This Boy: A Memoir of a Childhood (34 page)

Photos
here
,
here
and
here
of the picture section courtesy of Mary Evans Picture Library/Roger Mayne.

The page references in this index correspond to the printed edition from which this ebook was created. To find a specific word or phrase from the index, please use the search feature of your ebook reader.

Aberfan 259

Ali, Arif 271

Ambrose, Bert 14

Anthony Jackson’s supermarket 263, 264–5

apartheid 169

Arden, Don 257, 270

Area, the (band) 259, 268, 279; formed 256–7; concert at Aylesbury 257, 260, 269; studio recording 270; burglary 271

Armstrong, Ted 112

Australia 83

Aylesbury College 257, 260

Bakridon, Mike 271, 272

Barker, Annie (
née
Johnson; aunt of Alan) 23

Barker, Tony (cousin of Alan) 68

Barker, ‘Tottsy’ 23–4

Barnes 46, 195, 276, 278

Bates, Stephanie 268

baths 96

BBC: premises 23, 194; radio 45, 130, 171, 172, 279–80

BBC2 260

Beatles, the 172–3, 179, 187, 206, 280

Berriman, Mr (shopkeeper) 98, 104, 134, 204–5, 208

Berry, Chuck 179, 180, 181

Betting and Gaming Act 49

Beveridge report 99

Bevington Primary School 57, 58, 74, 75, 92, 108–9, 122–3, 124, 140; caning 68, 188; playground 62; swimming 109

bicycles 69–70

Boas, Guy 125, 127

books 59, 60–1, 117–19, 228–9, 249, 250–1, 268; favourite 60, 118, 119, 129, 229

boxing 66, 134

Bright, Pauline 185–7, 206

Brixton College 193

Brook Green Nursery, Hammersmith 193, 204, 258

Burgess Hill, Sussex 188

bus tickets 64

Cambridge Gardens 73–4

candles 16, 199, 202, 205

cards 61–2, 63

Carlen, Peter 248–51, 252, 253

Carlyle Grammar School for Girls 149, 185

Carnaby Street 253–4

Carter, Jimmy 139–40, 141–4, 145, 161, 162–3, 164–6, 170, 171, 175, 197, 206

Carter, Johnny 145–7, 148, 227–8, 246, 247

Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly
141, 195, 249

Cheetham, Ann 260, 268, 272

Cheetham, Irene 260

Chelsea 253–4;
see also
Sloane Grammar School

Children’s Country Holidays Fund 150–9

Christie, John 147–8

Christmas: Cobden Club parties 43, 60, 117;
1957
, parents away 52–3, 86; in Romford with Ron 162; at Southam Street 35–6;
1963
208–11;
1966
262

cigarettes 41, 139–40, 199, 214–15, 273

cinemas 41, 42, 73

Clark, Ian 256

coach travel 31, 32

coal 15, 174–6

Cobden Club 43, 60, 117

Cochrane, Kelso, murder of 89–92, 94

Coronation celebrations 22

Coventry 31

Cox, Albert 58, 59–60, 61, 71, 116, 228–9, 232, 261, 266–7

Cox, Carole 57–8, 60, 256, 261

Cox (later Johnson), Judy 273–5, 276, 278; wedding 283; childbirth 283

Cox (later Johnson), Natalie 273, 274, 276, 283

Cox, Pat 60, 70–1, 120, 208, 219, 232, 259, 261, 265–6

Cox, Tony (school friend) 57–8, 60, 61, 69–70, 71–4, 116–17, 120, 121–3, 125, 126, 127, 183, 259, 267

Crawley, Sussex 48

Cub Scouts 107, 119–20

Curtis, Danny 256, 259, 270, 271

Curtis, Walter 69, 121, 123

Daily Sketch
56–7, 190

Dance, Willie 14

Dansette record-player 50–1, 97, 113, 180, 247

Dante 216

David (Sutton Dwellings) 28, 29

Dawson, Mr (of Tesco) 261–4

Denmark 150–8

dentistry 222

Deram label 270

Dickens, Charles 59;
David Copperfield
229, 249

divorce 57, 99–100, 103–4, 207

dog 81–2

Dr Barnardo’s homes 236, 274; Barkingside 237–9

Dulwich 103, 142–4, 145

Durham, Peggy (
née
Gibson; aunt of Alan) 17, 19–20, 32–3, 103, 225, 229, 230

Durham, Robert (‘Bob’; uncle of Alan) 34

Dylan, Bob 198

Earl of Warwick pub, North Kensington 13, 174

Education Act
1944
107–8

Electric Cinema 73

electricity meters 16, 35, 80–1, 175, 194, 204

Eleven-Plus exam 106–7, 123–5

Elsie (of Sutton Dwellings) 25, 28–9

EMI 275

emigration 83

Farugia, Johnny 264–5, 268, 271, 275

fighting 65–6, 71–2

films: in cinemas 41, 42, 118–19; on lorries 55; at school 128, 129–30; westerns 118–19

Flick Cards 61–2

food 37–40, 104–6, 141, 195, 254–5, 260–1; rationing 37; school lunches 34–5, 125, 128, 195, 254, 260

football 114–17, 119, 141, 148–9, 159; in Denmark 157; in Liverpool 234; playing in parks 120; QPR 114–15, 116–17, 119, 148, 159, 269; at school 149, 175; at Stamford Bridge 177–8

football pools 46, 47, 49, 50; in Big Freeze 177

Foster, Dolly (
née
Gibson; aunt of Alan) 30, 31

Foster, Les (uncle of Alan) 30, 31

Fourth Feathers Club 256, 259, 271, 279

Frampton, Peter 280

Freeze, Big
1963
173–7

Fulham 194, 238

Fulham County Grammar School for Girls 97 106, 140

gambling 49–50, 148

gas lamps 12

Gemmill, Mr (headmaster) 92, 108–9, 123

Gibson, Joe (‘Sonny’; uncle of Alan) 30, 229

Gibson, John (grandfather of Alan) 16, 17, 18–20, 32, 230

Gibson, John (uncle of Alan) 30, 225, 229

Gibson, Maria (grandmother of Alan) 16–17, 18, 20

Gibson, Norman (uncle of Alan) 229

Green, Harry (uncle of Alan) 34, 234–5

Green, Rita (
née
Gibson; aunt of Alan) 19–20, 32–3, 225, 234

Grimond, Jo 93

guitars 50, 113, 114, 119, 184, 185, 228, 247, 252, 257, 271–2, 275

Hackett, Stephen 184, 215

Hamlet Gardens 267–8, 272

Hammersmith 193, 195, 255, 267–8; Brook Green Nursery 193, 204, 258; Register Office 283; tower block 241

Hammersmith Hospital 116, 189, 191, 204, 207–8, 209–10, 211, 216–20, 221, 224–5

Handley, Ronnie 255, 261, 263

Harris, ‘Dolly’ (teacher) 248

Hassam, Sham 271, 272, 275–6

Hayes, Mr (teacher) 68, 109, 110, 188

Hayward, Peter 123

Heath, George (uncle of Alan) 30, 86, 225, 229, 233

Heath, Jean (
née
Gibson; aunt of Alan) 8, 19, 30–1, 86; after Lilian’s death 220, 225, 229, 233

Henry (Lilian’s suitor) 131–3

Henry, Dr (headmaster) 127–8, 188, 215, 249, 251

Henry’s Radios, Praed Street 196, 198

hire purchase 46–7, 50, 113

Holland Park 15, 120–1, 124; Comprehensive School 124

hop-picking 34, 86

horoscopes 56–7 Hughes, Marilyn 57, 84, 91

Hull 31

Hyde Park 54, 119

illegitimacy 57, 274

immigrants 48, 75–7, 147; Cochrane 89–92, 94

In-Betweens, the (band) 271–2, 275, 279

Ireland, Mr and Mrs 17, 31, 33

[Sir] Isaac Newton Secondary Modern School 73, 107, 123

James, Colin 183–8, 194, 205, 212, 215, 253

Jay, Peter 279–81

Joe Loss Orchestra 280

Johnson, Alan: birth 11; names 11–12, 277–8; childhood in North Kensington 12, 15, 18–27, 28–45, (visit to Liverpool 31–4), (infants school 34–5, 75), 46–63, (Christmas alone 52–3), (primary school 57, 61–2, 75, 92, 108–11), 64–74, (and father 66), (seized by madman 72–3), 75–86, (on father’s leaving 83–6), 89–101, 103–13, (Eleven-plus exam 106–7, 123–5); at secondary school 106, 125–6, 127–30, (eye injury 136–7), 140–2, 159, 168–70, 188, 248–53; song–writing 112, 113, 270; football 114–16, 159, 177–8; Cub Scout 119; and father 144–5, 232–3; works for milkman 146–8, 194–5; holiday in Denmark 150–9; Christmas in Romford 162–6; puberty 167–8; appendicitis 170–3; in Big Freeze 174; teenager 178–90, 193–206, 253–4; while mother in hospital 202–6, 207–18; death of mother 219–20; aftermath 220–30; mother’s funeral 230–3; in Liverpool 233–4; new accommodation sought 235–41; in Pitt House 245–7, 256, 258; writing ambition 249–50, 252; leaves school 251, 252; first jobs 254–6, 261–5; living with Coxes 259–61, 266–7; in Hamlet Gardens 267–8; meets Judy 273–5; as postman 46, 276–8; with bands 185, 205, 256–7, 258,
269–72, 275–6, 279; audition 279–81; marriage and children 283

Johnson, Betty (aunt of Alan) 222–3, 232

Johnson, Emma (daughter of Alan) 283

Johnson, Jamie (son of Alan) 43

Johnson, Jim (uncle of Alan) 23, 222–3, 232, 240

Johnson, Lilian (
née
Gibson; mother of Alan): family 16–17; birth 7; early life 14–15, 17–18, 20, 117, 230; wedding, 7–8; childbirths 11; politics 93; religion 25, 56; teeth 222; living in Southam Street 12, 15–16, 22, 23–6, 28–32, (visits Liverpool 32–4), 34–9, 41–5, (wins football pools 46–7, 49, 50), 46–52, 55–7, 63, 64, 66–71, 77–86, (on husband’s leaving 83–6), (and death of Cochrane 89–92), 93–4; work 15, 42, 52, 53–4, 97, 102, 121, 126, 140; in hospital 52–3, 100–1, 134, 138, 141, 179, 189, 190–2, 202, 203–4, 205–5; living in Walmer Road 95–100, 103–8, 111–13, 116, 119–20, 123–6, 130–7, 138–41, 144–5, 148, 150–1, 160–1, 99–100; divorce 99–100, 103–4; and daughter 99, 130–1, 138, 191–2, 193; seeks second husband (Henry 131–3, 138), (Ron 160–5); final illness 199–202; in hospital 207–11, 216–19; death 220–5; funeral 223–4, 230–2

Johnson, Linda (sister of Alan): birth 11; character 13–14; childhood 12, 13, 15–16, 21–2, 24–7, 28–35, 39, 42, 44, 50, (CCHF holiday 150), (Christmas alone 52–3), 54–8, 60, 63, 64, 80–3, (pet dog 81–2), (attacks father 82), (on father’s leaving 83–6); teenage years 95–9, 104–6, (works in shops 104, 134), 111–12, (and mother 99, 130–1, 138, 191–2, 193), 131–3, (dates 133–6, 139, 196–7, 199–203), (confronts father 142–5), 160–5, 167–8, 170–2, 175, 179–83, 191–2, (leaves school 191, 193); nursery nurse training 191, 193–4, 258; while mother in hospital 203–11, 216–19; at mother’s death 220–5, 227; subsequently 229–33, 235–41; in Pitt House 245–7, 251–2, 257; in Watford with Mike Whitaker 258–9, 269, 272–3; marriage 258, 261; children 283

Johnson, Nanny (grandmother of Alan) 20–1, 23, 24, 25, 223

Johnson, Sandra (half-sister of Alan) 145

Johnson, Stephen (father of Alan): early life 7, 14–15; wedding 7, 8; career 14, 34, 144; as pianist 14, 15, 33, 34, 78, 114, 132; living with family 12, 15, 20–1, 25, (and Elsie 26, 28–9), (in Liverpool 31–4), 35, 41–5, (party host for Cobden Club 43, 60), 46, 48–50, (Christmas
1957
52–3), 57–8,
(teaches son boxing 66), 67, 78–9, 80–3, (and dog 81–2), (and football 114–15), 223; leaves family 83–6, 113; in Dulwich with Vera 103, 142–4, 145; divorce 103–4; as absent father 103, 104, 119, 137, 138, 139, 143, 144–5, 193, 207; confronted by daughter 142–4; and son 144–5, 226, 232–3; on wife’s death 222, 232–3; subsequently 239, 246

Johnson, Vera (second wife of Stephen) 86, 102–3, 142–4

Johnson, Wally (uncle of Alan) 86

Kabin, the 40

Kearns, Tony 256

Keeler, Christine 189, 190

Kelly, Susan 268

Kennedy, John F.: assassination 206

Kenny, Mrs (landlady) 267–8

Kensal Green cemetery 92, 231

Kensal Town
see
North Kensington

Kensington Gardens 54–5

Kensington Palace Hotel 73

Kensington Post
160

Kensington Register Office 7

Kilburn 181, 182, 259

King, Nosmo 281

Kirby, Linda 109–10, 157

Kirby, Russell 110

Kirk, Stephen 65, 152, 153–6

Ladbroke Grove library 35, 60, 117

Ladd, Alan 11–12, 129

Lads of the Village pub, North Kensington 85–6, 102–3

Langton, Maureen 157

Latimer Arms, North Kensington 97–8, 174

launderette 38

Lawrence, Terry 185, 188, 215

Leadsford, Mrs (teacher) 123

Liverpool 86, 207–8, 225; in Lilian’s childhood 14, 16, 17–18, 20; family visit 29–30, 31–4; visit after Lilian’s death 233–5

London: bands 187, 252, 256–7, 269–72, 275–6, 279–81; fog 22; ‘swinging’ 183, 253–4;
see also districts

London County Council 235, 236–7, 241, 258–9

Macdonald, Malcolm 128, 149

Marquee Club, Wardour Street 187, 252

Marsh, Rodney 269–70

Matthews, Stanley 177–8

Mayne, Roger 13, 76

Meehan, Pat 275

Melody Maker
256

Mindbenders, the (band) 279

Mods 175, 179, 180–2, 184, 197, 252, 280

Mosley, Oswald 93–5

museums 54–5, 55–6

music 110–13, 114; bands 185, 187, 194, 252, 256–7, 269–72, 279–81 (
see also
Area; In-Betweens; Vampires); broadcast 130, 172–3, 279–80; folk 198; Stephen
Johnson as pianist 14, 15, 33, 34, 78, 114, 132; played at home 132–3; pop 110–12, 173–4, 179, 184; at schools 110, 129, 184, 185; singing 132–3;
see also
guitars; records

NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) 14–15, 20, 30, 70

National Health Service 11, 99, 172; dentistry 222

Natural History Museum 55–6

Nin (aunt of Lilian) 19

North Kensington (Notting Hill) 24, 29, 33, 42, 48, 120, 137, 146, 159, 190, 201, 245–6, 259, 274, 278; demolition 266; milk deliveries 146–7; parks 55; race riots 78, 79–80;
see also
Southam Street; Walmer Road

Notting Hill
see
North Kensington

Old Moore’s Almanack
56

Orwell, George 249, 251

Owen, Wilfred: ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ 248

Ozorowitz, Alex and brother 152, 156–7, 158–9

Paddington General Hospital 12, 53, 90

Paddington Station 12, 16, 23–4

Pallai, Peter (teacher) 248, 253

Pankhurst, Emmeline 93

Pavilion 257

Peabody, George 24

Peabody Buildings 21, 23, 222, 240

Pepper, Mr (social worker) 237, 238–40, 241, 246, 247, 248

piano, at home 44–5, 60, 112–13, 132–3

pie and mash shops 39

Pied Horse pub, Islington 272, 275, 279

Pitt House, Wandsworth 245–8, 258

Playboy
magazine 198–9

Portobello Road 38, 49, 63, 111, 181; market 34, 45, 134

Post Office 276–8

Profumo, John 189–90