As you may or may not know, one of the greatest pleasures in my life is to sort things into… Read more Those ticket stubs and more
Author: Gregg Blachford
Part Two – Sydney’s WorldPride 2023
OK. I promise. This is the last post about my trip to Sydney. A short-ish one too. Here you can… Read more Part Two – Sydney’s WorldPride 2023
Sydney’s WorldPride 2023 was a Smash Hit – Part One
My last post was about my upcoming visit to Sydney to be part of their 45th annual Mardi Gras celebrations… Read more Sydney’s WorldPride 2023 was a Smash Hit – Part One
I’m going to Sydney WorldPride 2023
What is WorldPride and why am I going? For those who don’t know, WorldPride is a massive event held every… Read more I’m going to Sydney WorldPride 2023
Gay Sex in the 70s: My Story
Be warned. This post isn’t for the faint of heart nor for those not accustomed to “joyously romping around in… Read more Gay Sex in the 70s: My Story
The Making of the Modern Homosexual
What I want to talk about in this, my second post concerning my 1977-78 year at the University of Essex,… Read more The Making of the Modern Homosexual
A New Home in Colchester
“You’ve got mail”, my flatmate Peter Chadwick announced. It was September 1977. I was lounging in bed one Saturday morning… Read more A New Home in Colchester
Gays at Work: Sexual Orientation, Trade Unions and Equal Opportunities
Picture this. Me. May 1976. Buxton, in England’s Peak District. At the Annual Conference for NATFHE – the union for… Read more Gays at Work: Sexual Orientation, Trade Unions and Equal Opportunities
Badges, Buttons and Pins
In my last post, I talked about the trouble that I and my fellow lecturers got into for wearing anti-racism… Read more Badges, Buttons and Pins
Teaching the Lads at Uxbridge Tech
With my, as they say, newly-minted teaching certificate/PGCE in hand, I went for an interview in the summer of 1974… Read more Teaching the Lads at Uxbridge Tech
The Gay Left and Me in London
For those of you who have read about my life and times coming out as a 23 year old in… Read more The Gay Left and Me in London
Onto Southern Europe and Gay/Nude Beaches
Having just taken you through some of my travel experiences in Northern Europe in the 70s, now we’ll head south… Read more Onto Southern Europe and Gay/Nude Beaches
First Forays into Europe
Having now settled into London, I yearned to get across the Channel to explore worlds I imagined filled with deep… Read more First Forays into Europe
Garry – A Lesson in Love
In my last post, I told you I was going to talk about Garry, a flatmate of ours from that… Read more Garry – A Lesson in Love
Off to Classes
It’s the beginning of October 1973 and time to start my PGCE (teacher training) program at University of London’s Institute… Read more Off to Classes
Starting a New Life in London – 1973
Here is my diary entry for my first day of my new life in London: August 29, 1973. “Land from… Read more Starting a New Life in London – 1973
How My Memorabilia Help Tell My Story
This post will be quite different from my previous ones – for better or worse – and that’s why I’m… Read more How My Memorabilia Help Tell My Story
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos 1973 – Part Two
Are you ready for the final post of my nostalgic ramblings as a gay 23 year old Canadian backpacking through… Read more Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos 1973 – Part Two
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos 1973 – Part One
After my adventures in Indonesia with Teddy and the boys as outlined in my last post, I flew away to… Read more Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos 1973 – Part One
The Next Stops: Bali and Java
The moment I stepped off the plane in Bali, Indonesia on June 2, 1973, I knew right away that I… Read more The Next Stops: Bali and Java
The Berlin Wall – Before and After
My last post, you may remember, was about my visits to my beloved city of Berlin back in the 70s,… Read more The Berlin Wall – Before and After
Berlin Walls & Boys: 1977 to 1992
Visiting Berlin as a queer young man in the 70s and 80s.
The First Stop: Portuguese Timor
If you’ve been following my story, you’ll know that it is now May 1973 and that I’m a Canadian who… Read more The First Stop: Portuguese Timor
Into the Australian Outback
First time to the Outback – Early 1973 Having lived in Sydney for most of 1972 by now, I couldn’t… Read more Into the Australian Outback
Bars, Beats, Bogs and Sex
“Sex is a revolutionary act” was one of the central political messages of Gay Liberation that I learned in Sydney… Read more Bars, Beats, Bogs and Sex