Kimbells There were actually two Kimbells in the city. Kimbells Corner House was opposite the Theatre Royal and was mainly an eating and drinking establishment although there was live entertainment - Manfred Mann played there among others. The other Kimbells was the ballroom in Osborne Road where the Casino now stands. It had two levels and was under the same management as the Savoy although it was a smaller more intimate venue. During the 1950s Kimbells featured mainly local dance bands such as Vic Abbot's Palais Night at a cost of about four shillings (20p). Abbott continued to appear regularly, with others like Bob Lambie's Orchestra in the early 1960s as the venue began booking local rock & roll acts including the Fleetwoods, Johnny & the Cutters, the Jaguars, Crusaders, Rivals, Barry & the Strollers and Cadillacs. In 1963 Kimbells lauched a Trad Jazz night with acts like the Downtown Syncopators and the Crescent City Jazzband but soon after began booking some of the new beat groups like Brian Poole & the Tremeloes. Particularly popular were local R&B favourites Manfred Mann who had a Thursday residency in 1963. At the st of 1964, Southampton's Concorde Club promoted some nights there with acts like Graham Bond, Alex Harvey, Jimmy Powell, the Sheffields, the Soul Agents, Chris Farlowe and John Mayall with John Lee Hooker. There was a new Sunday night season with regular visitors Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames and Zoot Money, Alex Harvey, the Yardbirds (with Eric Clapton) and others followed. Support came from local groups like the Shamrocks, Dynamos, the Klimaks, the Roadrunners and J Crow Combo. Early in February 1965, the legendary Birdcage Club opened at Kimbells with the T-Bones followed by others like Rod Stewart, the Moody Blues, the Action and Charlie & Inez Foxx. This club ran initially on Thursdays, expanding to cover weekends and it became the heart of the mod scene, moving to Eastney after about six months at Kimbells. The management of Kimbells suspended Sundays R&B nights.and tried a relatively unsuccessful folk venture with the Settlers and the Folkhouse Four and the following year struggled with a brief Trad' revival. In 1966 Kimbells reopened as "Blue Lagoon" with the In Crowd (later Tomorrow). By 1967 local groups like Lace, Cherry Smash, England and Nite People were appearing there and, renamed "Paradise Found" Gold Dust, Lace, Heaven, Chalk Farm and Virgin Circle. Following the closure of the Birdcage, Rikki Farr returned to Kimbells in November 1968 and for an exciting period promoted the best of new British bands, including Free, Taste, Chicken Shack, Fairport Convention and Family - plus a real coup with an early appearance of Led Zeppelin. Newer local groups included Heaven and Rosemary. By the mid-1970s Kimbells had become the only British Playboy Club outside London and Manchester. It is still a casino today. Dave Allen The Kimbells chain of shops included cafeterias and bread and cake shops. They were spread around the area, One in Gosport, and another at the lower end of Cosham High Street between the railway gates and the Essoldo/Carlton Cinema ************* Evening News Article dated 14-9-1959 >>>> Entries from Kelly's Directories 1918 and 1926/27 1935 and 1936/37 1939/40 and 1948/49 According to the 1948 Kelly's Directory, Kimbells had premises at The Corner House Restaurant in Commercial Road, 125, London Road North End, 4,. Southampton Road Cosham, 256, Havant Road, Drayton, 38 West Street, Portchester as well as Osborne Road, Southsea, with their bakery at Cecil Place, Southsea. 4-11-1933 -------------- 7-10-1935 12-12-1936 -------------- 22-2-1936 Two posters from 1968 The building and Casino as it is today

From the NEWS Supplement "Portsmoputh in the 60's June 1993 Manfred Mann, with Paul Jones the Portsmouth born lead singer, played regularly at rhythm and blues nights at KIMBELL's Ballroom, (now Soames) in Osborne Road with a support group from the Isle of Wight called the Shamrocks. Kimbell's Ballroom's blues nights, called the Blue Lagoon, also hosted groups like Chicken Shack. Georgic Fame, Alan Price and Chris Farlowe and The Thunderbirds.

Mollie Henning's photographs at Kimbells in Southsea, Mollie Henning is sitting at the back under the curtain. Going round the table anti-clockwise from her are her husband, Harold, Jenny Jenkins, Nora Butt, Len Butt, Gladys Pickett, Vic Pickett, and Ron Crockford. c1960? A Divers dinner at Kimbell's Ballroom in Osborne Road, Southsea c.1960.

In the 1970's the building was owned by Johnny Miller, who had many local food and entertainment venues. This is how it looked then. The main function room in it's heyday Merlins nightclub The function room set for a wedding reception Shakes Cocktail Lounge and Restaurant Drawing of the building In 1973 the Portsmouth Playboy Club opened on the ground floor of the building. Portsmouth-born Marilyn Cole went from bunny to playmate in just three weeks, when Playboy Europe head and future husband Victor Lownes few her out to Chicago to pose for the magazine's first full frontal shoot. In October 1976, Joe Jackson became pianist and musical director at the Playboy Club in Portsmouth. He was determined to save enough money to record his own album and release it himself. In August 1977, he quit the Playboy Club job to become pianist/musical director for a cabaret act, Koffee 'n' Kream, that was beginning a national tour in the wake of their triumph on the TV amateur show Opportunity Knocks..... What would Mr Kimbell have said about it all? The Forgotten Ballroom,-- not to be missed ! In 2021 the derelict building was taken over by local artist 'my dog sighs' who stage his own exhibition in July & August. The future of the building is still uncertain. Some photographs from the exhibition days. New art work 2023 Kimbell's Corner House, Commercial Road 1963 The Blues Brothers continued to appear at various venues every Thursday promoted by Southampton s Concorde Club, including Kimbells in Commercial Road and Southsea where on special nights, Ladies were admitted for 2/6d (12.5p) before 8.30pm. Also Manfred Mann played at Kimbells Corner House, Commercial Road.

Performances at Kimbells
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