Shim Sham Club

The Shim Sham Club was named after the "Shim Sham", a popular dance routine originating from Harlem, which underscored its cultural roots in African-American traditions. It hosted performances by notable jazz musicians of the era, contributing significantly to London's jazz scene. Operating as a bottle club to avoid licensing restrictions on drinking and dancing,'Bottle Parties at the Shim Sham', in The Times, 1 October 1935, p.4 the Shim Sham was described as "London's miniature Harlem", highlighting its influence and the lively, speakeasy-style atmosphere it provided. It was, says Dave Haslam, "noisy, tough and interracial".Dave Haslam. [https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Life_After_Dark/WCylBAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Shim+Sham+Club%22&pg=PA1933&printsec=frontcover Life After Dark: A History of British Nightclubs and Music Venues] (2015)

Jazz musicians who appeared at the club included George 'Happy' Blake, Benny Carter, Nat Gonella, Ivor Mairants, Fats Waller and Garland Wilson, who was leader of the resident band by late 1936.[https://blackchickmedia.com/2018/10/16/african-stories-in-hull-and-east-yorkshire-project-laureen-sylvestre/ 'African Stories in Hull and East Yorkshire Project: Laureen Sylvestre'], in Black Chick Media, 16 October 2018The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (1994 one volume edition), p. 857

Among those who frequented the club were Edwina Mountbatten, Italian boxer Primo Carnera, journalist and politician Tom Driberg and composer Constant Lambert. Lambert met Laureen Sylvestre there while she was working as a dancer and cigarette girl, and in 1945 became godfather to her daughter, Cleo Sylvestre.Mike Pentelow. [https://archive.fitzrovianews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/fn143-lowres.pdf 'Brilliant composer of jazz and ballet music courted scandal'], in Fitzrovia News, issue 143, Winter 2016, p. 10

The Shim Sham Club was more than just a music venue. Along with other black clubs that gained popularity in 1930's Soho - such as the Nest, Smokey Joe's and the Jig's Club - it acted as a social hub, helping to break down racial and social barriers.Jason Toynbee, Catherine Tackley. [https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Black_British_Jazz/-BEGDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Shim+Sham+Club%22&pg=PA51&printsec=frontcover Black British Jazz: Routes, Ownership and Performance] (2016), p. 51 By attracting a mixed-race audience and allowing for an open and relaxed atmosphere where Black, Jewish and LGBTQ+ patrons could socialise freely, these clubs stood out in an era of racial and social segregation.

This inclusivity also made it a target for police raids due to its unlicensed status and the presence of marginalised groups. On 5 July 1935, the Shim Sham Club was raided and charged with operating as an unlicensed club.{{cite web |title=The Shim Sham Club – video transcript |url=https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/uncovering-lgbtq-lives-in-the-archive/the-shim-sham-club-transcript/ |website=The National Archives|access-date=26 August 2024}} Late in 1937 it reopened as the Rainbow Roof, but had reverted back to the original name by April 1938.Rudolph Dunbar. 'Harlem in London', in Melody Maker, 7 March 1936, p.2 By 1941 three clubs were operating from 37 Wardour Street: The Palm Beach Bottle Party (basement), the Cosmo (ground floor) and the West End Bridge and Billiards Club (top floor).Amy Helen Bell. [https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Under_Cover_of_Darkness/s_EdEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22shim+sham+club%22+%22soho%22&pg=PA89&printsec=frontcover Under Cover of Darkness: Murders in Blackout London] (2024), p.80-90

Although the exact date of the Shim Sham Club's closure is unknown, its legacy in London's cultural history was considerable. The club played a crucial role in establishing Soho as a centre for artistic and cultural diversity, paving the way for the future generations of jazz clubs and music venues in the area, such as Frisco's (off Piccadilly) and Bouillabaisse (in New Compton Street).

• LGBT history in the United Kingdom
• List of jazz venues

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Category:Jazz clubs in London

Category:Music venues in London

Category:1935 establishments in England

Category:Soho, London

Category:LGBTQ history in the United Kingdom

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