Cilla the Biopic - A Rouetmaster Moment

In October 2014 the BBC screened the biopic, Cilla. In one of the scenes, they showed Cilla meeting up with Ringo Starr in the el Cabala. They portrayed the El Kabala [sic - their incorrect spelling] coffee bar, as a greasy spoon cafe on the "Dock Road". To put the record straight I sent an email to the Sunday Times  "You Say" column in the Culture Magazine that was published on the 13th October 2014. The comment prompted several responses over the next few weeks.

"Enjoying Cilla but irritated by a "Routemaster moment". The el Cabala coffee bar, spelled with a "C" not a "K", was not a greasy spoon as depicted but Liverpool's first high-class coffee bar at 96 Bold Street, the poshest shopping street in town. Next door was la Cabala and both were owned and run by two Hungarian brothers, the Kushners. The splendid Palladian frontage is still in situ. The place to linger over a Cafe Borgia and a Sobranie Black Russian cigarette in the late 50's early 60's."

I submitted the comment with supporting evidence, a paper by Helen Taylor, "Liverpool 8 and 'Liverpool 8': The creation of social space in the Merseybeat movement" (link). She quotes from Rodger McGough's book Said and Done.

McGough’s ‘first cappuccino’, in ‘El Cabala, a glass fronted, airy café on Bold Street’, is considered a significant moment, both because of its novelty and for what it represents of this lifestyle (McGough, Said and Done: the autobiography   (London: Random House, 2005, p. 142)

This reminder of an icon of my formative years got me going particularly as it appeared from initial investigations that many of the recollections from the collective memory were as bad as the BBC's research, confusion, seemed to reign. Confusion about locations with similar names and recall of the geography was commonplace, and a bit of research was called for.

The first thing you notice is how many different (incorrect) spellings of the name there are on the internet, some by those who should know better - the BBC. The correct spelling is el Cabala, with a small e and a capital C, not a K. The site of el Cabala was 96 Bold Street, now the home of "Next to Nowhere" a bookshop. The frontage is quite distinctive with two grand Palladian granite pillars and decor. Interestingly, to confuse memories further, there was also an el Cabala in Southport owned by the same family. The Bold Street place had a mezzanine floor. It was the first place to serve Espresso coffee and Cappuccino dusted with chocolate and cinnamon. My favourite drink was a Cafe Borgia, we would probably call it a Mocha today, Milky chocolate, an expresso plus cinnamon, nutmeg sprinkle and Orange zest. Although, I think, they frequently skipped the Orange zest. Russian tea was also a favourite with many, black tea with lemon. Whatever you drank it was usually accompanied by an exotic fag, Sobranie Black Russian or Passing Cloud were my favourites but Gauloise, Lucky Strike, Camel and even Capstan Full Strength and if you were of a certain persuasion Sobranie Cocktail cigarettes were amongst the pollutants we puffed on our decadent visits to this establishment. I even graduated to a pipe at one point. As with all good academic research, I have corroborated my sources with a paper published by Helen Taylor, "Liverpool 8 and 'Liverpool 8': The creation of social space in the Merseybeat movement." Source: Exegesis (2013) 2, pp. 34-44

96 Bold Street

Freaky Photographs

An exhibition of photographs of Victorian Fairground Freaks and other photographs from the archives of Liverpool Photographer and Tattooist William Turner together with work by local artist Alistair Parker. At the Village Walks Art Spot, off Teanlowe Centre Car Park, Poulton le Fylde, from 4th to 29th August, Monday to Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, entrance free.

William Turner (1869 - 1937) was a Tattooist and Photographer (above) in Liverpool at the turn of the century (1900) he was also my grandfather. He had a studio at 44A Lime Street in the heart of Liverpool. His clients were many and varied, from bare knuckle boxers to circus freaks. And he was tattooed from his neck to ankle.

This exhibition has been created from the remnants of his archives. A mixture of original glass negatives and photographs from my mothers photograph albums.

The exhibition is in three parts. A selection of Carté Visité, photographic visiting cards, which would have been given to him by his wide and varied clientele, in this case fairground "freaks".

A selection of personal studio photographs from the original half-plate glass negatives (plates). You will note that long before Photoshop was thought of he was experimenting with the ghostly effects of multiple exposures.

The three larger pictures are part of a project I am undertaking for my Fine Art degree using experimental printing processes. These images have been created from photocopies transferred using an experimental acrylic transfer process.

The original material, which was not in very good condition was digitally scanned. Retouching has been kept to a minimum as I feel the marks of time contribute to a unique history.

View the exhibition on Flickr