Flutes in Camden Market, London 80/90's's

[Gromit]

Bit of a long shot this - In London's Camden Market in the 80's there was a guy selling secondhand instruments including flutes. Anyone remember him and his name?

[Mr.Gumby]

Both Steve Chambers and Paul Davis were selling instruments durinf the eighhies, not sure either of them had a market stall though. Stephen set up McNeill's in Dublin by the 90s.

[paddler]

Here is a bit more about Paul Davis from Terry McGee's site, in case this is who you are thinking of:

https://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Davies.htm

[Gromit]

Thanks but I don't think it was either Steve Chambers or Paul Davis both of whom I vaguely remember. This guy had a very small shop close to the lock not a market stall.

[john]

Nick Herbert?

[Gromit]

Thanks but not Nick Herbert

[Terry McGee]

The only other name that sprang to my mind was Tony Bingham, but by that time he was safely ensconced in Poland St, "At the Sign of the Serpent". I bought a flute from him at that location in 1974. Before then, I had had a promising career in research electronics ahead of me. By the middle of the next year, I was making flutes....

It would be unfair to single out Tony Bingham for my downfall of course. I can add Paul Davies, The Favourite, The Sugawn Kitchen, Philip Bates, Carl Dolmetch, Anthony Baines, Seamus Ennis, Mary Bergin, Slatteries, CCE, Mick Allen, the Sliebhe Luchra in Listowel, Michael O'Sullivan, Miko Russel, Breandan Breathnach, the Glackins, etc, etc.

It's great at this time of life to be able to sheet home the blame widely. I'd hate to have to admit I had any part in it.....

[Gromit]

The Sugawn Kitchen, that's a name from the past, Duke of Wellington on Balls Pond road.

[Terry McGee]

Indeed. From the Irish word Súgán meaning straw I believe. The straw was twisted by hand into a rope, and the rope interwoven into the chair's wooden frame to form a seat. The pub featured such homely furniture. We had some good nights there, where you'd find a different set of musicians than frequented the other pubs.

So, we'd come over from Australia expecting to learn more about Irish music, only to be confronted by the reality that there isn't just one type of Irish music. Hmmm, we're going to have to stay longer than we'd thought. Telegram to mum: "Please send money"....

Now, don't I remember a story from Seamus Ennis about a woman worried about having a stranger in her kitchen tricking him into helping her spin some straw into a rope by backing through the door tensioning the rope until she could slam the door on him?