Six of One members told who to socialise with.

One of the great things about Six of One over the years was the Social aspect. Many people made many great friends during the heyday of the Society. Many Local Prisoner Groups made up of like-minded individuals established themselves around the UK, and the rear pages of the Society magazine were the best place to advertise these monthly meetings.

When Dave Lally, who ran a long-established local group in London, resigned from the Society due to their despicable actions, London Group member Helen Weathers decided that she would like to continue the meetings along with her friends (who were also still Society members). She wrote to Six of One coordinator Rob Beale (also co-Editor of "Free For All" magazine) to ask if she could place an advert in the magazine to advertise the meetings. Because she chose to hold her meetings in the same public bar as when Dave Lally used to run the meetings, she received the following baffling reply:

"I think it would be totally inappropriate to advertise a group in a Six of One publication that is largely attended by ex-Six of One members."

Rob Beale email to Helen Weathers, 11/11/2002

Helen thought this odd and sought to clarify the situation, replying:

"I asked for an advert for the 11 year old Six of One London branch which is now run by myself after the departure of Dave Lally from Six of One. If any ex-members happen to turn up at the same pub on the same night we can hardly have them barred."

Helen Weathers email to Rob Beale, 12/11/2002

A fair point. A little while later, she received the following clarification from Society Secretary Karen Langley:

"You will recall that Rob Beale informed you, with the agreement of all our coordinating team members, that it would not be possible to advertise meetings if there was involvement on the part of ex-society members................May the team please have your assurance that in future your proposed meetings will comprise only genuine society members, otherwise we will not be able to advertise future ones."

Karen Langley, 15/01/2003

Amazing though it might seem, you are not allowed to have an advertisement for your informal Prisoner pub meetings incase someone who isn't a member of Six of One turns up! Quite rightly, Helen felt that it was not appropriate for a fan-club to dictate to her who she should or should not socialise with, and decided to withdraw her request for an advert in the magazine.

Later that year, Helen was ordered to be "silent or supportive" and received a threatening phone-call before being ejected from the Society.

"In The Village" Issue 26 had 13 Local Groups advertised. "Free For All" Issue 1 had none.

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This page updated 30/11/03