Celia Holman goes offshore in Twickenham to meet Michele Whitby, the Eel Pie resident fighting to preserve its incredible musical history
Colin Clarke
Clambering over the gently rocking houseboats is like stepping into the much-reproduced image of the Thames at Twickenham. The houseboats in question are moored alongside the working boatyards on Eel Pie Island. And with the ancient sound of hammer on metal ringing out and the smell of wood-burning stoves wafting through the air, it’s hard to believe it’s 2016 and that Twickenham’s busy high street is but a stone’s throw away.
It’s also hard to believe this island was once home to the famous Eel Pie Club, pivotal in the British Beat explosion of the 1960s. The Eel Pie Club was London’s equivalent of The Cavern Club in Liverpool, and over the summer of 1963, it introduced the nation to an exciting new band called the Rolling Stones.
The club went on to launch the careers of Eric Clapton, The Who, and Rod Stewart (surely Twickenham Station’s most famous busker?) to namecheck but a few, with a 17-year-old David Bowie taking to the stage with The Manish Boys on several occasions.
Fainting teenagers? Famous rock stars? Yup, and all in Twickenham, on an island home to some 100 residents and with a similar number involved in the various small businesses and studios to be found dotted in and around the boatyards. Their existence, and even that of the island itself, flies under the radar of many locals.
There are no rock stars hiding from the paparazzi today (although Jarvis Cocker was recently spotted...). However, a large sculpture, made of empty Red Stripe beer cans, sitting on the deck of a bobbing houseboat, hints at some remaining present-day hedonism. Moored next door is the home of Michele Whitby, photographer, graphic designer, author, retailer, curator and island historian.
“Jack of all trades,” she laughs. Her most recent project has been to curate the Golden Thread exhibition at the Stables Gallery at Orleans House, celebrating 50 years of the organisation.
The presence of Rod Stewart’s autobiography on her desk hints at Michele’s other, more permanent, project that similarly has its roots very firmly in the borough. The co-author of Eel Pie Island, Michele is now looking to establish a local heritage centre focused on the island and its history, both musical and river related.
“In terms of local history, the island is just the coolest thing we have! If the Beatles can bring £70 million a year to Liverpool, imagine if the Rolling Stones brought just a fraction of that to Twickenham,” enthuses Michele.
Colin Clarke
As well as being undoubtedly cool, music heritage tourism is most definitely big business. Michele is keen that Twickenham takes its rightful place on the UK’s music map, and benefits from the cultural and economic uptick that results from pop pilgrimages.
“A couple of years ago, 30,000 people visited Hull’s Museum of Club Culture to see a temporary Ziggy Stardust exhibition. And, having been open for just two years, The Coventry Music Museum has now expanded and it’s directly responsible for regenerating a small patch of Coventry.”
Michele is not a lone voice in the wilderness. In a 2014 report by UK Music, Ed Vaizey, Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, sang from the same songsheet: “The huge financial contribution to the economy by millions of music tourists to the UK annually makes it very clear that when combined, the music and tourism industries are powerful drivers for growth.”
For Michele it’s very much not just about the musical past. She is also keen to benefit local talent. “Live music is very much alive and kicking on Eel Pie!”
Indie rock band Mystery Jets has been based on and off the island for the past 10 years, and up-and-coming performers have the choice of two venues. The Twickenham Rowing Club hosts an eclectic range of contemporary artists under the Eel Pie Island Unplugged umbrella, and Jake Riviera, island resident and former manager of Elvis Costello and Squeeze amongst others, is keen to bring live music back to the newly renovated Richmond Yacht Club (whose president just happens to be one Phil Collins). Off island, The Eel Pie Club, showcasing local bands, is thriving at The Cabbage Patch pub.
Michele has already been able to see first-hand what such a museum/visitors’ centre could contribute. Last summer she hosted a part-time, pop-up version of the centre above the library in Twickenham, attracting over 1,200 visitors with minimal publicity.
“Our visitors’ book had literally hundreds of positive comments, with many calling for the exhibition to find a permanent space.”
It’s been a long journey. The seed was planted when Michele first visited the island in 1988, aged 21.
“I grew up in Twickenham and Teddington, and had heard of Eel Pie Island, but had never been over here. When I did, my immediate reaction was ‘Wow. What an amazing place!’
“There were loads of artists’ studios, lots of nooks and crannies with people working away. I set up a photographic studio, and then started to hear all the stories about the Eel Pie Club.”
Brian Auger
L to R: Long John Baldry, Rod Stewart, Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll
A chance encounter on the island path (“it was very Eel Pie, things just happen on Eel Pie”) resulted in an introduction to Arthur Chisnall, who set up the Eel Pie Club at the island hotel in the late 1950s.
“West London was such a music scene, with bands coming out of the many art colleges. His whole motivation for setting up the club was to reach out to the post-war, rebellious generation of the 1950s. They were the first teenagers, complete with their rock-and-roll soundtrack.”
Over the years, Arthur and Michele became friends, and he entrusted his club archive to her. Using many of the objects bequeathed to her by Arthur when he died in 2006, Michele curated the highly successful Eelpiland exhibition at Orleans House in 2013, the contents of which will form the core of the proposed Eel Pie Island Experience, as Michele tentatively calls her visitors’ centre.
“I’m at the stage now where I genuinely need help from people experienced in setting up such centres or small businesses to mentor me to take things forward. Richmond Council has been brilliant, really supportive. So many fantastic people have contributed so much. I need to get a proper proposal together, to work on fundraising, applying for grants, business plans, marketing...”
Michele is also hoping a home for her centre can be found in the new plans for Twickenham Riverside.
“That would be the perfect location, right next to the island! And if I can’t get space on land, then I am thinking about a floating venue, moored by the bridge to Eel Pie Island.”
When The Rolling Stones sang Gimme Shelter back in 1969, who would have thought it would one day apply to them?
Are you able to help? Contact Michele via Facebook (Eel Pie Island Museum) or via her website
