A group of us gathered at Stephens House and Gardens in Finchley on 24th September for our 2022 AGM event.
As far as the formal business of the meeting went, a fierce and wide-ranging debate lasting several moments led to the re-election of the whole GSPS Committee.
Other business of the day included marking the 50th anniversary of The Last Goon Show of All and the approaching 100th birthday of Michael Bentine. This featured a particularly fine cake created by the stage Goon actor, Mark Earby.
The highlights of the day involved Spike Milligan’s daughters, Jane and Silé. They conducted us on a tour of the lodge building at Stephens House, which is becoming the nerve centre of Spike Milligan Productions Ltd, and housing a developing archive of Spike’s belongings. Some day in the future it will be open to visitors. We all took the opportunity to visit the Spike Milligan memorial bench, which is just a few paces away.
After that, Jane and Silé were interviewed by Mark Cousins. The discussion, which ranged from growing up as Milligan children to what they’d like Spike’s legacy to be, delighted everyone present.
Watch out for a full report, coming to a GSPS newsletter soon.
Photos courtesy of Duncan Gray, Darren Vidler and Richard Usher
The Goon Show Preservation Society 