This week, I find myself mostly thinking of Blackpool, where I went to school. I was pupil #7 in the 80s-tastic photo above that I found on its website.
1. Watching the second part of the Stephen Fry HIV documentary reminded me of my schoolfriend J, whose little sister was born with significant disabilities, and went to an amazing school, which I visited a few times as a teenager in the mid-80s. It was my first encounter with HIV, as some of the pupils were haemophiliacs and contracted the virus via unsafe blood transfusions. I remember there was a flu outbreak one winter. I remember this already (physically) fragile girl losing friends to something that should never kill teenagers.
2. Me and housemate C were wiping tears away, topping up our Fairtrade wine and checking out the news when along came One Life: Above Enemy Lines (can't find a better link, strangely). I wasn't really watching until the central officer character - Ian Diggle - came on screen. We went to school together. He was good friends with schoolfriend J. The last time I saw him was at her little sister's 21st.
All. Very. Weird.
3. Happy birthday E. Never thought I'd be saying that, either!
I didn't make the White Stripes now-infamous Blackpool gig, but this clip from it is one of my favourite bits of music ever.
joella
5 comments:
Can you name them all? It was only ever girly swots who were asked to pose.
Ian Diggle was a proper lovely bloke - and now he has a lovely cute little quiff and flys a chopper.
Thanks - never thought you'd be saying it either.
I'm the girl with the 'significant disabilities' and my sister is J. Didn't we see you at K and A's wedding in Lytham? Ian Diggle went to my 21st and my 30th! He's getting married in December.
S
Hi J,
This is J. Can name most of the people in the photo:
1. I think was Simon Bell
2. Jill Powell
3. Helen Gregson
4. Anthony Lord
5 Vicki Conway
6 Georgina Harty
7. You
8. ?
9. ?
What a memory. Weren't you all involved with the official school mag, as opposed to the underground "Kweng".
Kids are calling, will write more later!
Hey J&S! Fantastic to hear from you! Yes, that was the school magazine team. I was nothing to do with Kweng, though I did win its inaugural Warlock Award For Services To Alternative Make-up.
I wondered after I wrote this if I actually went to Treloar several times, or only once. I just remember that it had a massive impact on me. I heard a great story on Radio 4 about them recently, how they help sixth formers in relationships get physical with each other if they wouldn't be able to otherwise. What a remarkable place.
Anyway, be great to catch up soon! Simon Bell is actually a pseudonym for someone J will remember, I'll tell you all about it... xx
8 is Andrew Pearson, 9 is Stephen Green
hello Jo
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