History

The West Park Pavilion belongs to an era long since past. If you were one of Jersey’s elite in the post-war years, the ‘Pav’ was the place to be seen.

It was impossibly glamorous, counting among its visitors, giants of the stage and screen such as Alec Guiness and Gracie Fields, along with the cream of British aristocracy.

The clientele may have come from far and wide, but the entertainment came from much closer to home.

The house band was the Les Watson Band, which were fronted by local Jersey singer, Stan Corfield.

The Les Watson Band in their pomp

Romantic

Between 1947 and 1954 for six nights a week, Stan sang the popular standards of the day, while starry-eyed lovers danced cheek to cheek. 

Speaking to BBC Jersey, Stan reminisced about what he calls a golden age of Jersey’s nightlife.

Stan said: “The place was so romantic. All the elite of the island went there and everybody was dressed in the most beautiful clothes.

“The band leader always used to say to me: whether people are sitting out at the tables having drinks, or on the ballroom floor dancing, I want them to have a conversation.

“The volume had to be kept right down low and if he caught me singing too loud I would have been fired.

“I enjoyed every minute of it. The thought of being paid for doing something I loved was marvellous.”

Praise from a Countess

Stan describes the music at the Pav as evergreen, adding that the songs he sang all those years ago were still being played today.

“The Pav had a wonderful atmosphere and the view across the Palm Court and St Aubin was beautiful," Stan remembered.

One particular night that resonates with Stan, even to this day, is the ball put on in honour of Countess Mountbatten. 

Stan said: “St John’s Ambulance had built their new headquarters in Midvale Road and their patron was Countess Mountbatten.

"She was here to open the building and the States had a ball in her honour.

"The place was wonderfully decorated with flowers. Half way through the evening the head waiter came up to the bandstand and said the Countess would like to talk to the vocalist.

“I went to meet her and she thanked me for singing her favourite piece of music so beautifully.

As you can imagine, I was quite chuffed. I felt like asking for a pay rise.”

By this time, Stan Corfield was at the height of his powers as a singer, and had become a household name in Jersey.

The band in Admiral Nelson regalia

But in 1949, he was presented with opportunity to leave Jersey behind and take his talent to a worldwide audience.

London calling

Stan said: “The great Ted Heath orchestra, who were on par with the big American bands, came to Jersey to put on a concert in 1949.

“All the time we were playing this guy never looked at us. Well, all I can say is he must have done, because about a month later I got a letter asking if I would go to London for an audition.

“In those days there was one plane a day for London. The West Park Pavilion were very reluctant to let me have the night off.

“In the end, I travelled by boat and I was seasick all the way. I got into Southampton and I could hardly stand.

“I thought I’ve come this far, I’d better turn up, but they could see there was no way I could sing.”

Ironically, Stan counts this disastrous piece of luck as a blessing in disguise.

Stan said: “I spoke about it with my wife and she was happy to go and I thought, which side of the fence shall I jump.

Elvis changes everything

"I decided to stay here and it was the right decision. A couple of years later a chap called Elvis Presley turned up and took that lovely big band picture out of the frame. I jumped the right way.”

Stan is the last remaining member of the Les Watson band and his cultured manners hark back to a more genteel age.

With typical modesty, he underplays his importance to the West Park Pavilion’s history.

“I don’t know why people still associate me with West Park. After all these years I still get people now saying, ‘Hello Stan, see you at the Pav tonight.’”