| Alan Johnstons book 20:49 - May 4 with 6207 views | onlyrinmoray |
Just finished reading his book " This Boy " its a great read Recommend it for some of the older Rs. He was brought up in near poverty in Notting Hill. I knew he was Rangers which was one of the reasons I bought it, they get a lot of mentions. Very rare to be a working class politician rather than a posh public schoolboy
Obviously a good musician played in a couple of well known West London bands The Area and the In Betweens, but never made the big time
Well worth a read |  | | |  |
| Alan Johnstons book on 20:55 - May 4 with 4461 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Does he mention that nonsense with his security and his missus? Would read it anyway but curious as to how candid he is in it. |  | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 20:56 - May 4 with 4459 views | batmanhoop |
yes a thoroughly good read, his second book is out now too |  | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 21:00 - May 4 with 4434 views | onlyrinmoray |
| Alan Johnstons book on 20:55 - May 4 by BazzaInTheLoft |
Does he mention that nonsense with his security and his missus? Would read it anyway but curious as to how candid he is in it. |
This book is about his life as a boy in 1950/60s Notting Hill up until he got married at 18 and started as a postman in Barnes nothing about his political life which was years later | | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 21:05 - May 4 with 4418 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| Alan Johnstons book on 21:00 - May 4 by onlyrinmoray |
This book is about his life as a boy in 1950/60s Notting Hill up until he got married at 18 and started as a postman in Barnes nothing about his political life which was years later |
Even more reason to read it then.
Cheers for this. There was an interview with him in AKUTRs not so long ago which you might also find interesting. I think there was a plug for the book in that actually. | | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 21:32 - May 4 with 4356 views | NW10Hoop |
Really liked his follow up as well. Quite a life he has lived |  | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 22:22 - May 4 with 4269 views | stowmarketrange |
I'm halfway through it now.It shows us how hard things were back then for an ordinary family.
Although I don't know the area very well as my early years were spent in Battersea,the housing conditions were almost as bad.
We only had a tin bath and an outside toilet too.They were knocked down in 1968 to make way for new towers blocks,but the ones they didnt knock down are worth £400 - £500k now.Totally different world nowadays. |  | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 22:30 - May 4 with 4232 views | WilloW4 |
| Alan Johnstons book on 21:32 - May 4 by NW10Hoop |
Really liked his follow up as well. Quite a life he has lived |
Both books are a great read.. The first one in particular for me... It's a bout a real family when people looked out for each other..(and if you were from west London you were Rangers.) hugely recommend |  | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 22:42 - May 4 with 4190 views | izlingtonhoop |
Wouldn't it be great if a Rangers fan was PM one day?
Not you Michael, sit down. [Post edited 4 May 2015 22:46]
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| Alan Johnstons book on 23:50 - May 4 with 4117 views | eccles |
If he was in charge of labour instead of Edward they'd have a much better chance on Thursday. His working class background has much more appeal to die-hard labourites than any Eton educated career politician.
Seems like a nice bloke..... well he's an "R" isn't he? goes without saying |  | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 07:08 - May 5 with 4040 views | Bushman |
| Alan Johnstons book on 23:50 - May 4 by eccles |
If he was in charge of labour instead of Edward they'd have a much better chance on Thursday. His working class background has much more appeal to die-hard labourites than any Eton educated career politician.
Seems like a nice bloke..... well he's an "R" isn't he? goes without saying |
Top bloke.
Should be leader of the Labour party but clever enough to realise it's a poisoned chalice. [Post edited 5 May 2015 7:09]
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| I know almost nothing about the Premier League even though I try to catch the big games every now and then at the end of the season. But I will say this, Queens Park Rangers is just a fukking sick ass team name. Just sounds so cool. |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 09:22 - May 5 with 3908 views | kensalriser |
| Alan Johnstons book on 22:22 - May 4 by stowmarketrange |
I'm halfway through it now.It shows us how hard things were back then for an ordinary family.
Although I don't know the area very well as my early years were spent in Battersea,the housing conditions were almost as bad.
We only had a tin bath and an outside toilet too.They were knocked down in 1968 to make way for new towers blocks,but the ones they didnt knock down are worth £400 - £500k now.Totally different world nowadays. |
I doubt you'd get get any house in Battersea for that kind of money now. More like double. |  |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 09:24 - May 5 with 3904 views | Metallica_Hoop |
I have it but haven't read it yet.
Will crack on after I've finished 'The Vanishing Witch' |  |
| Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 10:21 - May 5 with 3860 views | paulparker |
| Alan Johnstons book on 22:22 - May 4 by stowmarketrange |
I'm halfway through it now.It shows us how hard things were back then for an ordinary family.
Although I don't know the area very well as my early years were spent in Battersea,the housing conditions were almost as bad.
We only had a tin bath and an outside toilet too.They were knocked down in 1968 to make way for new towers blocks,but the ones they didnt knock down are worth £400 - £500k now.Totally different world nowadays. |
May have to get this book
Used to speak to the old man about how much poverty there was when he lived in the Bush around the fifties & sixties totally different world now
The old man would have to walk to Ravenscourt Park where his auntie lived just to have a bath, there was no central heating just a fire in the living room & how he would shoot rats with an air gun outside his window
Even more shocking is that my grandad could of bought his house in the bush for £800 back then |  |
| And Bowles is onside, Swinburne has come rushing out of his goal , what can Bowles do here , onto the left foot no, on to the right foot
That’s there that’s two, and that’s Bowles
Brian Moore
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| Alan Johnstons book on 10:29 - May 5 with 3852 views | rongould |
I especially loved the section, where he describes the scenes as his band plays at a wedding reception in Shepherds Bush on the evening of March 4th 1967.
What a knees up. |  | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 10:37 - May 5 with 3825 views | Pommyhoop |
This book sounds like a must read.Aint got a clue who this fella is but vaguely remember his face.But he's an R and I love a good autobiography.
On the side issue of Battersea. I was born on the Patmore in my Grandads flat and spent my formative years there before the family hitched the old waggons and headed West. Has The Patmore been gentrified or is it still a real sh1thole? |  |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 12:34 - May 5 with 3736 views | CamberleyR |
| Alan Johnstons book on 23:50 - May 4 by eccles |
If he was in charge of labour instead of Edward they'd have a much better chance on Thursday. His working class background has much more appeal to die-hard labourites than any Eton educated career politician.
Seems like a nice bloke..... well he's an "R" isn't he? goes without saying |
This. Probably the best leader they've never had (apart from Denis Healey maybe). He would wipe the floor with Cameron were he leader on Thursday. |  |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 13:05 - May 5 with 3669 views | stowmarketrange |
| Alan Johnstons book on 10:37 - May 5 by Pommyhoop |
This book sounds like a must read.Aint got a clue who this fella is but vaguely remember his face.But he's an R and I love a good autobiography.
On the side issue of Battersea. I was born on the Patmore in my Grandads flat and spent my formative years there before the family hitched the old waggons and headed West. Has The Patmore been gentrified or is it still a real sh1thole? |
He became the leader of our postal union before going into parliament and becoming Health secretary? In the last labour government.
He wasn't the best union boss going,but there were always big changes to deal with in the postal service then,so it was a difficult job to do well in. | | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 13:24 - May 5 with 3637 views | TheBlob |
Did he manage to introduce compulsory Global Warming studies into out school curricula in the end? |  |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 13:39 - May 5 with 3615 views | stowmarketrange |
| Alan Johnstons book on 10:37 - May 5 by Pommyhoop |
This book sounds like a must read.Aint got a clue who this fella is but vaguely remember his face.But he's an R and I love a good autobiography.
On the side issue of Battersea. I was born on the Patmore in my Grandads flat and spent my formative years there before the family hitched the old waggons and headed West. Has The Patmore been gentrified or is it still a real sh1thole? |
I just Googled the Patmore Estate,and there is a 2 bedroom flat for sale at only £350,000.
So I guess its gone more upmarket. | | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 20:21 - May 5 with 3483 views | Pommyhoop |
| Alan Johnstons book on 13:05 - May 5 by stowmarketrange |
He became the leader of our postal union before going into parliament and becoming Health secretary? In the last labour government.
He wasn't the best union boss going,but there were always big changes to deal with in the postal service then,so it was a difficult job to do well in. |
I googled him and this stood out about his time as a union man.
'' During this time he was the only major union leader to support the abolition of Clause IV.''
I'd say you were being generous saying '' he wasn't the best union boss going''.
Sounds like a perfect man for that lizard Tony Blair.
I'm still going to read it though.. | |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 08:26 - May 6 with 3390 views | Pommyhoop |
| Alan Johnstons book on 13:39 - May 5 by stowmarketrange |
I just Googled the Patmore Estate,and there is a 2 bedroom flat for sale at only £350,000.
So I guess its gone more upmarket. |
Gods Holy Trousers !!!!
My old Grandad will be like a whirling dervish seeing that... | |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 11:28 - May 6 with 3336 views | WestbourneR |
| Alan Johnstons book on 13:24 - May 5 by TheBlob |
Did he manage to introduce compulsory Global Warming studies into out school curricula in the end? |
Just so I can be clear Blob - are you someone who doesn't believe in man-made climate change? |  |
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| Alan Johnstons book on 12:55 - May 6 with 3301 views | queensparker |
Bought it and read it after reading this - it's a fantastic book.
Really drums home how much the area has changed, pretty much all the roads/houses he talks about in W10 went with the Westway coming in (although doesn't sound like much of a loss!).
It's also incredible what people had to deal with in those days, and how they just got on with it. No expecting someone else to come in and sort their lives out for them. A lot of today's younger generation really are a load of self-entitled bed-wetting moaning pussies. |  | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 13:33 - May 30 with 3070 views | izlingtonhoop |
Just started reading it. Three pages in he mentions Roger Mayne, well worth a look. I know there's plenty of others on here who love these sort of images.
http://www.rogermayne.com/work.html | | | |
| Alan Johnstons book on 16:30 - May 30 with 2903 views | QuitePossiblyRaving |
I post on Not606 normally, but read this site frequently. Thought I would log in to add that when I was working in the HoC a few years ago, I read this book, and Alan Johnson worked in the same building as me, so I would frequently see him. When I finished the book, I told him that I loved the QPR bits, and he was absolutely effusive about QPR. From then on, he would stop me whenever he saw me to ask how we played in our most recent games, and to chat about transfers etc. He was probably the nicest MP I got to know in the place! | | | |
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