Wild Five (Stpckport)
The group won the local heats of The National Skiffle Contest at The Manchester Hippodrome in January 1958. After the contest a picture was taken on Hobart Street, Gorton, Manchester of the band who had a line-up of Prosser on guitar, Jimmy Tollitt on second guitar (b. James Tollitt), Roy Tattersall on tea-chest bass and Alan Hallworth on washboard.
Line-up included:
- Jimmy Tollitt - second guitar
- Roy Tattersall - tea-chest bass
- Alan Hallworth - washboard
- Sammy Prosser - guitar)
Manchester guitarist Prosser was a prominent figure in the 1950s and 1960s Manchester music scene, playing in local skiffle groups and he later become the resident singer and guitarist at The Left-Wing Coffee Bar, 30 Brazennose Street off Albert Square, Manchester 2, which had opened in 1959. This eventually became the legendary Twisted Wheel Club which opened on Friday, January 27, 1963 with The Karl Denver Trio, The Skyliners and Dean West and the Hellions.
Prosser was later in an early line-up of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (May 1963), founded by John Mayall on lead vocals, piano, Hammond B3 organ, Cembalette, harmonica, 9-string guitar (b. John Brumwell Mayall, Wednesday, November 29, 1933, West Park Hospital, Prestbury Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England d. Monday, July 22, 2024 at home in California, USA).
Prosser was an acquaintance of Mayall who did a few gigs in May 1963 before being replaced by 18-year-old Bernie 'Strawberry' Watson on lead guitar (b. Bernard Watson, Monday, November 8, 1943, Sunderland, County Durham, England d. Sunday, April 14, 2024, Jaffrey, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, USA).
Info courtesy John H Warburg May 2025