East London Archives of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Just a little preamble to start with, back in the 1930’s Bill W met Dr Bob in Akron, that was the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous. YET! I hear you shout, or whisper, or murmur how did it start in Great Britain? 

It isn’t spoken about much or often. So, we’ve put together a quick history of how AA came to be in Blighty. In the 1930s and 40s there were quite a number of people called Bill or Bob. Just like our start in Akron, there was a Bob involved here. Bobbie B.

Bobbie B. was A. A’s second general secretary of New York during the 1940s had contact with a woman named Dorothy H-E who dabbled in A.A. while in New York. Dorothy loved what A.A. stood for but found it all a bit too hard to follow. Dorothy later moved to London which made her the official contact for A.A. on this side of the pond.

This led to the first official 12th step call (or letter). Bobbie sent Dorothy the details of a Chris L-B. from Hove who wanted help. This may have led to the first A.A. meeting, but we are not sure. No names or location was provided, yet Charlotte L. of the New York office mentioned this in a later letter. Yet nothing more happened, much to the chagrin of Bobbie B…who was trying to get something going over here.

There was a Bob (sorry, more Bobs) who was ready, who was up for this. His name was “Canadian Bob B.” Bob got sober in New York at the 46th Street clubhouse in 1945. After a short period of sobriety, he, and his wife moved to London.

While in London, Bob maintained his sobriety by corresponding with his fellows in New York. Yet, at 14 months sober, alone in London and frustrated that he couldn’t find a drunk to work with… it happened.

THEN!!! Let’s say that again…THEN…A.A in Great Britain began.

So, here we are, March 22nd, 1947 Grace O, a sober member of the Hollywood group came with her husband for a holiday to London, amongst other countries. Bobbie B knew this and let Grace know of Bob B. and a few of the others who’d been writing to New York while residing in our fair town.

Grace and Fulton came over on a cruise liner, while on that ship, Grace put out a note, if any friends of Bill W would like to meet, please see her in a certain room. Two people appeared, Pat C. a lady from California and an American Gentleman called Noble C. 

Grace O and her husband Fulton (who wasn’t an alky), sorted out a meetup at a Hungarian restaurant in Soho with Bob B. to create a plan of action, on March 29th, 1947.

This is Grace.

At this Soho gaff, the three worked on a strategy to get A.A. going in the UK. Grace offered the use of her Dorchester hotel, Room 202. She gave Bob some tasks, like getting in touch with Chris of Hendon, Norman and Tony F, and the American Grace met on the ocean liner, Noble C, who was staying at the Savoy. 

Off Bob went to trudge the road to the Savoy reception, he asked them to give Noble’s room a bell…no answer, he asked one more time… and…no answer. 

Bob contemplated leaving the hotel when this American bloke wandered up and asked Bob for the time. Bob noticed he had an American accent and tried his luck by asking if he was Noble C. The American said, I’m not, but he was keen to meet such an American, “what did he look like?” he asked. I’m not sure Bob responded, “what is your business with him?” the man replied. Bob decided to dismiss him politely by saying “Oh something you wouldn’t know anything about…Alcoholics Anonymous”

This fella then shouted “A.A. – my God if anyone was ever ready for that, I am.” His name was Ward W.

Ward W, had been sober for two days up to the point of meeting Bob, purely because he was skint, had nowhere to stay and no means to contact his wife, who was back in Paris waiting for him. 

Ward and his wife were meant to travel to London from Paris, Ward got drunk and went missing, and his wife was used to this, so instead of getting the boat herself she waited in the hotel……Ward managed to get the ship to London with no money, no passport and wangled his way through customs and appearing in London lost until he was found Bob B at the Savoy. 

Ward was pals with Laurel and Hardy (let that sink in) and hoped for some money from them. Anyway, this story appeared in the Grapevine of 1947 called One in a Million (click here to have a read)

The date of the first recorded meeting in Great Britain was March 31st 1947. Location – Dorchester Hotel, Room 202.

The possible attendees – Grace O, ‘Canadian’ Bob, Ward W sober for two days, Sgt Vernon W. who travelled from Portsmouth and helped start A.A. in Bermuda (read here Vernon’s message to the Grapevine January 1948), Pat G. from California, Tony F. an Irish serviceman, Norman R.W who had been dragged out of pub by his wife, but, get this, he made contact with A.A. after he and his wife, Sylvia, attended Classic Cinema in Croydon to watch Lost Weekend. At the end of the film they showed the contact address for A.A in New York, Sylvia, said to Norman, what’s the worst thing that can happen if you make contact? Also in attendance was Chris B from Hendon, who had spoken to a friend of Bill W in New York regarding getting sober. During the meeting, Bob was inspired by Grace and her serene confidence that A.A. was needed in the U.K. and would flourish here. Grace reclined in her bed while the rest of the attendees became constant interrupters and Ward dry for two days seemed to know most about how A.A. should fashion itself for Blighty.

Norman, who had been pulled from a bar in London Bridge, told the waiter to provide him with an alcoholic drink during the meeting. This was declined by the waiter via Grace. Norman decided to leave as he wasn’t into coffee and later, they saw him downstairs with his wife waiting for them. The meeting ended with the Lord’s Prayer which is how meetings finished in the U.S. 

Years later Bob was asked to take the meeting at 11 Chandos Street and mentioned closing the meeting with the Lord’s Prayer to which he stated got the tongues a lashing.  

Yet, there is more. A week later, Bob, Tony F and Norman, (we don’t think Chris B was able to get there) met up at the Dominion Theatre café on Tottenham Court Road. Bob was voted in as Secretary of London A.A. There was a decision to meet on Thursday evenings and with the blessing of Bob’s wife they began to hold the meetings at their home in Kew. 

April 21st, 1947 Bobbie Berger sent a letter to Bob to congratulate the start of something beautiful in Britain. 

By the way, they called her Bobbie, her name was Margaret B, but all called her Bobbie, anyway…Bobbie sent a care package of instant coffee, a can of milk, lumps of sugar, and one can of dark nut cake. Bob later sent a letter back to Bobbie regarding the slowness and his frustration with the growth here. 

Bobbie reminded Bob in a letter that it takes time. She reminded him Bill W. and Dr. Bob also had that issue, but were staying sober. Bobbie told Bob to write to Ian Mc of a group in New Zealand, Ian set up a meeting and was on his own for some time, now after a year Bobbie said Ian has two ‘babies’, babies being what they called new prospects, prospects is what o lot would now call Sponsees. 

The new G.B. group received a loving letter from a group in Hamilton, Canada, who are 75 members strong, they offered help to this newly formed group of desperados in London with a care package. 

At their Thursday meeting, Bob, Tony F, Norman and Chris B. agreed, in quick time, the wording of an advertisement for national newspapers. Four members in a group conscience agreeing in quick time…another miracle. 

They sent this off and one paper accepted – The Financial Times. On June 9th, 1947 they printed:

 Alcoholism: A small body of anonymous ex-suffers place themselves at the disposal of any who require help. The offer is quite gratuitous. 

1948 – August – Bob B twelve stepped Bill H. Another Bill…  Bill would become one of the founding members of the Ilford/Romford group and was on the ball with getting a General Service Office kicking off. In A.A. comes of age Bill H. is the alcoholic greengrocer. This new gathering of people needed a phone line, so what Bill did was have a word with his brother Roland, who agreed on the use of their office. The London Fruit Exchange, became the place of the first A.A. helpline in this country. Bill H, said to Roland – These people I’m with (AA) don’t have an office or telephone. Would you mind if I took the entrance office from the corridor and installed a telephone line for their use? Adding with foresight you may need it yourself one day!’ 

Roland said he treated that remark with the contempt it deserved and gave it his blessing. The telephone was installed with the number BIS 4980 and was in the telephone directory. Roland H became a member of A.A. himself in 1959…so it was early service. 

1948 – Lottie T. took over as Secretary from Bob when he went to work abroad. Meetings were held at Lotties’ home in St John’s Wood or Tony F’s home in Finchley. At this time Lottie was in constant communicado with Bobbie B, giving her updates that the London group has 50 members. Esme (Read history from First London Pamphlet in 1952), a gentleman from Tonbridge, took over from Lottie as General Secretary and would keep in contact with Bobbie and Bill W.

The original group, now known as First London, got its first proper venue in 1948 at 11 Chandos Street at the Medical Society of London, meeting on Thursdays at 7:30 pm. First London is still going today and has changed venues but keeps the title as First London. If you fancy visiting, it’s at Advent Centre, 39 Brendon Street, off Crawford Place, London W1G 5HD. 

The Scottish side of the fellowship had their first meetings set up in 1949 by Philip D. He had reached out to the London group about setting up A.A. in Scotland with encouragement from Lottie T. and others who would correspond with him he became the founder of A.A. in Scotland, by registering groups in Edinburgh and Glasgow with the General Service Office in New York and was assisted with a gentleman by the name of Forbes. 

Sir Phil met up with Bill W, when Bill, Loi and Agens came the U.K and Ireland.

Bob B made acquaintances with Dr. Lincoln Williams, a doctor of Alcoholism who was intrigued by A.A. and its results. Dr Williams visited New York to speak with Bill W. and Dr Silkworth and was grateful to hear and learn from them. Dr Williams wrote many books on alcoholism, such as Sober Truth, Alcoholics Realities and To Each His Memories, he was an advocate of what A.A. did for the alcoholic and how the program changed lives. He believed is his five A’s (Aversion Technique, Apomorphine, Antabuse, Analysis and Alcoholics Anonymous) . Dr Williams became good friends with ‘Canadian’ Bob B.  

Esme of Kent had been writing to Bill W to come to this side of the water, as he is needed and it would be appreciated. Guess what? In 1950 Bill W and Lois visited Great Britain and Ireland bringing with them a donation of 1,500 copies of the Big Book. A committee was formed to appoint a board of trustees to administer the sale of the books. Two of the members involved were Bill H and Allan B from Bolton. In 1952, they began to lease Redcliffe Gardens to be A.A. GB’s main office, until it moved to York in 1986. 

The below was Bill’s itinerary when arriving in the U.K and Ireland

Bob B spoke to Allan (read his talk at the 1957 convention) and Winnie B a married couple from Bolton, together they founded the first regional A.A. meeting, known as the Bolton Group (later the Manchester Group), which held meetings at the Millgate Hotel. Allan B would say he took all twelve-step calls outside of Golders Green. He and Bill H were early starts for GSO where they both retired in 1970. 

In 1954, the growing members expected a huge intake of alkies coming their way after an article was written about A.A. by Beverley Baxter of the Daily Express. They thought it would get some traction like the old Jack Alexander article. The group members with cars got their engines raring to go for those calls…..and….no one called. 

1957 – The General Service Board was created with the help of Alan B. and Bill H. The telephone lines were transferred from the Fruit Exchange to Redcliffe Gardens, this was looked after between 10 am to 6 pm, but the lines weren’t looked after on evenings or weekends. 

12-step calls were sent in by letter. The group secretary would read the letter to the people in the meeting and ask for volunteers. Not many members had cars and would need to use public transport and go for miles out of their way to carry the message. 

1965 – Toynbee Hall in the East End opened its doors for a gathering on a Wednesday at 8 pm. ‘Dartmoor’ Bill became the first person in Europe to reach 50 years sober. 

Toynbee Hall in the East End aimed to help the people who needed it and could well have been one of the muses for Frank Buchman and the creation of the Oxford Group. Before the Oxford group was formed Frank Buchman travelled Europe and appeared at Toynbee Hall in the East End. he was intrigued by the services. 

Years down the line, an A.A. meeting started there. It no longer frequents the hall but for many years it was a standalone point for newcomers in the area and part of the 25th Anniversary of A.A. in Great Britain. 

In 1982, Bob B who had been called the father of A.A. in the UK, passed away in Malta. Because of his efforts and those early A. As, we currently have a thriving fellowship and over 7,650 meetings in Great Britain. That said, we’re not sure how many of them have been started via resentment though.

Thank you, Bobbie B., Grace O., Bob B., Bill H., Sgt. Vernon, Ward W, Chris B, Lottie T, Bobbie B., Esme O., Padge., Allan and Winnie B and many more.

Let us think of all the people who paved the path for us the next time we have our moment of silence and raise a cup of tea.