GT and Wendy

I've loved a certain type of music called 'Northern Soul' since the age of 14 and in my teens went to all the local venues in Chesterfield before being brave enough to attend soul nites further a field. I finally got to the famous Wigan Casino in 1979 but marriage, work, etc eventually put a stop to these shenanigans.

When I first got on the Internet in February 1995 the first search I did on the WWW was for "northern soul" and I was delighted to find that it was still popular and regular venues were still happening all over the country. During the next seven years I kept up to date with the scene via the KTF Yahoo Group before I plucked up courage to go to soul nites with my very good friend John Olsen in 2002. Together we went to the Rocket in London, St Ives soul nites, Sheffield Ponds Forge, Sammie's Reunion, Sheffield City Hall and Hollingwood in Chesterfield. Sadly John moved to Cornwall for business so I lost my soul partner... Boo Hoo! :-)

January 2003 came and I really needed to go to a soul nite again so I asked my my wonderful sister-in-law Sharon if she would go with me to the Arkwright soul nite just outside of Chesterfield. It was fantastic to be out and about again and met up with some old friends. I asked Sharon to come with me in February as well... she really didn't want to go but she went any way as she could see how important it was to me... and thank goodness that she did because I would not have met the love of my life otherwise! Thank you Sharon... I owe you big time! :-)

I met Graham in February 2003... I knew of him as he is very active on various Northern Soul groups and we had swopped the odd email but nothing more. At the February soul night at the Arkwright Centre I saw this bloke dancing in a green T-shirt with the letters MP3Z2CD. I realised that this must be the famous Graham Tinley so, being well fortified with a couple of vodka and tonics, I introduced myself after he finished dancing.

A month before, in KTF, GT had asked if anyone had a recording of the New Year's Eve Radio 2 Northern Soul show as he had been on holiday in Tenerife. I'd emailed him and said that I had a copy and would post it to him. Well, me being me, I never got round to posting it so I went on to apologise for not sending it. He smiled, tweaked my hair and said it was 'cos I was blonde' and then grinned at me... At that moment my insides did a weird backward somersault followed by a pike dive and, as I walked away, I thought... 'funny... I've not felt that for a long time'...

Spring came and although we bumped into each other at various soul nights we were just friends. Although we always gravitated towards each other when ever we were at the same venue Graham never gave me any indication that his feelings were growing. My feelings certainly were but he only ever treated me as a mate and I was way too shy to say anything... yep he flirted but then he does that to all the girls! :) Finally, in mid-June, he told me that he'd fancied me for ages and that he really wanted to get to know me better. He was delighted to discover that I felt the same way. We both found it amazing that we managed to hide so well from each other our growing attraction... Anyway by mid-August we were living together.

Sarah Tinley

Graham and his first wife Helen share a gorgeous fourteen year old daughter called Sarah Louise whom I love very much... Sarah is intelligent, lovely, extremely quick witted and sometimes seems older than her years. Her parents are justifiably very proud of her and she really is a credit to the both of them.

Breaking News...

Sincere congratulations to Sarah's Mum Helen and, now Step-Dad, Pete on their marriage on the 1st May, 2005. They are a wonderful couple and we both wish them all the happiness in the world! We so enjoyed the 'piss up in a brewery' guys! :)