distancing, time-trial type event, due to extensive Covid-19 restrictions now affecting all live sporting events. Partially sighted runner Daniel Owens with his guide Carla Green together with a magnificent rainbow in the background. It was the first time in many years that this event has been run along the promenade to the Welcome sign and back, after previously following a less-hillier climb from West Shore, and up to and around the old gun sites. The race was held in relatively mild conditions, and fortunately included a brief window within the showery weather,

The Manchester United squad of 1909: FA Cup winners:   Pictured (Back row): Mangnall, Bacon, Picken, Edmonds, Murray, Moger, J Davies, Homer, Lawton, Bell, and Deakin: (Middle row), Meredith, Duckworth, Roberts, Turnbull, West, and Stacey: (Front Row), Whalley, Hofton, Halse and Wall. The Lost Dog that saved Manchester United Strange but True Facts by Don Hale  I t’s quite strange by today’s modern standards when you consider that Manchester United Football Club and its multi-million pound financial and sporting empire, may not have come into existence, had it not been for the City Police, and a notorious lost dog!  The curious tale of the dog - excuse the pun – is still a legendary story in the region that dates back to 1902 just before the original Newton Heath LYR (Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway) football team changed their name to Manchester United.   Founded in 1878 from an enthusiastic bunch of young railway workers at the local Carriage and Wagon Works, the club had made tre

A young CockerCocker in 1963 Listen to Joe's Cocker's first-ever live recording on stage at the Esquire Club in Sheffield: Now available for FREE on Youtube. Joe Cocker live on stage - he was then performing as Vance Arnold & the Avengers GET READY TO HEAR SOMETHING SPECIAL...so turn off your TV, turn the lights down, put your feet up, and take a great half-hour out of the sheer bedlam of life to listen to the original, great, and nostalgic raw sounds of JOE COCKER, performing LIVE during his first-ever recording at the Esquire Club in Sheffield during 1963. This remarkable recording was paid for and organised by his one-time manager, and club owner Terry Thornton, in his attempt to help promote his unusual and exceptional talents. The recording of Joe Cocker's first live show includes seven great songs in a unique 27-minute show, plus a fantastic encore: Joe Cocker (centre) with his Avengers group Terry created