Bob Taylor, born 1937 at Liverpool, was brought up and educated at Wallasey. Growing up in the late forties and early fifties, dancing was a must. Even in our third and fourth years at Liscard Secondary Modern (Manor Road) in Wallasey this was well recognized, and resulted in the formation of the dance club. This was the only time that the boys and the girls were allowed to fraternize, at least close enough to touch, and then only under the eagle eyes of Mr Fordham and one of the teachers from the girls school. For some of us, this led on to proper dance lessons. For me, this took place at the Killens School of Dance on Church Street in Wallasey, close to Liscard Road. Two or three times a week, myself and my mate Dave Garner from Union Street would submit ourselves to the ministrations of Jack Killen and his sister Edie who ran the school. They were extremely good former professional dancers who were passionate in their desire to pass their knowledge on. Their school was a large upstairs room. As you walked in the door, you couldn't mistake it for anything but a dance school. On the door side, the boys would be grouped along that wall, and the girls along the opposite wall. The dancing was strict tempo ballroom dancing, for I don't think I ever heard so many Victor Sylvester records; and Jiving of course was only allowed when it was being taught, which wasn't very often. If one tried to innovate, it would not be long before either Jack or Edie was breathing down your neck, repeating the steps they wanted to see. And if you persisted in trying to fool around, it wasn't long before you were being escorted out of the door. They also, by accident more than design, taught us callow youths how to handle relationships with the opposite sex. There was no such thing as sitting dances out. If you were standing on the boys side, and there were any girls not dancing, Edie would just take you by the arm, march you across the floor, select one of the girls, and by heaven, you had just better ask that girl politely for that dance. They changed young boys and girls from shy retiring people into accomplished dancers who went on to the New Brighton Tower, the Grosvenor and many other Merseyside ballrooms with the experience they needed to handle themselves on the dance floor. I could even say that I have them to thank in no small part for a very happy part of my life. Due to the skills gained from their teaching, a certain young lady thought it was worthwhile seeing me again, and we are still partners forty-five years later. Bob Taylor, Ontario, Canada.
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