On Sunday 4 January 1970, Keith Moon opened the Cranbourne Rooms discotheque, next to the Red Lion pub, Hatfield. It wasn’t an industry event, it was a personal appearance with a free bar afterwards. Moon went with his wife Kim, Legs larry Smith of the Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band and his girlfriend Jean, and brothers Jimmy and Jack McCulloch who were then part of Thunderclap Newman. Jimmy McCulloch was also associated with Stone the Crows and Paul McCartney and Wings.
Melody Maker 10 January 1970
As the night wore on, difficulties and tensions arose with various people in the bar, usually described as skinheads; Moon and his friends wore their hair long. Come the end of the evening, Moon and his party went out to his Bentley which was soon surrounded by the skinheads, some of whom (though not all) were looking for trouble. The McCullochs were in their Daimler behind the Bentley.
When stones and coins were thrown at Moon’s car, his chauffeur, Cornelius ‘Neil’ Boland, left the car in ‘Drive’ and got out of the car to try and clear the way. What happened next is unclear, but Moon, drunk, and a non-driver, got behind the wheel. The Bentley lurched forward and moved off, surrounded by a shouting crowd. When they stopped, Boland was found underneath the car and pronounced dead in hospital. Moon was cleared in respect of the death but pled guilty to various charges for driving without a licence or insurance.
It’s said that Moon never got over the incident.
Keith Moon d.1978
Jimmy Mcculloch d.1979
Kim (Moon) McLaggan d.2006
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