London's deadliest post-war fire

New light has been cast on the deadliest fire in London since World War Two, and one of the worst mass killings in British history.   In the early hours of August 16, 1980, fire ripped through two illegal clubs in Denmark Street - ‘Tin Pan Alley’ – just off Charing Cross Road.

The second floor housed a gambling den, while the first floor was a club where salsa music – virtually unknown in London in those days – attracted lots of South American expatriates.    A disgruntled customer who had been refused admission, poured petrol into the building and set fire to it.   The disc jockey was one of those killed, as he tried to save his record collection.

There were no proper fire escapes, and with much of the building made of wood, it went up in no time.    A total of 37 people were killed, and in May 1981, a 42 year old man was gaoled for life for causing the fire.

Matt Rendell has come up with some fascinating new details about the disaster in his new history of salsa in Britain.   For the full story, see Salsa for People Who Probably Shouldn’t just published by Mainstream.  

AIDS - 30 years on

It was 30 years ago this month that the world was first alerted to the threat of AIDS as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports that five homosexual men from Los Angeles had a rare form of fungus-borne pneumonia known as PCP. 

Three decades on, there are some grounds for cautious optimism.    The peak year for deaths from AIDS so far was 2005, when 2.1 million people died.   The latest figure is down to around 1.8 million.  

The rate of new infections in 30 of the world’s poorest countries has fallen by a quarter or more from its peak, while more than 6 million people are now getting anti-retroviral drugs in less prosperous countries against just 2 million five years ago.   A new study has shown that these drugs appear to be very effective in preventing the disease spreading.

It is not all good news, though.   For every person put on effective medication, there are two newly infected, and as the world’s economy slows down, so has the amount of money being devoted to fighting the disease.

* This is the cover of my new book – Britain’s Worst Military Disasters from the Roman Conquest to the Fall of Singapore.   Out soon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Britains-Worst-Military-Disasters-Singapore/dp/0752461974

The Penlee lifeboat disaster

Just back from Cornwall. It’s hard to visit the county without thinking of the Penlee lifeboat disaster – not the worst Cornish disaster, but perhaps the most poignant.

On December 19, 1981, a coaster, the Union Star, got into difficulties on its maiden voyage off Cornwall’s south coast. In addition to the crew of five, the captain’s wife and two teenage daughters were on board.

As winds gusted to 95 miles an hour, she began being driven onto the rocks. After attempts to rescue those on board by helicopter failed, the Penlee lifeboat was launched into mountainous waves.

Its crew of eight – all volunteers - managed to get four people off the coaster, then said they were going back to try to save the others. No more was heard from her. The Union Star was later found capsized on the rocks, while wreckage from the lifeboat was discovered along the shore. Everyone aboard the two vessels perished.