Portsmouth man who worked for Radio Victory pens memoirs about the city in the 1960's
‘WE WERE kings of the world, it was our city’: Portsmouth writer releases a memoir about the city in the 1960’s.
Portsmouth born and bred writer, George East, 78, has released his third and final book Pompey Lad part two – The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years 1960-1965 in his three-part memoir series about growing up in Portsmouth.
Portraying the city in a level of detail unrivalled by photos or faded memories, from the perspective of a 1960s youth.
The 78-year-old lived in Southsea in his early years up until age 11, where he then moved to Milton from age 15 to 18 – but his love for Portsmouth was unparalleled, so he returned to live in Portsmouth after living in Europe with his wife.
Now an established author, journalist and ex-broadcaster of the 1970s and 80s ‘Radio Victory’, George previously had ambitions to be a ‘rock god’ in his teenage years but instead he turned his attention to writing.
George’s beloved wife, Donella, encouraged him to write this Pompey trilogy, Pompey Boy, Pompey Lad part one – Growing Pains 1954-1960 and Pompey Lad part two - The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years 1960-1965.
He said: ‘My wife though it would be a good idea to get all those memories and thoughts about old Portsmouth down into a book and it would be there for your children’s children and their children, to see what it was like.’
Each book took George six months to write and takes the reader on a ‘hair raising adventure’ through his childhood.
He said: ‘The book is not about me, it’s not really a memoir, I am the person who moves through the pages, the narrator, it is about what it was like to be a young person of 16 in Portsmouth in 1960.’
‘The generation before my young people did national service and went an fought in a war, we were the first truly free young generation.
‘We were forever young. We were kings of the world, it was our city.’
The grandfather of two, said: ‘I don’t think you can have naive young people anymore, because they know all about sex and all about life and they are presented with so many choices and temptations and all we could do is drink a few pints of rough cider.’
‘They have got the toys and the cars and all the media stuff and yet they don’t seem that happy.’
His new memoir explore his first kiss, his first love, motorbike and guitar, alongside some of his most memorable stories as a cheeky chap of Portsmouth.
George said: ‘I can’t tell you how wonderful it was.
‘Pompey Lad part two - The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years 1960-1965 may be the final book of the trilogy but it will not be the last from George East.’
He added: ‘You can take a person out of Pompey but you can’t take Pompey out the person.’