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The Don Rathbone Tour Diary

THE DON RATHBONE TOUR DIARY

During his brief tenure as a co-founding member of The Hollies, drummer Don Rathbone kept a diary for 1963 that, remarkably, still survives to this day. During research for RIDING THE CAROUSEL I was fortunate enough to see this precious piece of musical history, and noted the following dates listed within the pages. You can now see for yourself how busy the group was during that initial year, after they had first stepped out onto the stage at Manchester’s Oasis Club as ‘The Hollies’ !

Some of the venues shown are clearly identifiable, whilst other entries simply just list the town or city that the band were scheduled to play in that day. Where possible, additional detail has also been filled in. However, whatever the writing may reveal, it remains a fascinating journey back in time. 

Go on… take just one look

Donald Rathbone, 42 Alderley Rd. Tel: Wilmslow 4369 

1962

September 30 The Oasis, Manchester

December 5 The Oasis, Manchester

December 9 The Oasis, Manchester

December 23 The Oasis, Manchester

December 31 – Mike Cohen, Whitefield

1963

January 3 Mirrlees, Stockport 

January 4 St Albans

January 5 Hyde Astoria 

January 6 Lowlands

January 7 Klub Koquette, Stockport

January 9 Adswood Youth Club 

January 10 Mecca, Burnley

January 11 Leek Youth Club 

January 12 Kings Hall CH 

January 13 Preston

January 14 Savoy, Oldham 

January 17 Kidsgrove 

January 18 Klub Koquette, Stockport 

January 19 Delph Youth Club, Oldham  

January 20 Greenways, Stoke

January 21 Kings Hall CH

January 25 Savoy

January 26 Kings Hall, Stoke 

January 27 Cresta NH

February 1 Savoy

February 2 Queens Hall, Burslem

February 3 Cavern Club, Liverpool

February 5 Leigh Co-op 

February 7 Mirrlees, Stockport

February 8 Savoy

February 9 Leek

February 10 Flintstones Cave 

February 12 Leigh Co-op 

February 13 Adswood Youth Club 

February 14 Savoy 

February 15 St Albans 

February 16 The Oasis, Manchester

February 22 The Twisted Wheel. Manchester

February 23 Congleton Mall 

February 24 Birch’s Park 

February 26 Leigh Co-op

February 27 Kingsgate

March 1 The Bodega, Manchester

March 2 Maycroft School, Brannington 

March 3 Klub Koquette, Stockport

March 4 – London 

March 5 – London 

March 6 – London (photos/record/Harrow) 

March 7 – London 

March 8 Hill stores 

March 9 Leigh

March 10 The Three Coins, Manchester

March 11 Quaint Walls, Chester 

March 14 Savoy 

March 15 Flixton 

March 16 Cowley 

March 17 Royal Crew 

March 19 Leigh

March 20 Adswood 

March 21 Middleton Co-op

March 22 Regal Ballroom, Alderley Edge

March 23 The Twisted Wheel, Manchester 

March 24 The Majestic, Birkenhead

March 25 Monaco Club, Farnworth

March 26 Leigh

March 27 The Cavern Club, Liverpool

March 29 The Fire Station Dance Hall, Rochdale 

March 30 Leigh Co-op

March 31 Lowlands  

April 3 West End, Birmingham 

April 4 Mirrlees, Stockport 

April 6 Kings Hall, Stoke 

April 7 Alma Lodge 

April 8 Kings Hall, Ch 

April 10 Adswood 

April 11 Locarno, Burnley 

April 12 The Bodega, Manchester 

April 13 Golborne 

April 14 Royal Hotel, Crewe 

April 15 Kings Hall, Stoke 

April 17 Nelson 

April 18 Mirrlees, Stockport

April 19 Flixton 

April 20 Delph 

April 21 Preston 

April 22 Jungfrau Club, Manchester

April 23 Middlesbrough 

April 24 The Cavern Club, Liverpool 

April 25 Romiley 

April 26 The Oasis, Manchester (lunchtime and evening shows)

April 27 Brinnington, Stockport

April 28 Rex 

April 29 The Plaza 

April 30 Stamford Hall, Altrincham

May 2 Middleton 

May 3 The Twisted Wheel, Manchester 

May 4 Town Hall, Sale 

May 5 The Three Coins, Manchester 

May 6 The Majestic, Darlington 

May 8 The Majestic, Newcastle 

May 10 Jungfrau Club, Manchester 

May 11 Kingfisher 

May 12 George Hotel, Burslem, Stoke 

May 13 Plaza, Manchester

May 14 – London (film)

May 15 – London (EMI)

May 17 Imperial 

May 18 – London (BBC Radio show ‘Saturday Club’) / Kings Hall, Sale 

May 19 – Pick of the Pops / The Cavern Club, Liverpool (evening)

May 20 – The Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime) / London (EMI)

May 22 Jungfrau Club, Manchester 

My 23 >illegible< 

May 24 The Twisted Wheel, Manchester

May 25 Golborne 

May 26 Lowlands 

May 27 The Oasis, Manchester (Derek Quinn’s 21st)

May 28 >crossed out< The Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime and evening shows) Talent Spot

May 31 The Kingfisher, Stockport

June 1 Town Hall, Leek 

June 2 George Hotel, Burslem, Stoke

June 3 Plaza, Manchester

June 4 Stanford Hall

June 7 Winter Gardens 

June 8 Golborne 

June 9 Alma Lodge 

June 11 High Wycombe

June 12 The Cavern Club, Liverpool

June 14 The Twisted Wheel, Manchester 

June 15 – party 

June 16 Hinkley, Leicestershire

June 17 The Oasis, Manchester

June 18 Hen & Chicken, Birmingham 

June 19 Top Rank, Preston 

June 20 – BBC radio (‘It’s Mark Time’ radio show) 

June 21 – Elstree Studios (filming)

June 22 Mirrlees, Stockport 

June 23 Kingfisher Club

June 24 – Elstree Studios (filming)

June 25 Jungfrau Club, Manchester

June 26 The Cavern Club, Liverpool

June 27 Locarno, Burnley

June 28 Assembly Rooms, Tamworth

June 29 Royal Star, Maidstone

June 30 The Cavern Club, Liverpool

July 1 The Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime) / The Twisted Wheel, Manchester (evening) 

July 2 – London (EMI) 

July 3 – London (EMI) 

July 4 -London / Mirrlees, Stockport (evening)

July 5 – Paris Theatre, Regent Street, London (BBC Radio show ‘Go Man Go’) 

July 6 Astoria, Rawtenstall

July 7 Palais-De-Dance, Ashton 

July 8 – 155 Talgarth Rd, London W14 (BBC Radio show ‘Saturday Club’)

July 9 Stanford Hall 

July 11 Plaza, Manchester

July 12 The Cavern Club, Liverpool

July 13 Outlook Club, Middlesbrough

July 14 The Three Coins, Manchester 

July 15 – recording 

July 16 – travelling 

July 17 – travelling 

July 18 Scotland (Grampian TV – rehearsal 10:30) 

July 19 – travelling / Leyton Baths (evening)

July 20 Gayways Club, Northampton (listed as The Gateway)

July 21 Blackpool

July 22 Kingfisher 

July 23 The Cavern Club, Liverpool

July 24 London (BBC Radio show ‘Easy Beat’) 

July 25 The Majestic, Luton 

July 26 St Bernadette’s Youth Club, Withington

July 27 TBC – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff or The Carlton, Rochdale

July 29 The Pavilion, Bath 

July 30 Town Hall, Wallington, London

July 31 Town Hall, Stourbridge 

August 2 – London (BBC Radio show ‘Pop Goes The Beatles’) 

August 3 TBC – Peterborough or The Corn Exchange, Stamford

August 4 Winter Gardens, Bournemouth

August 5 Plaza, Manchester

August 6 The Cavern Club, Liverpool

August 8 Ellesmere Port

August 9 Gravesend Co-op

August 10 Market Hall, Redhill

August 11 Winter Gardens, Bournemouth – with Jet Harris & Tony Meehan, The Springfields, Mark Wynter, Jan & Kelly & the Eric Delaney Band

August 13 Altringham 

August 15 Burnley 

August 16 Droylsden Co-op / Plaza  

August 17 Scala, Dartford 

August 18 ‘The Beat Boat’ (London to Margate and back)

August 19 – London (EMI)

August 22 The Locarno, Liverpool 

August 23 Birmingham Plaza 

August 24 Hastings Pier, Hastings

August 25 Kingfisher Club

August 26 Kings Hall CH 

August 28 The Cavern Club, Liverpool 

August 29 Ellesmere Port 

August 30 Savoy, Southsea

August 31 Stamford 

September 1 – Aston, Birmingham (ATV TV series ‘Thank Your Lucky Stars’) 

September 2 – Ward and Goldstone, Salford  

September 5 Nuneaton 

September 6 Watford

September 7 Abergavenny 

September 8 Cheadle Hulme Stockport  

September 10 – London (BBC Radio show ‘Saturday Club’) 

September 11 Town Hall, Hyde 

September 12 Salisbury

September 13 – Paris Theatre, Regent Street, London (BBC Radio show ‘Go Man Go’)

September 14 Castle Club, Coningsby, Lincoln 

September 15 Queens Hotel, Blackpool – with Jet Harris & Tony Meehan

September 16 Chippenham

September 17 Town Hall, Sale

September 18 Warrington

September 19 Scotland

September 20 Scotland

September 21 Scotland (Don’s diary lists this as ‘travelling to Ireland’)

September 22 Scotland (or Ireland)

September 23 Scotland (Don’s diary lists this as ‘returning to England’)

September 25 Bristol Co-op

September 27 Palais, Wimbledon

September 29 West End Ballroom, Birmingham (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

September 30 The Majestic, Reading (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 1 State, Kilburn (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 2 The Majestic, Newport (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 3 The Majestic, Plymouth (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 5 The Majestic, Crewe (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 6 Victoria, Chesterfield (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 7 The Majestic, Darlington (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 8 Rink, Sunderland (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 9 The Majestic, Leeds (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)* 

October 10 The Majestic, Hull (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 12 The Majestic, Birkenhead (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 13 Astoria, Oldham (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 14 The Majestic, Newcastle (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 15 Astoria, Middlesbrough (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 16 Top Rank, Finsbury Park (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 17 The Majestic, Luton  (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 18 Top Rank, Bristol (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 19 The Baths, Rotherham (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 21 Savoy, Ipswich (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 22 Chester (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 23 Leeds (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 24 Hinckley (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 25 Floral Hall, Morecambe (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 26 Kings Hall, Stoke (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

October 28 Rank, Preston (‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour)*

Note: * The ‘Beat Show of 1963’ tour also featured Shane Fenton & The Fentones, The Marauders and Frank Kelly & The Hunters

October 30 TBC – Doncaster (London overnight) or The Cavern Club, Liverpool

October 31 Stocksbridge, Sheffield

November 1 The Locarno, Derby 

November 17 Crewe 

November 12 McIlroy’s Ballroom, Swindon

November 29 California Ballroom, Dunstable

November 30 Jungfrau Club, Manchester

Note: Don’s final show with The Hollies was during mid-September 1963 and although his replacement, Bobby Elliott, was seated behind the drum kit for any subsequent dates that year, Don’s diary still continues to list shows, suggesting that (briefly) he still helped out to a degree.