Help!
I have almost no memory of my last BBYO convention.
Clearly I spent a lot of time at Hillel House between my return from Keele University (13 December) and the start of convention helping to plan/prepare the thing.
I think I might have made some separate notes at the time, but if I did they have been lost with the other memorabilia from that era that my mother threw out at one time, because she “didn’t think anyone would want to keep all of those old jottings and such rubbish.” I’m still not over it.
The diary says I stayed at Howard’s the night before convention. I’m trying to remember which Howard that must have been. I’m sure I thanked you and your parents at the time, Howard, but thanks again.
Update: Jack Gilbert chipped in to suggest that this was probably Howard Wiseman, as I knew him well from events passim. A skim through my old, ragged address book suggests that it almost certainly would have been Howard Wiseman. Thanks Jack.
I think I sort-of acted as returning officer for the elections that year, as I do recall feeling that I had experience of such matters when I got involved with election appeals and such at Keele a few years later.
I know that we elected Lewis Sykes as President.
I know I was awarded life membership at that convention. I probably cried upon receipt.
The diary says that I went to Portsmouth with Jenny (must be Jenny Council) after convention and stayed at Barry Laden’s place. In truth I don’t really remember that specific visit although I do remember visiting Portsmouth several times. I’m sure I thanked you and your parents at the time, Barry, but thanks again.
But beyond the thin gruel in my diary, most of it is just a blur.
So this time, I am shouting out the the BBAK (BBYO alte kackes) community for help. Please chime in with your memories, however slight. They might trigger some of mine – my memory is quite good at being triggered these days.
For those who find that music helps trigger memories, here is a playlist (we called them mix tapes back then) that I made up at the time. It’s helped me with Keele stuff more than with this convention, to be honest, but it might help you.
So once again, my plea. Help! Please chime in with memories of that convention. Once those are gathered, I might be able to write a better piece than this.
Hello Ian, this is in reply to your Chigwell Farm piece. How sad that your Mum threw out your memorabilia; I still have the marvellous lessons one and two tapes you made for me, covered in lovely swirly seventies wallpaper, that I would never part with, but I digress….
Well, if this was the convention that took place near to Chigwell, (I remember that as we travelled back from the local tube stop on the way back, and it felt like an eternity, probably as we were exhausted afterwards, at least I was, as ever), this is the one where I remember Jonny Rose doing lots of guitar playing and also acting as a sort of security guard (taking us out to check in the fields one evening with a torch, saying “check in the corners”!) throughout. I also remember there being an awful lot of women who were in love with and falling over Simon Jacobs. That happened quite a bit anyway, but specially at this convention, and I’m also wondering if it’s the one where Pinner did it’s unforgettable welfare-based skit, with Alan Tucker playing the part of our unforgettable Mrs Kushin, re-enacting one of the visits we made, where I think she’d accused someone of breaking a window with a stone from her lawn mower (amazing, what you remember). I remember Lewis Sykes now with the red hair and skinny jeans, and I think it was the last convention I went to before uni, but that for me was in 1983. Ivor Heller and Alun Tucker were great pals at that convention, but I think they had been for ages anyway.
Does that help a bit?! Jilly xxx
How extraordinary to find this on one of my (honestly rare) searches online for my name. Hello!! I did keep basic diaries in those days and found them in an old box after reading this. Sadly most years I run out of steam by the Autumn so I have nothing for the end of 1980. However in 1981, I do note on 3rd Jan…”Ian and Jenny arrive 5.35pm”, and then helpfully on 4th Jan…”Ian & Jenny leave”. No contender for the Pulitzer for me. I did attend BBYO’s DLTC in 1981 at Carmel College and have photos from there if anyone’s interested.
Best to all.
Barry
Barry – so good to hear from you. Your diaries are no less Pulitzer than mine and I did enjoy the very specific reference to 5:35 p.m. which would help enormously if there were a police investigation into our visit. Your diaries might be more helpful towards the longer visit I made to Portsmouth in early 1979, during which I took two rolls of black and white film. They are labelled Code 2 & Code 3 within the mish mosh of rolls contained in this FlickR album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianlharris/albums/72157637996293935/ – perhaps we should take collaboration over the details of that weekend off-line until we have agreed facts, alibis and everything! Really nice to hear from you – hope all is well with you and yours. Ian