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A Gay Man's Story in Snapshots

An Homage to my Friends, Family and Lovers

Author: Gregg Blachford

I’m going to Sydney WorldPride 2023

Posted on February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on September 23, 2022 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on April 21, 2022 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on January 18, 2022January 25, 2023 by Gregg Blachford

“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

Posted on October 18, 2021 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on June 6, 2021February 15, 2022 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on May 12, 2021November 13, 2021 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on March 18, 2021September 2, 2021 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on January 23, 2021March 2, 2021 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on December 16, 2020January 25, 2023 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on October 11, 2020October 11, 2020 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on October 1, 2020April 19, 2021 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on September 14, 2020May 11, 2021 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on May 19, 2020May 19, 2020 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on April 27, 2020March 4, 2021 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on March 4, 2020May 9, 2020 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on January 14, 2020April 17, 2020 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on October 25, 2019April 29, 2020 by Gregg Blachford

Visiting Berlin as a queer young man in the 70s and 80s.

The First Stop: Portuguese Timor

Posted on August 9, 2019February 28, 2020 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on May 24, 2019March 4, 2021 by Gregg Blachford

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

Posted on March 26, 2019September 19, 2022 by Gregg Blachford

“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

Living the Gay Liberation Life

Posted on December 3, 2018February 18, 2022 by Gregg Blachford

In early 1972, I landed in Sydney from Canada just as Sydney Gay Liberation was taking off and, as you’ve… Read more Living the Gay Liberation Life

Money, Money, Money

Posted on November 12, 2018February 18, 2022 by Gregg Blachford

Having arrived in Sydney from Canada in early 1972 as a 22 year old, I plunged right into the Gay… Read more Money, Money, Money

Sydney Gay Liberation Takes On the Anglican Church

Posted on October 21, 2018February 18, 2022 by Gregg Blachford

My previous posts described how the burgeoning Sydney Gay Liberation (of which I was a burgeoning member) tackled what we… Read more Sydney Gay Liberation Takes On the Anglican Church

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Starting Out

I’m slowly writing a memoir of my queer life using photographs and other archival documents that I’ve collected over the years.  Along the way, I hope to honour the wonderful friends I’ve had over the decades as well as my family.

Suggestions always welcome.

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  • 1973-77 Living in London (8)
  • 1972-73 Living in Australia (7)
  • Random Posts (6)
  • 1971-72 Across the Pacific Ocean (4)
  • 1973 - Backpacking through Southeast Asia (4)
  • 1971 Coming out in Toronto (3)
  • 1977-78 A Year at the University of Essex (2)
  • My Cameras and Photography (2)
  • What Am I Doing Here? (1)

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  • 2023 (1)
  • 2022 (3)
  • 2021 (5)
  • 2020 (9)
  • 2019 (15)

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© 2023 Gregg Blachford

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