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What to do with Rolf Harris autograph?

(41 Posts)
vicky1 Thu 03-Jul-14 09:01:17

Hello all
31 year old interloper again, hope you don't mind me posting- just wanted to get some sensible perspective on this.
As a child I idolised Rolf Harris, his TV programme was the highlight of my week etc. When I was 6 he gave a show in our local theatre and I got to meet him afterwards and got a signed copy of his book. He seemed lovely and the book was my most prized possession for years.
Obviously my feelings towards him have totally changed in the last couple of months and it turns out he was not the nice man I thought he wad. Part of me knows I should throw out the signed book but I still feel a sentimental attachment to it and it feels like throwing away part of my childhood. What should I do? Thanks and sorryfor long post

vicky1 Mon 07-Jul-14 21:24:04

Two Little Boys wasn't written by Rolf Harris though and I think there are other versions of it around.
It's going round in my head now, oh dear!

NanKate Sun 06-Jul-14 13:42:52

Pleasure busybee did you know that Gransnetters' names when highlighted in blue mean that you can find out a bit more about the writer, such as area they live in, how many grandchildren etc ? About 2 months after joining someone kindly told me this fact. hmm

GadaboutGran Sun 06-Jul-14 12:40:03

Even worse maybe, my choir from Bath raised money from concerts for Stoke Mandeville Hospital c 1983. I have photos in my album of us presenting the cheque & singing to Jimmy Savile at Stoke Mandeville & my 3 young kids were pictured too. I had horrors that they had sat on his knee in the photo but at least they weren't doing that. I haven't destroyed the photos as they are part of our past & a reminder for the future of how innocence & good works can be totally betrayed, but nor would I seek to make money from them (or an autograph) or display them as macabre trophies. Such evil can never be destroyed, only transformed & learnt from, but never exploited either.

busybee08 Sun 06-Jul-14 12:13:50

Thank you nanakate.

For your warm welcome to gransnet....

NanKate Sat 05-Jul-14 23:06:52

Busybee08 welcome to GN. Many of the topics we discuss are far more fun and lighthearted than this one. So just trawl through the forums and dip in. smile

merlotgran Sat 05-Jul-14 22:50:43

Looks like eBay is swamped with Rolf Harris paintings at the moment.

Rowantree Sat 05-Jul-14 22:35:47

She could try eBay....

rosequartz Sat 05-Jul-14 22:26:16

I think the portrait of HM is in Rolf Harris' s private collection.

A friend has an original painting by him - she doesn't know what to do with it.

Faye Sat 05-Jul-14 21:53:57

I have his autograph too, not sure where it is, I hope I still have it somewhere though as it is in a lovely old autograph book my father brought home one each for us (my siblings and me). I was about eight years old at the time and Rolph Harris was at my father's workplace. I don't know where Dad got hold of five autograph books when RH turned up. That was the only autograph in my book.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 05-Jul-14 21:00:48

I love it! (Two Little Boys). It's very sweet. Don't like the more Aussie sounding ones though.

Ana Sat 05-Jul-14 20:58:25

Tie me Kangaroo Down still has very clever lyrics and is good fun - I doubt whether it'll ever be played on any UK radio station in future, though.

Ana Sat 05-Jul-14 20:56:26

What a strange reason to dislike a song! I always hated it anyway.

Deedaa Sat 05-Jul-14 20:54:47

I still think Sun Arise was a lovely record, not that I can find my copy so there's no chance of me rushing to play it.

Rowantree Sat 05-Jul-14 20:39:34

You did, jingl? I can't say it was my favourite song of all time. And when I found out Mags liked it, that was the death knell for me!

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 05-Jul-14 19:45:52

Well the song hasn't changed has it? I still like it.

Rowantree Sat 05-Jul-14 19:43:45

And I've remembered that Maggie T LOVED 'Two Little Boys'. I wonder what she'd think of it now.

Rowantree Sat 05-Jul-14 19:42:58

I'd keep it for now, as others have suggested - just put it away quietly until it gains notoriety value, as whenim has suggested!

I suspect people everywhere will be ransacking their old music collections to bin recordings of Two Little Boys, Sun Arise and Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport...

FarNorth Sat 05-Jul-14 14:46:09

Good idea to put it away for now, vicky1.
I also wonder who would want to buy such a thing, (answer: probably some weirdo) so I think it'd be best to destroy it if you do decide to get rid.

busybee08 Sat 05-Jul-14 14:38:35

Hi everyone

just signed up to gransnet.

so i'm having to get use to how this works..

I think its up to you what you do about it. but bare in mind what the children who he abused feel...it will only be a reminder to you how they suffered at his hands.....

vicky1 Thu 03-Jul-14 17:00:13

No doubt it will reappear on Cash in the Attic in about twenty years' time.

sunseeker Thu 03-Jul-14 16:29:21

I thought the painting had been with some gallery or other but they now say they don't know where it is! I don't think it was ever meant to be kept by HM (although I believe it was displayed at Buck House for a short time).

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 03-Jul-14 14:16:01

Yes! I'm very interested in what is going to happen about the painting! shockgrin

vicky1 Thu 03-Jul-14 13:15:57

@vegasmags was trying to be funny... obviously unsuccessfully
Perhaps the queen will be along on here soon asking advice about the painting!

vegasmags Thu 03-Jul-14 12:57:22

If you really don't know what a pension pot is, I would suggest you find out rather than worrying about Rolf Harris's autograph.

Elegran Thu 03-Jul-14 12:50:08

Lady Churchill burnt a Graham Sutherland portrait of Winston that they didn't like. Maybe the queen will burn the Harris portrait.