#Helen Spittal

[mottokuro]

Brian at Cotchford Farm, 1969

Photos by Helen Spittal

[jonesbrianshining]

Last known photos of Brian Jones at Cotchford Farm, 12th June 1969 by Helen Spittal (from cotchfordfarm.com)

[ludmilachaibemachado]

Brian Jones and his long time fan and friend Helen Spittal. Brian was leaving Court and she was waiting outside for him. Helen also took the last photos of him at Cotchford Farm. Photo likely in September 1968🌷🌷🌷

Via I🖤Sixties Models/ Fashion! FB🌷

[rolloroberson]

Brian Jones with Helen Spittal, outside Olympic Sound Studios - circa March 1969 - © photographed by Susan Ramos. Shown in the photo with Brian is Helen Spittal who would later, at Cotchford in June 1969, take the last known photos of Brian.

[nic-214]

The last known photos of Brian Jones at his home the Cotchford Farm in East Sussex, on June 23 in 1969, taken by friend Helen Spittal

[heritagehub]

17 February 1918 diary of Dr J S Muir of Selkirk

No rain to speak of but hills all powdered with snow which had disappeared by night. Pretty cold. Walked to Ladylands & L [Ladylands] Toll, W Port, Forest Road, Kilncroft & Buccleuch Road & Sloethornbank & went to morning service. After church cycled to Melrose Hydro* and had lunch with Mr & Mrs Chas Spittal, Miss Wilson, Gladys & a girl Japp**. First time I had been in the Hydro. Met Mr Pringle there. It is exactly 6 miles to the Hydro gate. Jack & Nancy came to supper.

* On Waverley Road almost oposite the Darnick turn, Melrose Hydro or Waverley Hydropathic, now The Waverley Castle Hotel, was a hydropathic establishment drawing its water from St Helen's Well in the grounds [Source: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1881921 accessed 2018.02.11 and Ordnance Survey 25 inch Roxburghshire  Sheet nVIII, survey 1918, publication 1924]

** Editors assume Charles James Spittal (1877-1947) and Frances Hay Spittal née Wilson, but have not identified the others listed here

[shineonlikethemoonandthestars]

Last existing photos of Brian, taken by Helen Spittal in 1969.

[jonesbrianshining]

Brian Jones - June 1969 Cotchford Farm

© Helen Spittal

[jonesbrianshining]

Brian Jones outside Olympic Sound Studios - circa March 1969 with Helen Spittal - photo taken by Susan Ramos

"To Helen, Brian was never other than friendly, considerate – in a strange way, even fatherly. He would usually chide her for being out so early, or so late, and for neglecting her school work. With this, his greatest idolator, he, paradoxically, lost all pretence, posing for her Instamatic camera with a resigned and hangdog, ‘God I look awful’ grin. In one blurred London street shot, taken by someone else, the little girl he cuddles close to him could be his daughter or niece. His reputation as a sexual buccaneer is something which, to this day, Helen Spittal finds hard to accept.

Knowing Brian’s fondness for Helen, and vaguely perceiving her beneficial effect on him, the Stones’ office gave her privileges allowed no other fan. Tom Keylock would tell her when they were next recording at Olympic. Shirley Arnold would relay her messages to Brian, and his back to her." - "The Stones-Acclaimed-Biography"

Source: Brian Jones-Rolling Stones Facebook

[jonesbrianshining]

The last photos of Brian Jones at his home the Cotchford Farm in East Sussex on June 23, 1969.

© Helen Spittal

[jonesbrianshining]

June 1969 - one of the last photographs of Brian Jones (Cotchford Farm) by Helen Spittal

"Brian had just made a single. This was to be his first record since breaking from the Stones. He'd cut the demo and was really pleased with it. It'd actually just newly gone to press."

Musician Alex Korner in 1965

Alexis Korner also remembered Brian talking about writing songs during his last months:

"He wouldn't show them to me. He'd only tell me about them. He always started out with a little bit about how he'd written songs which people wouldn't record. Then he'd start talking in vague terms about ideas he'd had for songs while staying in Morocco; things he wanted to get together. He would never come to terms about it. Brian would use the word 'song,' but at the end of two hours' conversation, you hadn't the slightest idea of what they were."

But nobody can remember the name of this song, or what it sounded like. It was supposedly "lost" after Jones' death. It is true that Brian's residence at Cotchford Farm was stripped clean of Brian's furniture, instruments, clothes and even his stash of money. Suki Poitier (Brian's girlfriend after Anita) was shocked to discover that all of Brian's valuable possessions had disappeared from his house right after his death, saying that, "the interior of the house had been ransacked". So, it is possible that this single was among those things stolen. But, if Brian's single had "just newly gone to press" as Janie Perrin states, then surely there were many more copies?

Suki Potier - girlfriend of Brian Jones

[heritagehub]

25 December 1917 diary of Dr J S Muir of Selkirk

There has been very little today resembling former Xmas days. Cards from Charlie Boucher, Evel[yn] Cooper, Jean & Ag[gie] Sprot & The Wellwood children (Stewart in Cowboy dress & Ed[ward] in an officer's Khaki) to show some of their presents*. Helen & I were quite alone**. I cycling round a town list of 10. Bought a Watermans fountain pen as a Xmas present for Helen who went for a walk with Nancy & Barbara. Wrote Mary, Willie Muir. Jack Spittal sent me a calendar.

* Stewart Muir Roberts (1908-2003) and George Edward Roberts (1911-2005), two of Dr Muir’s grandchildren

** Helen Frances 'Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s daughter

[heritagehub]

5 December 1917 diary of Dr J S Muir of Selkirk

Change to damp mild weather again & the slight [craking] of snow disappeared. There was a drizzling rain towards evening. Very little doing. Saw 13 town cases motoring. Began at 11 & finished at 1.10. Annie Little left today after being here 6½ years. She has been a good trustworthy servant & I am sorry to part with her*. Gave her a crepe bandage for [illegible]. Interviewed Miss Shortreed, Gala & Nancy filled up the Committee's form. Heard from Mrs Spittal that Charlie has Enteric**.

* Ann Helen 'Annie' Little (1894-1968) of Hawkshaw, Kirkhope, Selkirkshire, was Dr Muir's servant for six and a half years

** Assume Charles James ‘Charlie’ Spittal (1877-1947); Mrs Spittal is presumably Frances Hay Spittal née Wilson, born 1874, Forres, Elgin [Morayshire] but certainly not Mrs Rachel Spittal née Harvey, Charlie’s mother, who had died 14 March 1917 at Aberdeen

[nanker-phelge]

Starting Over

After moving to Cotchford and sobering up as a result of the drug trials, Brian was determined not to get himself in the same trouble again to the point of paranoia. A fan and good friend of his, Helen Spittal, witnessed this firsthand when she came to visit him and he was delivered a bottle of medications.

Brian was most insistent that I saw the bottle with him, read the details on the label of what the tablets were, the dosage and everything so that I knew there was nothing untoward about them.

- Helen Spittal

He even asked his gardener, Mick Martin, who ran a Bible class for children, if he could come and speak to them.

I'd like to come one Sunday, Mick, to talk to your kids, to tell them that it might look like I've got all the money I want, that I can go anywhere and do anything, but my life till now has been rotten. I know it seems to them a world of complete pleasure, but they should know what it's really like.

- Brian Jones to Mick Martin

There is no denying the severity of Brian's experience with illegal substances, but, contrary to popular belief, Brian did make an attempt to rid his life of drugs because of the emotional turmoil he underwent during the drug busts. Though he may have sustained somewhat of a drinking problem, he could not handle the idea of being caught again and put in prison.