There
is unlikely to be anyone reading this post who did not know or have
contact with Basil Kidd. He took all of the squad photos and many more….(“Just
one more for the Jewish Chronicle boys”) He was an ex-RMB oboist
who turned up for the All Stars band complete with oboe and minus camera!.
A truly memorable character and stalwart resident of Deal. Basil’s
old Dad carried the cross while the choir walked to their stalls in
St. Michael’s church each Sunday. I have been in contact with
his son, Mick Kidd, who has confirmed the actual details of the famous
incident which ought to have resulted in the naming of the Wetherspoon’s
pub in Queen Street as “The Basil Kidd” and not “The
Sir Norman Wisdom”—-who had a tenuous association with Deal.
Brown and Philips store (now Wetherspoons) was directly opposite the
East Kent Mercury offices, where Basil was staff photographer. After
a long liquid lunch Basil got into his new automatic car….Kent
Police were alerted to “a major incident in Queen Street, Deal.
Many dead and injured and bodies lying in the street”. Basil had
mistook what he thought to be the brake and drove straight through the
store window…..catapulting a dozen mannequins into the street!.
First reports were that someone had mowed down a waiting queue at the
bus stop! To illustrate how times have changed the local police drove
Basil home and no charges followed. Mr. Philips, the store owner, evidently
said: “ Well Basil if you had really wanted to come in I would
have opened the front doors!”--
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There
is unlikely to be anyone reading this post who did not know or have
contact with Basil Kidd. He took all of the squad photos and many more….(“Just
one more for the Jewish Chronicle boys”) He was an ex-RMB oboist
who turned up for the All Stars band complete with oboe and minus camera!.
A truly memorable character and stalwart resident of Deal. Basil’s
old Dad carried the cross while the choir walked to their stalls in
St. Michael’s church each Sunday. I have been in contact with
his son, Mick Kidd, who has confirmed the actual details of the famous
incident which ought to have resulted in the naming of the Wetherspoon’s
pub in Queen Street as “The Basil Kidd” and not “The
Sir Norman Wisdom”—-who had a tenuous association with Deal.
Brown and Philips store (now Wetherspoons) was directly opposite the
East Kent Mercury offices, where Basil was staff photographer. After
a long liquid lunch Basil got into his new automatic car….Kent
Police were alerted to “a major incident in Queen Street, Deal.
Many dead and injured and bodies lying in the street”. Basil had
mistook what he thought to be the brake and drove straight through the
store window…..catapulting a dozen mannequins into the street!.
First reports were that someone had mowed down a waiting queue at the
bus stop! To illustrate how times have changed the local police drove
Basil home and no charges followed. Mr. Philips, the store owner, evidently
said: “ Well Basil if you had really wanted to come in I would
have opened the front doors!”--