About Me

School days

Highlands - Infants and Junior School

In those days (the early 60's) there were no nurseries as such and when I was 5 was sent off all expectant and so my school career began. I followed my big brother and went to Highlands Primary and Junior school in Redbridge. This was a magic time for me - although having the headmaster call you tweeter minor was not so great. Please note that this was days pre-social media so tweeter meant something completely different to what it means now - OOH I was a trendsetter (ha ha ha #completeidiot). Ok that might be a touch over kill - but oh so funny on so many levels…….. most, unfortunately, in my mind though…… doh! My time here was great - yes it's true your school days are the best time - but you are far too young to enjoy them! Main memories - having a great Head Master - yes I know it was so not great at the time - but Mr Thirsk was a real role model for all his pupils. He used to walk into the playground every morning - not hide like the modern day heads too afraid to talk to the parents - oh those people that really pay your salary. I was school governor later in my life and that really pi$$es me off even now that you just can't chat with the head if you are a parent! Mr Thursk would greet everyone - knowing all names after just a couple of days - and his was the voice that called for the bell to be rung for the start of the school day!

 

One of my main memories there are around the swimming lessons. At the time every school child had to go on a three week intensive swimming course - of about 45 minutes a day every day. Unfortunately for me the three weeks were in the winter, and somehow I caught a major cold, and my Mum,being an ex-nurse would not let me go swimming so I didn't make the cold worse and I therefore did not complete the course. Meant that I was unable to swim - something that would be a few years before it got put right - and then only just. More to follow in a later piece. It also highlights that my mum really mollycoddled me at times.

The name for the school years was different then, witn infants taking two years to complete, followed by Juniors which consisted of 4 years.

Sporting wise, my love for football really started and it was here that I became goalkeeper for the school team - I was in the third year of juniors when it was decided I was the best one the school had, and that meant I got to play with the boys from the fourth year. We were only beaten once during the whole of my third year, but we lost a few in the final year! I was also fortunate to be in the school cricket team, but we were very poor - in one game we were bowled out for 10 (I scored 1 but was never a batsman), and they were 11-3 to win (I took two wickets!). One of their players took 8 wickets for 4 runs - thing is he and I became buddies at senior school - when we opened the bowling for our year group!

I loved my teacher Mrs Spencer in my third year - she was an absolute star - I learnt a lot from her - she loved history so I guess that is where I got my love for it too. Although my mother also had a thing for it…. Mrs Spencer really made us excited for lessons and had a way of delivering really boring subjects in a intersting way that otherwise would have been dreadful. I did really well in this class which then put me into the top stream for the all important 11 pluses, the exams that decided where you would go to secondary school. Pass - Grammar School, fail and Secondary Modern would await and that would not be good for me given that my brother and father had botn attended the main grammer school.

The third year was when I began to ride to ride my bike to school - there was a great bike shed in the playground, and for the next two years my little bike (yes the same one that was bought for my 5th birthday) would be how I got to and from school. We were allowed to travel on our own to school at this point - as mum had got a job as legal secretary, so could not take us. Amazing to think what its like nowadays……

Maths lessons - being in the top stream - were hard - but a fantastic grounding for future life - we were doing stuff that was not being taught to 2nd year senior school students at this time! That was due to Mrs Spencer wanting to enthuse and drive us.

At this time (beginning on my fourth year at junior school - now referred to as year 6) I had major issues with my tonsils - and had to go and have them out. After a week in hospital I spent two weeks at home recuperating, which meant I fell a bit behind in school work. When it came to the 11 plus - blew it and missed the pass mark by about 5 marks. Dad was shocked, as failure meant I could not follow in the family footsteps and go to Ilford County High School (ICHS) for boys, which was looked upon as the crème de la crème of grammar schools in the area.

Mum and dad decided to write a letter to the local education department as they felt that I should be allowed to go to a grammar school, because of my tonsils. Now when I say because of my tonsils I mean because of the effect the tonsil removal had on me and what I missed - as opposed to the fact that they were soooooo smart!

My parents were successful so I didn't go to Gearies Secondary Modern School as was originally offered, but to Wanstead County High School (WCHS), the council's second best School. Most of my peers went to ICHS, but fortunately my best friend was also going to WCHS. So on the first day I went with Stuart - it's always good to have a mate when you begin something. WCHS unlike ICHS was both sexes as opposed to single sex!

Wanstead County High School, latterly Wanstead High School

 

Wanstead was a very big school - there were 4 houses in each year group when I joined, but unfortunately Stuart (the bestie mentioned earlier) and I were in different houses. I think there was about 40 children in each year in each house. I was in House 1, and he was in 4! We would have a few classes together but mostly apart. I quickly became friends with a group of boys that were Graeme, Jem, Ashok and Stephen, although gradually over the first year my friends list increased, both male and female!

During this first year it was decided that WCHS was to become a new type of school called Comprehensive, and get bigger - taking over Aldersbrook secondary modern school. It would also be updated with a new sports ground, a new gym, and a new science and arts block. The gym was to be used as a leisure centre after school hours, but it would also mean that there was an influx of students, as well as part of the school becoming a building site - which included the outdoor swimming pool - or as I liked to think of it - the torture chamber, as it wasn't heated! The pool was not being replaced in the sports centre as the costs for that would have driven the overall project too far in the red. It was the sports centre and the potential revenue it would generate that was the driving force behind the upgrade.

 

When trials were announced for the football team I went along expecting to play goalkeeper - but of the 20 boys that turned up there were 5 goalkeepers and although my shot-stopping was second to none - my lack of height was seen as a bit of a drawback! I volunteered to play as an outfield player - and ended up being the shortest ever centre back! The team was good - and only lost the final of the district cup, when due to injury, not to me, I was forced to play right back - trouble was at the time I was all left foot. Their winger turned me inside out on numerous occasions, and he scored the only goal. I pledged never to play in defence again, so played the next league game in centre midfield, and found the position that I was to play for the next five years of my life in school, and some of my adult life! I spent most of the time at training teaching myself how to kick with my right foot - to make beng centre midfield a little easier.

The school was primarily a rugby school, and when I showed a certain flair for it (actually I loved all sports so would give anything a go) when we played it for the first time in sports lesson, I was given the job of full back for the school team. First game and the first high ball landed straight in my arms, and off I ran like a whippet! One of their props stood in my way - but having no fear I an straight at him (the older me now knows better and would have sent him the wrong way with a dummy….. maybe in my dreams…..). I hit him full on - and he grabbed at me - and tried to rip off my head - he did manage to pull my ear so hard that I had blood running down my face for the rest of the game. Funny thing is I still enjoyed it - even if I was a little shook up. As the year progressed I moved from the backs to the forwards as they needed a hooker (oh madam!). It was this position that I played for the next two years, before moving to scrum half when the previous holder of the job left school. The main reason we were a rugby school was that the head of sport for the school was a Welshman, and a relation of the great Welsh fly-half Barry John. On a personal note he was always ok with me - I think because he was always happy that I gave 100% every time I went out to either play or train. To others however he was very much a bully….

Also in the sporting year, I got selected into the cricket team, and don't ask me why was made captain! I think it might be that I was looked at as a bit of an all-rounder, I could bowl, and my fielding was very good, and although my batting was erratic if i hit a ball it remianed hit. Trouble was for every ball I hit I missed two or three.... A certain boy called Mark (mentioned previously) was my opening bowling partner, and we terrorised all the other schools. He was like lightening, but a touch erratic with his bowling, whereas I was more "on the money". If he didn't get the wickets I did, and vice versa. On a Tuesday during the off season we had nets at the local cricket school, and I was fortunate to have a bowling coach that was a second eleven player from Essex. It was him that marked out a circle maybe 18 inches wide, and placed six half-crowns in the circle. (A half crown was a big coin being about double the size of a current 50p piece). If you landed a ball on a half crown it would "ping" and the idea was to get used to pitching the ball exactly where you wanted it. To begin with I was happy if I made one ball an over "ping". After a while I used to be able to get 4 out of 6. At this point John my coach changed from putting down 6 coins to just one….. much harder. In all the time he was coaching me I ever only managed to get all 6 once when he put down the six! John bought me a bottle of coke that day he was so pleased!

I was also riding to and from school - but unlike the journey from home to Highlands which was all side roads that were reasonably quiet, my journey took me down the A12 - and I had to ride in the road - no pavements - interesting just how close buses can get to a bike - and as for lorries…. I was not riding my 5th birthday bike anymore - Dad had taken me to a big department store in the City of London - and I had bought myself a really flash racer. It was top of the range - with 10 gears (the most any bike had at the time), and I could go very quick! I had managed to save up the money that I had got from my paper round (I started that when I was 8 - would be illegal now!). The bike cost me almost £10 - and in those early days of the 70's that was an absolute fortune to a child! I think I bought it just after going up to senior school - so that would be 1971!

We were quite lucky in the first year that we went on a series of days out, one to Greenwich taking in the Royal Naval College, the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory. There was also one to Portsmouth for the HMS Victory which was memorable for the journey which was very unusual in that a very long time was spent on the coach for a day trip!

One issue I had with the first two years in senior school is that everything we were being taught in Maths was stuff I had covered in years 3 and 4 of junior school. I was bored with a capital B! I passed all the tests - but didn't need to listen to anything the Maths teachers said, and so kind of turned off my love for maths subconsciously.

The second year of Wanstead, and the houses were increased from 4 to 8, I still managed to remain in House 1! During the first term, and then up to half term of the second term houses 1-4 had to travel to Aldersbrook School with 5-8 at the main school. In the first couple of weeks I travelled by bus, but it took two buses each way, and was a bit of a nightmare! I then found out that the school was actually closer than I thought - and could be reached easier by travelling through Wanstead Park. I could be there in about 20 minutes as opposed to over an hour by bus! Was even quicker if I could take my bike - and once I got permission from the school and Mum and Dad, I was off (because of the distance involved in the bus route permission had to be sought).

Sport wise I continued as before, although the head of sport was dismissed during this year - for beating up a sixth former in the gym! For a while the two other male sports teachers (one of whom taught my sisters kids later in life) looked after everything before the school appointed a new head of sport, who was definitely not the same as the previous one. He hated rugby with a vengeance, so gradually the emphasis changed to football. We still played rugby - but it was no longer the major sport. I did however keep my position in all the school teams - although it would be the following year that things really began to change sportwise, when the new Sports hall was unveiled.

The school year seemed to go on and on - but when the summer holidays came round they also seemed to last forever.

In the third year things took a change for me -now I began to notice girls. We started to have proper parties at school - well proper minus the alcohol unless you sneaked it in 😉 - with a proper disco - ok actually one of the teachers using a reel to reel tape player, after recording the songs from the top 40 from the radio. Boy did we know how to live……..

The parties included all the houses in the year group - as for the past two years or so - we had been split up. There were lots of people we did not know in the four houses that had been opposite to us, they being at Aldersbrook when we were in the main school and vice versa! At one party a girl really took my eye -her name was Susan - the way she danced had me watching her - and each time she went and got a glass of punch - or some food, my eyes would follow her. I was very shy - and didn't pluck up enough courage to go near her - or ask her for a dance or anything - I just stared, like some kind of teen stalker…… My heart was broken again when one of the other boys asked her to dance, and just before being separated by one of the teachers (acting as chaperones) managed to get a kiss from her - and by the look of it a cheeky ass-grab!

The real sad thing about this is when we had a party in the sixth form to celebrate the beginning of the exams (in those days we have a party for anything…..), she was there. We knew each other as schoolmates - we had a few classes together, but I had always remained shy so it was totally platonic! Anyway while my then girlfriend was off getting a drink she came over and we had a chat. She had had a few bevies - and it made her a little loose in the tongue department (as in chatting - nothing else - god your mind…..) and she told me she had seen me at the party all those years ago - watching her - and she had waited for me to make a move as she thought I was really cute! When I hadn't made a move she let another lad dance with her - and they dated for the next few years and he had been her first (yes that!). Oh so close……

The third year saw many of these parties - although there was never anyone who made me look twice - and it was at these parties that I began to take an interest in the music. Well I often helped out the teacher with the reel to reel tape player - and in fact it was he and I that got the school to buy a new sound system that contained two record decks. We began to "spin the disks" and I found that I had a good ear and could change the music style to the reaction of the crowd… This was a skill that would change my life in oh so many ways later in life….

During this third year the school was embroiled in a major scandal and it dealt with the Headmaster. Best I lay a little groundwork first…. I only came into direct contact with him once - and that was when we had a mass fight on the top play ground with toy guns that actually fired pellets. If I remember right they were called secadem guns! There must have been about 10 of us - all firing away at each other - and the pellets would not do any damage - just give you a little sting - even if it hit your face. Well we were all rounded up - and taken to Headmaster's office. All of us went in and were forced to hand over our guns. When one of the slightly older boys (wasn't just our age-group involved) told him that the pellets would not really hurt - he grabbed the boy - pushed him down to his knees and took a gun off the table and pointed it at the boy's eye and said "no damage - what even now?" in a very threatening tone. I honestly thought he was going to fire it! He was bright red and shouting at the top of his voice! After maybe five minutes of ranting and shaking the gun in front of the boy's face - he calmed down. All the guns were confiscated and letters written to our parents. We were also all sentenced to six lashes (I kid you not!) of his belt, apart from the "mouthy" boy who got 10. Truthfully it was over really quick and although it was tender for a day or so - no real harm done……. Others have told me of similar things.

So to the scandal. The headmaster ran off with the head girl - a sixth former. He was old and wrinkly and she was well - a sixth former NB having said that as I cant remember her she cant have been that remarkable. Hit the front page of the Sunday tabloids - when we arrived at the school on the Monday after the story broke there were reporters and cameras everywhere. We were escorted into the School hall - and everyone was warned not to speak to anyone! Funny thing is that had it been the week after - it wouldn't have made the front pages as the fall of Vietnam was occurring that week. Still it made for a change at the top of the school.

On the teacher front I had a fantastic German teacher - he was actually German - and exceptionally easy to wind up over the World Cup of 1966! Dear Gunter Lehman - he was so great! It was him that made me want to continue with German when we got to the fourth year - when we could make choices as to which "O" levels we would take. So I continued on - but the "O" level was too hard for me - and it was decided that I would take the CSE instead. I flunked the whole exam - although in the oral managed to get a fail with distinction (WTF!). Yes it was the German Please someone explain that to me…

Don - who was the head of Sports after Mr John had left - also had an impact on me. On a Wednesday we used to have to go to Fulwell Cross swimming baths - and because I couldn't swim but was reasonably good at other sports - he seemed to have a soft spot for me. He was in the water with the group of four or five of us that couldn't swim - and don't ask me how he got me to swim my width. He was chuffed for me - and suggested that we went up the deep end ("as it's easier to float there"). Gullible me walked up there with him - where he proceeded to push me in! Once I got close to the side to put my hand on it - he acted like he would stamp on my fingers…… I had to try and swim away from him - as I was afraid I was going to drown. As I went down the pool he followed until we reached the wall at shallow end (I had not thought to check to see if I could put my feet down as I was panicking at this point). As I touched it he yelled that I now had done my width, length and elementary all on the same day. (Apparently the elementary was the length plus jumping or diving in - so how him pushing me in counted I have no idea). Still many thanks sir for helping me have a day of massive achievement.

One other teacher who really stood out - or actually made all the lads stand out 😉 - was a geography teacher called Anna who had the biggest pair of boobs ever…. and she loved to show just a little cleavage (sorry loads). It might have been a coincidence but when she was my geography teacher my eyesight began to get worse (god you really do have a dirty mind don't you?). So much so that I had to sit at the front of the classes - and for the first time in my life everyone was jealous of me. Amazing the amount of times I dropped my pen as well - she also liked to wear shortish skirts… She definitelyhad an impact on the male hormones in every class she did. After I left school I did bump into her once in the local pub one Friday. Funny thing was (now that I was 20ish) she was not that pretty - just a large pair of boobs on a very small frame…….

The fourth year came to a close with the test exams, and if I kept on course I would have 8 "O" levels with one CSE! The only problem I had was that because the maths I learnt at Junior school I had not taken much in over the last couple of years. From being so good at it - I was falling down the list. I needed help - and fortunately Stuart came to the fore and began to help me. Everyone at home was happy, and although we didn't have the caravan anymore - we had a good summer break and I returned to school refreshed and ready for anything.

Well when I say anything - that would not be true - I was not ready for the whirlwind that about to come into my life - my true first love - Siân. During the fourth year I had become very firm friends with Miles, with whom I shared a lot of classes. It was during a few of the classes that we had together that we also became friendly with a couple of girls, who also shared most of the classes.

There was Sue and there was Siân, and they had their own language called abergov or somesuch - so that no one ever knew what they were talking about. When they sat close to us we kept a close ear out for what they were saying and Miles could actually tell exactly what they meant. Their secret was out - well when Miles was about - and we all became close firm friends, spending spare lessons revising etc all together.

It became very clear that Sue really liked Miles, and I was taking a fancy to Siân, so we decided to up the game, and we invited the girls out to the Cinema. My first ever date (Miles had had previous girlfriends, and the girls had never gone on a proper date before either!). I cannot remember the film - but I do remember sharing a drink and popcorn, and then taking the girls to the underground station, so they could get their train home. We chatted for a few mins and then the train came in - and the girls ran off - although Sue came back and kissed Miles - whereas Siân held the door for them. I was too shy to kiss her - and then the door was closed and they were off. Miles looked very happy with himself!

Back at school on Monday and we all decide to repeat the cinema the following Friday - which really drags round. We go and see Carrie - which we all think was a bit rubbish - right up to the end! When we all jump out of our seats! We leave the cinema and head back to the station - now I was feeling a touch less shy, and had sat with my arm around Siân during the film as she snuggled into me! So as we got to the station - we heard a train coming so without much ado I made a complete plonker of myself! What I should add is that Miles had been ribbing me all week over my failure to kiss Siân last week, so I leant over and gave her a very chaste kiss - turned to him and said "there you go I kissed her!" She and Sue fell around with laughter while I went very very red! I wanted the world to open up and suck me in. The train left without them as they were still laughing, when Siân came over to me - grabbed me and kissed me - not a chaste kiss but one full of fun and tongue….. We stayed like that until the next train turned up - and they left - with all of us feeling pretty good.

From that point on we were all inseparable - spending time either at my parents house or at Siân's mum's place. We could not go to either Sue or Miles' as neither sets of their parents would have approved of the relationship. When we started work in January and February getting ready for the final mock exams, before the real ones - we spent a lot of time at my place "studying" - or rather Siân and I took our books into my bedroom and Miles and Sue did likewise in my brothers room, as it was during the day and no-one else was here. Let's just say that not a lot of revision was done by either couple, we just spent some quality time together.

Just after we took our mock exams Miles and Sue had a major fall-out. We were no longer a foursome as such - but kept up a lot of the "real" revision as a group. It was easier to spend more time with Siân - even her mum seemed pleased to see me when I went over there. Our relationship was very good - in fact we were very strong together. The actual exams arrived - and apart from geology I was happy with what I had done. I left the three hour geology exam after an hour - so was pretty sure that I had not done too well! Also I would like to point out that the exams were held during the summer months of 1976 - the hottest year on record upto that point! Some exams we came out of totally exhausted because of the heat. School alls did not at that time come with air-conditioning in the UK!

After exams we had an extra few weeks - and we're making plans for the new term. Results were not to be ready until late August - so we had loads of time on our hands. We enjoyed the summer together - finding many ways of entertaining ourselves 😉 .

When I was not with Siân I was off playing football - and it was during one of the games that we used to play (went on for hours…… ) that we were approached by some guys in tack suits - who asked us our names and if we played for any local teams etc. they were primarily talking to me and to one other boy mainly, who was on the books of Orient at the time. I however was not playing for anyone apart from the school. I was handed a card, and asked to ring the number on it (he gave me 10p to cover the cost of the call). Seems really strange that then you could be approached by a man and given money and it was allabove board!!!! When I got home no one was around (both parents still at work) so rang the number from the home phone (keeping the 10p!!!) and was invited to go south of the river and have a trial with Charlton Athletic! That Saturday I took myself off, but my hopes were to be dashed as because of my size (I was barely over 5ft at the time) they thought I was only 14 or so. I was too old at 16!! So professional football was a non-starter for me…. So career number two out of the window…as my first career plan had gone down the tubes when my eyesight went - fighter pilots must have brilliant vision and i wore glasses!

I was contacted by a group of the school football team players to see if I wanted to join a five a side league that was being held on a Sunday at the sports centre. The team was to be called Atomic. I said yes - although after a few games where we got hammered as the goalkeeper couldn't deal with the different rules (kept leaving the area for instance), we made a change - and I went in goal, with the keeper playing up front. During that first season we managed to end up 4th out of 20 teams - and even better the teaching staff at the school who had a team involved and only managed 14th! As an aside there were three really good teams in the league - RSC, Anaconda and the George. For the next couple of years the league went to one of those - with us normally 3rd or 4th, and there was also a cup competition that one of them would win.

In the last season that Atomic were together we started well in the cup - but unfortunately during the warm up - I managed to save a shot that was struck very hard - but felt something give in my hand. From that point on my hand was hurting - but I did not take off the gloves - as my finger had swollen and I wasn't sure I would get it back on. In the quarter final we beat The George by one goal - to play Anaconda in the Semis, again winning by a single goal. In the Final we had to play RSC, who were favourites to really hammer us! The first shot of the match came from them - it hit me on the already hurt hand, and bounced over the line. I wanted to give up - but there were no substitutions allowed, and of the four outfield players no-one could keep goal. Somehow we managed to score three quick goals - making the score 3-1 to us.

At that point horror struck and we gave away a penalty. The ball was struck really hard, aiming for the top corner of the net on the side of me that had the damaged hand. Somehow I managed to tip the ball onto the bar - the ball bouncing out and we broke away quickly to score. The half ended, with us 4-1 in front. During the half time break (all of a minute!) my hand continued to swell. Game restarted and I was in problems, when they scored again. For the next couple of minutes they bombarded me - but somehow I was not beaten again. I managed to actually hold onto one shot - standing and releasing a long swerve pass from my hands off the wall, straight to Ralph, who - as the keeper came to the edge of the box - pinged it off the wall again - and past the keeper into the goal. From the drop ball that restarts the game Ralph shoots and the ball flies straight into the net. We are winning 6-2 with less than a minute to go. During that minute Ralph gets his hat trick - and we win 7-2. The whole place erupts - and even RSC are delighted for us. However I was unable to shake any hands as I was in terrible pain. We get my glove off and my hand is about twice its normal size. I am taken to A&E at Whipps Cross, and after an x-ray it is confirmed that I have three broken bones in my hand! I'd like to say it was worth the pain to get my hands on the cup - but of course I couldn't get my hands on it due to the plaster as in those days broken fingers were put into plaster to "protect them"!

Come the last week of August and we are looking for exam results. The letter arrives and I have managed to obtain 5 "O" levels - Maths, English Language, English Literature, History, and Geology. In fact in Geology I got a A! How I do not know - but I had expected that I would have got Geography… oh well…. Siân managed to get most of hers too.

Back to School for the sixth form - and we have to choose our subjects - you have to take at least 3 subjects to "A" level, and for some completely unknown reason I decide to take 4! English, History, Geology and Economics. My intention is to get enough to get me to university.

When we get into the sixth form area there is a snack bar - but no-one is running it. We both join the entertainment committee for the sixth form, and a few of the guys decide to offer to run the snack bar. We have a major opening ceremony and call the place Luigi's (I cannot remember why). We sell lots of different types of food - from sweeties to burgers and sausages in rolls…… It is very successful in the first term - and because there are about 10 of us it doesn't consume too much time. In fact we use it as relaxation area - well we can smoke in there when the doors are shut, and yes I was at the time a smoker having had my first cigarette which I sneaked out of my mum's packet at 13!

In November, a few of the guys and I started to go up to London to the Marquee club, to see a band that we had heard being advertised on the radio called Charlie. They were absolutely great - and played songs from their new second album - which came out later that year. This would be the beginning of something quite big for us - as we became fans - going and seeing them everytime they played the Marquee Club - which was quite a few times in the year that followed.

Siân and I do not have any classes together - but still manage to spend a lot of time together - spending most of our spare time ither at her place or mine. We have grown very close - and in October - even though I am 17 and she is 16 I ask her to marry me. She says yes - so I buy her an engagement bracelet, as we didn't want to advertise it too much at that time. My school work begins to suffer however - and during the first term I decide to drop Geology - you needed to spend a lot of time doing research, and there were 10 trips planned, which would eat into my spare time with Siân.

Christmas comes - and I have to prove exactly what a massive appetite I have by firstly having Christmas dinner at home with the family, then riding over to Siân's and having another one there! I manage it but just couldn't eat the second helping of the second Christmas pudding……

The second term arrives - and life remains good - but things are beginning to change between Siân and I - she is working really hard at her school work - and I am not too bothered. She begins to work later at school - or when I want to go out she is busy with an essay or somesuch. The only time she seems to have for me is on a Sunday when I play football - so I resign from the team, to give us a little time together. Things continue to be a little strained between us - and so we decide that although we had thought about getting married - we would go our separate ways. Funny thing is that within a couple of weeks she is seeing someone else - someone who does more of the classes with her. We do remain friends - although no longer close.

There are three of us that have begun doing the discos for the sixth form - Stuart, Miles and I, as Geoff my older brother had obtained some disco equipment which we began to utilise. Stuart's dad was a taxi driver, so the stuff went to the school - we performed and then it came back. Amazing what you can fit into a black London Taxi! We tried to earn some more money out of it - forming a mobile agency called GSM sounds, and spent a lot of time making up adverts - using records - but singing or talking other words over them! Somewhere the tape still exists in a box well I hope it does……… We didn't do too many discos apart from school ones - although we did a couple for a branch of the Local Freemasons as something a bit different to their normal Dinner and Dances… That wa mainly due to Pop being a senior member of a couple of the local lodges.

Siân's friend Sue came more into my life again - as a very close friend - she was easy to talk to, and we had a lot in common. One day while I was over at her place she said that I would look better with an earring - so grabbed some ice, a needle, my lighter, and after a few drinks I was the proud owner of a stud earring! Didn't hurt at all - although I think the beer might have numbed it - ahhhh no that was the ice!

One of the Atomic team and I begin to go out with two of the other girls in our year - although Junya doesn't stay with his girl for long - I stay with Anne for six months - although did have a little fling with someone else behind her back (yes I know - complete bast@rd!). We broke up primarily as her parents were not impressed as I did not share their faith - and I must admit when we told them we were no longer going out her Dad looked so smug!

The final term of the lower sixth year - and I have to sit the economics "O" level - before I complete year 2 and go for the "A" level. School is taking a back seat for me - I am using it as a social out - no-longer really studying - in fact I am missing more lessons than I am attending. I have begun to go to lots of concerts, and some of the guys have left the running of Luigi's to me and a smaller band of people. School has really become a secondary life - and it begins to show. The summer comes around - but this year no girlfriend - but that doesn't stop me much - still enjoying life to the fullest, with little or no thought about the future.

One thing I should add is that David's (a close friend) father was an accountant with a very important customer - we were quite fortunate that during the late period of the term he managed to get us tickets to a cinema epic - unfortunately not the premiere but the day after. We journeyed up to Tottenham Court Road to see Star Wars - the original film (Episode 4 "A New Hope")….. if only I knew then what an effect it would have on me - maybe I wouldn't have gone….

During this summer holiday David, Stuart and I go away for a week's studying in David's parents' caravan. Basically during the days we would study - but come night time - we were off enjoying ourselves. One day during the week we went to a local club as we had been told it was a grab-a-granny night - and if you managed to pull you would surely score too! We dressed up - me with a white suit on - please note before Travolta made it fashionable in Saturday Night Fever! Unfortunately no pulling - or scoring…… oh well better luck next time. We also found out big time that if you mix baked beans and ravioli together on toast - hurricanes can be recreated in the relative safety of the caravan. Trouble is the hurricanes have a definitely strong pong… which seems to linger and linger…. Note to self - don't mix these two items together ever ever again…. Unless you want to lose friends/girls etc…..

September 1977 and the Upper Sixth is beckoning - fortunately some how I have passed the Economics "O" level - so can hopefully go for the full A level. The tutor was surprised that I got a B - but agrees to allow me to continue in his classes - on the proviso that homework gets put in - and that I turn up at more lessons. Same reaction from the History tutor - although I am now about half a year behind in history. (if you think about that its quite funny - being behind in history…I guess you had to be there). English is also falling behind - but the reading of the books is no issue - I can knock out a book in a couple of nights - it's the course work, and listening to the tutors drone on and on. Nothing like the fourth year when we had a teacher who could actually read Olde English, which made Chaucer's tales so much fun (yes he read out a few of the naughtier ones to us…..)

In order to get myself back on track I dropped out of the Luigi's management - and without my driving force the whole project fell apart. Within a month of my resignation the whole thing had come to a full stop. Somehow all the money that we had "created" had gone, and they could not even pay the rent to the Sixth form, so the committee ended it, although not until they had made me feel totally responsible - although truthfully it wasn't just me!

Head down trying to work hard - but I have got out of the habit. I decide to drop one more subject - so its bye bye English. So just Economics and History now - surely I should be able to get them. Mind you any thought of University has now gone - so might have to find myself a job…….

I am still going out to a lot of concerts - get to see some great bands of the time, with tastes as extreme as the Sex Pistols and the Stranglers - to the Steve Gibbons band, Charlie and the Motors. Throw in Rainbow and Gong and you have a very strange mix… Then again I just love music!

Upper sixth zips through - and Easter arrives. David, Stuart and I decide to go back to the caravan again - hopefully will be the impetus I need to pass the exams. Somehow Sue and her buddy Ruth get an invite to join us. They will get the bedroom and the guys sleep out in the van itself. Night before we are due to go there is a big house party at Ruth's parents place. There is lots of alcohol flowing - and Sue and David become a couple here. Now not a major thing you might say - and the following morning we all pile in the car, and drive off. Once we get to the caravan and unpack we start to study, only to stop for dinner. No beans and Ravioli this time - but a great meal washed down with an amount of beer and wine.

Time for bed and Sue and David have a quick kiss and cuddle - which just continued and continued. Ruth, Stuart and I decide to give them some peace and take some books and go into the bedroom. About an hour later I go out to the car to grabs some bits we have left - to come back to find Ruth and Stuart kissing and cuddling as well. Now there I was - totally on my own - which ever room I went intothe couple there were "busy" with each other. I get up and return to the car with a blanket, intending to sleep there that night and head off back to London in the morning. Unfortunately the door was caught by a gust of wind and slammed shut (that is the truth nothing to do with anger - it was the wind - honest guv!). Everyone else stopped who they were doing - sorry what they were doing - and came out to the car to check on me. They got me back in the caravan - and we chatted over what had happened, and I ended up in the bedroom on my own (it was the smaller room) and they were outside on the bunks. My revision didn't help - so I wrote a poem called "loneliness is five in a caravan" which David when he read it wanted to put it to music….. Still we were only away about a week… could have been so worse I suppose….

Just before the exams start and I am listening to Capital Radio, and overhear an advert for an international bank, who want school leavers to attend an interview for a job. I decide - given that university is now a dream well past it's sell by date - to apply.

I have also met a lovely girl - well actually she is a friend of my sister and had been out on one date with Dennis, one of the guys that I have been going to concerts with.... she was very sexy - with a pair of boobs to die for (that's the 18 year old boy talking btw). We started dating - and Dennis and I fell out as he had fancied her something rotten. After about three months he forgave me though. Kate and I became a couple - and the second major love of my life had entered it!

At the same time dad has arranged a summer job for me working for someone he knows at Camden Council - in the rating department. The exams themselves occur - but I know deep down I have no chance! Every question might as well as been written in Arabic......