The Human Touch

You asked me how I met that ‘Bonky person’, Cat. I will tell you here because many others have asked the same question and don’t believe his claims that we met for the very first time in March 1970.

Well, I first met the person in late 1967 in a pub called the Woodman in Highgate. I had brought Mary back from Spain to London in March 1967 after she had discovered that she was pregnant. We got married in a Roman Catholic Church in September 1967 and it was around this time that we used to frequent the Woodman pub just across the road from where we were living in Highgate.

Mary had become friendly with a young mother nicknamed ‘Zibby’ who was married to a man named Tony and sometimes the four of us would go into the Woodman and spend a few hours there.

Now, at this time, a small trio jazz band used to play in the Saloon bar from a make-shift wooden platform at the back. There was somebody on drums, an electric guitarist and another individual who played the saxophone – or tried to play the saxophone!

I describe this in my recently published autobiography when I say . . .

“The sound was amplified by two huge speakers either side of this, and so was pretty deafening in the somewhat confined area. This group consisted of just three people: one on an electric guitar, a drummer and a ‘lead’ who played – or attempted to play – the saxophone. This person sometimes tried ‘solo’s’, although the racket was so off-key and intense that when he started many people would pick up their drinks and make for the public bar which was divided from the Saloon bar by a small glass partition door. They did not return until the noise had subsided; and even then, some people chose not to return to the Saloon bar at all to escape the racket!

It was during one such social evening that I learned that the bombastic character on the saxophone was a friend of Tony’s. He was called P.S.M. (although he hated the name ‘Patrick’ but answered to the nickname of “Bosley”), a somewhat over-weight character with a high-pitched voice, who dressed in a suit resembling undertaker’s clothes. On another occasion I learned that he had an avid interest in ‘ghosts’ and the supernatural, although he was later to say that his ‘speciality’ was vampires. He suggested that we must all meet up again when he wasn’t playing , and have a chat about the subject”.

[Adapted from “David Farrant ; In the Shadow of the Highgate Vampire” February 2009]

I should point out, that this character I was describing was very ‘mean’, and never once did I see him buy anybody a drink. He seemed fascinated with myself (Tony had obviously told him I investigated ghosts and the paranormal) and he would frequently try to get me onto the subject of ‘ghosts’.

In fact, I told him very little as I simply didn’t trust his motivations; or come to that, believe any of the yarns he used to spin about ‘vampires’!

All this took place in the autumn of 1967 and continued on into 1968.

So I hope I have answered the question put to me by Cat. No doubt Cat (or that wretched ‘Overseer’) will get back to my if they are not satisfied (they always do!).

Now . . . I have some ‘breaking news’ about the ‘Yorkshire Pudding’. ‘Breaking’ is probably the key word here as I have just been ‘leaked’ some papers that absolutely confirm what a little ‘unchristian liar’ that person is. I kid thee all not! But I’ve decided to hold everybody in suspense at the moment until I get further confirmation (although I don’t personally consider any is needed now!).

Stay with me folks and I shall reveal ALL!

David

NEWS UPDATE:

Cat has opened a new Blog called “The Cat’s Miaow” - or should that read ’satarical Blog’!

Craig can you please put a link to this here[ ]Thanks David.

No time for another Blog today, but before I go, allow me to ‘lessen some of the suspense’ a little:

Yesterday I received a complete manuscript written by a would be lady author about the so-called Highgate Vampire case.

Bonky is mentioned in it, as am I - well, you could say that I am the ’star’ of it! Its pretty vindictive and bitter, but at least the person had the courtesy to refer to myself as the President of the British Psychic and Occult Society and The Highgate Vampire Society (well I guess she couldn’t say otherwise really as she used to handle all the membership forms!).

Anyway. more to follow on all this.

Right now I’m expecting Gareth.

David

PS Poor innocent little girl ‘caught in the middle’ . . . like hell!

THROUGH THE NET

So what’s news? THIS IS . . .

NET CURTAINS LURKERS, the Blog originally set up to deal with the Highgate ‘vampire’ case and all its surrounding intrigue (some would argue ‘nonsense’!) has now moved – or in the process of moving - to a new site, which can be found HERE . . .

http://thehighgatevampire.com

[I don't seem able to get link into blue Craig. Can you help? Thanks. D]
[Link fixed - Craig]

As many of you all know that Cat is still ‘at it’ on his own new Blog, and it perhaps goes without saying that he is not being ‘over-complimentary’ about myself.

To be fair, I will also put up a link to his Blog here next time I post. I’d do it now but don’t know how to copy two links together! So you can wait a little you flea-bitten moggy!

Talking of Blogs, I see that that Hungarian fake ‘Ariminous” (I say ‘fake’ because the real Ariminous Vambery died last century!) is still ‘cut and ‘pasting’ his asinine comments on the Nocturnal Frequency Radio page even though Steve keeps deleting them. Its hard to imagine such mentality really. A parrot would have more idea of what its saying!

What else is news? Well nothing today really. Probably because it’s a Sunday, and nothing really happens on a Sunday. Except this, I suppose!

For the moment

David (Farrant)

NEWS FLASH
“Gareth Misses the Boat”

Due to unforeseen circumstances this year, Gareth was forced to cancel his annual boat ‘party’ on the Thames. The date coincided with another important event he had to attend on dry land.

There was still bucketfuls of champagne there, and plenty of kisses and cuddles to go all around. It was an engagement party for Liz and Andy. This was more unconventional than it sounds, because ‘Andy’ is the nickname of a woman actually called Hannah. In fact, the happy couple are both ladies.

But a good time was had all around, although Gareth was fairly ‘down’ when I saw him tonight. I think he regrets ‘missing out’ on the fun and merriment of the trip on the ‘pirate ship’, and has to wait another year. Or, it could be that he misses more being manacled to the stern of the boat again?

What went on? Well, just use your imagination, folks.

Anyway, I’ll keep this short, for the moment, I’m still pretty tired from my talk yesterday.

David.

Well, Talk was a resounding success – sold 22 books as well!

Got a Taxi to Victoria which took almost as long as the train journey itself! Loads of cheap sandwiches for people (but good one’s mostly made with wholemeal bread) although I didn’t have to pay for any being the guest Speaker! Same applied to the wine, although fruit juice was available as well.

Can’t repeat the whole Talk here – except I was right about the dreaded ‘sex word’ filling a lot of the questions afterwards. (Wasn’t like my Talk/interview with Jane but then she wouldn’t have allowed it).

One very attractive girl asked near the beginning if it wasn’t just all an excuse (the ‘occult’) to get ladies to ‘take their clothes off’! I just said that I didn’t need any excuse in those days as most ladies would do this voluntarily! She wouldn’t give up and asked if it wasn’t just an excuse then to ‘get sex’!

With this I got serious. I explained that sex was only secondary, and in any event formed no part of real love. That if you really loved somebody sex paled into insignificance; at least, it certainly wasn’t of prime importance. Meaning you could have real love with or without sex; but you could have sex without any love in it; although this mostly resulted in being just lust. (Which was the case a lot of the time).

Somebody asked if I ‘loved’ any of the women portrayed in photographs in my book. I said ‘no’; but that had I had really loved any of them, I would have never used the photographs.

And it had only just begun!

Then somebody asked how sex ‘fitted into’ the occult. I said that generally it didn’t but in my book I was talking about ‘sex magic’ which was entirely different.

“Can you go into that?”, another guy asked. “No”, I replied. There was not enough time and, in any event, it was all explained in my book! “You’ll just have to read it if you are really interested in that”.

And so on! . . .

Anyway, it all went OK and I met a lot of new people. But I was surprised just how many people had already heard about me. But I suppose you’ve got the Internet to thank for that!

So, I’ll keep this fairly short at the moment. Its only been a few hours, but I feel as if its been days! Apart from which I’ve still got to answer that ‘bonky accusation’ made by the ‘Yorkshire Pudding’ as I said I would this afternoon. And it won’t be to give any Yorkshire cooking recipes!

Till tomorrow,

David

Well wish me luck with the Talk tomorrow everyone; its going to be a long day – rather afternoon and evening to be precise. Anyway, thought I’d do a quick Blog as I really won’t much chance tomorrow or Friday. Having said that, I really can’t think of much to say tonight, so how do you write a Blog without being just plain boring?

There is one way I suppose, so here goes (and remember I’m taking a great ‘risk’ here with that Cat reading this!).

I was speaking to the guy earlier (one of the Talk organisers) and he reminded me I should really play up the ‘sex angle’ as bits of my current book referred to. I said I really didn’t want to go along that avenue too much, but I could – or would – answer questions about anything that I had written. And I will!

What worries me is where this could possibly lead. I mean they’re not older people – they’re all University students, for God’s sake!

I suppose one consolation is that ‘Cat’ won’t be there, being curled up in his basket in heaven – but even then, he manages to cause trouble (well, more embarrassment than trouble) if he spots anything published on Earth! It is being filmed by the way, so the possibilities of this are more than likely! (You only have to look at what his evil ‘Cat brain’ did with that ‘hot water bottle fetish’ thing if you don’t believe me!)

Anyway, although I empathised that I didn’t want to play on all the perceived ‘sordid bits’ too much, it seems that that’s what they’re expecting. I can’t really object in any event as they are selling my new book there.

I just got a telephone call from my friend D in Yorkshire. Thanking me for inviting him onto Twitter. I had to explain that I really hadn’t as such; my friend K had opened an account for me and just invited everyone at once! So I’ll have to figure out how to use “Twitter” now. But I’m not even going to attempt it at the moment with this Talk scheduled for tomorrow.

Its ‘relaxation time’ tonight.. Glass of wine or two will do me, then its just a question of getting a fairly early night.

So that’s it for now. Although I will still answer any comments that come in.

For the moment,

David

Quite a busy day, but nothing too hectic. Quiet now, but it would be wouldn’t it, being about 3. 30 in the morning! Do you know, I really like these early hours. No traffic sounds; no telephone calls, no other sounds really; nothing to distract you. I guess what I especially like about is the feeling that most of humanity is asleep (in this hemisphere, of course) and I’m not subjected to the usual flow of noisy human thoughts. Think about this, if you can. To be awake when everybody (or most everybody) nearby in asleep or unconscious, brings its own kind of peace! Human thought is such a funny thing really – at least when its normally active. It causes so many problems for so many people: well, you must know all the negative ‘thought forms’ that go on. But now, most of them nearby are silent; and I’m sitting outside most of them.

Well, it’s a very special day tomorrow. I know it’s the dreaded weekly Sunday, although it’s a very special date. Midsummer, no less, and a date much revered in the ancient calendar. It’s a time when daylight has reached its peak and the Ancients knew of its importance. So do I in fact! Perhaps more than many!

But many don’t. They just rely on clocks to dictate their movements without the slightest realisation that these are only ‘measuring devices’ to record something that is timeless. A calculated record of something that doesn’t really need calculating!

Yes, its also Sunday tomorrow (sorry, I meant today) and no doubt many will awaken to their usual set of routines. Sunday dinner to cook; take the kids to the park, don’t forget Church, and all the rest of it! And no doubt many will attend Church, to ‘save their souls’ or to pay their weekly homage to God! Nothing wrong with that, when people genuinely mean it. Problem is, a few people don’t!

Now, I mustn’t ‘get onto Sundays’ again as don’t want to invoke K’s wrath!. But as it is June 21st, just thought I might mention it.

Another Talk has been arranged for next (this) week. No notes as usual, I just said I’d do it – and I will. Could be a little difficult though, as the organisers have told me in advance that I might get questions about some of the more ‘intimate’ passages described or mentioned in my autobiography. (Well I had to send them the book beforehand which is what the Talk’s all about). Well, if that proves to be the case, just let them ask! I never print anything that I’m not prepared to say in public.

Not really tired yet, but I’d better make a move towards bed soon. Got to catch up with some writing on the new book tomorrow after a fairly long weekend!

For the moment,

David

Well, I see the NET CURTAINS LURKERS Blog and also Cat’s one are going well and I wish all concerned the best of luck. I am especially impressed because both Blogs contain a sense of well-deserved humour – something quite a few other Blogs lack. Or if they don’t lack humour, many are just ‘plain boring’. And before I get any ‘wize cracks’ about my own Blog here . . . well, just forget it! I never intended this Blog to be anything other than a ‘diary of events’, boring, ‘non funny’, or otherwise.

Now, in answer to a few emails I have received or others that have been forwarded to me, I am not planning to extend on outside claims (made by some clearly ‘bonky’ people) that a ‘special agent’ was planted in our midst to glean information on real-life ‘vampires’ and my belief in these. Part of her task was to ‘get my confidence’ [sic]. Forget it folks! It is all nonsense. As I have stated so many times before, I do not accept the existence of such things! No ‘special agents’ were appointed either (or has been claimed ‘were planted’) the whole thing is just sheer fantasy (no doubt geared to attract to just attract just more ‘Internet publicity’.) The religious crank making these claims is clearly unbalanced. But then, he believes in the literal existence of ‘vampires’, so perhaps this is only to be expected!

So what’s new other than that. Well nothing really. Things have been pretty quiet, apart from all the writing, etc.

Dutch radio station have been in contact wanting an interview. Might be feasible because they’re only one hour ahead time-wise and its early evening – as opposed to very late ‘early morning’ again. Probably do it quite soon because of that.

No other news really. Friend phoned me earlier to tell me there was a postal strike tomorrow (just in London, I don’t know) which is annoying because I’ve got 2 more copies of my new book that I planned to post tomorrow. Still a day won’t hurt.

Expecting Gareth tomorrow and someone else, so that should be exciting!

Anyway will keep this ‘shortish’ as am a little tired at the moment.

For the moment,

David

Well, its all quiet . . . ‘ish’!

The writing is going steadily; Talk schedules progressing smoothly and Cat’s new Blog is also progressing . . . somewhere but I don’t know where. But he sure knows how to pick titles! . . . “Gareth’s Bar Brawl” and “ Farrant [i.e. myself] and Pudding Secret Love Nest” being just two. Well, just can’t wait to see the story about Gareth’s Bar Brawl (don’t know what this could possibly mean – unless you’re referring to the time a scantily-clad woman ‘beat him up’ on a Thames river boat cruise!), and as for this “Secret Love Nest” . . . well, I really don’t know what you mean! Seriously. I know it is probably based on something. But I hope he hasn’t picked that up from rumours the ‘bonky one’ has been putting around, that he had enlisted her as a “special agent” to infiltrate Society matters. No doubt we will all find out soon. I don’t know, but I can tell you this much . . . that particular person isn’t capable of ‘infiltrating’ the door of a Church!

Anyway we’ll just have to wait and see. But well done! Good artwork, good pics. and good layout. And again well done!

Now onto less serious things!

At last a letter of apology from the TV Licensing people this morning offering an apology this morning. Well, they didn’t actually say ‘sorry’ but they admitted I didn’t need a licence at the moment under the circumstances. Which basically means I won! I wasn’t bluffing about going the whole way with it if necessary. And I think they realised it!

Pleased really as I’ve got much more important work to do than waste time on those idiots.

Lovely and warm again this evening. Certainly makes a change from those 3 months of cold over Christmas. At least I can sit up into the early hours now without needing a fire on.

Actually, not a bad time to start a ‘secret love nest’, come to think of it!

For the moment

David

Anyone for a laugh?! Well I see somebody calling themselves “Lone Stranger” (no clues there about which sex) has opened a brand new Blog all about the Highgate case – and myself, of course! It really is a laugh a minute, and I see my old friend the Overseer is on there trying to unravel the Highgate ‘vampire’ mystery (at least, what he sees as a ‘mystery’) and the parts various people played in the saga. The Blog is called (perhaps appropriately) NET CURTAINS LURKERS..

Personally, I don’t see that there was any mystery at all about that old case, it was quite straightforward: a ‘ghost’ had been reported in the late 1960’s/1970’s by many local people in and around London’s Highgate Cemetery (and in fact, it is still being reported in the present time). The only ‘mystery’ – if any – is exactly what this apparition was, or is. But the “Overseer” seems to think that this might be a ‘real-life vampire’, or more precisely, he is trying to follow up claims made by others that this might have been the case.

Well, sorry ‘Overseer’, you’ll have to rule me out of this one, because I never said the ghost reported at HC was a vampire. In fact I was very careful to avoid using that term when talking to the TV or Press. I have never accepted the existence of ‘blood-sucking vampires’ and it was not myself who went on the television twice then advising people how to ‘stake’ them! That was another person. Sorry!

So they’re still arguing on this New Blog about ‘vampires’ and what these might be, and my own genuine involvement at the centre of this case. If people want to argue that Christopher Lee-type vampires really exist, well let them all get on with it I say!

I have got better things to do than to encourage such childish propaganda. I am working on my new book for one thing. And trying to relax with a quiet glass of wine for another.

I do not normally encourage links on here as people will know (as you can never be sure where these can lead). But if anyone’s interested in having a laugh, just type the title (above) into Google and it should get you there. Anyway, have fun!

For the moment,

David

I can’t remember if I said here, but I finally got a new bed. Problem is, its massive. I just didn’t realise that I’d chosen something so big! It didn’t look that big in the shop. You know, you could easily sleep six people in it with out anybody falling over the edge. Not that I intend to let six people sleep in it. But that’s just to give you some idea. But it’ll be handy if I do get people visiting and they have to stay, from out of London or abroad for example.

In fact, I prefer the smaller bed next door because if you wake up in the dark and reach out, at least you can touch something rather than just grabbing air. (no snide comments from you Cat, please, as I don’t mean THAT!). I think actually I’ll have to re-sell it and settle for something smaller. Lose some money, I suppose, but who really cares about that.

Well what’s new? It seems a certain Radio Show Page has been invaded with comments from the usual person adopting a fake alias. What is really funny is that he really thinks nobody can tell that its him when he just continues to speak in his normal aggressive language! A sad little man in reality. A man who is really a nobody, but is desperately trying to prove that he is a ‘somebody’. Why try and ‘prove’ to be something you’re not? Or as a certain Yorkshire Pudding (sorry Barbara for involving Yorkshire!) once said when publicly writing to this particular person . . . “At least David [myself] is consistent in what he says and doesn’t try to pretend to be something he’s not”. Quote of the year, that! Well, I’ve included it in my next book. It’s a classic!

I just thought I’d take a break from the writing (the second volume). Helps to get away from all that technical legal stuff. Got a glass of red wine to sip, but better be careful, as I realise I have not eaten anything today. Well I’m not hungry now. Which is just as well as I’ve hardly got any food in the place!

‘My’ Jane is on a long holiday at the moment (the person who interviewed me for my Talk before last). And I miss meeting her locally as we could do before. But I managed to get her a DVD of the Talk before she left. So hope she enjoys that anyway.

Well, better think about getting back to work. But cannot really sign off without referring to Cat’s classic near the end of my replies on my last Blog Post. He gave a link to something he’d created (a photograph, I mean) showing myself in the ‘Popemobile’ outside a faceless bungalow .somewhere on the South Coast. What I think is funny about it, is that he’s portrayed me as having ‘bullet-proof glass’ all around me! Come on Cat - nobody really hates me that much . . . do they??!!

For now,

David