Fred Hardisty was wealthy and well educated, but his naivety led him into danger when he found himself alone in the capital
The summer of 1950 was supposed to be a year to remember for wealthy Blackpool student Fred Hardisty.
On August 9, Fred spent the day in London, and planned to catch the last train home. Annie and Harry expected to be reunited with their son at 4am the following morning but when Fred missed the train he found himself alone in in the capital, late at night. As he wandered through the streets, he found his way to Soho, unaware the area was a popular haunt for the underground, and at that time still illegal, gay community.
Socrates shared the flat with another man, Nicholas Tsanakas, who had already retired for the evening. The pair went to Socrates' room to settle down for the night, but when the waiter made sexual advances to Fred a fight broke out between the pair. Speaking to Inspector James Dunham the waiter said: "He attacked me with a knife. The lights were out and I struggled with him."
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