Remembering John Edward Robson and the Atomic Bomb

 

John Edward RobsonJohn Edward Robson, Aircraftman 1st Class, 84 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th November 1943, aged 31

On this day when the world is remembering Hiroshima and commemorating the 70th anniversary of the first atomic bomb being dropped; I will be remembering my father’s brother (my uncle!) John Edward Robson, (Aircraftman 1st Class, 84 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve) who died on 29th November 1943, aged 31. He was the son of James Byers Robson and Lily Agnes Robson; husband of Elsie Robson, of Ambleside, Westmorland and father to Kathleen.

John Edward Robson was a Japanese POW, he died on the ‘Hell Ship’ Suez Maru:

In 1943, the Japanese decided to ship the sick back to Java. A total of 640 men, including a number of Japanese sick patients, were taken on board the 4,645-ton passenger-cargo ship Suez Maru. In two holds, 422 sick British (including 221 RAF servicemen) and 127 sick Dutch prisoners, including up to twenty stretcher cases, were accommodated. The Japanese patients filled the other two holds.

Escorted by a minesweeper W-12, the Suez Maru set sail from Port Amboina but while entering the Java Sea and about 327 kilometres east of Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies, the vessel was torpedoed by the American submarine USS Bonefish commanded by Cdr. Tom Hogan. The ship started to list as water poured into the holds drowning hundreds, many managed to escape the holds and swam away from the sinking ship. The Japanese mine sweeper W-12 picked up the Japanese survivors, leaving between 200 and 250 men in the sea. At 14.50, the minesweeper, W-12, under orders from Captain Kawano, opened fire, using a machine gun and rifles. Rafts and lifeboats were then rammed and sunk by the W-12. The firing did not cease till all the prisoners were killed, the minesweeper then picked up speed and sped off towards Batavia (Jakarta) at 16.30 hours.

Sixty-nine Japanese had died during the attack, 93 Japanese soldiers and 205 Japanese sick patients were rescued by the Japanese. Of the 547 British and Dutch prisoners, there is reported to be one survivor, a British soldier, Kenneth Thomas, who was picked up twenty-four hours later by the Australian minesweeper HMAS Ballarat, this has not been confirmed. Via Suez Maru Roll of Honour

Remembering John Edward Robson who is commemorated on Column 428 of the Singapore Memorial and the Atomic Bomb, Lest We Forget

Barber-Surgeons Set To Re-emerge?

Barber-Surgeons by Rebecca Hiscocks

Barber-Surgeons by Rebecca Hiscocks, artwork based on the anatomical etchings of William Cheselden (1788-1752) – member of the London Company of Barber-Surgeons.

Jayne McCubbin @Mrsmachack tweeted:

Jayne McCubbin got a bit of stick for that tweet, but the truth is, hairdressers have been looking after their clients’ health for hundreds of years. This Is Not New – The red and white striped barber’s pole, blood and bandages, is symbolic of the association with the barber-surgeons of medieval Britain.

BTW, have a gander at: Public health workforce in local community.

And what operations would the barber-surgeon perform? Obviously, hair cutting and shaving! Removing head lice, extracting teeth, blood-letting and any number of lancing procedures like boils, abscesses and cysts – to name but a few. Barber-surgeons were called upon partly because of their dexterity with the razor and partly because they were cheaper than real surgeons.

Today, hairdressers can act as unpaid, untrained psychotherapists!! We often spend our days being unloaded on, listening intently to our clients’ trials and tribulations – and of course we still spot head lice. But there’s more: dandruff (when severe seborrhoeic dermatitis), cradle cap (a form of dandruff that affects infants), ringworm (fungal infection, not a worm), folliculitis (bacterial infection of the hair follicles), psoriasis (a non-contagious skin condition), lichen planus (non-infectious skin disease) and many more of the indeterminate fleshy lump variety!

However, I’d love to point out to all Jayne McCubbin’s naysayers, A Haircut Could Save Your Life – many hairdressers can already identify melanoma; but I think all hairdressers in the future should be trained to spot the signs of skin cancer – I see more and more.

I do like the idea of Barber Barber jokes though:

Barber Barber every time I sneeze it goes CASHEW!
Obviously your nutty!

Barber Barber I feel like a pair of curtains.
Pull yourself together man!

Barber Barber can I have second opinion?
Of course, come back tomorrow!

Barber Barber everyone I meet thinks I’m a fucking liar.
No I’m sorry, I can’t believe that!

Barber Barber everyone keeps ignoring me.
Next please!

Barber Barber I feel like a pack of cards.
The juniors will deal with you later!

Barber Barber I keep feeling like I’m a packet of Ritz.
Yes, I think you’re a little crackers!

Barber Barber I keep thinking I’m a vampire.
Necks please!

Barber Barber I keep thinking I’m invisible.
Who the fuck said that?

Barber Barber I need something to keep my hair in.
Here’s a shoe box!

Barber Barber I think I need glasses.
You certainly do; this is the doctors!

Barber Barber I keep thinking I’m a dog.
How long have you felt like this?
Ever since I was a puppy!

Barber Barber I think I’m shrinking!
Settle down son; you’ll just have to be a little patient.

Barber Barber I’m a kleptomaniac.
Take these pills, and if they don’t work, nick me a laptop!

Barber Barber I’ve got a problem with my waterworks.
Have you seen a plumber?

Barber Barber I’ve lost my memory.
When did this happen?
When did what happen?

Barber Barber it hurts when I do this.
Don’t do that!

Barber Barber my baby’s swallowed a bullet.
Don’t point it at anyone until I get there!

Barber Barber there’s a strawberry growing out of the top of my head.
I’ve got some cream for that!

Barber Barber you have to help me out.
My pleasure, which way did you come in?

Barber Barber I keep seeing into the future.
When did all this start?
Next Tuesday!

Barber Barber I’m addicted to brake fluid.
Nonsense, you can stop any time!

Barber Barber I’ve just swallowed a roll of film.
Come back in the morning and we’ll see what has developed!

Barber Barber I think I’m a bell.
Take two of these and if it’s not better tomorrow, give me a ring!

Actually, what I’d like to see is more people being empathetic and caring; it doesn’t take five minutes to say, “Hello, how are you?” …Then one must listen – we’re all in this together ;-) x

Open Source Royalty Free Salon Music

salon music at its best menendez in guernsey

My first band Menendez playing Guernsey –  They’re Extra Special for me

Hairdressers Journal @hji tweeted a link to a ‘sponsored’ blog post entitled: Maximise Your Salon Music Choices With PPL, and it jogged my memory – I’d said that I would write a blog post about Open Source Royalty Free Salon Music for: @GaryInghamHair, @paulcuzcurry and @LayersHair.

Salon Music – Why Me?

I’m the founder of UnsignedBandPromotion (which, I hasten to add, is in desperate need of new content, updating and a redesign). Since 1994 my thing has been online promotion techniques (also Search Engine Optimisation); and in August 2004 I began specialising in website promotion for independent bands – that means I have been helping musicians to get their websites noticed for over 10 years :-)

My Strapline – sort of!

I help independent musicians and artists to get their websites noticed by fans, search engines and the music industry in half the time they could do it on their own, I do it for free and I am a world leader – which is a pretty big boast. I am also a firm believer in the Open Source movement, my design philosophy is: keep it simple, and my key words are: dedication, service, simplicity, purity and harmony.

Over the last ten years I’ve talked with hundreds of independent musicians about Band Promotion.

Maximise Your Salon Music Choices With PPL via @hji

Have a read of: Maximise Your Salon Music Choices With PPL.

As HJi’s blog comments are closed, I’ll leave my comment here:

First, I’ve got to point out that the article is slightly weighted towards TSG Media who sell music systems especially designed for retailers! Mr Paul Stead MD is heavily quoted and he makes some very good points that I totally agree with.

Product versus Shopping Experience

Playing the right kind of music in your salon is a simple and effective way to reflect your salon’s identity. It is an element of salon branding. Branding is about every element of your business – #1 being the core element: Hairdressing (quality of product).

Clients visit a salon to get an outstanding hairstyle – Even the world’s best mixtape won’t compensate for a shit hair cut – but maybe the world’s best hair cut Would atone for a couple of hours of shitty pop music?

Having said that, I’ll sort of contradict myself: if any of the elements of your salon’s brand don’t meet with your client’s acceptance, then there is a good chance you will eventually lose them.

Obviously one must achieve the right balance. And remember this, playing targeted music is beneficial for clients, staff and business.

Make Sure You Are Correctly Licensed

There are two separate independent organisations: PRS and PPL, who represent different copyright holders and issue separate licences on behalf of the music industry. Normally you will need both licences – they’re V.easy to buy online.

PRS for Music (used to be called Performing Rights Society) collects and distributes money for the use of the musical composition and lyrics on behalf of authors, songwriters, composers and publishers. PRS for Music Licence Fee: aprox. £80.00 per annum at time of writing.

PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited) collects and distributes money for the use of recorded music on behalf of record companies and performers. PPL Licence Fee: aprox. £140.00 per annum at time of writing.

Fees are determined by a number of factors – there are a number of add-ons!

Open Source Royalty Free Salon Music

PRS and PPL represent the different copyright holders within the music industry (authors, songwriters, composers, publishers, record companies and performers), but what about open source, copyright free music?

Well, yes, open source, royalty free, salon music does exist and YES you can use it without having to pay PRS or PPL.

There are a number of websites that supply royalty free, open source, copyright free music; they will (should) issue an e-certificate for you to email to PRS and PPL! (Even though it’s open source, you may still have to buy an overpriced CD!) Creative Commons and the Open Source Initiative are the two main licensing bodies that support and guide musicians to share their music and creativity freely and openly – I am a firm supporter.

Then there are a plethora of independent, unsigned artists, musicians and bands who produce open source, copyright free music (mp3/CD physicals) and are NOT members of PRS or PPL. (Be warned, you are not allowed to play cover songs in the salon.) (And you will still need the artist’s express permission.)

I would warn however, if you’re playing music to clients via a music player, you will be harassed by both PRS and PPL for payment. And on top of that, there are scammers who’ll try to get you to pay them!

I can fully understand why you’d want to save a couple of hundred quid or so a year, but in reality, I’ve a strong feeling that it’s a false economy to cut your nose off to spite your face (in regard to the license fees). Owners and performers of music not only have a right to receive royalties, but also need your support (they’re not all Justin Bieber). Besides, can you imagine what some of that open source music sounds like? …let’s be choosy here, after all it is your business’s reputation on the line.

I’ve got A Better Idea!

Hairdressers, make-up artists, photographers and models who are just starting out, look to build their portfolios by doing collaborative test sessions. For hairdressers, test sessions are all about sharpening one’s hairdressing skills, collaborating with a new group of creative professionals and familiarisation of the studio/backstage environment. However, it’s not just hairdressers, MUAs, photographers and models who want the test session experience; artists, musicians, bands, fashion designers and fashion stylists are looking for it too!

Collaborating with musicians and fashion houses (a fashion company. a designer. a shop: selling off-the-peg, custom-made, haute couture clothing) whose music genre and fashion style are compatible with, and reflect your identity/brand, can have very positive and worthwhile consequences in what is ostensibly a London centric industry.

Working with creative thinking people, who are looking to be innovative, will help you to push hairdressing boundaries and set new fashion trends.

In the end I think you will acquire plenty free music, and hopefully some free/heavily discounted fashion, and heaps of kudos. And that really does knock Free Salon Music into a cocked hat!

Things Your Hairdresser Really Wants You To Know

Things Your Hairdresser Really Wants You To Know

The bohemian M. Pring returning to normality. Eton 1980

The big problem for me with articles like Cosmopolitan’s 10 things your hairdresser REALLY wants you to know, is that they are usually stuffed full of hackneyed truisms like, ‘Number 3. You get what you pay for;’ and unfortunately, they don’t really come up with the goods. What does your hairdresser really want you to know?

Have a quick gander at 10 things…

First, hairdressing isn’t just about cutting and styling hair, it’s principally about communication – And The key hairdressing skill is the ability to listen; if your hairdresser is doing all the talking during the opening consultation, something is very, very wrong.

Second, hairdressing is both a personal service and a craft, I know that’s obvious, but it’s how your hairdresser combines those two that distinguishes them. For instance, you don’t want all personal service and no ability do you? Or maybe you do?

Third, your hairdresser has no favourites – I love you all equally. And that maybe is too much flannel!

Okay, now I’ll go through Cosmo’s 10 things:

1. Can you do my hair like this picture? Most hairdressers love pictures of hairstyles, they’re great conversation starters. You want a hairdresser honest enough to speak frankly and with the ability to create something suitable for you and your hair. All photographs need interpreting and put into context: who’s the person. why was the photograph taken. what are they selling. is it their normal, everyday hair. has the image been digitally remastered…? You don’t want a hairdresser who just says, “Yes” then proceeds to fuck it up!

2. I want to grow my hair: I used to say, “If you want to grow your hair it’s important to get it cut regularly to prevent it splitting.” But actually, that’s mostly bollocks – as with all things hairdressing, it very much depends on your hair. If you want to grow your hair, Don’t Get It Cut – it’ll grow faster! Do keep it in good condition though, and see your hairdresser very occasionally (4 months-ish), for style correction and a quick check through.

3. The truism, “You get what you pay for:” A salon is only as good as its worst hairdresser – one of my banalities! Looking for a new hairdresser? Recommendation is key, so chat with friends, and if you see someone with a great hairstyle, ask them where they get it cut – you’ll soon find a hairdresser or salon coming to the fore. Before making an appointment go in and have a look-see, get a free consultation with the stylist and pick up a price list – and let’s face it, if the stylist is good you’ll normally have to wait for an appointment.

4. The untruism “Salon (professional) products are better than High Street (retail) products:” Oh that that were true; it’s certainly what hairdressers desire and have been gunning for. I know it’s a cliché to say ‘economy of scale,’ but it’s the reality; big supermarkets (inc. Boots UK) have a much bigger buying power than your local independent hairdresser. There are hundreds of hair products on the market, your hairdresser, the expert, can talk you through them and recommend the right products for you. “Full of hidden chemicals,” is scaremongering. Talk with your stylist.

5. What is your hairstory? Make sure you talk with your hairdresser before you get your hair washed; this is called an opening consultation and is Very important. It doesn’t matter how well your stylist knows you, you should always receive and opening consultation. Having said that, a good hairdresser will know your recent hair history just by looking at it, and will confirm that by talking you through it. If your stylist is not listening during the opening consultation, run away quickly!

6. & 7. Condescending Hairdressers: I found numbers six and seven of ’10 things…’ (‘colouring and lightening are opposites’ and ‘you can’t lift colour with colour’), slightly patronising. Inferior hairdressers often use smoke, mirrors and bollocks to explain technical matters! Salons who use specialist colourists don’t usually have this as a problem.

My #7. Describing colour: Don’t try to describe your hair colour over the phone, it is virtually impossible. The colourist will want to see you, it’s also a good idea bring in a photograph if you want to discuss a colour.

8. Unhappy with your hair? Most hair issues are resolved at the opening consultation, but if you are not happy with your hair at any time, Tell Your Hairdresser As Soon As Possible; you Will get it sorted out – usually for free. A good hairdresser wants & likes to be informed of issues so they can improve themselves.

9. Client etiquette: Of course etiquette works both ways. So yeah, don’t be late, equally, tell your stylist if you’re on a schedule. Also, holding a mobile phone to your ear is distracting and awkward. But remember this: You are always right!

10. Love me, recommend me: Yes, the hairdressing industry does rely heavily on word of mouth recommendations. And Yes, you will normally receive a discount off your next appointment for referrals.

10 things your hairdresser REALLY wants you to know was written by Annie Davies for Cosmopolitan magazine on 3 June, 2015 @ 10:44 AM

Retouching Fashion Photographs – Anti-Airbrushing Campaign

I’ve always had a thing about retouching fashion photographs – Sometimes I like it and sometimes I hate it! This is not a new issue, photographs have been retouched since the dawn of photography; here is my retouching set circa 1920s (old school, not Photoshop):

retouching fashion photographs with L & C. Hardtmuth retouching setMy Jonathan Fallowfields “Artists'” retouching set by L & C. Hardtmuth, Austria. I bought it about thirty-five years ago, used it lots for retouching B&W photographs (hobbyist)! The set containes: A brass porte-crayon (leadholder or pencil extender). 2 triangular pencils/leadholders, marked L & C Hardtmuth, Austria, No3 and No4. A Hardtmuth branded wooden tube containing additional leads. And lastly a rolled chamois leather dual-pointed blending tool (AKA a stump).

This brief blog post was triggered by ‏@hji Hairdressers Journal, and let’s face it, they should know all about retouching because they’ve been in the hairdressing magazine business since 1882 – here is their tweet:

HJ love @melenietudor Melenie Tudor’s modern take on the Mohawk, so do I, it’s wonderful – the rest of Melenie’s collection are brilliant too. (Melenie Tudor at En Route Hair & Beauty, was a finalist for HJ’s British Hairdressing Awards 2014, North Western Hairdresser of the Year.)

My point is though; can you see what looks like three layers of freehand shading (a sort of a loose scribble) on the side/undercut section? How Very Odd! Has Melenie Tudor’s hair photograph been photoshopped? If it has: who did it and why, and isn’t it V.sad? (And not very well executed)

We are in an age where photoshopping is the norm, Miley Cyrus actually thanked a photographer for not photoshopping out her armpit hair – and meant it – you’ve got to love her for that; meanwhile, celebrities are anxiously tweaking their selfies with image editing Apps. (note to self: must Photoshop my beer-belly!) Obviously it’s all about their public image, perfection and removing perceived impurities. However for me, especially in hairdressing, it is those impurities or imperfections that are essential for individualism and consequently they reflect Real Beauty.

Real beauty isn’t a fantasy, it’s not about trying to escape from reality; it is about acceptance, confidence, empathy and love. What I’m saying is: to be beautiful, you don’t have to be perfect – and neither does a haircut.

Maybe photographs should carry a Photoshop health warning? Patently I support the anti-airbrushing campaign and the campaign for real beauty – in the meantime, here is a handy tool to Authenticate Your Photos – izitru.com via Hany Farid.

Turkish Contemporary Artist Sukran Moral

Sukran Moral - ArtistThe Artist – Şükran Moral 1994
Photograph courtesy of Sukran Moral

The Lovely Irmak Yenisehirlioglu tweeted a link to Sukran Moral’s ‘My Pain My Rebellion’ exhibition at the KODE Art Museums of Bergen (30th October 2015 – 28th March 2016) (wish I could afford to get there and see it), I followed it and I was enthralled. And I searched Google and I read and I was held captive by Sukran Moral’s art.

As a hairdresser I am interested in feminism, I’m a feminist! There is nothing odd about that, I’ve been working with and for women for many years – Those of you who know me very well, will also know that I’m a keen artist: my themes being: change, religion, feminism, misogyny and memory.

My next sculpture will be a portrait of the artist Şükran Moral (pronunciation Shukran), there will be reference to the crucifixion, FGM and how I feel about the way women are being treated by Islamic State (IS) – which in my humble opinion, reflects much of what Sukran Moral is about, I’ll do some research first ;-) x

Şükran Moral (Wiki) is a Turkish contemporary artist, she’s powerful and political, thought provoking, edgy and comes with a parental advisory warning label – I like that!

Yoghurt Soup Recipe (Yayla Corbasi Tarifi)

Yoghurt soup

Yoghurt soup (Yayla Corbasi Tarifi) might sound horrid, but it is a classic Turkish soup that I absolutely love. Anneanne (Koo’s mum) tends to make it out of a packet these days, but her home-made yoghurt soup is to die for.

The thing about yoghurt soup is that it’s a brilliantly uplifting summer comfort food, almost a contradiction in terms, the equivalent of having a bowl of Campbell’s cream of tomato soup with a toasted bacon and cheese sandwich on a cold winters day – it hits the spot. And like chicken soup, ‘Jewish Penicillin,’ it’s a real healer that is deep in the pages of folk medicine.

This is Anneanne’s home-made yoghurt soup recipe:

ingredients for about four people:

1/2 cup (100g) rice, washed and drained
950ml chicken stock (or a good home-made vegetable stock)
1 cup (about 240ml) cold water
400g plain Total Greek yoghurt (just because it’s thick) full-fat
1 egg yolk
1.5 tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper

Large knob butter
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mint
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

Put the washed rice and salt into a medium-large pan with the chicken stock; bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes – the rice must be cooked until very soft. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside until after next step.

In a bowl beat the egg yoke with a very little cold water; add in the flour and mix until smooth. Then, slowly mix in the yoghurt, add a little more water if required to lighten the mixture – using a balloon whisk makes this whole process very easy!

Now you’ve got to combine the rice and stock with the yoghurt mixture.

Ladle about 2 tablespoons of the hot rice/stock into the yoghurt mixture and stir well, repeat this, and the mixture should be now very creamy.

Now the difficult bit – too much heat will make the soup separate.

Slowly pour the yoghurt mixture into the rice/stock while continually stirring. Don’t be too violent with the heat, bring the soup just to the boil, Keep stirring – don’t stop. As the soup heats up it will thicken, then as Soon as it comes to the boil, ‘remove from the heat.’ Turn the heat down to Very Low and simmer for 10-15 minutes – Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, melt a large knob of butter with the olive oil and add the paprika and dry mint; stir; don’t burn. Add the fresh mint, stir for about 25 seconds. Pour into the soup, mix and serve with fresh crusty white bread.

Royal Hairdresser Andre Mizelas Murdered in Hyde Park

André Mizelas and Bernard Greenford Hairdressers Journal 5 Aug 1966

André Mizelas (left) and Bernard Greenford – one salon led to another as they followed client demand – image courtesy of HJi – Hairdressers Journal: 5 Aug 1966. Via (special thanks) Dr. Kim Smith – Fashion Design History & Theory, University of East London.

André Mizelas of Andre Bernard fame has fascinated me for a very long time; so when Salon International tweeted, “If you could sit down with one hairdresser and grill them about their career, inspiration and work, who would it be?” I obviously answered, “Andre Mizelas.”

Hairstyle by Andre Bernard 1962
Hairstyle by Edward Morris ‘top stylist’ Andre Bernard 1962 – image courtesy of HJi – Hairdressers Journal

Even though I trained at Ricci Burns (King’s Road, Chelsea 1973) and knew nothing of Andre Bernard, my first pair of scissors were engraved with the name Andre Bernard; they were presented to me by Robert Lobetta (who’d trained at Andre Bernard). The scissors were too small and too blunt, and I either gave them back to Robert or chucked them away – actually, he may have asked for them back!? Anyway, It was Robert who told me about the Andre Mizelas murder and I’ve been intrigued ever since.

The Andre Mizelas Murder

1967-1968 Signal Red Triumph TR51967-1968 Signal Red Triumph TR5 Publicity Image

Here is what little I know; and just to say, I will be adding more information as I discover it – so please call back!

Andre ‘Harry’ Mizelas (André formally changed his name from Harry to André in February 1965) was one of London’s leading celebrity hairdressers of the 1950s and 1960s. By the age of forty-eight, he was a Court Hairdresser and a partner in the Andre Bernard hairdressing chain, which had around 20 salons and employed more than 400 staff. Andre Bernard’s flagship salon was at 10A Old Bond Street, Mayfair, London W1S (the principal salon within was named The Grafton Room after their Grafton St. salon)!

On the dull and chilly morning of Monday 9th November 1970 at about 08.30 A.M., Mizelas left 29, St Mary Abbots Terrace, Kensington (his Regency style home that he shared with his wife Betty of twenty-five years), in his signal red Triumph TR5 sports car for the twenty-ish minute drive to Old Bond Street, just off Piccadilly.

To start off with, he turned left on to the A315 High Street Kensington, and basically headed East towards Knightsbridge, the A4 and Hyde Park corner, in the busy Monday morning traffic – it’s a very simple and direct drive, from door to door it’s about three miles.

At the traffic lights where Kensington Road crosses the top of Exhibition Road, which is just past the Royal Albert Hall, Mizelas decided to turn left into Hyde Park – I assume because of heavy traffic – (Did he always do this? I shouldn’t think so). And then, once through the gates, he turned almost immediately right into South Carriage Drive, heading in the direction of Park Lane.

Turning left into Hyde Park, I assume, must have caused Mizelas’s killer some consternation, for surely he was standing, waiting by the traffic lights / pedestrian crossing on the other side of Exhibition Road – an easy place to spot Mizelas as he approached, flag him down and kill him? But having seen Mizelas turn left into the park, the killer must have vaulted some railings and ran hell for leather through the trees and bushes to catch Mizelas on South Carriage Drive. A witness said that she saw a man leap from the bushes and wave down the car; “Mizelas stopped so suddenly that I had to break to avoid crashing into the rear of his car.”

Mizelas’s natural reaction on seeing the man running across the road from his right would be to break hard and turn left towards the curb to avoid him. The killer must have run in front of the car waving his hand in a way that said, ‘stop I need to talk to you urgently.’ And he’d make his way quickly around to the passenger door – (Was is unlocked? I shouldn’t think so). Mizelas could have easily leant over, pulled the door-handle backwards to unlock and open the door. The killer would quickly open the door, lean in or squat down, pulling the small semi-automatic pistol from his coat pocket, and say something like, “Andre Mizelas?”
“Yes!” And from very short range with a not very powerful .25 cal. Beretta like pistol – Bang! Bang!

Andre ‘Harry’ Mizelas had been shot twice in the head; firstly in the left forehead and secondly in the left temple at about 08.40 A.M.

A young woman, who was riding her bicycle in the park, discovered the body and alerted a park-keeper, “There’s a man in a red car over there who needs help.” she said and cycled away. The park-keeper found the car parked two feet from the curb with it’s engine still running, and Mizelas slumped over the steering wheel.

Obviously there were all kinds of theories at the time, Robert seemed to think the murder had London Mob written all over it! Unsurprisingly then, East End gangster Nicky “Snakehips” Gerard, son of the notorious London hit-man and gangland boss Alf Gerard, is unofficially attributed with the murder.

It is believed Andre Mizelas owed £100,000 (about £1,500,000 today in 2015) to a South London money lender who gave the contract to Nicky Gerard for £5000 (£73,000 today).

However, there were other theories, one being that Andre was having an affair with one of his clients, maybe she was a gangster’s girlfriend, and the shooting was ‘payback’.

Sort of a Postface

On a very personal note, I’ve got to say that I’m on a learning curve; this blog post is going from an article speculating on André Mizelas’ murder in Hyde Park, to a more rounded account of the fall of the Andre Bernard hairdressing chain – there is nothing, or very little, on the internet to help.

It really comes a no surprise to me that Andre Bernard and Vidal Sassoon were involved in some kind of merger talks. At the time, Sassoon’s were by far the up-and-coming dominant force in the hairdressing world, and they were expanding. I would think Andre Bernard’s were feeling the competition and under pressure, especially at the Old Bond Street salon – old school versus state-of-the-art.

I don’t think it matters whether we call them merger talks or takeover talks, Vidal Sassoon halted procedures on about Friday 6th November 1970, three days before André Mizelas’s murder on the following Monday morning. The merger failed because of a difference of opinion between the powers that be! And it is well reported that Vidal Sassoon said, “I am shocked,” when he heard the tragic news.

The changing face of the hairdressing and fashion industry from the mid-sixties to the mid-eighties, meant greater competition for salons like Andre Bernard and ultimately, this led to their end!

This notorious murder case remains unsolved.

Bernard Greenford

I think Bernard Greenford was André Mizelas’s original business partner. In 1948 they opened their first Mayfair salon on Grafton Street. Bernard was married to Linda, who was Sybil Burton’s half-sister (Sybil Burton: formerly Williams. finally Christopher (1929-2013), was the actor Richard Burton’s first wife). The connection between Bernard and Richard Burton was important and extremely fortunate.

In The Richard Burton Diaries, Burton talks of Bernard being in a financial predicament; in May 1969, he says: “Bernard is being squeezed out by his snake-in-the-grass partner Andre.” Infuriated, Burton who likes Bernard (but obviously dislikes Andre because he describes him as a, “sneaky jumped-up-jack of a fellow.”), steps up and helps him by giving him £50,000.

Burton had helped ‘Andre Bernard’ from the outset, lending them substantial amounts of money. Burton says, “Without the luck of association, Andre and Bernard would have been Charlie and Harry back in Whitechapel where they started from.” Burton lent ‘thousands’ of pounds to Andre Bernard – I assume to keep them afloat and to help with expansion?

Richard Burton says Bernard was being ‘squeezed out’ in May 1969, but it was around this time that Bernard left, some say that he left Andre Bernard’s in about 1967 – three years or so before André’s death.

Bernard ‘Bernie’ Mizelas

Bernard ‘Bernie’ Mizelas was André’s younger brother, he ran the northern salons and by all accounts he was a well respected hairdresser. Bernie took over when André died. He was married to Jean.

It seems to me that Andre Bernard’s were going through a strange time when André died, especially because of the merger with Sassoons falling through. But Bernie came down to London and managed to sort of keep it going until the company was eventually bought out.

Hearty Thanks and References

The Kings Head Uley – The Last Post

Brian Streaters Streatfield

A Celebration of The Life of Brian. Brian ‘Streaters’ Streatfield, born 4th October 1938 – 25th July 2014. He was like an Uncle to me, he was a dear, dear friend, I loved him very much and I’ll miss him forever. Rest in peace you wonderful old ‘B’

This is the last in my series of ‘Pub Jokes’ marked Streaters; they have been my little tribute to a man who loved a pint in a good pub; he was also the bloke that I loved to have a pint with. The jokes so far have taken place in The Red Lion, Arlingham (Brian’s local since 1996/7) however, before that it was The Kings Head in Uley, so I think I should do the last Streaters joke there. And I’ve written it in the form of a ‘true’ short story: The Kings Head Uley – Saturday night, Sunday morning.

I used to stay at The Kings Head, Uley, Gloucestershire, on the Friday night and/ or Saturday night, every four or five weeks when I visited the Cotswolds, from the Winter of 1979 to about the Summer of 1997 – when the new landlord, Adrian Gray, took over after William Neale retired. It was a great pub, which has had a change of use from a public house to a private residence sometime in 2000/1.

The Kings Head Uley – Saturday night, Sunday morning