In the 1970's Sharon was running the fan club for WIZARD the Roy Wood extravaganza. One of my drinking friends in the Fox and Pheasant in Billing Street. was Tommy the chip. His wife was a pretty girl with masses of black curls, and an almost completely round figure. Sharon looked exactly the same. Together they resembled two bookends fashioned as female Humpty Dumptys. She worked for Sharon's father, Don Arden (another story). and it was through her that Sharon asked me to design stuff for Wizard.
All went well until it was time to pay for the work. Don Arden had a reputation for not paying his bills and my partner at Design Machine, Nick Nicol, warned me not to do the work as the cheque would not be forthcoming. He reckoned , with out Sharon in the mix. Although I had to wait until Arden was in the buiding, Sharon would bowl into his office and demand the money calling him a tight c***. Occasionally the cheque would not be honoured, so she would raid his safe for the cash, which was stuffed with notes. The lads from the Fox & Pheasant all tradesmen, did work for Don Arden on his house on Wimbledon Common. They had the same experience. His reputation of carrying a gun and being prepared to use it held no truck with them. Come Friday the cash was paid or else. Sharon the go between made sure no violence took place.
Rumour had it that when she finally fell out with her father, she flew to California and sold his house there and kept the money. He may have owed her the cash for all I know, and he may have asked her to sell it for him, but I never saw her again after that, except on the television, a shadow of her former self, but still showing that nothing fazed her.
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