Jan's collection a sign of the Sixties

Dressed in her best clothes from Biba and Laura Ashley, 14-year-old Jan Godfrey went to the biggest concerts of the Sixties and was never afraid to approach the stars.

Yesterday the Halesworth woman recalled the excitement, the screaming and the sheer love of music back in the days when she met Brian Jones, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and many more.

The 57-year-old, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was 25, is now confined to a wheelchair. She lives in her own flat, which she shares with her partner, and her hobbies have become collecting teapots and teddy bears. But she still loves the music of the Sixties, and fondly remembers her teenage years in London, when she started going to concerts at just 14.

She said: “I was only 14. I was too young to go to those concerts. I don't know why my mother let me go. I did ask her why she let me - she said I was sensible. I would say, 'I'm going out to so-and-so' and I just went. She just put up with it really. She thought the Beatles were awful.”

Ms Godfrey collected two autograph albums full of signatures of everyone from Bryan Ferry to the Beatles. Recently she took the decision to auction them off, along with her collection of vinyl and photographs of pop stars at the time. Before making the decision she wrote to former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, to see if he wanted her collection, but he did not. She said: “He lives in Suffolk, and I thought I might meet him.”

The collection made around £1,000, although she was hoping they would fetch more.

She said: “It was just sitting in a drawer. You can't keep looking. I used to look at them, but not any more.

“I never thought they would be worth anything. It was just to remind me.”

These days she listens to her heroes on CD - “It's not the same” - and is not a fan of modern music.

“I hate them!” she said. “Except for Robbie Williams.”

She collected the signatures by waiting at stage doors and running after pop stars' cars - she laughs uproariously when recalling how she kept a list of the models and number plates of cars they used.

“My parents gave me money and I would save up my pocket money. It used to be 7s 6d in old money, which was a couple of weeks' pocket money.

“Of course I followed the stars round. I just ran after them - I couldn't drive when I was 14. I used to talk to them about all sorts. You can't imagine it now.”

The young Jan would shop for clothes on Carnaby Street, and treasured a pink Biba dress. There were also the miniskirts for wearing to concerts - “It was the Sixties” and the camera, which she took everywhere. This came in handy when she saw Keith Richards and Mick Jagger buying records in Soho.

She met the stars at places like Top of the pops, Ready Steady Go, and the London Palladium.

She loved the Beatles, especially Paul McCartney: “I don't know why, I just thought he was the best.”

“I went to see Rod Stewart when he was nobody. I didn't think much of him.”

“I used to go to concerts as much as possible, two or three times a week usually. It was difficult getting tickets, you had to be lucky to get them, but I was lucky.

“It was just exciting. There was so much excitement, so much screaming.”

She pursued her love of music until she was 18 or 19, when she went to teacher training college, later to become a teacher. These days Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is still her favourite album, but she adds: “They were all good.”

“I don't think music will ever be as good again.”