John Edward Cooper’s Notes

…G[ospel] S[ervice]: …Glenda [was] there with [a] short skirt. …Walked with Mrs. Wood & Audrey. Audrey told ME:[1] “Glenda had demons. E[lsie] W[rigglesworth][2] cast them out.” Conversation followed. [I] said something about Ian & Glenda. She said, “It’s all right, he’s not going out with her.” “I’m not interested,” I said. She said, “Good.” (WHY?)[3] At their house… Ken said, “Why don’t you bring [a] gorgeous girl, [and] make her jealous?” “What, jealous of HIM?” Audrey said. How changed she is! She used to love me; now, how hard, how indifferent! She doesn’t have a care about anyone’s feelings.…

[1] Me is emphasised here, because it was rare at this time for Audrey, whose attention I craved, to give me any attention.
[2] Elsie Wrigglesworth: See The History of the Full Gospel Church in Fleetwood: Chapter 3. Compare Thursday 27th July 1967 and Friday 28th July 1967.
[3] Why?: Why did Audrey say this? I hoped it was because she wanted me to be interested in her. But more likely it was because she considered that involvement with Glenda would be dangerous for me. Glenda had been involved in some kind of witchcraft and the use of charms.

…Even[ing]: [I went to the church] meeting… [I] looked at Glenda afterwards. I wouldn’t mind having her as my girlfriend.… (My dad told me more about Glenda, aft[ernoon], how he and E[lsie] W[rigglesworth] prayed for her, how her snake charm moved when she (Gl[enda]) exorcised the room & hissed when thrown on [the] fire.)…

…G[ospel] S[service]: …Glenda [was] baptised in [the] H[oly] Sp[irit].[1] She was overjoyed, how nice to see her so happy!…

[1] Baptised in the Holy Spirit: See Sunday 2nd January 1966: Baptism in water and in the Holy Spirit.

…Even[ing]: Went [to] B[lack]pool Vic[toria Hospital for a Christian] meeting. Dave Smith[,who had been my Religious Instruction teacher at Fleetwood Grammar School up to last year, spoke]: “Jesus, the Son of God.” Interesting.… (Going up to Vic[toria Hospital], [I] sat next to Glenda in Dave’s van.)

…Even[ing]: [I went to the] Bible Study [at church], Pastor [spoke].… Talked with Andrea [and] Trev[or]. Also [I had] a few words with Glenda.…

…Even[ing]: [I] went [to the] Church.[1] [I] lumped concrete slabs about, dug up bushes, carried furniture. Talked with Gerald: He said how he had walked with Glenda, and Peter G[ooding] picked her up in [his] car—took her home. “She, being confused, doesn’t want [a] boyfriend,” he said.…

[1] Church, i.e. the building that we had recently moved into. See The History of the Full Gospel Church in Fleetwood: Chapter 4. “Where Moses stood…”

Bob[1] picked me up [at] 11.00[am]. [We] met others at Preston, after some delay & confusion. Again [we] met on [the] Motorway, and in Wales. [We] arrived at [our destination, a] farm, where [we] pitched camp. Beautiful scenery round about—thoughts: “Golden Country”[2] “I am going to enjoy this holiday.”
 Later, at night—[there was a] camp fire, where choruses [were] sung, etc. Glenda walked away, crying. She came back later, and stood behind me. After what seemed to me to be a long while, I asked, “Are you all right?” She answered affirmatively, then—(pause)—“No!”—(pause)—“Do you have joy?” I said, “Come for a walk.” Walking in the dark from bonfire to gate, I said how four years ago I had joy. We conversed—she told me how everyone looked on her with suspicion, “because of” her “past”, how they were trying to put her to the test. She said that she would probably no longer come to church. I said, “Come to church—for the Lord,” with attempts at encouragement. [I] felt sorry and concerned for her—[and] later [I] prayed for her. She is v[ery] nice—I like her v[ery] much. (Later she told [the] same things to Bob.)[3] [I] didn’t sleep well; the ground was hard, and it was cold. We (Fred and me) sang in the early hours, and woke every one up.

[1] Bob Clarke: He was an art teacher at Fleetwood Grammar School and when I was in my final year there had started to come to Fleetwood Full Gospel Church. At this time he was going out with Jennifer Smith, but that courtship did not last long.
[2] “Golden Country”: I now have the mental picture of a distance of round grassy hills, punctuated with wooded areas, and possibly a broad river-valley, lit by the golden light of a setting sun. Was “Golden Country” an expression and an image from a commercial, say for soup, on TV? Or was it from some TV drama? (In either case I would have seen it in black-and-white, but I still would have got the impression of evening light.)
[3] Later she told same things to Bob: I think I was feeling quite proud that she had opened herself to me, so I felt disappointed that she graced Bob with the same disclosures.

Morn[ing]: [We] went [to] Wrexham—shopping. [We had] dinner at Mike’s pub.

Aft[ernoon]: Open air [evangelistic meeting]s. In one place a gang of youths were preached at. A café proprietress started trouble—[the] police moved us on. Then we saw SALVATION ARMY people marching—we greeted them. [We had] prayer in [the] parish churchyard. [There was an] incident with [the] verger, etc. Ian spoke forcibly to them. [We had] tea in [a] café at Wrexham. After this [we] went to a Young People’s Outreach, with [a] loud, beaty group. Glenda spoke to me, [and we] shared pop. I sat with her in a prayer meeting. She and I enjoyed [the] group, but we agreed it was useless for preaching [the] G[ospel]. Peter said it had [the] spirit of antichrist.
 [We] met those of us who were coming today. Going [back] to [the] camp, Bob was depressed. [Again there was a] camp fire. [I] slept well.
 What a laugh it is in our tent now [that] Ken, Graham [and] David have come!

[At] 6am, we talked. [We] woke up Glenda’s tent; she called us “pigs”, and she woke the whole camp.

Morn[ing]: Church—open meeting. Aft[ernoon]: [I was] back at camp. Some stayed for S[unday] S[chool]. Even[ing]: [The church] meeting [was] taken by us. I testified, incompetently. Ian spoke. Ken Wood [was] filled with [the] H[oly] Sp[irit]. Everyone [was] v[ery] joyful in the Lord. But I was left flat. So I became v[ery] depressed this evening. [It was a] v[ery] cold day—I shivered round [the] camp fire. [I] slept well[, though].

Morn[ing]: [We were] packing up, etc. Aft[ernoon]: We went on [a] hike—

From the back forward: Karen Hodgkinson, Audrey Wood, Fred (from Wrexham), Ken Wood, Sue Dewhurst…

—through beautiful country, up a hill. The group divided, we going down a valley. Glenda & Jean joined us. [I] took pictures of Glenda & horses. [I] held her hand & “helped” her over a muddy part. She looked v[ery] attractive in what she wore.

Fred was a very affectionate guy. He said, “Isn’t it marvellous—we get on so well together!” He was so full of the Lord. This all almost made me want to weep.

Back at [the] camp—[we] saw [a] bull being ringed. Then [we were off] home—in David’s van. [We got] held up in [a] traffic jam. [I] got mad when I had to wait in [a] queue at [a] motorway café—it was a laugh all round. I have a crush on Glenda. I want to go out with her. Maybe the Lord will be gracious & make everything turn out right, that I might have her. He might give me her as my “helper fit for” me.

…Even[ing]: Bible Study, Pastor: “The Word of God.” Glenda came in late with Susan, her friend. [I] talked to [the] young girls [afterwards], incl[uding] Margaret: “Glenda fancies someone” [she told me.] But she wouldn’t give names. [I] said a few words with Glenda. Today I decided to ask her out with me, but seeing her I felt no encouragement to do so. [I] felt a bit downcast—she has no interest. [I] went [to the] Woods’ [house]. Mrs. Wood called her “a witch”. [I] told her how Glenda was upset [be]cause of people thinking that. Then Audrey came.… Walking for [the] bus [I] prayed, realising that I was preoccupied with these girls and not with the Lord. Seeing Audrey I thought I only love her memory but for her as she is I have no affection.

…Even[ing]: [I] went [to the] Prayer Meeting.… Glenda & Susan, her friend who came on Tuesday, left immediately afterwards. [I] went [to the] Woods’.… Later Audrey came, [and] said how Susan & her Black Charm [were] exerting an influence on Glenda. Mrs. Wood says Glenda’s not right—“something in her eyes.”…

…Even[ing]: G[ospel] S[ervice]… Glenda asked me if [the] photos had come. I was going to ask her out, but she went off in Pete’s car.…

Susan walked out of church on this day. Apparently Glenda made a break with her then. Thus any chance of her being influenced by her is nullified this day.

…Even[ing]: Meeting. [I] showed everyone my slides [of the trip to Wales]. Good testimonies. Glenda [was] not there ∴ [I felt] disappointed. [It was] announced from [the] front: she’s ill at home.…

…G[ospel] S[ervice]:… Then [we went to] Glenda’s. [I] showed her [the] slides. Ian, Peter [and] Jill [were] with me. Then [we went to] Ian’s.… Ca. 2.00am Mr. Makinson [Ian’s father] gave us [a] lift home.…

…G[ospel] S[ervice]… [Afterwards I] talked with Andrea & other girls. Finally [I] got Glenda on her own as all left church. [I] asked [her]: “Will you go out with me?” She said, “No.” She said it’s nothing against me, she just doesn’t want [a] boyfriend. “Once bitten, twice shy,” she said. I said, “I won’t bite.” She says she’s never getting married, never wants children. [She] says there’s something (unclean)[1] about courtship, etc. [She] wants to go [to] work in Russia.[2] She said, “Thank you for asking me”, a most unexpected and v[ery] pleasant thing to say.…

[1] (Unclean): I put this word in brackets because it was only an approximation of the meaning of the actual word she used, which I couldn’t remember.
[2] She wants to go to work in Russia: The suppression and persecution of Christians in Communist countries, which received a lot of attention in evangelical churches at that time, may have been at the root of this expressed desire.

…Meeting… [I] went [in the church’s] coffee bar.… Susan came in, then, horror! Glenda [was] with her—both wearing black. I said a few words to her. Is she a child of God—or of Belial?… This shocked us all. David was clearly shaken.…

…G[ospel] S[ervice]… [I] gave prints to Glenda [and] spoke with her.…

…G[ospel] S[ervice]… My heart gave a beat as Glenda walked in, she is quite good looking.…