Now it is time I think to return to the story of Dennis and Elaine.*
I first came across them in the summer of 1970.
Their names appeared on a wall near Withington Library and soon they were everywhere.
Then and now I became intrigued at that simple message of love and partnership, and have continued to wonder who they were.
And almost as soon as the inscriptions appeared they ceased and I was left with nothing more than a memory which I regularly trotted out to anyone who would listen.
It was a nice story but incomplete and even after I had posted a story on the blog I remained convinced that it was one of those little mysteries with no ending.
But then Elaine made contact and in due course she promised me a photo of the two of them and today I received another piece of their history.
This was one of those angry but seriously responsible letters sent to the paper which roundly condemned theme.
Under the heading “Pack it in Dennis”, Rag and Turps wrote,
“WE HAVE the king of spray doddle here in Fallowfield.
You name it, he and his girlfriend have sprayed it, from the swings in the park, every phone kiosk, walls, road signs, doors, posters, the lot.
Never were names so prominent.
Pack it in Dennis and Elaine (and you, ten ‘Manchester Blues Rule OK’ and ‘Kippax Street Rules’).
I wish Dennis you would learn a few rules, for instance that it’s an offence to deface people’s property.”
Now I have no more truck with spray painting than Rag and Turps and nor today nearly 40 years after the event has Elaine.
But I still love the story, mainly because it has a beginning and an end.
Back in the early 1970s I witnessed the messages, and wrote about them but with little expectation that I would ever uncover the identities of Dennis and Elaine.
And then that is exactly what happened. The story was picked up on facebook, Elaine and I made contact and we have become friends.
All of which for me is a timely reminder that history is messy and that it comes in all shapes and sizes.
Pictures; courtesy of Elaine
*http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Dennis%20and%20Elaine%20in%20Withington
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| Pack it in Dennis |
Their names appeared on a wall near Withington Library and soon they were everywhere.
Then and now I became intrigued at that simple message of love and partnership, and have continued to wonder who they were.
And almost as soon as the inscriptions appeared they ceased and I was left with nothing more than a memory which I regularly trotted out to anyone who would listen.
But then Elaine made contact and in due course she promised me a photo of the two of them and today I received another piece of their history.
This was one of those angry but seriously responsible letters sent to the paper which roundly condemned theme.
Under the heading “Pack it in Dennis”, Rag and Turps wrote,
“WE HAVE the king of spray doddle here in Fallowfield.
You name it, he and his girlfriend have sprayed it, from the swings in the park, every phone kiosk, walls, road signs, doors, posters, the lot.
Never were names so prominent.
Pack it in Dennis and Elaine (and you, ten ‘Manchester Blues Rule OK’ and ‘Kippax Street Rules’).
I wish Dennis you would learn a few rules, for instance that it’s an offence to deface people’s property.”
But I still love the story, mainly because it has a beginning and an end.
Back in the early 1970s I witnessed the messages, and wrote about them but with little expectation that I would ever uncover the identities of Dennis and Elaine.
And then that is exactly what happened. The story was picked up on facebook, Elaine and I made contact and we have become friends.
All of which for me is a timely reminder that history is messy and that it comes in all shapes and sizes.
Pictures; courtesy of Elaine
*http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Dennis%20and%20Elaine%20in%20Withington
Now there's a mystery I didn't expect to be solved. I well recall the ubiquitous daubings of D & E, think the closest to home was on Upper Chorlton Rd. At a time when it seemed that W'shawe Skins were seeking global recognition via their graffiti, we chortled at St Bede's that their campaign was way outshone by that of Dennis & Elaine! Nice to put faces to the names, 40 odd years on - as long as they stay away from my walls.
ReplyDeleteI knew Dennis used to go to the same school and him and he lived near me in Ladybarn. He also used to put the name Martin on walls too that was his mate Martin Sweeny another local lad from ladybarn.
ReplyDelete