Vernon & Veronica Ashley

Vernon and Veronica Ashley live in Little Witley and have been the driving force behind hundreds of jazz events at Little Witley Village Hall over the last 35 years. The Hall was known affectionately as ‘The Black Chicken Hut’ in its earlier days.

Little Witley burst on to the jazz scene on May 1st 1981 with a gig featuring the Zenith Hot Stompers who have returned to perform at the Hall for no fewer than 33 occasions. Since 1981, a total of 87 different bands from the UK, Europe, the USA and various European countries have appeared at Little Witley Village Hall on well over 300 occasions.

Vernon and Veronica Ashley have booked all the bands, done the pre-event publicity, manned the box office and, at the events, provided the renowned Little Witley ploughman’s supper. They have also organised teams of villagers to staff the kitchen, the bar and the car park. Vernon and Veronica have frequently used their own home to provide bed and breakfast for up to seven musicians at a time!

In its heyday during the 1990s and the early 2000s the jazz club hosted monthly events and drew audiences from throughout the Midlands and further afield. Such was Little Witley Jazz’s popularity that international celebrities such as Humphrey Littleton and Kenny Ball appeared on the club’s programme.

The last jazz club event took place in 2015 and featured (another long-term favourite at Little Witley – Sammy Rimington’s International Band) but there are plans in the pipeline for a celebration of jazz in Little Witley in the New Year in 2017.

In this recording, Vernon & Veronica describe how the how the club came about and their memories since the club was formed.

Vernon & Veronicas recording: Ashley_Vernon&Veronica_20150505_1_3 (34 mins 49 secs)