Early life Paul O'Grady

paul o grady.

attending st. joseph s catholic primary school, o grady excelled in subjects, except maths. hoping had future ahead of him, parents budgeted send him private school, catholic-run redcourt, grades dropped. failing eleven plus exam, mother s dismay unable enter grammar school, instead attending blessed edmund campion r.c. secondary modern , corpus christi high school, o grady experienced first homosexual encounter, enjoying brief romance boy, although still assumed heterosexual.

a fan of popular television series avengers , batman, enrolled in cub scouts mother, hated it, leaving after month. altar boy @ local catholic church, dismissed after laughing during funeral service. joining marine cadets, later commented following in footsteps of childhood hero, cartoon popeye. enjoying cadets, @ advice of captain joined boys amateur boxing club, developing lifelong love of sport. playing truant school, got trouble parents, , subsequently police after burgling house 3 friends. o grady s first job paper round kept week, , through , other jobs, saved afford mod clothes, time becoming suedehead.

early adulthood: 1972–77

leaving school aged sixteen, o grady obtained job in civil service, working clerical assistant dhss @ liverpool office; commuted in parents home. supplementing income, worked part-time @ bar of royal air forces association (rafa) club in oxton. called disciplinary hearing @ dhss , accused of incompetent behaviour , tardiness, resigned. obtaining job @ wheatsheaf hotel in virginia water, surrey, aged seventeen, o grady moved there; appalled @ working conditions, management accused him of stealing, denied. promptly returning birkenhead, worked @ rafa club, increasingly socialising within liverpudlian gay scene, attending meetings of campaign homosexual equality , working @ gay bar bear s paw; kept secret parents, whom not out of closet .

with best friend tony, o grady regularly travelled london socialise tony s friend, classical music conductor john pritchard, becoming fond of him. experimenting, o grady had casual sex friend , colleague, diane jansen. became pregnant, news o grady discovered in same week both parents suffered heart attacks; mother made recovery, father died. following birth of daughter, sharon lee jansen, on 16 may 1974, o grady agreed pay £3 per week towards upkeep, refused marry diane, recognising homosexuality.

briefly working assistant clerk @ liverpool magistrates court, o grady subsequently worked barman @ yates s wine lodge, supplementing income occasional night @ bear s paw. realising wage insufficient support both himself , daughter, travelled london, lodging in westbourne green, found poorly paid work barman. in london, began associating drag queens, particularly couple used stage name of harlequeens. although making friends in city, o grady homesick , returned home. employed accountant in fmc meats merseyside abattoir, gained employment @ children s convalescent home , school in west kirby, home disabled , abused children; worked there 3 years. entering relationship older man named norman, o grady moved house in littlehampton; relationship strained, both cheating on 1 another, , fell apart.

moving again london, rented flat in crouch end , began busking friend in camden town before obtaining job physiotherapist s assistant @ royal northern hospital. made redundant public sector cuts, o grady took job @ gay club called showplace, befriending portuguese transgender theresa fernandes; in may 1977, got married prevent deportation, although lost contact, legally divorcing in 2005. taking jobs cleaner , waiter @ private functions, began working camden council peripatetic care officer, living in elderly people or dysfunctional families had lasting effect on him many years come.