Claire Turner – Reflections on my years as a Goldsmiths’ student
The guitarist entered to rapturous applause at the Lichfield Guildhall on November 1st 2019.
He began the gig by playing Angie. The memories came flooding back. Had it really been 50 years since I first met Gordon Giltrap at Goldsmiths’?
I can’t recall the exact details of our first meeting. It was during the free festival in 1969. I was into folk music and was due to help run the folk club when we returned to college in September. I think I was asked to “look after him” as he was not a student and I was to make sure he was to arrive at the area where he was due to perform. The days were filled with music, laughter and late nights. Gordon was at the beginning of his career in music, playing local venues and trying to break into the music scene. His playing was assured and creative. He was composing and practising relentlessly to improve his techniques and develop his own style. He had a quiet but steely determination to succeed.
As he played, I recalled the remark by a careers tutor that had set me on the path to Goldsmiths’. I wanted to study primary education and art but didn’t want to be stuck on a country campus. “Apply for the best, Goldsmiths’, it’s in London!” I prepared my portfolio, turned up for the interview, which included a drawing test and was accepted. I didn’t qualify for a full maintenance grant, my parents agreed to make up the short-fall, despite my grandfather suggesting it was a waste of money as “I would just get married”. (He died before I graduated & started teaching) For my part I took on jobs to eke out my funds, so I had some money to see me through the vacs. I applied for and got a job behind the bar, eventually ending up on the Bar committee which had only just started allowing females to participate.
I lived in Surrey House for 2 years. I found the regime constraining. We had to sign guests in and out during evening visiting hours. We all took a turn to do door duty. I would have liked to have lived out but as I was under 21 I had to have my father’s permission, he wouldn’t give it. Gordon raised a few eyebrows when he came to visit, guitar in hand! During the summer of 1969 I worked in Surrey House as a chamber maid to help out with guests attending a language conference in college. When my free time coincided with Gordon’s we met up and I accompanied him to gigs including a radio recording where he was a backing “session” man. He just sat down and joined in playing with these other musicians, no written music, amazing. They recorded the song in one take!
In the autumn of ’69 Gordon began to get more gigs and was working hard. I was more involved in college life, the politics, the folk club, and as Business manager of Smith News. There had been no one to oppose the male candidate for business manager. I thought he should have some female opposition so I stood for election. My opponent dropped out so my carefully prepare election speech went in the bin. Lyn Goldstein became editor. There was a female management team was it a first for the paper? We convened weekly in the office in Laurie Grove. I had to obtain advertising, sort out production issues & arrange sales. I quickly learnt to budget and think on my feet. At the end of our tenure we had enough left in the budget to host a meal at The Marmara, (the Turkish restaurant frequented by students,) for all those who had worked for and supported us.
As the final chords of Angie echoed round the room, I thought of how my friendship with Gordon had faded as he began to find more work and acclaim and I juggled college work and a social life. I stayed on to study for a B.Ed and went on to teach in Deptford. Gordon worked with other musicians as well as pursuing his solo career and had a hit with Don Partridge.
I consider myself very lucky to have been at Goldsmiths’ at such a momentous time. Thank you Gordon for the wonderful guitar playing and an evening filled with memories of my years at College, the life-long friendships made, the politics, the learning experience and of course the music!
Claire Turner (nee Bones)