Month: February 2015

PHOTOGRAPH HEAVEN

Spent a very happy afternoon yesterday sorting through the heaps of original photos leant to me by sources close to Joe Stirling.  Here are some ‘taster’ samples.  Will be taking them to printer tomorrow for scanning, ready for publisher to work their magic.  Still writing – 67,000 at last count.  Getting there…..

Joe's office in 1975
Joe’s office in 1975
Daughter of Free family who took Joe in as their foster child in Birmingham
Daughter of Free family who took Joe in as their foster child in Birmingham
Joe looking jolly pleased to have just been made District Governor in Lions International....
Joe looking jolly pleased to have just been made District Governor in Lions International….

SAN FRANCISCO WITH THE LIONS 1984

I spent a delightful afternoon with Ann Godfrey yesterday talking about Joe Stirling’s escorted trips to Lions International Conventions.  Ann was Joe’s PA in Stirling Holidays from 1981 for eight years. I sat open mouthed as she told me how she had to take last minute responsibility for travelling with the record number of 247 delegates from the UK, to San Francisco in the summer of 1984.  The attraction that year was because the incoming International President was from Northern Ireland, Bert Mason, and everyone here wanted to support him.  Having never travelled overseas before, Ann found herself taking a splinter group of seventy Lions (including wives) to Las Vegas for a few days excursion trip.  It was not plain sailing by any means – the full details will be in the book!!!

SAN FRANCISCO