please empty your brain below

I remember Eel Pie island from the days before the bridge was built. You went over via a chain ferry, a small flat punt with a handle which you turned to pull you across the river via the chain.

As the island in those days had an hotel with a bar I think a few people who had had too much to drink used to end up in the river. Apart from the hotel, on the Ham side of the island were some nice gardens with a tea house, also you could by"Neilsons Eldorado ice cream.

The hotel changed hands and was bought by a chap named Snapper, he started live music in his hotel and that led to the Rolling Stones, Screaming Lord Sutch and many other artists appearing there. I used to go every Wednesday and watch the Stones, the dance hall was very run down and health and safety today would have condemned the place.

The new owner had the bridge built as the ferry could not cope with the large numbers of people now being attracted.

The residents on the island did not like the noise, drug and drink use taking place on "their" island.

The hotel burnt down. The residence made it a "private" island. So it all ended.

I still have my Eel Pie Island membership card from c1963 for the hotel music nights.

John

Ahhh, the ‘Golden days’ of the 60’s- Eel Pie Island, Ken Colyers, cheap cider, trad jazz,romance!.

Sounds liek a nice event, een if it is just a good excuse t nose around the island

Sounds fun. If only it wasn't such a bloody long way from E9.

Great blog post Diamond Geezer.

Another Island we'll have to visit on our UK Tour.

As far as I'm aware access via the boatyard is always there for you, you just have to have the courage to open the intimidating door that blocks your way to get through.

It feels pretty creepy and forbidden on the other side, either way.

Great ramble through this eclectic community. Wasn't the hotel put up by a Fred Karno and called Karno's Casino? If so, I believe there it is linked Charlie Chaplin's early career. I was born nearby and lived in adjacent for many years.

The island with the Karsino was Taggs Island, further upstream near Hampton Court.
John

Fascinating! I was expecting it to be full of huge posh mansions of the rich and/or famous!

I was living in Twickenham when the old studios on Eel Pie burned down - I think they had to get 30 fire engines from London and Surrey to come and deal with it. There was just a burned out shell at the eastern tip of the island for several years after that...

I'm just too young to have been over to Eel Pie Island in its last incarnation as a druggie, down-beat music venue for what was unfortunately named (as it turned out) 'progressive rock'.

But I remember there was a turnstile on the island side, guarded by a very large old lady who took 1d off every visitor. No idea if she was official or just making do.

I can also shamefully remember my gang of youths (read: bunch of little hooligans) setting off tiny mini-rockets from the top of the bridge aimed at her hut. Never saw what happpened because she had a surprisingly-good turn of speed for a large, elderly woman, who wanted 'a quiet word' with us.












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