AN APPEAL has found members of a mystery Workington band who supported Black Sabbath in an iconic gig in the town.

Although the name of the band – Jeffersons Method – is known, deputy Workington mayor David King appealed for more information on the group which played alongside the British rockers at Banklands Youth Club back in 1969.

Coun King has been researching the concert, with help from John Quinn and Tommy McCombe, in which the band Earth, including legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne, announced their name change to Black Sabbath.

It has been revealed through local knowledge that the line-up of Jeffersons Method at the time included: Barry Caton on vocals; John Hatt on drums, his brother David played bass. David Johnston played rhythm guitar and Barry Dickinson played lead guitar.

Originally billed as Earth, the band realised that they were being mistaken for another group of the same name. They instead took the name of a Boris Karloff film, noticing the public's desire for horror media.

Counc King is helping to organise a special film screening of Boris Karloff’s film Black Sabbath with live music intervals and a raffle on August 30 at the Helena Thompson Museum, to commemorate the original event.

Raffle tickets will be sold to win a ride around a racetrack in a 1972 Lotus Elan Sprint.

The gig was widely believed to have taken place on August 30 1969, but evidence from the Times & Star, unearthed at the museum’s archive, states it was actually on Tuesday, August 26.

“There is irrefutable proof that it started off as a concert by Earth and finished up as an announced concert by Black Sabbath,” said Coun King.

As well as supporting West Cumbria Carers and Young Cumbria, organisers are raising funds to install a plaque commemorating the Workington gig at the screening.