I received these pictures from Bob Ferry who now lives in Norton but grew up in Wheatley Hill. Bob's father was William Edward (Billy) Ferry a Colliery Blacksmith at Wheatley Hill and Shotton. Bob attended Wheatley Hill Boys Secondary Modern from 1954 until 1958 and to use his own words 'had the privilege to be taught by "Jack" Etherington'.

Tony and the Meazzis group in 1962  with from left to right :- Freddie Lowther (a Shotton lad who worked at the time in the T.V. repair dept. of the Co-Op in Wheatley Hill), Bob Ferry, George Jones/Hind (who's stepfather was groundsman for several years at the 'Rec', Alf "Tony" Hext the singer (another Shotton lad) and Terry Southward of Peterlee.

The group played at The Nimmo on beatgroup nights as well as at the Welfare Hall Friday night hop. Other local groups of that era included The Hartbeats, The Phantoms, The Whirlwinds and the Zephyrs.

This picture is of the group at the Rink at Hartlepool in 1963 and includes Johnny Kidd of the Pirates. (Johnny was killed in a car accident a few weeks after this picture was taken)

Program from 1964 at The Promenade, West Hartlepool.