Sports Afternoon in the King’s Head, Richmond
Circa 1975. On a Wednesday afternoon, ‘sports afternoon,’ we (Taff Coleman, Woolie, Lofty, Pete Middleton, Daz, Adrian Dawson), used to go into Richmond. Adrian, Pete and Woolie had cars. Usually, we had pate and toast or a ploughman’s lunch in the King’s Head though if we were early and had not eaten in the barracks, we would eat in one of the numerous cafes and restaurants around the square. I remember a place that sold pork chops, gravy and mashed potato and the Bell Nook springs to mind, probably because of its name which we changed to ‘bell end.’ I think it may have been a pizza restaurant.
The quaint 'square' which gives Richmond, Yorkshire, so much of its character
Often, we’d then go to the auction room which was in one corner of the square near the Chinese take-away and Barclay’s Bank. We bought all sorts of things there, a piano, a Baby Belling cooker which consisted of one hotplate, a grill and a tiny oven, electric bar heaters etc. There was a friendly old lady who worked there who took a liking to us and would refer to us as ‘my boys.’ The auctions were held on a regular basis and I went to a few and I remember the shop, which was stepped the further you went back into it, was enormous with all sorts of curiosities.
The King's Head, Richmond, Yorkshire - still there in 2006.
© 林東哲 2011 Creative Commons Licence.
Philip ‘Taff’ Coleman (Pen Portrait)
Taff Coleman (details ?)
Service – 1976-92
Instrument – Euphonium
Final Rank – Staff Sergeant
Family – married Caroline in 198?, children Kyle, Lewis, Harriet. Re-married Oct 23 2010 (Janette)
Current Location – Taff died Dec 1st 2010 (FTW)
Taff was born in South Wales in 1957. Quite often we got to meet relatives of band members as they would visit but I don’t recall meeting his mother, (Thelma), father, or sisters (Shiela and Carol). This is a little surprising as Taff’s first marriage, to Caroline, was in Osnabrück, around 1982 (?) but I cannot remember his relatives from that occasion probably because my parents were visiting at the time. Indeed, my parents also attended his wedding.
He joined the army in 1974, and trained as a bandsman in Bovington where he was a Junior Leader. He joined the band in Catterick as a euphonium player around 1976 (?) replacing Robert ‘Foxy’ Fox, who was killed in a car accident in 1975-76(?). Shortly after arriving in Catterick, the regiment was posted for it’s lengthy stint in York Barracks, Osnabrück (West Germany).
Taff saw subsequent regimental posting to Tidworth (84-86 ?), Paderborn (86-?) and by the time he left the ranks, (1992) he was a Staff Sergeant.
When did Taff leave the regiment? I’m guessing around 1992?
Where were the band stationed after Paderborn (and the amalgamation) and when did they leave Paderborn?
© 林東哲 2011 Creative Commons Licence.
Elwood 5566 
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