James Pellow – Listening to Virginia Wade win Wimbledon in 1977

James: I remember and I don’t know whether I was actually working … I don’t think I was working in The Coffee Bean at this time but I was up there for some reason, and it was when Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977 and we were there … I think we’d listened to it on the radio, and I can see myself standing by the window in The Coffee Bean and we were talking about that.

Simon: Chatting about Virginia Wade. What was so memorable about her winning?

James: Well because … that was in 1977 and of course it was the Jubilee year and so the Queen presented her with the trophy, the plate, but also it was so rare for a British player to win Wimbledon. Nobody since Ann Jones in I think ’68 I think it was, I may be wrong.

Simon: So, that in a Jubilee year …

James: Oh yes, it was a great boost to British morale (laughs) and of course Virginia Wade had tried for so long, you know, to get there.

Simon: So you’d have the radio playing for a particular events.

James: No we didn’t but I think because, I can’t remember but it wasn’t always on, the radio wasn’t always on but it was …

Simon: It was such a thing of the public attention.

James: Yes, it was, yes.