}
OH424 Interview with Richard (OutStories Bristol)
Please note this is not a full complete transcript but a detailed summary of the recording
Richard (R), born 12 April 1943, now aged 69. – early life: born Bristol, discusses early life in a St Werburgh’s pub – Briefly details school days. – R was only child – More on St Werburgh’s social conditions – bellringing and his continued interest in Church of England. [00:05:20] schooldays – bullied – better at work, mentions work at Rolls Royce then purchased Oasis nightclub. Realised he was gay in his teens – sexual encounter when R aged 16 – attitudes to gayness and lack of information, mentions the Lord Montagu court case. [00:08:10] – relations with girls during his teens without enthusiasm – at The Radnor (gay pub) on day 1967 Act [Sexual Offences Act] passed – mentions Old Duke (pub in Kings Street) was partly gay. Discusses Flo Cortiche (spelling?), one of R’s staff at Oasis club. [00:09:10] - parties and excitement at passing of 1967 Act – mentions flamboyant clients at Ship Inn and Alex Abbott, very camp businessman “they used to sweep in [to the Ship] and I thought they’re a weird lot” – number of gay contacts through bellringing and via gay friends. [00:12:30] - mentions unnamed club at Severn Beach – Hatchets in Frogmore Street was partly gay/friendly – manager was gay – mixed with prostitutes in Hatchets pub. [00:15:00] – legalisation night July 1967 [Sexual Offences Act] “everybody was off holding parties” - sense of a breakthrough – absence of information about the gay scene – contrasts with today’s openness. [00:17:10] – pressure from family to find a girl – R left home at 26 [1969] to gain freedom, moved to Clifton – mentions first relationship with jealous boyfriend – had only had a couple of sexual relationships before that in period 1967-1969. [00:19:40] - The Downs and open-air cruising; R did not do it but knew lots who did – well known public toilets for meeting men and problems with police – locations of main toilets – R was not into it because of danger and time-wasting – mentions Moulin Rouge club, owners (O’Brien) and Kray twins – Jack Lewis, hairdresser in Gloucester Road was member of the a ‘VIP’ group of members at the Moulin Rouge club called the Tea Set. [00:25:00] - O’Brien family and protection rackets – Bristol gay clubs less strict on dancing rules than London – O’Briens didn’t co-operate with police over death of a Moulin Rouge customer in City docks – [NB; R refers to a man, but documents at Bristol Record Office confirm it was a woman, Christine Druce, in April 1976]
[00:26:30] – Richard sold flat in Clifton at huge profit and used it to buy lease of Oasis nightclub in February 1972 – talks about pre-history of Oasis club and early days of his ownership. [00:31:00] - why he decided to change it to a gay club, unsure of date, c. 1973? – discusses membership costs and entrance, serving food to comply with licence – R ignored it most of the time “I just locked the doors and carried on” – police raids, R would usher everyone up inner staircase to his flat above to carry on as a ‘private party’. [00:37:10] – R’s good relationship with police, dangers of going to police in blackmail/violence cases – R had a ‘charmed life’ and mixed mostly with gay people – difficulties for school teachers, vicars etc exposed. [00:39:50] – had doormen but not bouncers – doorman was beaten up twice so had scaffold bars across his counter. [00:41:20] - policy of no women in the club, a few exceptions – Flo worked at Oasis and Doris Drew drank there, talks about Doris’s family, their businesses and Doris’s colourful life – mentions R and partner ran a hotel in Cornwall after leaving the Oasis. [00:45:50] – Garden parties at Oasis as Gay Switchboard fundraisers – Oasis was never involved with Pride – Garden Parties were on Sunday afternoons, door takings went to Bristol Gay Switchboard, also raffles.
[00:48:55] – AIDS first heard of as a USA problem – Aled Richards [first person known to die of AIDS in Bristol] worked at the Oasis – a Canadian in Bristol died of AIDS before Aled, but went home to die – letter from the Canadian’s brother – Aled was nursed at Ham Green [isolation hospital near Pill, Bristol, used as early AIDS treatment centre] – public meeting at Oasis after Aled’s death was foundation of Aled Richards Trust (ART) – R has a 10-year certificate from ART. [00:51:50] R was member of ART grants panel – R partner was a social worker on AIDS team. [00:53:10] involving volunteers in ART and changes of address – early stigma of ‘gay disease’, later broadened out to include straight people in the organisation – people with AIDS were trying anything, clutching at straws in the hope of a cure – R became chair of ART because of his nice suits – Prunella Scales was a patron – ignorance about how AIDS was caught and transmitted – survivor guilt from those who did not contract it – differences of treatment Bristol to Cardiff, unfairness of medical facilities – distressing for patients - mentions Dr Glover in charge of AIDS treatment in Bristol, he was excellent – treatment started at Ham Green then at Southmead – R’s experience visiting a friend at Ham Green, [01:00:50] – public fears of catching AIDS, reactions in clubs to people with AIDS –move to Cornwall c. 1995. [01:05:15] – growth of ART, later government funding – sold lease of Oasis 1991, bought holiday property in Porthkernow, Cornwall. [01:07:50] later moved and ran hotel. Sold after 3 years and retired in Porthkernow. – moved to Bath 3 years ago last week [Sept 2009]. [01:10:30] Oasis continued as gay club for a while after R left – R explains possibility of co-operation with Vadims club, R sold lease to owner of Vadims. He took over and ran it as gay club from Christmas 1991 – eventually turned it straight – Sid Lawrence cricketer now owns lease. [01:13:40] – 49 Club run by Mike Perry – first gay club after Oasis. – Discusses Wilf and Philip at the Ship Inn, was open before Oasis. [01:16:15] – R has no memories of coffee bars gay late at night – Peggy Hancock of the Radnor is an inventive storyteller – “don’t take it all as gospel” – mentions club at Severn Beach, late 1960s – left side of bar at the Old Duke [King Street]; some gays drank there in 1960s – Hatchets [Frogmore Street] also a mixed pub.
QUOTATIONS: 00:06:10 – first sexual experience c. 1959 I was riding my Lambretta at the time, sixteen. He invited me round to his house and gave me some lovely home-made bread pudding and a glass of sherry and a blowjob. I was not horrified by it, but I never thought I was gay. ... the only things you read about was people in dirty macs and being arrested in toilets.
00:08:10 – on the pressure to date girls I did go out with girls because you had to in those days but I had no enthusiasm for it –my friends were getting all excited about their breasts, but it did nothing for me - when I had sex with them I didn’t know what to do with them, it was like trying to tune into Radio Luxembourg.
About 00:15:00 – attitudes to illegal sex before 1967 “The fact that it had been illegal didn’t stop anyone ... if you wanted to do it you would do it.”
Dancing in gay clubs in the late 1960s 00:25:30 – “At that time in London gay clubs you had to dance a foot apart; people would go round with a torch to make sure. But in Bristol ...they didn’t give two monkeys. Friends from London would come down and be quite shocked.”
01:00:50 – On barrier nursing during early AIDS treatment at Ham Green. “They wanted us to put gowns and masks on to go in his room and see him, but we wouldn’t. That’s the last thing you want”
01:08:00 “Our whole life was ruled by AIDS virtually, for five, six, seven years.”
Richard (R), born 12 April 1943, now aged 69. – early life: born Bristol, discusses early life in a St Werburgh’s pub – Briefly details school days. – R was only child – More on St Werburgh’s social conditions – bellringing and his continued interest in Church of England. [00:05:20] schooldays – bullied – better at work, mentions work at Rolls Royce then purchased Oasis nightclub. Realised he was gay in his teens – sexual encounter when R aged 16 – attitudes to gayness and lack of information, mentions the Lord Montagu court case. [00:08:10] – relations with girls during his teens without enthusiasm – at The Radnor (gay pub) on day 1967 Act [Sexual Offences Act] passed – mentions Old Duke (pub in Kings Street) was partly gay. Discusses Flo Cortiche (spelling?), one of R’s staff at Oasis club. [00:09:10] - parties and excitement at passing of 1967 Act – mentions flamboyant clients at Ship Inn and Alex Abbott, very camp businessman “they used to sweep in [to the Ship] and I thought they’re a weird lot” – number of gay contacts through bellringing and via gay friends. [00:12:30] - mentions unnamed club at Severn Beach – Hatchets in Frogmore Street was partly gay/friendly – manager was gay – mixed with prostitutes in Hatchets pub. [00:15:00] – legalisation night July 1967 [Sexual Offences Act] “everybody was off holding parties” - sense of a breakthrough – absence of information about the gay scene – contrasts with today’s openness. [00:17:10] – pressure from family to find a girl – R left home at 26 [1969] to gain freedom, moved to Clifton – mentions first relationship with jealous boyfriend – had only had a couple of sexual relationships before that in period 1967-1969. [00:19:40] - The Downs and open-air cruising; R did not do it but knew lots who did – well known public toilets for meeting men and problems with police – locations of main toilets – R was not into it because of danger and time-wasting – mentions Moulin Rouge club, owners (O’Brien) and Kray twins – Jack Lewis, hairdresser in Gloucester Road was member of the a ‘VIP’ group of members at the Moulin Rouge club called the Tea Set. [00:25:00] - O’Brien family and protection rackets – Bristol gay clubs less strict on dancing rules than London – O’Briens didn’t co-operate with police over death of a Moulin Rouge customer in City docks – [NB; R refers to a man, but documents at Bristol Record Office confirm it was a woman, Christine Druce, in April 1976]
[00:26:30] – Richard sold flat in Clifton at huge profit and used it to buy lease of Oasis nightclub in February 1972 – talks about pre-history of Oasis club and early days of his ownership. [00:31:00] - why he decided to change it to a gay club, unsure of date, c. 1973? – discusses membership costs and entrance, serving food to comply with licence – R ignored it most of the time “I just locked the doors and carried on” – police raids, R would usher everyone up inner staircase to his flat above to carry on as a ‘private party’. [00:37:10] – R’s good relationship with police, dangers of going to police in blackmail/violence cases – R had a ‘charmed life’ and mixed mostly with gay people – difficulties for school teachers, vicars etc exposed. [00:39:50] – had doormen but not bouncers – doorman was beaten up twice so had scaffold bars across his counter. [00:41:20] - policy of no women in the club, a few exceptions – Flo worked at Oasis and Doris Drew drank there, talks about Doris’s family, their businesses and Doris’s colourful life – mentions R and partner ran a hotel in Cornwall after leaving the Oasis. [00:45:50] – Garden parties at Oasis as Gay Switchboard fundraisers – Oasis was never involved with Pride – Garden Parties were on Sunday afternoons, door takings went to Bristol Gay Switchboard, also raffles.
[00:48:55] – AIDS first heard of as a USA problem – Aled Richards [first person known to die of AIDS in Bristol] worked at the Oasis – a Canadian in Bristol died of AIDS before Aled, but went home to die – letter from the Canadian’s brother – Aled was nursed at Ham Green [isolation hospital near Pill, Bristol, used as early AIDS treatment centre] – public meeting at Oasis after Aled’s death was foundation of Aled Richards Trust (ART) – R has a 10-year certificate from ART. [00:51:50] R was member of ART grants panel – R partner was a social worker on AIDS team. [00:53:10] involving volunteers in ART and changes of address – early stigma of ‘gay disease’, later broadened out to include straight people in the organisation – people with AIDS were trying anything, clutching at straws in the hope of a cure – R became chair of ART because of his nice suits – Prunella Scales was a patron – ignorance about how AIDS was caught and transmitted – survivor guilt from those who did not contract it – differences of treatment Bristol to Cardiff, unfairness of medical facilities – distressing for patients - mentions Dr Glover in charge of AIDS treatment in Bristol, he was excellent – treatment started at Ham Green then at Southmead – R’s experience visiting a friend at Ham Green, [01:00:50] – public fears of catching AIDS, reactions in clubs to people with AIDS –move to Cornwall c. 1995. [01:05:15] – growth of ART, later government funding – sold lease of Oasis 1991, bought holiday property in Porthkernow, Cornwall. [01:07:50] later moved and ran hotel. Sold after 3 years and retired in Porthkernow. – moved to Bath 3 years ago last week [Sept 2009]. [01:10:30] Oasis continued as gay club for a while after R left – R explains possibility of co-operation with Vadims club, R sold lease to owner of Vadims. He took over and ran it as gay club from Christmas 1991 – eventually turned it straight – Sid Lawrence cricketer now owns lease. [01:13:40] – 49 Club run by Mike Perry – first gay club after Oasis. – Discusses Wilf and Philip at the Ship Inn, was open before Oasis. [01:16:15] – R has no memories of coffee bars gay late at night – Peggy Hancock of the Radnor is an inventive storyteller – “don’t take it all as gospel” – mentions club at Severn Beach, late 1960s – left side of bar at the Old Duke [King Street]; some gays drank there in 1960s – Hatchets [Frogmore Street] also a mixed pub.
QUOTATIONS: 00:06:10 – first sexual experience c. 1959 I was riding my Lambretta at the time, sixteen. He invited me round to his house and gave me some lovely home-made bread pudding and a glass of sherry and a blowjob. I was not horrified by it, but I never thought I was gay. ... the only things you read about was people in dirty macs and being arrested in toilets.
00:08:10 – on the pressure to date girls I did go out with girls because you had to in those days but I had no enthusiasm for it –my friends were getting all excited about their breasts, but it did nothing for me - when I had sex with them I didn’t know what to do with them, it was like trying to tune into Radio Luxembourg.
About 00:15:00 – attitudes to illegal sex before 1967 “The fact that it had been illegal didn’t stop anyone ... if you wanted to do it you would do it.”
Dancing in gay clubs in the late 1960s 00:25:30 – “At that time in London gay clubs you had to dance a foot apart; people would go round with a torch to make sure. But in Bristol ...they didn’t give two monkeys. Friends from London would come down and be quite shocked.”
01:00:50 – On barrier nursing during early AIDS treatment at Ham Green. “They wanted us to put gowns and masks on to go in his room and see him, but we wouldn’t. That’s the last thing you want”
01:08:00 “Our whole life was ruled by AIDS virtually, for five, six, seven years.”
