 Those who knew him called him “Chris” (or following grammar-school practice, “Woodhead”); and those who knew of him, referred to him variously (depending on their disposition and sensitivity) as “the boy with the blond hair” or “the boy who has fits”.[more]
— Chris Woodhead was born on Sunday 16th July 1950 in the east-coast town of Grimsby.[more] In 1960 his father became the Ministry of Transport marine surveyor at Fleetwood docks, and took the family over to live in Thornton.[more] I met Chris briefly in summer 1961,[more] and later came into contact with him through David Jones,[more] but it was not until 1963 that a regular friendship was established between us.
Chris was unhappy at home owing to the strictness of his father — whom he nicknamed “Fido” (a name more usually given to dogs) because of a tendency to make barking sounds when annoyed — and by the end of 1964 he had run away from home
three times, making for Grimsby. On the first attempt, he travelled by train, but was
apprehended by a policeman at Manchester
Piccadilly railway station. On the second attempt, he hitch-hiked and actually made it to Grimsby — but not until
three of the drivers who picked him up had attempted to behave indecently with him.
"Fido" in 1977
This account brings us up to the events described in 1965, the year that changed my life, especially Chris and I watch “Sharon” on TV, onwards.
See also in Early Days:
Chris Woodhead
The Woodheads move to Thornton
Chris moves to Thornton
The Emeralds, Mallards, Broadswords and Hellfires Club
The Leeches
The Fairhursts and the Leeches
Richard Hartley
“You’re in league with Leech!”
Chris begins to suffer from fits
The Ghostiologists
Peter Hargreaves
“What’s happened to your new friend Peter Hargreaves?”
Chris gets his “eleven plus” result
David Jones
“Little Peter”
The Emeralds, Mallards, Broadswords and Hellfires Club (continued)
Chris Woodhead, September 1961
Chris goes to Devonshire Road hospital
Chris goes to Newcastle General hospital
Chris Woodhead, February 1962
Jones’s first visit to Chris’s house
Jones becomes Secretary of the Club
Chris’s visits to Grimsby
“Chris was just leaving!”
Chris is admitted to “The Game”
Jones’s behaviour at a tea party
I meet Chris
Chris meets Peter Gooding
The Saint
Fairhurst and the chemistry set
My expulsion from the EMB&H Club
Jones and Manchester
In and around Davelyshome
Chris hypnotises Jones
The Colonel C. Bear-Jones Incident
Some sayings of Mums
Mark of Mayfair Drive
“One day down to Budleigh…”
Trevor reappears on my scene
I witness a fit for the first time
The Japanese War Atrocities Incident
The jammy letter
Jones first reveals the threat of the Middleton Empire
The Middleton Empire—fact or fiction?
Jones warns Potts about the Middleton Empire
“I’m very sorry, Chris, but what can I do?”
Jones sells the Club out to the Middleton Empire
Jones’s trial before the Disciplinary Court
Chris’s first visits to my house
The Middleton Empire spoof
The Apple Incident
David Charles Woodhead and David Charles Jones
Beat Nights
“Go home!”
The summer holidays, 1964
Brian Hall meets David Jones
Towards the first kiss
Brian Collinge
My first visit to Grimsby — Thursday
My first visit to Grimsby
— Friday
My first visit to Grimsby — Saturday
Ann Nurse
Chris and I return home
Pat Lomas and Elaine
The “feight” with Collinge
Gillian Marr
Doreen Tewson
“Rag Doll”
Chris and I watch “Sharon” on TV
Chris’s reaction to the programme “Sharon”
Chris has a fit —as well as numerous entries in 1965, the year that changed my life and later.
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