ACE PROMOTIONS

Cornwall, born Bernel Penhaul (1934-), said, “I have never played an instrument or been in a band, but I was always very active and started promoting dances to keep myself out of mischief.” Instead of waiting for his National Service papers, Penhaul signed up for the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) in Sept 1955 and did a 3-year stint before coming out in 1958 as a corporal. His music promotions ran alongside his day job, and he was in both the motor and furniture trades at one time or another. “I started by putting on a few shows in Docking at the Village Hall (aka The Ripper Memorial Hall) under the name Shake-O-Rama. I then took over from John Bennet – see John Bennett, in 1965, when he packed up at The Heacham Village Hall. A pal of mine was one of John’s bouncers, and he got me an introduction. I also did some gigs at Studio 4 in Norwich, not far from where I did my apprenticeship. My King’s Lynn Corn Exchange dances were a bit of a disaster! I also put on gigs in Swaffham and a few at the Hunstanton Country Club.” Penhaul talks about his early days in Norwich while an apprentice at Mann Egerton’s garage on Prince of Wales Road. “When I was in Norwich, I stayed at the same lodgings as the band leader at The Samson & Hercules. I don’t recall his name, but he had a lovely 37 Avis. I would go out and watch bands playing in Chapelfield park on Monday nights and pop into The Jolly Butchers and see Black Anna. I also used to moonlight with a few mates, and we would service Joe Peruzzi’s Ice Cream vans. Some nights we would just hang around at Eves Café in Tombland.” Burnel said his promoting highlight was the outside event he put on in Heacham at the sports ground on 29 August 1966. “The Small faces topped the bill, and a week later they hit the Top Ten with All Or Nothing; Geno Washington and The Herd also played, and The Versions, a band from Norwich, that I was managing." Penhaul goes on to explain, "Organising the dance hall and the bands were just part of it. We used to organise and run free buses around the region for the dances as many of the youngsters did not have transport. When The Versions got into the final of the Melody Maker contest, we organised three coaches to get the fans to The Palladium in London.” Penhaul gave up promoting in 1968; he said, “I packed up promoting because of a few louts who could not hold their beer and would ruin the dances, just a few, mind you, but it made it all very unpleasant and not worth it.” The most interesting story we read was that Penhaul was the first person to be fined with the introduction of the mobile Radar Speed Trap, and not because he had broken the speed limit! When he realised the policeman with the trap was situated just down the road from his garage. He hastily put up a sign outside to warn the passing motorists. He was then prosecuted for obstructing a police constable in the execution of his duty and fined £2. “I remember that day in court. They went easy on me as it was the first case of its kind. Later that day, I was there again when they sentenced a guy who was being prosecuted for starting a big scrap at one of my dances at Heacham Hall. I think they gave him six months, but he only did a month."

Bernal notes the success of the Penhaul gene: Burnel Penhaul (Son) (1964–2002), was a successful club entertainer and performance artist known as Transformer on the LGBTQ circuit. Karl Penhaul (??) is a top war correspondent – reporters without Borders. Elaine Penhaul (daughter) runs a top interior design company, Lemon & Lime Interiors. Sam Penhaul (??) sails with the INEOS Britannia team and has competed in the Sydney Harbour race. Laura Penhaul (??) is a double world record holder, having led the first all-female crew to row the Pacific Ocean from America to Australia in 2015.

Main Venues

Shake-O-Rama, Docking Village Hall 64-65

Heacham Public Hall 65-66