East London Archives of Alcoholics Anonymous.

In 1948 Alcoholics Anonymous of Great Britain got its first helpline, some believe it to be the first helpline in this country, it pre dated the Samaritans. How did this happen? I hear you shout….well, that was Bill H, the alcoholic Greengrocer, as he is called in A.A. comes of age. Bill was 12 stepped by ‘Canadian’ Bob. Bob was who many people believe the founding father of A.A in Great Britain, he was the first secretary in blighty and held meetings as his home in Kew.  

Bill H was a fruit and veg merchant along with his brother Roland, the two had an office in Spitalfields in the East End of London, along with one in Covent Garden. When Bill H joined this group of desperadoes, he noticed they needed some form of helpline, so after much discussion with his brother, Roland, they offered their small office. That office was to become the first A.A. helpline in Great Britain. The office in Bishopsgate was looked after 10am -5pm Monday to Friday and excluding bank holidays. Bill H was an ever- present member of the fellowship and maintained tradition within the service area. He and three other members were part of Alanon Publications who were given the rights to sell and publish A.A. literature to A.A. members in this country. This was authorised and donated by Bill W.

Bill H with Allan B (who with his wife, Winnie, set up meetings outside London – The Bolton Group) Bill H was active in the services of AA for the 20 years and was among a small group of five or six people to whom Bill W entrusted the formation of some kind of service structure in those early days, having worked unstintingly to bring about the Service Conference and Service Board that we have today (1970). This has been a long and patient task which lesser men/women might have much earlier given up under the weight of misunderstanding, criticism and even violent hostility which have so often been their lot and it believed their full effort of work is now being realised.

‘For Bill H, in memory of the pioneering time at London, and in deepest gratitude that you made so much to so many – and time. Gratefully, Bill. NY, Xmas ’53.’

Bill W.

The above is the inscription given to Bill H by Bill W when sending him along with the early pioneers of A.A. in this country a signed edition of the Second edition Big Book.

Bill was one of the founding members of the Ilford/Romford group, this was a group that began in a members’ home in 1950, it started like many did, in the affluent area of Ilford and or Romford. In 1950. They found premises, the meeting did bounce around to different venues over the years and sadly this group shut its doors 2016…..this has mean there has not been an AA meeting in Ilford since.

On Page 83 in Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age ‘The beginning of A.A. in England on 1947 was a striking one. Some years a go Bob B, a Canadian mining engineer went to London where he met up with Bill H…an Alcoholic Greengrocer……

  The Paragraph above recedes further into the past with the news that on 24^th June 1978 Bill H, passed on to the meeting in the sky.

Bill played a very large part in this country’s A.A. history, Yet his active days in the fellowship seem so far off that few will remember them. Bill was a signatory of the original Articles of Association, a member of the 1948 Advisory Committee and of course a member of the General Service Board on  its formation in 1957.

   Among those who mourn his passing the tribute from that mining engineer, Canadian Bob, has particular poignancy and intimacy.

‘Many will know of the years of service of this tower of strength. From the moment of his first encounter with the Fellowship, Bill became helpful, understanding and generous ‘worker in the vineyard’. It was he who provided the much-needed office space, typing facilities and talent, and who chaired several of the first Open Meetings.

   When Bill W and Lois came over in 1950 it was Bill H, whose business understanding and organisation abilities meshed so well with Bill W’s ideas and offer of help.

Bob said ‘I mourn his loss as a dear friend for almost a third of a century and believe that we should all be grateful for his life’.

Thank you, Bill H.

If you want to read about how the General Service board was created – Click to read a talk from Bill H in 1957 and again in 1966.