Julia and John lived in London on-and-off from 1942 to 1978, with some spells back in Ireland during that period.
Their arrival in the 1940s was before the heyday of the London Irish pub session scene, and much of their playing was in the dance halls of north London, a period in which John found it expedient to swap his button accordion for the wider-ranging piano accordion. After their return from Ireland in the late 50s, pubs such as The Favourite and the Oxford Arms in Camden Town and The Balloon in Fulham were highly popular with musicians such as Bobby Casey, Jimmy Power and Lucy Farr, but there were few others with the grounding in Sliabh Luachra music that Julia and John had.
Click on the images below to see them properly – you can then click again to enlarge them.
These items are watermarked, so if you would like to use them, please get in contact.
Charabanc outing, c.1947/8, Cricklewood. Julia is directly under the traffic light, John on the right with piano accordion. John jnr front, last child on the right.
Julia with sons Billy and John outside their house in Chapter Road, Willesden, north west London, c. 1953.
Playing in the dance hall over Burton’s shop, Cricklewood, c. 1949. Johny Costello on accordion.
c. 1948/9. A show organised by Butlins at the Royal Albert Hall. Julia is in the centre.
Julia playing with the Clann Na H’Eireann Ceilidhe Band, Cricklewood, 1950s.
Frank Lee’s Tara Ceilidh Band in 1950/51. Lee was a dance hall entrepreneur who ran ‘Over Burton’s’ in Brixton for a number of years. Back row: unknown, Doug White, Frank Lee, Audrey Nagle. Front row: John Clifford, Julia, Barney Harrington, Mick Nash, Johnny Harrington, unknown.
c.1960-63, in the Oxford Arms, Camden Town. Con Curtin on the left, John, Julia and Billy.
c.1960-63, in the Oxford Arms, Camden Town.
Julia and John Clifford after a Sunday lunchtime session in the Oxford Arms, Camden Town, London, 1963. Photo from the Brian Shuel Archive.
Playing at John Clifford’s works Christmas social, c.1960, Dalston, London.
At Cecil Sharp House, the HQ of the English Folk Dance and Song Society in Camden Town. They had been playing for a concert.
Con Curtin playing Julia’s Stroh phonofiddle in The Favourite, probably 1966. Con was from Brosna and ran the Balloon Tavern in Fulham for some years. Listening are Jimmy Power (Waterford), Lucy Farr (E. Galway) and Julia.
Lucy Farr and Julia Clifford in The Favourite, Camden Town, 18th June 1967. Photo from the Brian Shuel Archive.
Billy Clifford, Lucy Farr, Julia and John: Sunday lunchtime session in The Favourite, Camden Town, 18th June 1967. Photo from the Brian Shuel Archive.
Sunday lunchtime session in The Favourite, Camden Town, 18th June 1967. Photo from the Brian Shuel Archive.
Outside The Favourite on Easter Monday, 15th April 1968. Bobby Casey, Lucy Farr, Martin Gorman, John Clifford (hidden), Julia, Paul Davis, Reg Hall, Jimmy Power, Frank Sloggett, Henry Dwyer, unknown, Leddy & Johnny Gorman.
