While being isolated due to coronavirus John has been busy adding to the blog on his website – and finishing his Autobiography in the hope that a publisher may take it on. Looking out of the window on the best summer we have had in many-a-year has reminded him of …
Listen to the Made in Manchester PodCast interview with John about the early days of Coronation Street https://distinctnostalgia.buzzsprout.com/650596/4117385-corrie-at-60-we-speak-to-early-street-writer-john-finch
She was my mother’s sister, one of the five children born to my grandparents. Trained as a teacher via a scholarship she probably agreed with the old adage, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”. She was a competent pianist and also organist at the local Anglican church to which …
A friend suggested I should type in my name on my Internet search engine. I did, hardly believing it would produce anything. The first item it produced related to a John Finch who was a highly thought of London clockmaker in 1765, which might remotely connect, I thought, to my …
My career as a crime reporter in the early 50’s was relatively short and limited to whatever contractual relationship ‘Sammy’ Palazzolo had with Picture Post, and this was primarily to do with Sammy’s knowledge of the international drug trade. My career as a crime reporter in the early 50’s was …
John was recently interviewed by ITV about his role as one of the founding writers for Coronation Street. John wrote 140 episodes of ‘The Street’ Read more about Johns time on ‘The Street here’>>
The Curriculum Memories from John’s childhood, some of which you will find reflected in his Television and Published work – SAM and Cuddon Return/Shaft of Light A reader’s letter in a Yorkshire newspaper gives a brief picture of part of my education in the mid-thirties. It was written by someone …
I served as radio officer on two Dutch ships during the Second World War. The first of these, the New Holland was a large Dutch liner, previously registered in Indonesia but during the war was partly manned by Dutchmen and served the allies as a troopship. The second was a …
John joined the Merchant Navy at the age of 16 and sailed from Liverpool in 1941 North Atlantic 1942 Nothing you said As your hand lost its grip on mine And you drifted away into the cold darkness The little red light on your lifejacket Bobbing goodbye. Sharing our sixteen …
John Winant. My life, living with the Epstein’s in Hyde Park Gate in 1946/47 when I was secretary /amenuensis to Jacob Epstein, the sculptor, acquired added interest when I met what today would be described as celebrities. They came, out of simple friendship, or in some instances to have their …
