The Exeter Contingent

This lot are effectively my extended family - I've known the majority since 1987 (when the W.E.S. had a large influx), but I've known Harry since 1981 and Loretta since 1980. We're all partially sighted (well we would be, being at a Blind School!), and as we boarded and were all 'in the same boat' as far as eyes were concerned, we probably identified with each other and spent more time with each other than our own brothers and sisters. This is probably why we're so close-knit.

First off - the ultimate image - the infamous 'Climbing Frame' shot from 1983... I can't remember everyone in the shot, but it was kind of cool. I definitely remember John, Brendon, Harry, Dan Sheader, Joe Topp, Lucy and Eleanor in it. The member of staff at the front is Porridge - I still don't know why we called her that...

Incidentally, that climbing frame was the same one as the one I managed to run into in 1981 - hey! I can't see! Anyway, I cracked my head open. It was worth it though - I got Muppet Show Vol 1 on LP for my troubles - and I still have it, and it still rocks!

 
 
I had to stick this one of Harry and me for the heck of it! Taken in about 1981 I think... Nice Scooby Doo T-shirt!
 

The FE Summer Ball in 1996 - an 18 hour drinkathon, basically. Well, not that literally... Although the champagne breakfast was pretty different - kind of cool.

When us lot get together it's like we've only been apart for 10 minutes - right back into character!

 
Harry, Pete and Leon in Leon's very own bar - yep, he has a house complete with built-in bar AND dedicated beer fridge no less! This was at his housewarming July 2000, and it was SWEET having a bar at the party animal's disposal..
 

On the right are Ali and Harry in the bar. Ali is Leon's wife, and she's also part of the W.E.S. crowd. It's almost like an episode of Friends when we all get together for a party, although it'd be nice to see Courtney Cox in the house!

 

This is Marcus - having it 'large' at Harry's party...

That was one heck of a wicked weekend -me-and-fence-interface orchestrated by Leon incident aside...


At one of Ali and Leon's older house parties in Totnes, this is Ross, Vince and Steve (Dude). Not sure what Steve's doing with that match but there you go...

Ross and Vince, meanwhile, are quick-cooling some bevvies for later... Hmmm....

 

Gary's 21st birthday party, back in good ole' 1997. Tim, Gary, Loretta and Pete....

Sorry about the red eyes there, Gazza!

 
This is Loretta, and she'll hate me forever for sticking this image up! Oh well, I'll dig out a better one at some point. I've known her even longer than Harry, so that's a really long time! She had a baby girl in January 2000 called Faybia (Faye for short!); she's dead cute! She looked like this at the time...
 
  ...and here is an up-to-date one as of September 2001 - it's getting worrying as Faye can now say some words; I dread to think what she'll say when she works out how to put a full sentence together...
 
This was taken from the middle of the River Exe when we all decided to go 'messing about on the river'. A good laugh, and no-one fell overboard... But bumper boats isn't the cleverest thing to do....
 
 

And here's David Workman.... Outside school in 1989 - nightwalk much?

Unfortunately for us, David went off the rails big time when he hit college, and he's currently indisposed in HM custody somewhere for something you don't even want to know about. Let's just say, it was bad. I just hope David's been keeping his music up as he plays a blinding acoustic set!

This was Leon's handywork - he had the forethought to take a camera to the event...

© Leon Atkins 1991

 


Some kind of daisy stylee - cool, but not sure of the significance! She has longer hair than this too by the way, although it's currenlty shorter than the hair in the other images!!!



Suz and Leon and some, ahem, ruadcones after a trip to the pub! No explanation necessary!

Suz is a wicked lass and is totally alternative and cool! She has the ultimate in style - her hair is superfly and her bandanas and hats are legendary!

Madonna...


 
 

Oh yes!! Harry is definitely one of the best dudes on earth now; he managed to get 4 tickets for Madonna's July 10th gig at Earls Court! So here is the proof - view it and weep if you missed out...

Seriously though - this was an amazing night - it was definitely one of those 'life experiences' people have - even though London Underground did their best to scupper ours, and many others', chances of seeing the lady herself by messing us around on the District Line - that's another story...
 

We have the Earls Court facáde at the top, Harry, Marcus, Loretta and me (urm, slightly 'doctored as we had to do the shot in two goes)...

We would have taken photos inside but the fascist security staff refused to believe Harry's digicam wasn't a camcorder... Oh well - worth it anyway - what an amazing night!

Interestingly enough, Madge had her arm in a bandage through the whole of her set; rumour has it she injured it (as I predicted!) on a samurai sword during 'Nobody's Perfect' during one of her earlier sets.





Finally, the ticket itself...  

A tribute to those who died in the US on September 11, 2001

I am not sure how to word this, but in line with the rest of all respectable humanity, I was saddened, shocked and stunned as I watched the horrific news of the terrorist activity in the US unfold live on TV on 11th September 2001.

These images are an attempt at some kind of tribute for those who died in what was once the World's tallest building. I was one of the few who went on the 1992 W.E.S. trip to America, and one of the fewer who missed the ferry on Liberty Island, and thus, went up the World Trade Center instead of the Empire State Building. If I remember correctly, it was Vincent's camera that made us miss the boat, and it was my suggestion to go up the World Trade; 'it's taller'.

So here are a few rather grainy images of what I saw that day; the building was stunning - a true masterpiece...

 
The World Trade Center dwarfed everything else in New York. This was from Battery Park
 
Gary seems oblivious to the sheer scale of everything in this shot.
 
 
The World Trade Center as seen from the street; I was sitting on the pavement and couldn't get the whole thing in the viewfinder.
  
This was the queue for the Observation level on the 108th floor. Unfortunately the roof was shut for maintenance.
 
Of course, the reason people wanted to work in or visit the World Trade Center was the view. This view will stay with me forever; it's one of the most frightening, yet exhilarating experiences I have ever had.

May God have mercy on those who decided to wage war on the civilized, free West...

There's a lot more I need to say on these Mates pages, but I will need some time to get the info online. So apologies any others I've left out - you'll have to wait until I can stop my scanner crapping my machine out - damn USB ports!

The websites...

Leon and Ali's website
Harry's website
Tim's website
Pete's website
©2000 dB
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