Other
Joy Division
1966

An original handwritten poem by the lead singer of Joy Division, Ian Curtis. Ian wrote the poem at school circa 1966/1967. The poem is written on a piece of lined paper and is glued into a school book called Our Book Of Epitaphs along with poems from the other pupils in the class. It reads, “An Epitaph for an Electrian (sic), Here lies Fred the electrian (sic), who went on a very fateful mission, he got a shock when tampering with a fuse, which went from his head right down to his shoes, by I. Curtis”.

Ian has also drawn a small picture of a man and a tombstone. The poem comes with a letter from the owner who was a fellow pupil. It reads, “I grew up on Hurdsfield Estate, Macclesfield where I attended Hurdsfield Junior School. I started Hurdsfield Junior School in 1963 where I met Ian Curtis, he was a fellow pupil in my class and we went through school together. Mr Young was our teacher when this piece of work was carried out, he himself has got a poem in the book along with myself and all the other pupils in the class. This poem was written in 1966 or 1967.

I was presented with the book at the end of the school year for being head boy. At the time the head teacher was called Mr Tattasall. Ian Curtis lived on Grey Stoke Road, Hurdsfield Estate, I lived on Delemere Road, Hurdsfield Estate, Cheshire”.

The poem measures 16.5cm x 9.5cm (6.5 inches x 3.75 inches), the book measures 28.5cm x 22cm (11.25 inches x 8.75 inches). The condition of the poem is excellent. There is some wear and aging to the book and a vertical crease down the last 5 pages and back cover. A few of the poems have also become detached from the book. The condition of the book is very good minus.

Thanks to Jason Cornthwaite.