AIDS, THE LOST VOICES
Will & Gloria once again delve into the British newspaper archives and attempt to unpick the real stories, of real people behind the sensational and attention-grabbing headlines of the 80s and 90s AIDS pandemic. Featured in this episode is prisoner Del Sinclair, by his own admission had a string on convictions behind him. In 1985 he was featured in a national newspaper declaring he intended to ‘go straight’ and even publish a book on Prison food with a working title ‘The Good? Prison Food Guide’. However, 4 weeks later back on remand he routinely tested HIV positive and faced threats of violence from other inmates.
Other articles covered are those of a highly regarded Home Office pathologist refusing to carry out a post-mortem on a young man for merely “suspecting” the young man had AIDS. Another national newspaper ‘outs’ another man as being gay and being the 38th person in the UK to die of AIDS. Then in 1987 two gay men from Soho, London said to be “friends” were also denied a post-mortem when they died 3 weeks apart.
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The Good? Prison Food Guide.
By Del Sinclair
Perhaps the closest glimpse at what Del’s book would have looked like had his life not been dramatically changed with an HIV/AIDS diagnosis in 1985.
John Patrick Cassidy was born on 8 March 1948 in Northern Ireland.
It appears John left Northern Ireland for the bright lights of London where he dies at the Middlesex Hospital, a short walk from London’s Soho. Michael was survived by his brother Thomas who registered the death on the day he died before taking Michael’s body back to Northern Ireland for burial. Michael’s brother Thomas ‘Tom’ passed away in September 2019 at the same address he stated on Michael’s death certificate in 1985.
Michael John Bedford, was born in the Bahamas in 1950 before emigrating to the UK with his mother Theresa Bedford.
Michael being ‘severely depressed’ at the death of John Cassidy may indicate they were extremely close, in a relationship even.
The speed at which John Cassidy’s death was registered before his body was taken back to Northern Ireland. May indicate Michael was ‘perhaps’ excluded from saying his goodbyes to John Cassidy based on his sexuality and/or racial identity given societal attitudes at the time, especially given the roman catholic beliefs of John Cassidy’s family.
Michael Thomas Pittman was born in June 1941, Evesham, Worcestershire. Michael died in February 1984 aged 42 years old.
Michael is survived by his youngest sister, Sandra J. Pittman.
Stewart Thompson was born in Colchester, Essex in 1961. It is unclear why Stewart came to Islington, London where he appears to be sofa surfing with friends. But he is going by the name ‘Thompson-Neill’ and his friends are with him at the hospital and are taking part at the inquest.
Stewart’s father Anthony ‘Tony’ died in December 2016, Stewart is survived by his sister Suzanne.
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