@@justinparkerthewildwolf6394 You obviously aren't aware of the meaning of the word "star" in this particular context. Do you realise how difficult it was to find a copy of this documentary?
@sandgrownun66 Respect is indeed due to the uploader.☆ ! TV used to provide some real quality programming with fearless documentaries like this as well as some cutting edge dramatic content . A lot of content never warranted the expense of video tape , some was wiped to reuse the ( then)valuable tape...and there must be gems hidden away and forgotten .. ...so props to the folk who take the time to share this fascinating material ☆
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects. Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
I'm not sure.All you need to make this film is to get into contact with one of the many kids running to London and ask him if he wants to call you for filming occasionally. They probably approached lots before they found one who was receptive. Roger Gleaves was so cocky he probably beat down the door of the TV station..
When i was 12 i ran away from home in Glasgow and got a train to Euston station. I remember getting off the train and suddenly felt overwhelmed. As i got to the ticket barrier The inspector held me back and asked where my parents where. I just broke down and cried. The police contacted my parents and they put me on a train back home. I was one of the lucky ones. There are 100s of children who went missing and were never found. This documentary brought back that memory. If you ran away from home did you manage to get home again? would love to hear your experience.
hi mate i think this video runs the risk of being taken down due to the graphic content at 1:12:16 maybe a warning at some point might be wise but other than that a great documentary
Evening pal. Was born in ‘71 & know too well about all the nonces parading as ‘good folk’ back in those days. Glad you got back on your feet & found by a decent person & got back home. My mums from Glasgow & left there with all her family when she was late teens. They was around 1960’s. Settled in Brighton where she still lives as do I. Cheers mate.
Thanks for sharing this, have been looking for years. Relatiive of mine was involed with the Billy McPhee case and was instrumental in bringing Gleaves to justice for his associated involvement.
So much of it couldn't happen today, thankfully. Gleaves for example wouldn't have been allowed to do anything like what he did because he would have been on the sex offenders register, something which didn't exist in Britain until 1997. Thankfully, the world has changed massively, although we still have huge problems. Back then, there was a hugely toxic mixture - what was going on was brazen, but people were a mixture of ignorant, naive and simply did not want to know. What happened behind closed doors stayed behind closed doors. The kids who were victims were considered to be trash from trash families and deserving of everything they got. The scale of child abuse was simply not understood and if it was, the victims were likely to be blamed. As somebody once said, the British didn't even begin to start liking kids until the late 1980s. The circumstances in the 20th century were an absolute Paedophile's dream. Adults were not questioned. Kids were not believed. Violence against kids was accepted. Nobody wanted to talk about sex. Horrible times in many ways.
@@KKTR3Do you mean the reason they won’t broadcast this today is perhaps because they know (the elites) that they are complicit in the misery of these young poor kids?
Actually there’s quite a few hard hitting documentaries like this - especially about street kids in the modern age throughout various parts of the world. In fact probably more hard hitting as the deprivation those kids suffer on the daily is heart breaking. Seek them out!
The saddest thing is, a lot of runaway kids are actually running away from severe abuse at home. It is an absolute travesty and an indictment on the society that they would feel safer getting picked up by the nonces on the streets and passed around by politicians than sent back to those who are supposed to care for them. Police used to be legally required to forcibly repatriate runaway kids to the people who rape, shout at and hit them: the people in their home.
“FEEL SAFER” is the important term here. Kids don’t know shit. Boredom and authority also cause children to bolt. Kids also lie. A lot of well meaning cliches have been taken as gospel.
Politicians back then & some still today, were NONCING like there was no tomorrow. Listened to so many podcasts where so much had come to light. Edward Heath, Mountbatten, Britton to name a few.
@DMWBN3 read anthony dalys book 'abuse of power', he was a victim of the playland n0 nce ring, names so many politicians and big buisnessmen in his book its equal parts eye opening and shocking
@FeeOzymandias-qi5ot sidney cooke and his gang may have used playland to pick up lads, as they where largely based in london and operated at that time, but it isnt the playland story no. they are a seperate monstrosity of their own, a gang of serial child rapists/killers, sid cooke is still alive today if i recall correctly, he kidnapped and murdered countless young boys and is a suspect in numerous child disappearances pre 1990s. one of the gang, a creature called lesley bailey, was murdered in prison in the 90s i believe.
They most likely got out after only serving 1/3 of their sentence. Institutionally corrupt to the core. Churches full of nonces, then judges cover it up & give lighter sentences & the old bill are too busy to bother with detective work. With social media now, they say at any on ed ting there is 600k people up to no good on line, talking to minors.
Such a brilliant documentary- I watch mostly 70s and 80s ones, and much better than modern ones . It's heartbreaking sesing all the vunerable young on the street and being taken advantage of. Thanks so much for this upload .
@davidp3802 Where The Houses Used To Be, Three Salons At The Seaside, Bona Queen Of Fabularity are my favourites- seen them all at least half a dozen times. Also worth searching uk documentary 70s 80s 90s and lots come up- hope you find something!
I'm the same, I love these quality documentary programs from the 1970s and 80s. The pace and the detail is something you never see nowadays, and the style of the editing is less frantic, as if viewers back then had longer attention spans-I wonder why? 🤔 And there's the 3/4 aspect ratio, warmly nostalgic for those of us who spent much of the 70s and 80s parked in front of a brown 70s colour tube TV.
anyone can say this tho , give us proof ? this is just a comment from a random person. but people believe everything online , its sad to see that even now human intelligence has not progressed at all , in fact humans are even thicker than the past . 40 people believe a random comment that shows no proof , people cant even see the lies even in comments ,
Ex Detective Jon Wedger brought me here, after a true crime podcast. Thank you so very much for sharing this powerful and disturbing documentary. Best wishes
ive been looking for this docco for ages! whoever uploaded thank you very much, these horrific tales belong to our collective memory. the olight of those who suffered must not be forgotten to history, we must suffer together. anyone interested in this scandal read 'abuse of power' by anthony daly about the playland scandal
This was massively controversial at the time, and had to be withheld from the jury in the infamous "Playland" trials where a paedophile ring (including a friend of king Charles and Camilla) were convicted for targeting kids in amusement arcades around Piccadilly Circus, which was then utterly notorious. It is a massive insight into the dystopian conditions in Britain's rotting, post industrial cities throughout the 20th century. They were right to say that little had changed since Dickens' time. It's interesting that the girl in it lives in the infamous squat area, Elgin Avenue. A number of paedophiles were also convicted who lived there. So many vulnerable kids from chaotic families - it made them easy prey for paedophiles.
The bbc is saying just recently things are like dickens times I think they are very wrong and so are you on that , but still thank you for your post . Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED , at least in part , remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects. Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so. Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects. Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
Lol London was a very poor English were always good ar war but jot looking after own people got better in 1990 was a time in England hung drawn and quarter u for robbing food if u seen braveheart film that was how they treated people who were starving
Imagine the shock while watching this, I find out Billy Two Tone came from Bannockburn where I was born and brought up! I remember the family, his mother especially. Absolutely terrible what was happening to those young people and nothing has changed! Adults are awful!! RIP Billy.
Maggie was complicit in the murder so i dont know why she's acting all high and mighty. She could have called the cops after they drove away with Billy and chose not to. Shes just as guilty.
How the F didn’t she face any charges?? Was at the scene of a murder/brutal beating & didn’t leave or immediately call police to stop it happening. Very odd.
Thank you so much for this crucially important documentary which has been impossible to view for many years. Yes, some things have changed, but I know from my work that there is indeed a modern day version of all that is portrayed in this film. In some ways it is more hidden, technology is involved but the motivation and inhumane nature of predators remains exactly the same. Equally the wish of some in society, including those in positions of power to deny, collude and cover up continues. The excellent book 'The Abuse of Power' by Anthony Daly covers more of this issue including the 'Playland' scandal .
I suppose thankfully attitudes to child sex abuse have changed. It is still rampant but it cannot be absolutely brazen like it was back then. At least now children have some hope of being believed whereas back then they would have been viewed as complicit and deserving of what they got.
It’s better now in that things are out in the open more. Back then, they were hidden and it was harder to be taken seriously, and have people believe you.
This came up in my feed last night and I have to say thanks for posting. What a debate this would make if the “normal” folks could have their day and be heard. Everything that’s wrong with society is right here in this documentary. My heart broke so many times for the children that get thrown away. How shocking to see the recording of Billy McPhee’s body!! His mother seemed a little cold to me when interviewed about him running away (or were they tougher back then)? I know this sort of thing has been going on since time began…However if they put those men away for longer I don’t think it would even touch the surface. I know we were barbaric back in the day, but men or women that touch children should be dealt a much harsher punishment. I know the children are hopefully all grown up now and I hope they made it in life. Being Tommy was one of the main children they focused on I wonder where he is now and if he had a decent life poor kid.
@@nielszindel1151 My parents were born 1927 myself 1962. So I get your point and I certainly wasn’t making light of his mum. Just as a mother myself I’d of been inconsolable.
@@Jay-LeighI don’t think she or any of the parents seem to give a rats about their kids. My grandparents were also of that generation and they were loving and caring and showed it
his mum came off narcissistic, it's not generational, there have always been parents like her and always will be, it's just now we shun parents like this, rather than act like it's normal to be so unfeeling and cold towards your kids.
Women always seem to get lighter sentences too, if they are ever prosecuted. The system goes far too easy on female criminals of all types, the statistics speak for themselves. The abuse women can inflict on children is just as damaging and real as what is inflicted by men. So why are they not treated the same? We are supposed to be equal under the law after all.
Wow! This is incredible been waiting to see this for over a decade! Thank you for the upload. I wonder if any of the kids are alive. I hope they'll come on here and update.
I remember watching this documentary .. I’d not long since left home at 17 in 74 but I was fortunate I’d got a bedsit but remember this well watching on a old portable black & white tv ...
Listening to the girl telling us how she is masking her pain with any thing to make her numb.. pain inflicted by monsters…. It’s 2024 and millions of people can share this story word for word….. the monsters still feast without a care in world…. Take back your power….
I told my Dad I was going to run away. He said go - so I did. This was Ladywood Birmingham, circa 1964. I either came back on my own or the police brought me back (vague memory of it). I was 5/6 years old. Just reporting the facts here - not my feelings, which as a normal parent myself you can imagine. Looking at this documentary brought it back like a shock. I'd forgotten about this for years.
I remember landing in King’s Cross with my mate both 17 years old … we got a job at Euston on a building site… but needed to rough it for a few nights until wages day …. We were approached one night a guy being really helpful…. We ended up back at a house in Seven Sisters…. Blatantly obvious what was going on…. Both of us were street wize … and when the realised it they shit themselves…. One of them was a an astronomer, Chinese astrology… seen him on channel 4 a few times….. monsters!!! We put the fear of death in to them… looking back wish we had done more
An amazing film, which I hadn't been aware of. The documentary makers just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The footage showing the actual victim's body when it was found was unexpected.
@@GriefTourist I'm not sure about that. However, it did seem somewhat disrespectful. Although, it did seem a rather bold decision on the part of the producers of the programme. It's something I've never seen before or since, in the documentaries I've watched. Maybe, it ruffled a few feathers at the time. I wonder if Mary Whitehouse got all flustered about it?
This programme has intermittently haunted me since I saw it when it was first televised. I think It was the first time paedophilia was really exposed on TV and the nation was horrified.
This is just the reality of being human. All the changes and improvements to society are superficial. It does nothing to stop the problem, it just drives it further underground. The predators become even more devious, and the systems even more corrupt. Far too many people are pathetic to them, afraid of them. Those people are just as bad as far as I am concerned. Anyone in a position of power to stop these monsters but put their own reputation and job before protecting the innocent of society is just as evil.
I wonder how Annie got on in life? Considering her involvement with Heroin you could see there was an intelligent and articulate girl battling her demons.
Yea it looks it. I was brought up in Northumberland in the 70s and 80s and lived in a beautiful village but I remember going to Newcastle shopping regularly and the riverside was almost entirely covered with rotting factories slag heaps and grim grim poverty. I laugh when youngsters talk about the good old days. People have it so easy now they have no idea what it was like then
I was homeless around the same age in the Midlands, mostly across Leicestershire and Coventry. I have lots of stories, very few of them good. I have to say that some of the worst people I encountered were other homeless people. Life isn't easy when you are autistic at the best of times, it's magnified when you are homeless.
The way they showed that poor Young mans lifeless body in a roadside ditch, flys and all literary. People need to see this. Very powerful and maybe useful to make young people think before they decide to come to London for a better life on the streets.
I remember watching this when it was first broadcast. I have never forgotten the part with Nicholas Lawlor. Couldn't have imagined I would come across it again almost fifty years later. Some things stay in one's minds and memories for good.
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects. Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
My abuser worked at Victoria Coach Station, had done for a long time. I dread to think of how many runaways he has taken advantage of and abused them. I did go to the police ten years later about my experiences but sadly the CPS zaid they didn't have enough evidence. Im watching this documentary yet again, its so powerful and moving.
Hi there, like so many others commenting here, I’ve been looking for this for years. So thanks so much for uploading it. A very important part of social history here. I always had the feeling that this was suppressed. Much like another documentary, ‘The Secret Hospital’ an expose on Rampton Hospital. I don’t suppose you would have that one as well?
Hi Neil, Thank you for your comment. You're right, it's a shame this major documentary was kept away from the public by Roger Gleaves's legal actions and stayed hidden in the archives for so long. 'The Secret Hospital' is already available to watch on this website. inclusivearchive.org/story/6/rampton-the-big-house-tv-documentary-1979/#!/135 As far as I know, there isn't any better quality copy available.
Wow…thanks so much for the link. Isn’t that incredible…two documentaries I’ve been waiting years to watch and they both turn up on the same day. Thanks so much for your help.
@@FHjsgy7bm okay, I’ve now watched both documentaries (Johnny Go Home & Rampton-the secret hospital) and they did not disappoint. This should be mandatory viewing for students in social care/mental health and it’s a shame both have since been largely forgotten.
@@FHjsgy7bm Thank you for the upload. I saw Johnny Go Home when it was first shown and have never forgotten the interview with Nicholas Lawlor. I was a teenager at the time and it was something of an eye-opener (to put it mildly). I would never have imagined that I would come across it almost fifty years later. Is there any information about what became of these unfortunate young people?
@@tarakb7606 is this Nicholas at 23:54? The documentary is listed as 1980 but was actually 1983: m.ua-cam.com/video/FfrsUANQO4M/v-deo.html&pp=ygUKTGlmZXIgMTk4MA%3D%3D
@@radarsone5097 Huh? Someone posted above the extensive criminal history of Gleaves that covers up to just a few years ago. From the time of this documentary being filmed right up into the 1980's the history includes his ongoing relationship with wee Tommy (Johnny). Read it for yourself.
When I was looking for drugs one night I see this black kid who must have been around 10. It was around 3am. I asked if he was alright. He just ran away. What a messed up situation.
For those wondering what happened to Tommy, there was a newspaper article about him later in 1977. Unbelievably, Gleaves set up another church in Muswell Hill. The newspaper tracked down Tommy to it, where he was working as an "altar boy". The comments he gave to the paper made it sound like he'd been thoroughly groomed by Gleaves. Tommy was talking about how good Gleaves had been to him, and saying he'd never go back to Glasgow now. God knows what happened to the poor lad after that.
I also took an interest in what became of Tommy Wylie too, and the last reports of him were indeed still working for/with Gleaves in 1985. Apparently he was married but that was under strain from his continued involvement with Gleaves. Sadly I suspect that Tommy really didn't turn out well in the end.
@@DMWBN3 I remember when "rent boys" hit the news after some brain stormimg within some seedy newspaper coined the phrase. Quite often it was pitched to readers that these underage victims of heinius crime were in fact soley to blame. Makes me wonder how many of the nonce club were working in media and "support services" protecting their own agendas and each other
@@nikkioshea4139knife crime was actually worse in the 60s. sadly, predatory paedophiles never go away. But it's nothing like as blatant as it was back then. There was a really nasty Victorian attitude that still ran through society - those kids were trash, from trash families, and weren't worth caring about.
It was at this time that Jimmy Saville was frequenting these boarding houses. In one particular Saville documentary a man being interviewed stated that when he and friend were young they ended up at a London station. There they were approached by some young men and offered a place to stay. Upon arrival they saw older men visiting and entering young boys rooms. One of the visitors was Saville. The interviewee confirmed this as he was actually Saville’s nephew. These crimes were prominent during the 70’ and 80’s throughout London. A fair amount of the abusers were well known dignitaries, celebrities and politicians. After the dirty deeds they wanted the child silenced due to fear of being publicly shamed. Therefore many young boys were murdered or just went missing. It’s worthy to note that some of these monsters held high positions within the police and judiciary. As this documentary clearly stated towards the end that it wasn’t just homeless boys at these places. There were many boys within the state care system who were referred to these places. A very well produced documentary. The on the spot intuitive investigative journalism was of great value.
I dont think theres many things much worse than watching youngsters who are still children really in such a sad..traumatic..desperate..and vulnerable state and for me i feel so angry at how easy these nonce cases target them at these arcades and clubs etc..and how little of a fuck the old bill and their parents and anybody else even cares about them..its funny the only one who cared about Annie was the old alcoholic guy who didn't want her drinking or doing smack..isn"t that often the case..the people society class as scum and no good are the ones who care..on 35 mins when she is crying you could see she has had abuse in her life..one thing they all have in common is they have all been abused..neglected..beat etc..whilst these are great hard hitting old documentaries that need watching...they are hard on my soul as i feel so sad for them all 😢
I was one that stayed home and endured , sometimes I think that was a mistake .. now 67yo ... after watching the entirety of this video I'm not so sure .. thankyou for the upload .
Survivors survive mate. Good for you. 🙏👍 We were told children should be seen not heard. Thankfully that's not the case anymore though this sadly is more prevalent than ever. Stay strong
In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I worked at Centrepoint and the story was the same young boys and girls in the dilly. Some of them lived by their wits, the tough ones bullied the others or were abused or murdered it was a grim life. I remember that Vine St Police station, there was some absolute corrupt coppers who left these kids on the streets to be abused and worse! We were often powerless to help and it was often very depressing. Quite well spoken the girl, I think there must have been abuse in her past too. Usually was. Sad life. I always used to think there for the grace of god and was compassionate and respectful to the kids. Please take out the postmortem bit as it’s very disrespectful to Billy’s family. The way the pathologist talks about wanting to do his garden and no gloves or respect.
You really wonder what happened to these kids after. They were so vulnerable and easily exploited. I'd like to think Annie got help and out of that homeless situation. I agree the ending of the post mortem should be deleted. Incredible that it was shown in 1975 as its quite graphic even by today's standards
I was 13 when this documentary was broadcast on ITV back in 1975. It caused a national outcry similar to the Cathy Come Home kitchen sink drama of 10 year earlier. This documentary tackled what was at the time a very taboo subject. Homosexuality and child sexual abuse were two topics rarely discussed by anyone anywhere. Watching this film almost 50 years later and although it's a bit creaky and the use outdated language/terminology can be jarring it still packs a punch. Notice the term Paedophile is never used- that's a fairly recent term regarding common use by the public and professionals. I was only allowed to watch the first part that was broadcast before News at Ten (it was a school night and also I expect my mother was both embarrassed by the subject matter and trying to shell us kids from the topic). EVERYONE was talking about it next day at school. I do find the insensitive and undignified treatment of Billy's dead body shocking. The condition of our towns and cities during that period is shocking- it really was a country in decline- it just all looks so grim. The conditions are Dickensian. Unfortunately this story has somehow been lost to time. A book based on events portrayed in the documentary was released at the time. A copy was in our school library.
This should never be struck off youtube It is an important social Historical document Of how ( Vulnerable Children ) faced the challenges of life in Central London in the Nineteen Hundred & Seventies.
I been looking for this for years after reading the book. Thank you for posting. I'd like to know if the 3 men convicted of Murdering Billy McPhee are still in prison or has since been released. Bearing in mind they were convicted 49 years ago.
@@lindapocklington7816 I think this person is referring to "The Man Alive Report", the BRILLIANT documentary series that aired on British television from 1974. Ahhh, the 70's and 80's...when the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 aired some of THE BEST documentaries, dramas and comedy!
Two mates of mine ran away to London in the 1980s. One was 13 and the other was 16. Years later the older one told me that businessmen in bowler hats would approach him and say things like "How much for the boy?"
Tommy left the scene in London and went back to Scotland to work as a gardener apparently. Don't know about Annie. Nicholas was featured in a Janet Street Porter documentarte on rent boys in the West End. The documentarte was Made several years after "JGH." Like You, I wish them the best.
I feel so sad watching this. It's a miracle I never ran away from home when I was a kid. No matter how bad your situation seems, there's always the possibility of things being worse.
Thanks for the download, as of 22/03/24 a 'Crime theory' podcast just aired featuring Ron Swanson and ex London vice copper Jon Wedger , covering the Billy Phee case, seemingly Tommy Wylie subsequently became complicit in these type of behaviours, and fell foul of the law too. This would perhaps explain the mention in Gleaves correspondence of 50 or 100 pounds to 'Tommy Wylie '.
@@andreacaughey6761 Perhaps , but I have found him not just so forthright on matters pertaining to N Ireland, Kincora Mountbottom etc. There is a film called 'Belfast the lost boys ' which I recommend, though difficult to access I think , along with 'The man who knew too much ' featuring Colin Wallace, worth a watch.
What a fabulous country we had. The sickening cycle of poverty, abuse, crime, abuse, punishement, then back to poverty continues today with the endless graft of developers and politicians, lack of affordable housing, off-shoring of jobs, rising cost of living, obscene income inequality, funding cuts to community programs etc all providing the fertile ground making this possible. . .It doesn't come from nothing. Some set of circumstances must create this. Interesting to think which part we play in their story. Whether its "get a job!" or "get tough on crime" or commonly, plan old 'Indifference'. How far we have come ..
Bad as things are for lots of people now, the world in this documentary is something else. 11 year olds wandering around Soho with nobody apparently able to do anything about it. A sex abuser picking up kids from Euston Station with British Rail just happy to get them off their patch, and earning tens of thousands from the taxpayer for renting out derelict houses. That's different league stuff.
@@modernista6056 Things have gone back from where they were a few years ago, but are surely nowhere near as bad at the extremes as in this film. And of course they shouldn't be as bad as 1975.
This documentary is so shocking. Poor Billy McPhee, he really suffered relentless pain and torture before being dumped and then stabbed again. Seeing him in the ditch was really frightening and sad. What evil people to beat and kill a youngster like that. I just hope they get all they deserve for this crime. As for Annie and Tommy I just hope they made it out if that horrific life.
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects. Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
@@KKTR3 i’ve seen a lot of raw documentary’s that are made like this. it’s basically a film maker/producer that has approached these children/people on the streets and asked them questions and for permission to follow them around to get a real look into their lives they are living. that’s the only way a good documentary can be made when it’s real and raw footage. it’s not staged at all, just people carrying on their lives but having a camera present.
@davidp3802 some scenes certainly set up for better viewing but not the whole thing, playland was an open air rent boy racket, billy mcphee was a murdered child and these are real homeless children featured in this documentary
I knew Tommy (Tam) in the 90's when he'd settled in Cumbernauld Scotland in a sheltered flat/bungalow. A few of us would sit and have a laugh, he was a nice pleasant guy, liked the simple things. I left Cumbernauld in 2000, so don't know what became of him. Great seeing this again.
Incredible film making. What I thought was going to be a lightweight naive VT turned into a documentary which demonstartes a skill of access, coverage and editorial you will never see today. A priveldge to watch. I hope it has made a difference to awareness over the years.
How many kids have just disappeared forever when picked up by nonces. It must be hell on earth for parents and wider family to never know what has happened to their loved ones.
This document was put together so well. It was of course bleak in the opening 45 minutes but it looked as if things were turning around. Tommy was back home for a night and we see two gentlemen who seemed to be doing vital and honest charity work. Then, suddenly the revelation of one of their past and the whole thing grew darker. Powerful and important media
Wow. June 29, 1974...my 7th birthday. Loooong before...I was ever aware, of the kind of evil...mankind is capable of. Mankind...so, very FULL of wickedness in his heart. Turns my stomach...knowing the day I celebrated a happy 7th birthday...another family mourned the murder of their young son.
At last some one thinking like I . Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects. Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
@@zippymufo9765 Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects. Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
I ran away from Aberdeen for the bright lights of London hoping to make it to King's Cross. I only got as far as Dundee.!. Silly bugger, I had on my school uniform and had nicked the train fare for London from my folks!. They had put out the wire to the police and being only 13 I caused a pretty storm. It was the train conductor ( perhaps not surprisingly) who became suspicious of me and my destination intentions. I got sent home which was bad enough but if I had made it to London being a pretty young teenage girl you can only imagine what would have happened to me. Perhaps I may not be here to tell you my tale. And I would have simply disappeared and vanished into thin air and became one of the "missing" that are reported (sometimes not) every year. They simply vanish never to be seen again. This happens a lot more than we can imagine. It's terrible to think what may have happened to them and what terrors may have befell them.Things were very tough at home but at least I escaped from really much worse harm and perhaps with my life. I was homeless later on in life for a short time in Aberdeen and all I can say is it was bloody awful but a by far much better sight and a lot easier than what it would've been in London. I don't think I could have survived London. Aberdeen was bad enough for me Absolutely brilliant and fascinating doc. It should be used for educational purposes in schools, colleges, universities etc. Especially for those wishing to go into social work or any work in the care, psychiatric, medical, psychology, etc, professional sector. And also a fascinating doc of history, a time and place in the 1970s when things were probably a lot worse. Though I'm in no means saying things aren't really bad enough now. No wonder these homeless people lose themselves in a mire of drugs and alcohol (I succumbed to heroin myself but have been clean now for 17 years. I was one of the lucky ones.) Plenty of my friends weren't so lucky and lost their lives to this evil drug). The drugs are simply a way to not only numb the pain but to numb out the cold too. (Winters are fierce in Scotland). To who ever downloaded this little gem of the plight of the homeless and destitute and history. Thank you for the joy and please keep downloading you're amazing docs on gritty, poverty stricken, real life history. I've been watching all you're docs and they're fascinating. And to others, in this present day, where we are constantly inundated with images of those who are lucky enough to be wealthy,, posting pictures online of expensive holidays, expensive, lovely homes they're brand new cars, latest cosmetic treatments, designer clothes, high end beauty products, delicious meals in fancy restaurants, WE ARE SO LUCKY, There for the grace of God go I.. You aren't any better, or cleverer it isn't you're god given right to be well off. Good for you if you've got it. But hold on to it. Because many of those sitting in doorways had it once too but lost it and sometimes their families too. They are just like us. We are all just one trajedy or unwise decision or sometimes no fault of our own, from losing everything and ending up homeless and destitute too.. .Living in a time now Where having lots of money and looking to the lives of celebrities as something we want to have and emulate too. and what we should be striding for. Others are a lot worse than you and Can't even afford a computer to watch UA-cam or write comments like this on. We need to remember how lucky we are even for the little things we have and can just about afford. Like a hot meal and a warm bed. and nice home Because there's always someone a lot worse of than you and will be sleeping (if you can call it that) on the streets tonight. and with nowhere to go. X.
Lesson number one is when the adrenaline wears off and you realize you are hungry, hot and or freezing 🥶, and no where to sleep. It's quite scary when you understand what you're gotten yourself into
Poor Tommy. Some parents bring children into this world then expect said children to spend all of their lives giving and pleasing them. Tommy was at an age when his parents should have been chucking every ounce of effort into supporting him. Shame on them. I was raised in this era. It was a common thing for parents to demand everything from kids. They were tough times for a large number of kids back then
If you'd like to see the American version of this look for the documentary Streetwise by Mary Ellen Marks. It's about young kids on the streets of Seattle in the early 80's. There are alot of follow ups so you can find out what happened to all of them.
A huge thanks to whoever downloaded this. Whoever you are, you're a star!
For real, been trying to see this for years!
Uploaded.
A Star. How insulting
@@justinparkerthewildwolf6394 You obviously aren't aware of the meaning of the word "star" in this particular context. Do you realise how difficult it was to find a copy of this documentary?
@sandgrownun66
Respect is indeed due to the uploader.☆ !
TV used to provide some real quality programming with fearless documentaries like this as well as some cutting edge dramatic content .
A lot of content never warranted the expense of video tape , some was wiped to reuse the ( then)valuable tape...and there must be gems hidden away and forgotten ..
...so props to the folk who take the time to share this fascinating material
☆
This is by far one of the best documentaries i have seen. This documentary should be shown in schools.
It's also a good reminder to all those people who say things were better in the past. Absolute rubbish. Britain was utterly rotten back then.
@@zeddeka It was utterly rotten back then, and it's a good deal worse now.
@@zeddeka i was 3 in 1975 but i remember the 80s in liverpool it was awful
Parts of this film look like it was set up for the cameras.
@shapiro9640 That's actually a splendid suggestion.
Thank you for uploading. I saw this at university about 25 years ago and have been looking for it since. Still just as harrowing even now.
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects.
Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
@@KKTR3some scenes maybe, but the whole thing happened & this is a very good documentary.
I'm not sure.All you need to make this film is to get into contact with one of the many kids running to London and ask him if he wants to call you for filming occasionally. They probably approached lots before they found one who was receptive. Roger Gleaves was so cocky he probably beat down the door of the TV station..
@@KKTR3
The murder part isn't staged.
And they used that Scottish kid....he was real too.
What part was the most staged?
I’ve been waiting years to see this .well done for showing. Very Important ,nothing changes
When i was 12 i ran away from home in Glasgow and got a train to Euston station. I remember getting off the train and suddenly felt overwhelmed. As i got to the ticket barrier The inspector held me back and asked where my parents where. I just broke down and cried. The police contacted my parents and they put me on a train back home. I was one of the lucky ones. There are 100s of children who went missing and were never found. This documentary brought back that memory. If you ran away from home did you manage to get home again? would love to hear your experience.
so glad you got home safe. sadly, as you say, so many didn't. this documentary was only showing the tip of the iceberg.
i did exactly what you did, but just a different train station, I was 12
hi mate i think this video runs the risk of being taken down due to the graphic content at 1:12:16 maybe a warning at some point might be wise but other than that a great documentary
@@callydanielson3896 thats not your business is it? Predicting wha YT does. Keep your trap shut
Evening pal.
Was born in ‘71 & know too well about all the nonces parading as ‘good folk’ back in those days.
Glad you got back on your feet & found by a decent person & got back home.
My mums from Glasgow & left there with all her family when she was late teens. They was around 1960’s. Settled in Brighton where she still lives as do I.
Cheers mate.
Thanks for sharing this, have been looking for years. Relatiive of mine was involed with the Billy McPhee case and was instrumental in bringing Gleaves to justice for his associated involvement.
Fuck me this is a powerful doc, this would never be broadcasted today.
So much of it couldn't happen today, thankfully. Gleaves for example wouldn't have been allowed to do anything like what he did because he would have been on the sex offenders register, something which didn't exist in Britain until 1997. Thankfully, the world has changed massively, although we still have huge problems. Back then, there was a hugely toxic mixture - what was going on was brazen, but people were a mixture of ignorant, naive and simply did not want to know. What happened behind closed doors stayed behind closed doors. The kids who were victims were considered to be trash from trash families and deserving of everything they got. The scale of child abuse was simply not understood and if it was, the victims were likely to be blamed. As somebody once said, the British didn't even begin to start liking kids until the late 1980s. The circumstances in the 20th century were an absolute Paedophile's dream. Adults were not questioned. Kids were not believed. Violence against kids was accepted. Nobody wanted to talk about sex. Horrible times in many ways.
Think about it a bit deeper
@@KKTR3Do you mean the reason they won’t broadcast this today is perhaps because they know (the elites) that they are complicit in the misery of these young poor kids?
Actually there’s quite a few hard hitting documentaries like this - especially about street kids in the modern age throughout various parts of the world. In fact probably more hard hitting as the deprivation those kids suffer on the daily is heart breaking. Seek them out!
@@KKTR3do you think that the mainstream media would report this sort of thing anymore? they're only puppets now. please elucidate on your comment
The saddest thing is, a lot of runaway kids are actually running away from severe abuse at home. It is an absolute travesty and an indictment on the society that they would feel safer getting picked up by the nonces on the streets and passed around by politicians than sent back to those who are supposed to care for them. Police used to be legally required to forcibly repatriate runaway kids to the people who rape, shout at and hit them: the people in their home.
“FEEL SAFER” is the important term here. Kids don’t know shit. Boredom and authority also cause children to bolt. Kids also lie. A lot of well meaning cliches have been taken as gospel.
Politicians back then & some still today, were NONCING like there was no tomorrow.
Listened to so many podcasts where so much had come to light.
Edward Heath, Mountbatten, Britton to name a few.
@DMWBN3 read anthony dalys book 'abuse of power', he was a victim of the playland n0 nce ring, names so many politicians and big buisnessmen in his book its equal parts eye opening and shocking
@@DMWBN3Cyril Smith was another monster too
@FeeOzymandias-qi5ot sidney cooke and his gang may have used playland to pick up lads, as they where largely based in london and operated at that time, but it isnt the playland story no. they are a seperate monstrosity of their own, a gang of serial child rapists/killers, sid cooke is still alive today if i recall correctly, he kidnapped and murdered countless young boys and is a suspect in numerous child disappearances pre 1990s. one of the gang, a creature called lesley bailey, was murdered in prison in the 90s i believe.
This gave me nightmares at the time,and it stopped me from running away .
It did its job then.
That poor mother. It sounds like the son had some sort of disability. I hope those animals see the depths of hell
They most likely got out after only serving 1/3 of their sentence.
Institutionally corrupt to the core. Churches full of nonces, then judges cover it up & give lighter sentences & the old bill are too busy to bother with detective work.
With social media now, they say at any on ed ting there is 600k people up to no good on line, talking to minors.
💯Yes. Absolutely heartbreaking. Poor family. Poor Billy. Bless him.❤️🕊️
I watched this in 75 aged 13. Just months after my Mum had died. It shocked me then. Thanks for uploading
Have searched for this so many times! Great post! Thanks!
Probably partly because the pae…. would be clocking the faces of the children
Such a brilliant documentary- I watch mostly 70s and 80s ones, and much better than modern ones .
It's heartbreaking sesing all the vunerable young on the street and being taken advantage of.
Thanks so much for this upload .
Can you give some links to some please
@davidp3802 Where The Houses Used To Be, Three Salons At The Seaside, Bona Queen Of Fabularity are my favourites- seen them all at least half a dozen times.
Also worth searching uk documentary 70s 80s 90s and lots come up- hope you find something!
check out the wet house......brilliant doc!
@patscanlan2678 thanks, I've actually seen it recently, wasn't it good and addictive viewing!
I'm the same, I love these quality documentary programs from the 1970s and 80s. The pace and the detail is something you never see nowadays, and the style of the editing is less frantic, as if viewers back then had longer attention spans-I wonder why? 🤔 And there's the 3/4 aspect ratio, warmly nostalgic for those of us who spent much of the 70s and 80s parked in front of a brown 70s colour tube TV.
Tommys 62 now living a decent wee life in some nice shelterd accomodation in my area..whole community knows him..local character he is 😊
That's good to hear that he's alright
That's excellent news - I've often wondered what happened to him since I first saw the programme nearly 50 years ago.
anyone can say this tho , give us proof ? this is just a comment from a random person. but people believe everything online , its sad to see that even now human intelligence has not progressed at all , in fact humans are even thicker than the past . 40 people believe a random comment that shows no proof , people cant even see the lies even in comments ,
@@dominewimbury2039 a random person in a hidden account tells you this and you believe it, ask yourself why you believe it ?
tommy is dead , stop your lies ,
Thanks to whoever uploaded this. I remember watching it when it was aired and never forgot it, but have not been able to watch it since, until now.
Same here.
@@tarakb7606And here. I saw it age 15. Am 64 now. Thanks so much for posting.
Ex Detective Jon Wedger brought me here, after a true crime podcast. Thank you so very much for sharing this powerful and disturbing documentary. Best wishes
ive been looking for this docco for ages! whoever uploaded thank you very much, these horrific tales belong to our collective memory. the olight of those who suffered must not be forgotten to history, we must suffer together. anyone interested in this scandal read 'abuse of power' by anthony daly about the playland scandal
This was massively controversial at the time, and had to be withheld from the jury in the infamous "Playland" trials where a paedophile ring (including a friend of king Charles and Camilla) were convicted for targeting kids in amusement arcades around Piccadilly Circus, which was then utterly notorious. It is a massive insight into the dystopian conditions in Britain's rotting, post industrial cities throughout the 20th century. They were right to say that little had changed since Dickens' time. It's interesting that the girl in it lives in the infamous squat area, Elgin Avenue. A number of paedophiles were also convicted who lived there. So many vulnerable kids from chaotic families - it made them easy prey for paedophiles.
Have you links to what you say please?
The bbc is saying just recently things are like dickens times I think they are very wrong and so are you on that , but still thank you for your post .
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED , at least in part , remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects.
Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects.
Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
Lol London was a very poor English were always good ar war but jot looking after own people got better in 1990 was a time in England hung drawn and quarter u for robbing food if u seen braveheart film that was how they treated people who were starving
@audreyroche9490 I'm sorry but that makes no sense could you repeat this in English?
@@nikkioshea4139 You obviously didn't live in a deprived area in the 1970s
Imagine the shock while watching this, I find out Billy Two Tone came from Bannockburn where I was born and brought up! I remember the family, his mother especially. Absolutely terrible what was happening to those young people and nothing has changed! Adults are awful!! RIP Billy.
Maggie was complicit in the murder so i dont know why she's acting all high and mighty. She could have called the cops after they drove away with Billy and chose not to. Shes just as guilty.
She's just as guilty as they are
She doesn't come across as the brightest light on the porch.
How the F didn’t she face any charges??
Was at the scene of a murder/brutal beating & didn’t leave or immediately call police to stop it happening.
Very odd.
Maggie saw what happened and she was not put into jail?? Omg
Agreed. She’s a simple minded bitch to sit by and witness that violence.
Thanks for downloading and sharing. I've wanted to see this for years. It's a harrowing watch but compelling.
Thank you so much for this crucially important documentary which has been impossible to view for many years. Yes, some things have changed, but I know from my work that there is indeed a modern day version of all that is portrayed in this film. In some ways it is more hidden, technology is involved but the motivation and inhumane nature of predators remains exactly the same. Equally the wish of some in society, including those in positions of power to deny, collude and cover up continues. The excellent book 'The Abuse of Power' by Anthony Daly covers more of this issue including the 'Playland' scandal .
The only things that have changed are the clothes, the cars and inflation. Poverty, sexual abuse, addiction and homeless are still the same.
I suppose thankfully attitudes to child sex abuse have changed. It is still rampant but it cannot be absolutely brazen like it was back then. At least now children have some hope of being believed whereas back then they would have been viewed as complicit and deserving of what they got.
It's worse now than then imo.
@@zeddekaexactly, I was beaten for telling lies then told I must have asked for it anyway, bastards
It’s better now in that things are out in the open more. Back then, they were hidden and it was harder to be taken seriously, and have people believe you.
This came up in my feed last night and I have to say thanks for posting. What a debate this would make if the “normal” folks could have their day and be heard. Everything that’s wrong with society is right here in this documentary. My heart broke so many times for the children that get thrown away. How shocking to see the recording of Billy McPhee’s body!! His mother seemed a little cold to me when interviewed about him running away (or were they tougher back then)? I know this sort of thing has been going on since time began…However if they put those men away for longer I don’t think it would even touch the surface. I know we were barbaric back in the day, but men or women that touch children should be dealt a much harsher punishment.
I know the children are hopefully all grown up now and I hope they made it in life. Being Tommy was one of the main children they focused on I wonder where he is now and if he had a decent life poor kid.
.,that generation which is my parents were taught to hide emotion. His mother and family would have been devastated. Delia Morris
@@nielszindel1151 My parents were born 1927 myself 1962.
So I get your point and I certainly wasn’t making light of his mum. Just as a mother myself I’d of been inconsolable.
@@Jay-LeighI don’t think she or any of the parents seem to give a rats about their kids. My grandparents were also of that generation and they were loving and caring and showed it
his mum came off narcissistic, it's not generational, there have always been parents like her and always will be, it's just now we shun parents like this, rather than act like it's normal to be so unfeeling and cold towards your kids.
Women always seem to get lighter sentences too, if they are ever prosecuted. The system goes far too easy on female criminals of all types, the statistics speak for themselves. The abuse women can inflict on children is just as damaging and real as what is inflicted by men. So why are they not treated the same? We are supposed to be equal under the law after all.
Wow! This is incredible been waiting to see this for over a decade! Thank you for the upload. I wonder if any of the kids are alive. I hope they'll come on here and update.
I remember watching this documentary .. I’d not long since left home at 17 in 74 but I was fortunate I’d got a bedsit but remember this well watching on a old portable black & white tv ...
Wow! I was 16 in 1974. Just leaving school. How time flies.
Listening to the girl telling us how she is masking her pain with any thing to make her numb.. pain inflicted by monsters…. It’s 2024 and millions of people can share this story word for word….. the monsters still feast without a care in world….
Take back your power….
I told my Dad I was going to run away. He said go - so I did. This was Ladywood Birmingham, circa 1964. I either came back on my own or the police brought me back (vague memory of it). I was 5/6 years old. Just reporting the facts here - not my feelings, which as a normal parent myself you can imagine. Looking at this documentary brought it back like a shock. I'd forgotten about this for years.
I remember landing in King’s Cross with my mate both 17 years old … we got a job at Euston on a building site… but needed to rough it for a few nights until wages day …. We were approached one night a guy being really helpful…. We ended up back at a house in Seven Sisters…. Blatantly obvious what was going on…. Both of us were street wize … and when the realised it they shit themselves…. One of them was a an astronomer, Chinese astrology… seen him on channel 4 a few times….. monsters!!!
We put the fear of death in to them… looking back wish we had done more
chinese astronomer? can you remember his name?
@@MsVanorak yes
@@heresjonny..8189 And his name is....?
And that was 1975 before there was so much international movement of people (kids).... I hate to think what the reality is today........
Ive been looking for this for yrs ,many thanks
Absolutely powerful, great research, filming and investigation. Does anyone know what happened to the 16 year old girl featured at the beginning?
An amazing film, which I hadn't been aware of. The documentary makers just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The footage showing the actual victim's body when it was found was unexpected.
Yes and I found it unnecessary but he was only a working class drifter. One wonders if a posh murder victim would have been shown so explicitly.
@@GriefTourist I'm not sure about that. However, it did seem somewhat disrespectful. Although, it did seem a rather bold decision on the part of the producers of the programme. It's something I've never seen before or since, in the documentaries I've watched. Maybe, it ruffled a few feathers at the time. I wonder if Mary Whitehouse got all flustered about it?
@@sandgrownun66 A life of crime HBO docu I watched recently had a much worse one.
This programme has intermittently haunted me since I saw it when it was first televised. I think It was the first time paedophilia was really exposed on TV and the nation was horrified.
A pitiless world then and certainly a pitiless world now.
That was a phenomenal documentary. Thank you for uploading it.
The twisted ,sick beasts ruin the lives of many . The ones that genuinely try to help are absolutely blessed . 😊
This is just the reality of being human. All the changes and improvements to society are superficial. It does nothing to stop the problem, it just drives it further underground. The predators become even more devious, and the systems even more corrupt. Far too many people are pathetic to them, afraid of them. Those people are just as bad as far as I am concerned. Anyone in a position of power to stop these monsters but put their own reputation and job before protecting the innocent of society is just as evil.
This has to be one of the most horrific documentaries that I have ever seen light hearted / horrific / sad
I wonder how Annie got on in life? Considering her involvement with Heroin you could see there was an intelligent and articulate girl battling her demons.
Born in late 60s London. Father and mother split when I was young, I look at this, and thank god that I grew up in Australia. What a depressing place.
Yea it looks it. I was brought up in Northumberland in the 70s and 80s and lived in a beautiful village but I remember going to Newcastle shopping regularly and the riverside was almost entirely covered with rotting factories slag heaps and grim grim poverty. I laugh when youngsters talk about the good old days. People have it so easy now they have no idea what it was like then
Sydney was just like this . Same as any other big city . They just didn’t make a documentary about it .
I thought the same about Oz when I lived there in the 90s, I couldn’t wait to get out of the place lol
@@Rosco-P.Coldchain LOL. I uprooted myself at the same back. Have been back twice in the last 35 years.
@@JoeRogansForehead I would agree. Although I have friends from Sydney, it never really grabbed me.
I left Glashow with my boyfriend at the age of 16. London was a hellhole. I saw lads and lassies who had no help
I was homeless around the same age in the Midlands, mostly across Leicestershire and Coventry. I have lots of stories, very few of them good. I have to say that some of the worst people I encountered were other homeless people. Life isn't easy when you are autistic at the best of times, it's magnified when you are homeless.
The way they showed that poor
Young mans lifeless body in a roadside ditch, flys and all literary. People need to see this. Very powerful and maybe useful to make young people think before they decide to come to London for a better life on the streets.
I was in Handcross only today, the place the body was. Drive through there couple times a week.
Very sad indeed.
“You don’t look 17”
“Here have a cigarette”
"I dont believe you either" c 11:30
🚬💅🫦💨🍷✌️❣️🇬🇧
So many people were smoked then, that age barely came into it: it was just accepted. Such is life though.
I remember watching this in the seventies . Thank you .
I remember watching this when it was first broadcast. I have never forgotten the part with Nicholas Lawlor. Couldn't have imagined I would come across it again almost fifty years later. Some things stay in one's minds and memories for good.
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects.
Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
@@KKTR3 Yes, a lot of it was staged but the Nicholas Lawlor interview had the ring of truth about it.
Think this is Nicholas at 23:54 in a 1983 prison doc m.ua-cam.com/video/FfrsUANQO4M/v-deo.html&pp=ygUKTGlmZXIgMTk4MA%3D%3D
Lips on him. He'd be a model now
@@LaLaura-he1zf
The AIDS epidemic was only a few years away. I hope he survived it.
Thank you for posting Gold
Brilliant documentary & proper journalism in covering this evil & corruption on the young.
My abuser worked at Victoria Coach Station, had done for a long time. I dread to think of how many runaways he has taken advantage of and abused them.
I did go to the police ten years later about my experiences but sadly the CPS zaid they didn't have enough evidence.
Im watching this documentary yet again, its so powerful and moving.
Hi there, like so many others commenting here, I’ve been looking for this for years. So thanks so much for uploading it. A very important part of social history here. I always had the feeling that this was suppressed.
Much like another documentary, ‘The Secret Hospital’ an expose on Rampton Hospital.
I don’t suppose you would have that one as well?
Hi Neil,
Thank you for your comment.
You're right, it's a shame this major documentary was kept away from the public by Roger Gleaves's legal actions and stayed hidden in the archives for so long.
'The Secret Hospital' is already available to watch on this website.
inclusivearchive.org/story/6/rampton-the-big-house-tv-documentary-1979/#!/135
As far as I know, there isn't any better quality copy available.
Wow…thanks so much for the link. Isn’t that incredible…two documentaries I’ve been waiting years to watch and they both turn up on the same day.
Thanks so much for your help.
@@FHjsgy7bm okay, I’ve now watched both documentaries (Johnny Go Home & Rampton-the secret hospital) and they did not disappoint.
This should be mandatory viewing for students in social care/mental health and it’s a shame both have since been largely forgotten.
@@FHjsgy7bm
Thank you for the upload. I saw Johnny Go Home when it was first shown and have never forgotten the interview with Nicholas Lawlor. I was a teenager at the time and it was something of an eye-opener (to put it mildly).
I would never have imagined that I would come across it almost fifty years later. Is there any information about what became of these unfortunate young people?
@@tarakb7606 is this Nicholas at 23:54? The documentary is listed as 1980 but was actually 1983: m.ua-cam.com/video/FfrsUANQO4M/v-deo.html&pp=ygUKTGlmZXIgMTk4MA%3D%3D
Broke my heart when Tommy started to cry the first night at Gleaves place , if you're out there Tommy I do hope you're doing well xx
He be about 60 now. I was 15 in 1975
@@denisesaunders5473 Wasn't he twelve at the time this film was made?
He’s been dead for years
@@kidfortodayoh really , did you know him ? Xx
@@Alessiasbackheal I doubt it. They're just surmising.
Thankyou sooooo much for putting this up
You could have made this documentary about anytime in London's history, it is just as relevant now as it always was.
I haven't seen this since 1975, and yet it, and the name of Gleaves, has remained in my mind ever since.
What a masterpiece for 1975 can not help but think of Tommy omg hope is still with us
I saw a follow-up on him and it said that he'd gone back to Scotland where he was working as a gardener somewhere. Like you, I wish him the best..
@@guynelson2341where did you see this? I’d love to see it. Or do you mean at the time?
Hes ok... hes living in sheltered accomodation in cumbernauld..the local community all know him well...local character is auld tommy 😊
@@radarsone5097 Huh? Someone posted above the extensive criminal history of Gleaves that covers up to just a few years ago. From the time of this documentary being filmed right up into the 1980's the history includes his ongoing relationship with wee Tommy (Johnny). Read it for yourself.
@@lucydayLucidayeah but now he's out of it, a survivor scarred but survived..as stated in sheltered housing.
Thank you for sharing this video... 🌟
When I was looking for drugs one night I see this black kid who must have been around 10. It was around 3am.
I asked if he was alright. He just ran away. What a messed up situation.
For those wondering what happened to Tommy, there was a newspaper article about him later in 1977. Unbelievably, Gleaves set up another church in Muswell Hill. The newspaper tracked down Tommy to it, where he was working as an "altar boy". The comments he gave to the paper made it sound like he'd been thoroughly groomed by Gleaves. Tommy was talking about how good Gleaves had been to him, and saying he'd never go back to Glasgow now. God knows what happened to the poor lad after that.
I also took an interest in what became of Tommy Wylie too, and the last reports of him were indeed still working for/with Gleaves in 1985. Apparently he was married but that was under strain from his continued involvement with Gleaves. Sadly I suspect that Tommy really didn't turn out well in the end.
Working as an altar boy ? Says it all doesn’t it. A week in hand for the priest too I’ll bet !
I think we all know what happened to him.
@@davidburns289last known living in sheltered housing back home with people who care.🙏👍
What do you mean with people who care?
I remember London in those days it was grim even Jimmy Savile was on the prowl in Euston station
Remember hearing of ‘the rack’ with rent boys inn& around London.
Was so much going on in plain sight & ignored as children were seen & not heard.
@@DMWBN3 I remember when "rent boys" hit the news after some brain stormimg within some seedy newspaper coined the phrase. Quite often it was pitched to readers that these underage victims of heinius crime were in fact soley to blame. Makes me wonder how many of the nonce club were working in media and "support services" protecting their own agendas and each other
Sidney cook apparently was a regular there..
All run by Freemasons
@@nikkioshea4139knife crime was actually worse in the 60s. sadly, predatory paedophiles never go away. But it's nothing like as blatant as it was back then. There was a really nasty Victorian attitude that still ran through society - those kids were trash, from trash families, and weren't worth caring about.
It was at this time that Jimmy Saville was frequenting these boarding houses.
In one particular Saville documentary a man being interviewed stated that when he and friend were young they ended up at a London station.
There they were approached by some young men and offered a place to stay.
Upon arrival they saw older men visiting and entering young boys rooms.
One of the visitors was Saville. The interviewee confirmed this as he was actually Saville’s nephew.
These crimes were prominent during the 70’ and 80’s throughout London.
A fair amount of the abusers were well known dignitaries, celebrities and politicians.
After the dirty deeds they wanted the child silenced due to fear of being publicly shamed.
Therefore many young boys were murdered or just went missing.
It’s worthy to note that some of these monsters held high positions within the police and judiciary.
As this documentary clearly stated towards the end that it wasn’t just homeless boys at these places. There were many boys within the state care system who were referred to these places.
A very well produced documentary.
The on the spot intuitive investigative journalism was of great value.
Powerful documentary. Glad this was recommended to me.
Brilliant. Thank you for posting.
I dont think theres many things much worse than watching youngsters who are still children really in such a sad..traumatic..desperate..and vulnerable state and for me i feel so angry at how easy these nonce cases target them at these arcades and clubs etc..and how little of a fuck the old bill and their parents and anybody else even cares about them..its funny the only one who cared about Annie was the old alcoholic guy who didn't want her drinking or doing smack..isn"t that often the case..the people society class as scum and no good are the ones who care..on 35 mins when she is crying you could see she has had abuse in her life..one thing they all have in common is they have all been abused..neglected..beat etc..whilst these are great hard hitting old documentaries that need watching...they are hard on my soul as i feel so sad for them all 😢
Too right, 100% agree, especially your comment re. those who society dismiss as 'scum'.
I was one that stayed home and endured , sometimes I think that was a mistake .. now 67yo ... after watching the entirety of this video I'm not so sure .. thankyou for the upload .
Survivors survive mate. Good for you. 🙏👍 We were told children should be seen not heard. Thankfully that's not the case anymore though this sadly is more prevalent than ever. Stay strong
Thank you so much for the upload! I'd also recommend reading Playland by Anthony Daly!
I've read that too; harrowing read, but very well researched and written.
Johnny, come home..Fine Young Cannibals
In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I worked at Centrepoint and the story was the same young boys and girls in the dilly. Some of them lived by their wits, the tough ones bullied the others or were abused or
murdered it was a grim life. I remember that Vine St Police station, there was some absolute corrupt coppers who left these kids on the streets to be abused and worse! We were often powerless to help and it was often very depressing. Quite well spoken the girl, I think there must have been abuse in her past too. Usually was. Sad life. I always used to think there for the grace of god and was compassionate and respectful to the kids.
Please take out the postmortem bit as it’s very disrespectful to Billy’s family. The way the pathologist talks about wanting to do his garden and no gloves or respect.
You really wonder what happened to these kids after. They were so vulnerable and easily exploited. I'd like to think Annie got help and out of that homeless situation.
I agree the ending of the post mortem should be deleted. Incredible that it was shown in 1975 as its quite graphic even by today's standards
I suspect that part is dramatic reconstruction, there is no way a dead body would be shown like that on TV.
I remember seeing Vietnam war every night on TV as a kid,it was black and white but they didn't censor as much as they do now.
@@katf3155 It doesn't look staged at all. I think it's real.
I was suspicious of those two from the moment they approached that boy at the station.
My abuser worked at Victoria Coach Station- they choose these jobs so they can meet lots of young runaways. Evil.
I was 13 when this documentary was broadcast on ITV back in 1975. It caused a national outcry similar to the Cathy Come Home kitchen sink drama of 10 year earlier.
This documentary tackled what was at the time a very taboo subject. Homosexuality and child sexual abuse were two topics rarely discussed by anyone anywhere. Watching this film almost 50 years later and although it's a bit creaky and the use outdated language/terminology can be jarring it still packs a punch. Notice the term Paedophile is never used- that's a fairly recent term regarding common use by the public and professionals.
I was only allowed to watch the first part that was broadcast before News at Ten (it was a school night and also I expect my mother was both embarrassed by the subject matter and trying to shell us kids from the topic).
EVERYONE was talking about it next day at school.
I do find the insensitive and undignified treatment of Billy's dead body shocking.
The condition of our towns and cities during that period is shocking- it really was a country in decline- it just all looks so grim. The conditions are Dickensian. Unfortunately this story has somehow been lost to time.
A book based on events portrayed in the documentary was released at the time. A copy was in our school library.
They were giving absolute joke sentences back then. What a disgrace! I’m not sure kids are even safe in 2024.
This should never be struck off youtube It is an important social Historical document Of how ( Vulnerable Children ) faced the challenges of life in Central London in the Nineteen Hundred & Seventies.
Absolutely 💯
Horrific.
I been looking for this for years after reading the book. Thank you for posting. I'd like to know if the 3 men convicted of Murdering Billy McPhee are still in prison or has since been released. Bearing in mind they were convicted 49 years ago.
Tragic but brilliant documentary. Man Alive were at the forefront of investigative journalism.
It wasn't 'Man Alive', It was Yorkshire Television for ITV. My late husband was the film cameraman on all of it.
@@lindapocklington7816 I think this person is referring to "The Man Alive Report", the BRILLIANT documentary series that aired on British television from 1974. Ahhh, the 70's and 80's...when the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 aired some of THE BEST documentaries, dramas and comedy!
Two mates of mine ran away to London in the 1980s. One was 13 and the other was 16. Years later the older one told me that businessmen in bowler hats would approach him and say things like "How much for the boy?"
Bs
Rest in peace Billy 🙏🏽I wonder what happened to Tommy and Annie, you could really see so much pain in Annie’s face, very sad
Tommy left the scene in London and went back to Scotland to work as a gardener apparently. Don't know about Annie. Nicholas was featured in a Janet Street Porter documentarte on rent boys in the West End. The documentarte was Made several years after "JGH." Like You, I wish them the best.
@@guynelson2341 many thanks for the update ,glad Tommy managed to get out
I wonder what the situation
is now, nearly 50 years later. Jounrnalists don't seem to cover this at all. Just crap celebrity tittle tattle
Unfortunately, I Couldn't agree with you more. @@method6059
Hi, bit of a long shot, but do you knoa they nams of the documentary at all? @guynelson2341
Harrowing and heartbreaking for the families of the young boys. A hard watch as I knew Billy before he went to London. RIP Billy
Haven’t got that far in yet. Though it feels like watching someone driving a car knowing it would end in a crash it’s haunting
I feel so sad watching this. It's a miracle I never ran away from home when I was a kid. No matter how bad your situation seems, there's always the possibility of things being worse.
Thanks for the download, as of 22/03/24 a 'Crime theory' podcast just aired featuring Ron Swanson and ex London vice copper Jon Wedger , covering the Billy Phee case, seemingly Tommy Wylie subsequently became complicit in these type of behaviours, and fell foul of the law too. This would perhaps explain the mention in Gleaves correspondence of 50 or 100 pounds to 'Tommy Wylie '.
Gleaves was showing up to Wylies house after he was married and his wife had to tell him he couldn’t come in. So they were definitely communicating
Yep Jon wedger has spoken loads on it very interesting
@@andreacaughey6761 Perhaps , but I have found him not just so forthright on matters pertaining to N Ireland, Kincora Mountbottom etc.
There is a film called 'Belfast the lost boys ' which I recommend, though difficult to access I think , along with 'The man who knew too much ' featuring Colin Wallace, worth a watch.
What a fabulous country we had. The sickening cycle of poverty, abuse, crime, abuse, punishement, then back to poverty continues today with the endless graft of developers and politicians, lack of affordable housing, off-shoring of jobs, rising cost of living, obscene income inequality, funding cuts to community programs etc all providing the fertile ground making this possible. . .It doesn't come from nothing. Some set of circumstances must create this. Interesting to think which part we play in their story. Whether its "get a job!" or "get tough on crime" or commonly, plan old 'Indifference'. How far we have come ..
Bad as things are for lots of people now, the world in this documentary is something else. 11 year olds wandering around Soho with nobody apparently able to do anything about it. A sex abuser picking up kids from Euston Station with British Rail just happy to get them off their patch, and earning tens of thousands from the taxpayer for renting out derelict houses. That's different league stuff.
@@chrismanners9091its happening even more now. Sadly we've gone backwards
We haven't really moved forward at all sadly.
@@modernista6056 Things have gone back from where they were a few years ago, but are surely nowhere near as bad at the extremes as in this film. And of course they shouldn't be as bad as 1975.
@@chrismanners9091how do you know, do you live in a tent on the street? I wonder how these ppl go to the loo!
This documentary is so shocking. Poor Billy McPhee, he really suffered relentless pain and torture before being dumped and then stabbed again. Seeing him in the ditch was really frightening and sad. What evil people to beat and kill a youngster like that. I just hope they get all they deserve for this crime. As for Annie and Tommy I just hope they made it out if that horrific life.
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects.
Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
@@KKTR3 Was the dead body with flies crawling all over it staged?
@@KKTR3
i’ve seen a lot of raw documentary’s that are made like this. it’s basically a film maker/producer that has approached these children/people on the streets and asked them questions and for permission to follow them around to get a real look into their lives they are living. that’s the only way a good documentary can be made when it’s real and raw footage. it’s not staged at all, just people carrying on their lives but having a camera present.
@davidp3802 some scenes certainly set up for better viewing but not the whole thing, playland was an open air rent boy racket, billy mcphee was a murdered child and these are real homeless children featured in this documentary
Very upsetting documentary 😢
Does anyone know if Annie survived the streets? It’s heartbreaking this documentary as I too was if the same ages as this documentary. So sad😢
I knew Tommy (Tam) in the 90's when he'd settled in Cumbernauld Scotland in a sheltered flat/bungalow. A few of us would sit and have a laugh, he was a nice pleasant guy, liked the simple things. I left Cumbernauld in 2000, so don't know what became of him. Great seeing this again.
Incredible film making. What I thought was going to be a lightweight naive VT turned into a documentary which demonstartes a skill of access, coverage and editorial you will never see today. A priveldge to watch. I hope it has made a difference to awareness over the years.
38:59 So Tommy's parents have no idea where he's been, yet they allow a camera man to walk in with him, no questions asked, when he calls back home? 😂
Those types scenes are called staged reality tv I believe 🙂
The parents didn’t seem to bloody worried either.
They do that in documentaries.
This is a remarkable documentary.
This documentary is harrowing beyond belief! Poor Billy! I pray Tommy and Annie are/were ok in the end and had a good quality of life!
How many kids have just disappeared forever when picked up by nonces. It must be hell on earth for parents and wider family to never know what has happened to their loved ones.
This document was put together so well. It was of course bleak in the opening 45 minutes but it looked as if things were turning around. Tommy was back home for a night and we see two gentlemen who seemed to be doing vital and honest charity work. Then, suddenly the revelation of one of their past and the whole thing grew darker. Powerful and important media
Someone said tommys fine. Got own little home. And liked by the locals
@@pija9505 No. The commentator @timeemotion1076, in one of the comments below, outlines a detailed chronology of events and the court cases.
Wow. June 29, 1974...my 7th birthday. Loooong before...I was ever aware, of the kind of evil...mankind is capable of. Mankind...so, very FULL of wickedness in his heart. Turns my stomach...knowing the day I celebrated a happy 7th birthday...another family mourned the murder of their young son.
I remember this documentary very sad and disturbing
It's rather surprising that none of the people who interact with Tommy and Annie ever ask why a Yorkshire TV crew is filming the encounter.
This seems very much "staged". Some interactions have multiple camera setups.
At last some one thinking like I .
Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects.
Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
@@zippymufo9765 Brilliant BUT IT MUST BE STAGED AND IF NOT SCRIPTED, remember we are seeing this with a TV camera, at all most every part there as to have been discussion between the film makes and the subjects.
Same for many many documentary’s , but I think this one very much so.
So far me and you 2 the only people thinking this , one guy said he was at university
When he saw it , yet never questioned the tv filming
It's a drama documentary. Not real life.
I ran away from Aberdeen for the bright lights of London hoping to make it to King's Cross. I only got as far as Dundee.!. Silly bugger, I had on my school uniform and had nicked the train fare for London from my folks!. They had put out the wire to the police and being only 13 I caused a pretty storm. It was the train conductor ( perhaps not surprisingly) who became suspicious of me and my destination intentions. I got sent home which was bad enough but if I had made it to London being a pretty young teenage girl you can only imagine what would have happened to me. Perhaps I may not be here to tell you my tale. And I would have simply disappeared and vanished into thin air and became one of the "missing" that are reported (sometimes not) every year. They simply vanish never to be seen again. This happens a lot more than we can imagine. It's terrible to think what may have happened to them and what terrors may have befell them.Things were very tough at home but at least I escaped from really much worse harm and perhaps with my life. I was homeless later on in life for a short time in Aberdeen and all I can say is it was bloody awful but a by far much better sight and a lot easier than what it would've been in London. I don't think I could have survived London. Aberdeen was bad enough for me Absolutely brilliant and fascinating doc. It should be used for educational purposes in schools, colleges, universities etc. Especially for those wishing to go into social work or any work in the care, psychiatric, medical, psychology, etc, professional sector. And also a fascinating doc of history, a time and place in the 1970s when things were probably a lot worse. Though I'm in no means saying things aren't really bad enough now. No wonder these homeless people lose themselves in a mire of drugs and alcohol (I succumbed to heroin myself but have been clean now for 17 years. I was one of the lucky ones.) Plenty of my friends weren't so lucky and lost their lives to this evil drug). The drugs are simply a way to not only numb the pain but to numb out the cold too. (Winters are fierce in Scotland). To who ever downloaded this little gem of the plight of the homeless and destitute and history. Thank you for the joy and please keep downloading you're amazing docs on gritty, poverty stricken, real life history. I've been watching all you're docs and they're fascinating. And to others, in this present day, where we are constantly inundated with images of those who are lucky enough to be wealthy,, posting pictures online of expensive holidays, expensive, lovely homes they're brand new cars, latest cosmetic treatments, designer clothes, high end beauty products, delicious meals in fancy restaurants, WE ARE SO LUCKY, There for the grace of God go I.. You aren't any better, or cleverer it isn't you're god given right to be well off. Good for you if you've got it. But hold on to it. Because many of those sitting in doorways had it once too but lost it and sometimes their families too. They are just like us. We are all just one trajedy or unwise decision or sometimes no fault of our own, from losing everything and ending up homeless and destitute too.. .Living in a time now Where having lots of money and looking to the lives of celebrities as something we want to have and emulate too. and what we should be striding for. Others are a lot worse than you and Can't even afford a computer to watch UA-cam or write comments like this on. We need to remember how lucky we are even for the little things we have and can just about afford. Like a hot meal and a warm bed. and nice home Because there's always someone a lot worse of than you and will be sleeping (if you can call it that) on the streets tonight. and with nowhere to go. X.
Lesson number one is when the adrenaline wears off and you realize you are hungry, hot and or freezing 🥶, and no where to sleep. It's quite scary when you understand what you're gotten yourself into
One of the very best english docs I had the pleasure to see
It's British, not English.
@@original.dwornboy In the English language.
A pleasure?
@@rw8733 yes, when I see a doc well made it’s a pleasure to enjoy it
@@original.dwornboy My husband was the cameraman and he was born in London, if that's OK..
Poor Tommy. Some parents bring children into this world then expect said children to spend all of their lives giving and pleasing them. Tommy was at an age when his parents should have been chucking every ounce of effort into supporting him. Shame on them. I was raised in this era. It was a common thing for parents to demand everything from kids. They were tough times for a large number of kids back then
For feck sake, even the helpers were wrong 'ns, what chance did the poor youngsters have.
If you'd like to see the American version of this look for the documentary Streetwise by Mary Ellen Marks. It's about young kids on the streets of Seattle in the early 80's. There are alot of follow ups so you can find out what happened to all of them.
What a psychopath. Fascinating documentary. THe details of the murder was disturbing but brings home how life is for some.