Where are You Now?
My Biography research section
OK. So I’m head down, writing away to put my life down into a book and, me being me, it will be very personal: things I did, the people I met and what we all got up to. And it would be really nice if any of you out there want to write in to play a part.
The more I look back at my life, the more I realise the tale there is to tell of my early life; well, well before the well-published part of my public life of the mid-60’s onwards.
I’ve turned up some really interesting photo’s and press cuttings of the 1950’s and early 60’s, when I was working all around Europe, the Gulf and Cyprus, entertaining British and American troops. Here is a selection of them .
I would love to hear from anyone connected with my life around that time. So, over to you.........
Please e-mail me on: jackie@jackietrent.com
Early 1970’s Stoke City FC with police escort.
Here I was just leaving the club, rosette on coat, surrounded by supporters.
A bit frightening at the time, yes, and the police look concerned for me, but the crowd were mostly youngsters and they all loved it. And so did I, although someone could easily have been crushed in the squeeze! Luckily: no casualties.
At one time the Stoke City team saw me as their lucky mascot, winning or drawing if I was at the match. For the League semi final against West Ham at Old Trafford I even flew in ‘specially and the team had a car waiting for me at the airport, then straight to the ground. We won; of course!
The League Cup Final 1972.
We threw a party at home, just outside London, for the whole team just before the match: a wild time, believe me. And AFTER Stoke WON, Tony and I joined in the team celebrations at the Russell Square Hotel. I sang myself hoarse! GORDON BANKS accidently trod on my dress, which almost ripped it off. And, of course, we wrote the Club Anthem – ‘We’ll Be With You’.
Have a listen on www.thesentinel.co.uk. Looking forward to reading DENIS SMITH’s autobiography – ‘Just One of Seven’.
Hey, you Stokies – I’m looking for memories and people for my autobiography. Leave me a message in my guestbook - promise I’ll reply!
Early 70’s - Staffordshire Police HQ, Stoke-on-Trent.
On a home visit to Stoke, the local Superintendent of Police invited me to have a look around the Operations Room. Note the Big, Big hair style!
I just wonder ‘Where Are (any of) You Now’, lads? Love to hear from you for the bio.
Hope I can contact a few of you thro’ NARPO.
1958 - (then) Adana Air Base, (now) Incirlik Air Base, Adana, Turkey.
THIS WAS A BIG ONE
The US Air Force opened the gates of Adana Air base in 1955 – Iraq, Armenia, Iran etc, being close by.....
In 1958 Alan and Brian Blackburn, my agents based in Germany, fixed a contract for me to entertain US troops abroad – Germany, then Turkey, where I worked at 3 air bases: Adana, Izmir and Trabzon by the Black Sea; plus 2 hotels in Ankara and Istanbul.
So here I am in Adana, where the 7216th Air Base Squadron were based. Note the satin dress and gloves and the look on my face – ‘What happened to the sound system? ‘In 1958 the club facilities were very basic – note the small wall speaker and the mike fixed permanently to its stand?
Everything was very basic in those days - difficult for a single, female performer, but many big moments in my life: shot at by bandits, travelling between air bases in an armed convoy; passing a public hanging of a local man – the body still kicking.
3 months with USAFE - any of you guys recognise yourselves in the photo?
Turkey 1959 - back to Incirlik US Airbase.
OK. So they liked me last year and offered me a return gig.
These were really good Musso’s, all doing their National Service for the US of A. My lovely pianist is Mike, with me in more relaxed mode.
When I look at this picture I see very 50’s: white high heels and full skirt with a ton of net petticoats. Seems they must have ordered a ‘job lot’ of those curtains, back of stage – same as the previous year?
1963 - ROME Italy RIA Television Special.
I recorded 2 songs in Italian and they obviously liked me because I was flown in as the ‘British’ contingent for an International Gala in Rome. I remember my main number – ‘Stardust’, for which the props department dressed me in a black gown and large white fox fur coat. Very sleek.
And SOPHIA LOREN’s make-up artist, who crafted FAB false eyelashes for me out of fine cardboard. I watched her do that.
This is a backstage shot with 7 of the gypsy violinists from the massive orchestra. The Italians love a photograph. Bella. Bella!
Any of you out there to chat?
Cyprus 1957 Working for CSE.
This is a shot of a great bunch of guys. Unfortunately, the photo is damaged. Well, it is a few years ago. You really got to know these fellers: full of life; respected each other and behaved like gentlemen.
From Left : Dan (sorry for the photo damage, Dan), David, Digger, Pete and Tony with Mick in the chair.
There is a sentiment on the back: ‘not very good, but the best the camera could manage.
All my love, David’ xxxxxxx
You guys still around? Write me?
Gulf of Aden 1957 - Lodar Working for CSE.
130 Fahrenheit in the Desert!
Here, I’m just stepping from a DC3 troop carrier, having just landed in the middle of the desert at a British Forces base holding 200 men; and little 17 yr-old ME.
My 4.00am flight from Aden was hairy – everyone sitting in net seats. It was like being in a tumble dryer.
THEN the Glory Boys (the Pilots) announced that (jokingly) the wheels were stuck and we would have to crash land. And all I could see was desert below us! Nice one, lads.
BBC TV Panorama filmed the landing for a programme on ‘Our Troops in The Gulf’ and took the shot.
Note my bandaged right arm. That was down to my smallpox jab in the UK which, just 2 days after this shot, had me laid out, unconscious, in the British Forces Military Hospital in Aden. The Foreign Office even sent someone round to my parents in Staffordshire ‘fearing the worst’.
I finally came round looking up into the eye’s of Dr ROBER BANNISTER, a tall, gangly young guy on National Service – well before becoming the first man to breaking the 4-minute mile record.
Thank you, SIR ROGER.
I know the Aden Veteran’s Association have an active site, with piccy’s. Anyone out there to write back to me?
Genoa, Italy 1958.
A nice, informal shot, part way thro’ an epic journey across Europe, supposedly to Beirut.
Long story for the Bio, BUT a Sheffield couple of so-called agents, over tea, had sold a group of us the chance to appear at the world-famed Kit Kat Club in Beirut: Jet Set, Aga Khan etc. But it did not turn out that way at all.
So here I am in Genoa, mid-route, with another silly box camera pic, waiting to pick up ship to Beirut. The US Navy was in port and this picture was one of many, me being blonde.
‘Please, Ma’am. Have a photo taken with us?’. ‘Oh God, she speaks English!’
I remember throwing my head back, saying ‘I am English’.
I loved all that; and the pencil skirt.
These were nice looking guys – I’ve met a few in my time.
(My husband gets a 10 out of 10)
Any of you guys still around in the US of A to write back? Be nice to swap notes for my autobiography.
Larnaca Pier, Cyprus.
I look at this small picture and can’t believe it was 50 years ago.
Memories of finishing work late at The Key Club, sleeping on the beach in tents, then swimming thro’ the day.
– WITH these navy divers. Who put me through my paces with diving tanks that were obsolete even then: oxygen drawn thro’ crystals. You cleared your two dive tubes with one mouthpiece. Only the brave. I still think modern diving is a doddle, by comparison.
I did learn the hard way, facing all manner of situations in the sea.
I once stood on a huge stingray with a wingspan of at least 15ft. Oh Mother!
My dive master pointed down to my fins and made it very clear, by sign language, that I should rise, very slowly. The beast could have killed me, as happened to Steve Irwin in Australia recently.
Yes I was lucky, but then the Royal Navy was there for me.
Any of you guys out there to have a chat for my biography?