Timeline

This is a extract from Christines own copy of “Christine Keeler - My Life in Pictures” - James Birch

For a time Christine Keeler was one of the most famous people in the world. The part she played in British history in the early 1960's is arguable still with us today as the Profumo Affair shone a light on the then untouchable ruling class. They lied when they got caught having affairs and some of that some of that old deference was blown away. The print press came out of the scandal with much more muscle as newspaper sales rocketed, political satire became mainstream, "Private Eye" or "That Was the Week that Was", after the button down 1950's everyone was talking and even joking about sex. It's cultural impact was profound as it kicked off the "Swinging Sixties". Politically it brought down a Government, the scandal showed the Prime Minister, Harold McMillan, as being out of touch and soon after the scandal he resigned and they lost power.

There are lots of characters in the melting pot of 1960's London involved in her story. This timeline aims to be as comprehensive as possible without judgement or conspiracy, just to set out the events as known. The timeline does however makes some conspiracies less probably for example: popular conspiracy that the police set up Lucky Gordon on the night of April 18 1963 by telling him where Christine was, knowing that this would lead to his arrest. The timeline shows he already knew where Christine was having been arrested there the day before.

Its also a catalogue of the men became obsessed with Christine and how those obsessions cost the a career of The Secretary of State for War, It cost Christine a prison sentence and most tragically it cost a man his life.

A special thanks to Desmond Banks for his help in pulling this together.

Quick guide to the Profumo Scandal

Detailed timeline

1912

Oct 19: Stephen Thomas Ward is born.

1915

Jan 30: John Dennis Profumo is born

1926

Jan 11: Yevgeny “Eugene” Ivanov born.

1942

February 22: Christine Keeler born Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge. To Julie and Collin Keeler. Collin had been adopted his real mother was a young Irish girl who worked on a reservation in America, his father a Native American. Christine would say “that’s where I got my high cheekbones”

Collin abandons his family When Christine is very young.

1944

Oct 21: Marilyn Rice-Davies born.

1958

Christine's son Peter is born prematurely, but he died six days later.

Mar 22: Christine first modeling job, a photo shoot with Tit-Bits.

Apr: Christine leaves her family home in Wraysbury.

Christine childhood was very poor. Her father abandoned his family soon after she was born, her mother Julie met and married Edward Huish, and she grew up in a house made from two converted railway carriages.

At nine suffering from malnutrition she was taken away for a short time “To live with the nuns” Christine would say.

When she reached an age she started receiving unwanted attention from Ted, her stepfather, and would sleep with a knife under her pillow, and then attention from neighbors and the fathers of friends.

"Christine used to say her mother was cold. When her mother, Julie, was young she witnessed a terrible attack on her own mother. Julie's mother was meant to be very beautiful and her father was very jealous with a terrible temper. One day convinced she was having an affair he came home from work early. She was alone with the children, no secret lover, still in a fit of jealousy and in front of the children, he pulled out a gun and shot seven times in the head.

One bullet passed through the skin just above her neck, another took the tip of her nose clean off, two through the cheek, two more went into the skull but were stopped as she had an extra thick skull, or it was a low caliber bullet.

"He went to Broadmoor Prison for the Criminally Insane and made puppets. My mother was a young girl and seeing that stayed with her" Christine used to say.

Christine's grandmother amazingly survived that day, we went to her funeral in the mid 1970's.

Christine was desperate to escape from Wraysbury.

1959

Early in 1959: Christine moves to Slough with her aunt Patricia, They both work as clerks on the Trading Estate, before she moves to No 2 St John’s Wood Park, London.

Christine then moves to 11 Fitzjohns Avenue, Swiss Cottage, and works in Angelo’s Restaurant Club, Baker Street, for four or five months.

Late spring early summer: Christine started work as a showgirl at Murray’s Cabaret Club, Soho, London.

Summer: Christine meets Stephen Ward and they strike up a platonic friendship, Christine moves in with Stephen at 11 Orme Court.

Stephen Ward takes Christine to a sexpParty in Maida Vale, Christine is 17.

Christmas: Christine and Ward have Christmas at Lord Ednam and Maureen Swanson in Mayfair. A long way from a converted railway carriage in Wraysbury.

1960

Peter Rachman - infamous slum landlord

Jan: Early 1960 Christine moves into 1 Bryanston Mews West with a friend, Sherry Danton, a property of Peter Rachmam, the 42 year old, wealthy “slum” landlord.

Mar 27: Ivanov arrives in Britain. Christine moves in with Jennifer Harvey near Regent’s Park.

Oct/Nov: Colin Coote (editor Daily Telegraph) introduces Stephen Ward to Eugene Ivanov, at the Kenco Coffee Bar, Marylebone High St. Stephen to be engaged as a sketch artist for the Eichmann Trials, Eugene to help with visa. By chance Christine also meets them there.

Stephen Ward and Eugene Ivanov quickly become good friends.

Christine moves back to 11 Orme Court with Stephen and returns to Murray’s.

Late in the year: Christine meets new boyfriend Manu Jahambin.

Eugene Ivanov

Mandy Rice-Davies

Christine meets the then Marilyn Davies, later to be known as Mandy Rice-Davies, at Murray’s Cabaret. They quickly become friends and soon move to a flat at 71 Comeragh Road.
(Christine notes: there for ‘three or four months’, ‘I don’t think we worked [at Murray’s] for the last month’).

November: Christine introduces Mandy to Peter Rachman and Mandy meets Stephen Ward for the first time.

Nov 4: Lucky Gordon, who is living in Denmark, is sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for stabbing a girl and the deportation process back to the UK starts.

Christine becomes Peter Rachman's mistress.

Lucky Gordon

1961

Douglas Fairbanks Jr

Jan - Feb: Christine, now living with Mandy at 71 Comeragh Road, gives their landlord a cheque from Lord Astor for £100 for rent. (This will be used against Stephen Ward in his 1963 trial)

Mandy becomes Peter Rachman’s mistress.

Stephen Ward introduces Douglas Fairbanks (the actor) to Mandy and Christine. The three of them have sex.

Feb: Christine and Mandy go on holiday in France for two weeks.

Christine and Mandy move to a flat in Holland Park, but they row about her boyfriend Manu Jahambin.

Christine goes to live with Manu Jahambin. On occasion he would hit her, and left a whip on top of the wardrobe as a constant threat.

Manu breaks up with Christine and asks her to leave.

Mar: Christine and Stephen move to 17 Wimpole Mews, London.

Mandy Rice-Davies moves in with Peter Rachman.

Around this time, Christine was to meet Manu Jahambin her ex boyfriend and Stephen asked if she could pass by the Russian Embassy and drop off a parcel for Eugene, there was going to a card game and Eugene would need it. Manu drives Christine to the Embassy and waits outside in the car as Christine drops off the manila envelope.

Jun: Ward brings Keith Wagstaffe (MI5) to Wimpole Mews.

Christine and Stephen at Clivedon - Picture taken by Profumo

Jul 8: Christine meets John Profumo at Cliveden, Christine is caught naked in the pool.
Christine and Ward stay at the cottage at Cliveden.

Jul 9: Stephen brings two more girls to Cliveden, Sally Joan Norie and Grundie Heiber. Profumo, Christine and all play games in the pool.

Christine and Eugene Ivanov return to Wimpole Mews they have a bottle of vodka, get drunk and have sex. Strangely, some commentators claim this is unlikely and they didn’t have sex and they are both lying, probably to discredit both. However Christine and Eugene always maintained this was true.

Jul 11: Christine tells Mandy, Stephen wants to know "the date the Americans are going to give West Germany the Bomb"

Jul 10/12: Stephen Ward reports into (MI5) Keith Wagstaffe, Christine believes her fling with Eugene and Profumo’s interest in her are mentioned.

Aug: Christine and John Profumo start their affair.

Aug 9: Sir Norman Brook warns Profumo about Stephen Ward.

Darling,
In great haste because I can get no reply from your phone - alas something's blown up tomorrow night...Blast it.

Please take care of yourself... - Profumo's letter to Christine

Profumo writes Christine a letter headed “Darling..” which will be proof of affair.

On one occasion Profumo gifts Christine a bottle of perfume, then a lighter and on one occasion he gives Christine £20 to “buy her mother a little something”.

Sept 4: After being deported from Denmark, for the attack on the woman, Lucky Gordon arrives in London.

Oct: Christine, Stephen and a friend, the society portrait painter Vasco Lazzolo, go to El Rio Cafe to buy some cannabis, the men wait in a car outside and Christine goes in to find a dealer. She meets Lucky Gordon who sells her some cannabis, Christine has an idea he may also help introduce Stephen to a West Indian girl so she gives him her telephone number.

This was the first time Christine tried cannabis.

Two days later Lucky Gordon called, there would be a party at the El Rio and he had a sister for Stephen. At the party Lucky leaves his sister with Stephen and attaches himself to Christine. After cannabis and alcohol Christine starts to feel very unwell, Lucky tries to take advantage but Stephen insists he must take Christine home and he makes it clear that Lucky is not coming back with them. To placate Lucky, Stephen gives him their address.

Gordon is probably already obsessed with Christine and starts to stalk her.

Lucky starts regularly calling Christine at Wimpole Mews.

After numerous calls, Christine agrees to meet Lucky Gordon at a cafe on Westbourne Park Road for coffee. When they meet, Gordon says he wants to show her some stolen jewellery he has at his flat which is just around the corner in St Stephens Gardens. Naively Christine agrees.

When they get to his flat, he pulls out a knife, pushes her to the bed and rapes her with the knife at her throat. He keeps her there for 24 hours of continual harrowing assault.

Christine finally convinces Lucky to let her return to Stephen, promising to return.

When she returns to Wimpole Mews and tell Stephen everything that has happened Stephen convinces her not to report the rape to the police.

Mariella Novotny at her marriage to Hod Dibben, hosted orgies for high society. Claimed to have had sex with Kennedy in the Oval Office. She died in 1983

Oct: Lucky Gordon attacks Christine in front of Stephen Ward outside 17 Wimpole Mews.

Dec: Christine and Profumo's affair comes to an end. - (ref Denning report, Profumo speech and CK)

At some time this month, Christine collects Stephen from another sex party, hosted by Mariella Novotny, “The Feast of the Peacocks,” with the infamous ‘Man in the Mask’ who liked to serve guests and be spanked, there has been much speculation about his identity.

Dec: Christine and Mandy leave Wimpole Mews and move into Dolphin Square, Pimlico.

1962

an: Mandy leaves Dolphin Square, Christine is living there alone.

Jan: Christine has an “illegal” abortion at her flat in Dolphin Square, it doesn't go well, and is left very sick. By sheer luck, a childhood friend, Peter Lewis, happens to come around and finds Christine very unwell and gets her to Hospital, (The Chelsea Hospital for Women) in Dovehouse Street.

Mar or Apr: Gordon attacks Christine at Dolphin Square. He has a small axe that had been left in the flat. He rapes Christine and holds her and another girl, “Linda”, for two days until Christine escapes.

The police are called and Christine presses charges. Christine is put under pressure from Lucky's family and she drops charges.

Gordon starts stalking Christine, waiting outside her flat.

Christine leaves Dolphin Square and returns to Wimpole Mews ‘for a little while’.

Gordon continues calling and stalking Christine at Wimpole Mews.

May: Christine meets and moves in with Michael Lambton in Kinnerton Street, Belgravia and they get engaged.

Jul 5: Christine and Mandy take a liner to US, arriving 11 July. Michael Lambton who is working in Philadelphia, pays for their travel.

Jul 18 : Christine and Mandy fly back from US .

Christine returns to 17 Wimpole Mews.

Sep: Christine meets Paula Hamilton-Marshall at the same time as she meets Johnny Edgecombe.

Christine and a friend move to Sheffield Terrace and Edgecombe joins them soon afterwards.

Christine buys a gun, a Luger, for £20, for protection from Lucky Gordon.

Christine and Edgecombe start an affair.

Sep or Oct: Mandy moves into 17 Wimpole Mews with Stephen.

Early Oct: Lucky Gordon punches Christine to the ground, when she and a friend, Jackie Brown, are returning from a hairdresser near Comeragh Road.

Oct 20: Christine and Edgecombe move to a Bayswater Hotel.

Oct 25: Christine asks Ward for her old room back.

Oct 26: Stephen Ward calls Lord Arran the then Permanent Under-Secretary to arrange a meeting with Eugene Ivanov. (Parliament debate 17.06.63)

Oct 27: Ward takes Eugene Ivanov to Lord Arran’s house. Ivanov stated that he "wished to get a message to the British government by indirect means asking for them to call a summit forthwith”. (Parliament debate 17.06.63)

Michael Lambton briefly engaged to Christine

Michael Eddowes London lawyer who became suspicious of Ward

Oct 27/28: Lucky Gordon chases Christine, Edgecombe slashes Gordon at All-Nighters Club. Gordon needs 17 stitches.

That night Ward comes to the hotel and collects Christine's clothes.

Oct 28: Christine goes with Edgecombe to Brentford for four days to his friend’s house.

Stephen sets up a date for Christine with a single friend of his, Michael Eddowes, a lawyer turned businessman who owned a chain of restaurants. Christine and Michael meet, however, she is not interested in Michael sexually as “he was too old”.

Oct 31: Christine, Stephen, Ivanov and Rosemary Wells are at 17 Wimpole Mews when William Shepherd (Conservative MP) visits. Christine and Rosemary Wells spends night there.

Oct 31: Christine breaks up with Johnny Edgecombe.

Christine stays at 17 Wimpole Mews for a few days in October.

Dr Savundra, “the Indian Doctor” rents Christine’s room at 17 Wimpole Mews for afternoons, somewhere he could bring girls. Mandy would be one of those girls, and Dr Savundra would give her £20 after sex. (This would prove damaging in Stephen’s trial).

Nov 1: Christine moves to 63 Great Cumberland Place with Rosemary Wells.

Mandy Rice-Davies, returning from a holiday in France, goes to live at 17 Wimpole Mews.

Nov: Major Jim Eynan stops seeing Christine.

Nov 8: Lucky Gordon pleads guilty to insulting words and behaviour (against police) and is fined £1 at Marlborough St Magistrates’ Court.

Nov 29: Peter Rachman dies. Mandy Rice-Davies is devastated and attempts suicide.

Emil Savundra, was a Sri Lankan con man credited with one of the biggest cons in British history

Interview with David Frost on that famous con.

John Lewis (Ex Labour MP who had lost his seat in 1951, seemingly he had a pathological dislike of Stephen Ward

Dec 14: Desperate to speak to Christine, Johnny Edgecombe takes a taxi to Wimpole Mews. Mandy and Christine refuse to let him in. Consumed with anger and frustration, using Christine's gun, Johnny fires several shots at the door. The police are called.

Dec 15: Edgecombe is arrested, and newspapers become interested in Christine; there are rumours about John Profumo.

Christine and Mandy Rice-Davies move to 63 Great Cumberland Place and Lord Astor visits. After he leaves Mandy tells Christine the two of them have had sex.

Christine talks to Michael Eddowes (with Mandy Rice-Davies present) about “Profumo, Eugene Ivanov and the bomb”.

Dec: Police start to interview (every two weeks or so) Christine about the shooting. and then about Stephen.

Dec: Lucky Gordon now turns up at Christine’s mothers.

Dec 23 - At a party in Rosemore Court. Christine and Paul Mann meet John Lewis (ex Labour MP), who promises to help Christine with Lucky Gordon and to introduce her to a lawyer.

Christine tells John Lewis about her affair with Profumo, and that Stephen had asked her to ask Profumo “when the “Bomb” would come to Germany”. The secret is now out, and Profumo’s downfall is sealed

There is only one way to keep a secret, tell no one - advice that Christine Keeler’s would give to anyone.

The Johnny Edgecombe shooting at Wimpole Mews is considered the event that blew open the Profumo scandal. Christine argued that, in fact, it was Christine telling John Lewis at the party at Christmas which led to the questions in Parliament and Profumo’s lie.

1963

Lucky Gordon - 1963

Jan 3 - Stephen Ward takes Miss X to his flat Bryanston Mews and shows her the infamous two-way mirror
(An Affair of State) existence of two way mirror confirmed Feb 2014.
It is unclear if this mirror was used to blackmail or just for voyeurism.

Jan - Christine relents under continued pressure and agrees to meet Lucky Gordon at The Flamingo Club. Christine agrees to meet him again at his brother's flat in Leytonstone. The trial transcripts indicate the an agreement is made between Lucky and Christine, if they meet up this once, he will leave her alone.

”I knew I could not get away” (Christine's testimony in court - see Campaign page for transcripts)

Jan 27/29 - Christine goes to Leytonstone and meets Lucky Gordon, she stays with him until the 29th. (court transcripts), She returns to Ward, at Wimpole Mews.

Jonny Edgecombe - Christine’s boyfriend who fired the gun at Wimpole Mews

Jan 16/17: Johnny Edgecombe committal proceedings. Christine gives evidence.

Jan 19: Gordon fined £5 at Marlborough Street for possession of offensive weapon, a gravity knife. Christine sent Lucky the £5 to cover the fine.

Jan 22: Mandy, Nina Gadd and Nina’s fiancé meet Christine. It transpires the fiancé is actually a journalist working for The Sunday Pictorial.

Jan 23: Christine signs a contract to sell her story and leaves them the “Darling...” letter from Profumo as proof.

Jan 26: Chief Inspector Burrows serves notice on Christine about the Edgecombe trial. Christine tells him about her relationship with Profumo.

Jan 29: Eugene Ivanov is recalled to Moscow and he leaves Britain.

Jan: At some time in January, John Lewis ex-MP shares the story about Christine and Profumo with George Wigg (Labour MP). George Wigg asks for more information.

the Feb: John Lewis puts pressure on Christine to have an affair, he offers her £30,000 to live with him.
(It has been argued that Lewis offered her £30k for information to bring down the government and this is the same £30k in Chief Inspector Samuel Herbert bank account 1966 - see 1966)

Feb 3: News of the World publishes front page photo of Christine in bikini: ‘Model in shots case. Attractive Christine Keeler, a 20-year old, London Model ...’

Feb 4: Stephen Ward's flat is broken into and the photo of him and three girls taken by Profumo at Cliveden is stolen. Ward phones the police and gives a statement the next day.

Feb 8: Johnny Edgecombe trial adjourned. Christine agrees to do a story with the Sunday Pictorial story, as does Mandy.

Christine and Mandy move to a flat in the Edgware Road.

Stephen Ward leaves Wimpole Mews and moves to Bryanston Mews

Mar 8: Christine is terrified about going to Johnny Edgecombe’s trial and plans with friends to go abroad.

Lucky Gordon forces his way into Christine's flat, her friend Kim Proctor and Christine are overpowered. Paul Mann arrives shortly after and the three trick Lucky into going dancing with them. From the club Paul, Kim and Christine escape, and are chased by Lucky. Jumping in to Paul’s car, they drive straight to Dover and then onto France.

Also Mar 8: Westminster Confidential - a Westminster newsletter from Andrew Roth referred to "girls had started selling stories to the Sunday newspaper"..."One or the choice bits was a letter apparently signed 'Jock' ...the allegation being not only was this minister, who has a famous wife, her client, but also the Soviet naval attaché...Ivonove...Who was using who to 'milk' whom for information" SIC - reference The Denning Report par 132
(the newsletter is dated 8th March, it is unclear how widespread this is on the 8th. Andrew Roth is credited with breaking the story)

Mar 9: Christine arrives in Spain (per passport stamp)

Mar 10: George Wigg attends a party with Harold Wilson and Barbara Castle; they talks about rumors' of affair between Profumo and Christine, the link with Eugene Ivanov and the questions about when the bomb would arrive. (It is inevitable that the scandal will break beyond Westminster)

Mar 13: Apparently it is only now that Profumo and others become aware of the Westminster Confidential newsletter - Denning Report para 132

Mar 14/15: Johnny Edgecombe's trial at Old Bailey. Acquitted of slashing Lucky Gordon but convicted of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.

The Daily Mirror quite deliberately placing a picture of Christine next to the Profumo denial story.

Mar 15: The Daily Express runs a story of a missing witness.

Ward’s Cliveden cottage burgled and photos of Christine scattered

Mar 17: The Sunday Pictorial publishes Stephen Ward’s story, while The News of the World have Christine Keeler’s story by Peter Earle on their front page:
‘The two worlds of Christine Keeler’.

Mar 21: Issue raised in Parliament by George Wigg:
‘A possible connection between Ms Keeler, the shooting and an MP’

Barbara Castle refers to Christine as a ‘call girl’ in Parliament.

(Parliamentary privilege allows an MP to say anything in Parliament with no legal recourse)

Mar 22: Profumo meets colleagues. Makes his infamous statement to the House.

“There was no impropriety whatsoever in my acquaintance with Miss Keeler and I have made the statement because of what was said yesterday in the House by three honourable members whose remarks were protected by privilege." John Profumo statement to Parliament

Stephen Wards statement on Profumo's resignation

Mar 23: Mandy visits Julie, Christine’s mother, in Whaysbury with two reporters, asking where Christine is and the reporters offer £70.

Michael Eddowes also visits Christine’s mother and tells her Christine is a spy, and Christine would go to prison for treason, and offered £30,000 if she could confirm it.

Mar 24: News of the World report that Christine sent a postcard to Paula Hamilton from Spain. “Christine says Ivanov is a friend of hers”.

Mar 25: George Wigg MP appears on BBC Panorama, and states that it is his view that Stephen Ward and the Soviet Naval Attaché Ivanov were security risks. (Harold Wilson - Parliament debate 17.06.63)

Mar 26: Stephen Ward meets George Wigg MP at House of Commons - Ward tells a story of a London underworld of vice, violence, drugs and crime George Wigg reports to Harold Wilson MP who brings it to the Prime Minister. (Harold Wilson - parliament debate 17.06.63)

Mar 27: Meeting was called at the Houses of Parliament between the home secretary, Henry Brooke, Met chief constable, Sir Joseph Simpson, and The head of MI5, Roger Hollis. It is alleged that at this meeting it was agreed the police needed to “Get” Stephen Ward. (BBC Documentary- Tom Mangold 2020)

Mar 28: Christine flies back from Spain to England, Kim and Christine are Interviewed on return.

Kim and Christine are apparently taken to top floor of The Hilton Hotel at Heathrow by people who claim to be from the security services. Christine is warned that they will “get Stephen Ward” and, unless she helps, Christine will go to prison and they will “throw away the key” - (unwritten account)

From British Pathe

Chrisitne moves in with Paula and her brother John Hamilton-Marshall, First Floor 33 Devonshire Street. They have a housekeeper, Olive Brooker.

Lucky Gordon and the police

Apr 1: Christine goes to the Old Bailey to explain non-appearance at the Johnny Edgecombe trial. Waiting outside the court for Christine to arrive is a crowd of onlookers and photographers, along with Lucky Gordon who accosts her, needing five police officers to subdue him. (Picture)

Paula Hamilton-Marshal, a friend of Christine and flat mate

Apr 1: Investigation of Stephen Ward by the metropolitan police begins.

Apr 4/5: Police interview Christine about Stephen Ward.

Profumo takes legal action against the British distributors of an Italian magazine that had printed a story hinting at his guilt. He is awarded costs and £50 damages.

Apr 7: News of the World publishes Christine story by Peter Earle.

Apr 12: Gordon comes to 33 Devonshire Street and assaults John Hamilton-Marshall. The police are called, though it is unclear if Lucky Gordon is arrested.

Christine is separately assured by police that Lucky Gordon will be “off the streets for a week or so”

Apr 17: Stephen Ward stands surety for Lucky Gordon who is being held by the police, and Lucky Gordon is released.

John Hamilton-Marshall and Christine slap each other over something nasty he said to his sister Paula. Chris is left with a cut above her eye. "This wasn’t so much fighting, as wrestling on the couch. Christine Keeler was calling for Mrs Brooker. She came in and called for Paula, and they both pulled me off Christine. Paula on one side, Mrs Brooker on the other"? JHM court testimony.

Some time around 9pm JHM leaves sometime after Rudolph “Truello” Fenton and Clarence Camacchio arrive. Christine is very clear that this is when she first met them.

Apr 18: in the early hours Christine and Rudolph “Truello” Fenton and a friend Clarence Camacchio were going to go dancing.

Christine is first down the steps from the flat and outside followed by Fenton and Camacchio. Lucky Gordon is waiting and he launches an attack on her, slaps of punches her, pushes her to the floor and kicks her in the chest, Christine gets up and is pushed into the entrance doorway, she may also trip over a bag in the entranceway. Paula sees the attack and runs upstairs to call the police. Christine is chased upstairs. (Per transcripts from trial, however, that Fenton and Camacchio hold him back and send him on his way is not talked about in court)

""We went downstairs, Miss Keeler in front. Fenton and I followed and Miss Marshall was behind. Miss Keeler opened the door and 'Lucky' Gordon rushed in. Miss Keeler screamed. He stayed there and said: "I want to talk to you."
Keeler had then said: "I do not want to talk to you," or something like that.
Gordon grabbed Miss Keeler by the arm. They struggled and fell to the floor.. Gordon grabbed Keeler and struck her."
Mr Camacchio said that Keeler crawled upstairs.." - testimony from Camacchio given in account at a later trail.

The police are called and at 12:45 am and Dr Francis Hughes examines Christine's injuries.

Fenton and Comacchio beseech Christine not to involve them with the police, one man is married, the other on probation and they are both West Indian. They hide in the flat when the police turn up.

Christine's account of events to the police, do not include the witnesses, Fenton and Comacchio. (This will prove devastating for Christine at trial)

Christine also notes that Chief Inspector Samuel Herbert and inspector Burrows are most interested in Lucky Gordon's connection to Stephen Ward, how she had first met Lucky through Stephen and Stephen's interest in West Indian girls.

Apr 18: Christine moves to Primrose Hill

Apr 19: Lucky Gordon arrested for assault on Christine, He is also interviewed and gives a statement to Chief Inspector Samuel Herbert for the Stephen Ward case.

Apr 23: Chief Inspector Samuel Herbert arranges for the arrest of Mandy Rice-Davies at Heathrow for having a driving license with false date of birth. Mandy's bail is set at an affordable amount and she is held in Holloway Prison for nine days.

May: Mandy Rice-Davies appears at West London Magistrates’ Court and later flies to Majorca

Mandy is arrested again returning for holiday, this time in connection with a rented TV. She is released after giving a statement against Stephen Ward.

Apr 26: Lucky Gordon committal proceedings. Christine gives her address as 33 Devonshire St.

The Lewis Morley shoot early in May

May: Christine Keeler Chair photo-shoot by Lewis Morley at Edgar Brind’s Greek Street studio, London.

May 17/18: Christine flies to Nice, France, presumably for a modelling job (shots from the Riciera) per passport stamp

May 19: Ward writes to Home Secretary Henry Brooke and later to opposition leader Harold Wilson complaining about police persecution.

May 20: Christine sees Ward at Bryanston Mews West for probably the last time.

May 21: Stephen Ward gives a statement to the press, however no newspaper will print the story without proof.

The Chair - The iconic image copied

Now admitting he had lied to the house Profumo resigns

May 25: Labour MP George Wigg raises a question in the House of Commons about possible security matters.

May 27: Edgecombe’s appeal dismissed.

May 27: Robin Drury interviews Christine on tape in London for a book/film story of her life. She talks honestly about the night Lucky Gordon attacked her in April, the two witnesses and John having slapped her.

Jun 4: With the Lucky Gordon trial imminent, Profumo expects to be named in court so, in a letter to the Prime Minister, he resigns from the Cabinet, admitting lying to the House of Commons about his relationship with Christine Keeler.

Jun 5: Lucky Gordon trial begins at Central Criminal Court for the assault on Christine

Jun 6: Gordon, unhappy with his defence, decides to represent himself.

The trial is widely reported particularly an explosive statement in court from Lucky Gordon.

"She has told me of her past, about Stephen Ward and being that she had known him since she was about 14. And she went to live with him, and since then he has been teaching her to aggravate people. Not only that, but since she turned the age of 17 she has been on the phone working as a call-girl and supporting him."
Lucky Gordon’s explosive statement in court.

To lie in the nude
May be terribly rude,
But to lie in the House is obscene. - A limerick from the time

Outside The Old Bailey

Lucky Gordon's statement is front of the Evening News. “Gordon said that Christine had been working as a call girl and supporting Dr Stephen Ward”.

Lucky Gordon calls on other witnesses, Fenton and Camacchio, the police return that they cannot be found.

Jun 7: Lucky Gordon is convicted of Actual Bodily Harm against Christine and sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

Jun 7: Christine tells Daily Express about seeing Profumo.

Robin Drury and a friend Alex ask Christine for £15,000 to turn the tapes into a book. Christine disagrees and they end up burning the tapes. Unbeknownst to Christine, there is a copy.

Jun 8: Stephen Ward is arrested and denied bail, he is charged with living off the immoral earnings of Christine, Mandy and some other woman including Ronna Riccardo.

Jun 9: Sunday Mirror publish the ‘Darling’ letter from Profumo.

News of the World begins the Christine £23,000 story ‘Confessions of Christine’ and continues it on 16 and 23 June. ‘I yielded to this wonderful huggy bear of a man’.

Robin Drury now tells Christine that he still has the tapes, they had burned a copy, and he now wanted £10,000 For them or he would hand them over to the police.

Comarchio was also being offered money by the press to go to the police and say that Christine had lied in the Gordon assault trial, he too was asking Christine for money to keep his silence.

Jun 11: Gordon gives notice of appeal.

Michael Eddowes tells the newspaper “Ivanov had asked Christine to get secrets from Jack”.

Jun 14: Rice-Davies tells police about “The Man in the Mask” and the the sex parties.

Jun 17: Debate in Parliament, SECURITY (MR. PROFUMO'S RESIGNATION).

Jun 24: Lord Denning starts work on his report into possible security breaches arising from the Profumo scandal.

Jun 28: Ward committal proceedings Marylebone Magistrates’ Court.

Jul 3: Stephen Ward committed for trial and given bail.

Sometime soon after Christine receives an indirect message from Stephen Ward
"..if you don’t put the blame on the police, he'll [Ward] get you as far as the Lucky Gordon case is concerned." - per CK account 1989

Jul 6/7: John Hamilton Marshal gives a statement to police that he was in fact responsible for Christine injuries April 18. - (newpaper report Daily Herald 8/7/1963)

Robin Drury hands the tapes over to the police, having not received a pay off from Christine. - not sure of the date but the police have this tape the same weekend.

Jul 7: The People newspaper find one of the ‘missing witnesses’ Camacchio “maybe I know something, maybe I don’t. It’s not my business”

Jul: Christine meets Lord Denning. Christine is now convinced that Stephen Ward is a Russian Spy and she tells Denning how Stephen had introduced her, at Wimpole Mews, to Roger Hollis (head of MI5, a suspected Russian spy) and Anthony Blunt (since confirmed as a Russian spy) and about Sir Geoffrey Nicholson MP meeting Eugene Ivanov. She told him Stephen had once got her to take documents to the Russian embassy, and how Stephen had once said President Kennedy was too dangerous and needed to be “put out of the picture”.

Lord Denning met with Stephen on 3 occasions for his investigation, and Profumo on two occasions.

An amusing story in The Mirror, They can report that there are disgusting rumors that Prince Philip is involved and these rumors are completely untrue.

Christine and Mandy at court - photo Evening Standard

July 16: Superintendent Axon interview one of the missing witnesses from the April LG assault - Peter Camacchio

July 18: The other missing witness Fenton with his solicitor visit the police.

Jul 22: Trial of Stephen Ward starts. Charges include living off the immoral earnings of a number of women.

During the trial Mandy is questioned regarding her affair with Lord Astor, and that Lord Astor had denied any affair. Mandy replies with the iconic quote “He would say that, wouldn’t he?”

Christine relationship with Major Jim Eynan and Profumo's £20 gift for her mother are used as evidence of prostitution.

Mandy’s £100 rent cheque from Lord Astor and money she had received after sex with Dr Savundra, “the Indian Doctor” was used as evidence of prostitution linked to Stephen.

He would say that, wouldn’t he? -
Mandy Rice-Davies famous quote from Stephen’s trial when told Lord Astor had denied any affair.

It might well be that the complainant’s, Ms Keeler, evidence was not completely truthful. It was not for the court to decide -
Lord Parker's note to the Stephen Ward trial.

(Lord Parker's note is often criticised as Christine isn’t condemned as a perjurer. It may be that Lord Parker didn't want to overreach in his statement, or he was pressured not to risk the Ward trial and, having reviewed the original trial, he may have felt some sympathy for Christine who was still clearly the victim of a crime)

Why Christine went to Prison

Lucky Gordon on his release

To Ronna Riccardo great credit, at trial she retracts her police statement, that she had sex for money and given it to Stephen. She accuses Chief Inspector Samuel Herbert making her lie and threatening her family.

A prostitute called Vickie Barrett gave evidence that Stephen had introduced her to men for sex on a number of occasions and kept the money, evidence that seemed improbable.

Jul 30: The Lucky Gordon appeal of his conviction in the assaults of Christine is upheld by Lord Parker.

Lord Parker’s note to Stephen Ward's trial regarding this appeal is ambiguous.

Lucky Gordon is freed from prison soon after.

Stephen Ward going into St Stephens Hospital London

In the Stephen Ward trial, after a damning summing up from Sir Archie Marshall, Stephen Ward, now despairing and convinced he will be found guilty, returns home for the last time.

That evening Stephen writes a number of letters to friends before taking an overdose of barbiturates.

Jul 31: With Stephen Ward in hospital, in what is seen as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British legal history, the trial concluded and Stephen is found guilty of living off the immoral earnings guilty in absentia.

Aug 2: Christine is devastated at the news of Stephen suicide attempt and has a panic attack, as recorded in court by Dr M Leser.

Aug 3: Stephen Ward dies in St Stephen's Hospital Chelsea.

Christine Reading the Denning Report

Aug: the Robin Drury tapes of Christine are now in the possession of the courts.

Sep 6: Christine, Paula Hamilton-Marshall and Olive Booker are arrested and appear at magistrates’ court. There are a number of charges including perjury at the Lucky Gordon assault trial.

Sep: Christine buys 30 Linhope Street, London NW1, and moves in not long afterwards.

Sep 25: Denning report published, the inquires into the events, key players were interviewed. The report found no breaches of security arising from the Ivanov involvement and ministers had acted appropriately. Even at the time, the report was widely dismissed as a whitewash.
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Christine Leaving Court

Oct 2/4: Committal proceeding in the case against Christine and others for perjury, Magistrate Aubrey Fletcher.

Camacchio has also denied Christine’s story, that he had attempted to blackmail her, and Christine is also charged with falsely accusing him of blackmail.

Oct 4: Robin Drury does an interview and states - Christine said on tape that Lucky Gordon had not hit her. This is contradicted in court by detective Axion who says the tape does not say that.

Oct 18: Seen as out of touch and severely damaged by the Profumo scandal, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan resigns.

Nov: Christine is advised to plead guilty to perjury, and throw herself on the mercy of the court. She is told the other charges of conspiracy and falsely accusing Camacchio of blackmail will be dropped and she would likely serve 6 months in prison. She is advised if she fights the case, with public opinion against her, she will likely get two years, and leave herself open to a civil case on the blackmail charge.

Nov 26: Robin Drury is quoted as saying he is penniless - Evening Standard

Dec 6: Christine pleads guilty to perjury in the case against Lucky Gordon.

Jeremy Hutchinson, her barrister, pleads her case for leniency in a speech thought of as one of the most brilliant and longest speeches at the Old Bailey. Christine has been the victim of wicked men, including Stephen.

She is sentenced to nine months in Holloway Prison

“And if private eye print a picture of me on a bed, I’ll sue” Private Eye being satirical.

Private Eye - Dec 1963

Dr Ward was on his own admission a man without morals. What he lacked in morals he made up for in charm. He had great artistic flair and won his way into a snob world of power and privilege, taking with him young girls. Miss Keeler was one of them, whom he groomed and fashioned – rather a sort of perverted professor Higgins.” - extract from Jeremy Hutchinson speech at the Old Bailey.

1964

Christine taken on her release from prison

Jun 8: Christine is released from Holloway after serving six months and returns to live at 30 Linhope Street.

Aug - Heavily pregnant friend, Kim Proctor, moves in with Chris.

Oct 16: The ruling Conservative Party loses in the general election, the Profumo affair having destroyed the credibility of its government.

1965

Oct 22: Christine marries James Edward Levermore

1966

Mar 7: Lord William Astor dies.

Apr 16: Chief Inspector Samuel Herbert dies. With a £300 per annum salary, he leaves an unexplained £30,000 in his bank account (£200,000 in today's money).

Jun 22: Christine has son James Levermore.

1969

Christine, David Bailey, Penelope Tree and Marianne Faithfull, at the launch of "Goodbye Baby and Amen" 1969

Jul 7: David Bailey photographs Christine

The News of the World publishes Christine Keeler's memoirs.

Oct 2: Independent Television Authority bans ITV stations from carrying commercials for the News of the World that mentioned Keeler or her memoirs.

Oct: Both the BBC and ITV announces that any planned appearances by Keeler have been scrapped.

1971

Feb: Christine marries Anthony Platt.

Dec 4: Christine has a son, Seymour Platt.

1972

Mid year: Christine and Anthony Platt separate.

1973

Lucky Gordon is sentenced to six months for stabbing an ex girlfriend five or six times with a screwdriver

1975

Portrait by Irish artist Philip Corley, the only portrait Christine sat for. (Thank you to Richard Fairchild for use of the image)

January: Artist Philip Corely, with whom she had a brief relationship, paints Christine. Not including sketches by Stephen, it’s the only portrait Christine sat for. The figure in the background represents John Profumo.

Back panel of portrait by artist Philip Corley, Christine’s signature is clear.

1976

Apr 25: Collin King (previously Colin Keeler) Christine’s father dies. Christine would only find out a few years later

Christine and her son Seymour travel to Rio in Brazil where she has been asked to go over for some interviews with local press. Whilst there, everything changes for Christine, all of her money is suddenly gone, her then solicitors who have been dealing with her business affairs stop taking her calls and Christine struggles to return home, Her and her son are stuck in Brazil for several months.

1977

May 27: After an acrimonious legal battle, Christine and Anthony Platt Decree Nisi is granted and their divorce is complete. Son Seymour is made ‘A Ward of Court’.

1978

Jan 18: Christine and Seymour new address: Flat 7, 67 Elm Park Gardens, London.

Apr 17: Housed by the council at 25 Dartrey Tower, World’s End Estate, London. The flat was new and completely empty, the council puts in carpet and some kitchen appliances a small amount of furniture as she is deemed destitute.

Around this time - Christine met with Lucky Gordon. It was arranged by Frank Crichlow who owed the El Rio club.
Christine took her son Seymour, now that Christine had nothing she needed to hear from Lucky that he would leave her alone. (Nothing but)

“I have a vivid memory of that day, Frank with his big beard, he seemed so friendly but clearly in charge, Chris told me he was an important man. There was a group of men and Chris all sitting around in a restaurant, the tables had been cleared. I was sent out to play with the other children while the grown ups talked,” - Seymour

1979

To get away from the names Keeler and Platt Christine changes her name to Christine Sloane.

1983

Nothing But ... Christine Keeler by Christine Keeler and Sandy Fawkes (New English Library) is published.
Christine is very unhappy with the finished book, and doesn't have the control she wants to make changes.

Feb: Mariella Novotny found dead at 41 years of age, she had choked on her own vomit while eating jelly in bed. Mariella had been talking about publishing an expanded memoir on her lifetime of sexual encounters, Christine and others have claimed her death was suspicious.

Marriella was also interviewed by Denning, testimony that will be available to the public in 2048.

1984

John Hamilton-Marshal dies,. in “An English Affair” by Richard Davenport it is alleged that he committed suicide with Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

1988

Jan 8: Christine appears in Bryan Ferry music video for the song “Kiss and Tell”, alongside Mandy Smith, famous for her relationship with Bill Wyman. It was a long day filming but Christine didn’t meet Bryan Ferry who only arrived on set after she had left. She was told by the crew Bryan was very shy.

Jun 3: Christine appears on Channel 4 show “After Dark” a late night conversation show.

Jun 25: The last time Christine and son Seymour see her mother and her son Jimmy (James), after an innocuous argument, Christine’s mother vows never to speak to her again.

Out doing publicity for Scandal 1989

Her book Scandal! by Christine Keeler is published.

Scandal the movie is released, staring Joanne Whalley Kilmer and John Hurt.
Christine attends premier at Leicester Square with her son Seymour.

April - Christine and Seymour travel to America to publicise film.

Jun 26: They rent 38 Oslo Court, Prince Albert Road, London NW8.

July: Christine goes to Australia to publicise Scandal.

Jul 21: They now move do 60 Tormount Road, London.

Sue Lawley interviews Christine and John Hurt for the film Scandal.

Sue Lawley appears to be quite hostile - “..hasn’t the family of Profumo suffered enough..”

Christine and her son Seymour at the premiere of Scandal

1990

Christine buys 129 Edgeley Road, London SW4 6HD

1991

Interview with Channel 4 - on the places important to to Christine growing up.

She tells her story about finding a Second World War bomb in the river and taking it home.

1993

Christine and Ivanov in Moscow 1993

Christine Keeler travels to Moscow to meet Eugene Ivanov and publicise his book “The Naked Spy". They meet for the first time since he returned to Russia in 1963.

She said how shocked at how old he was, and he wasn't at all well.

30 year after the Denning report was published, it is time to release the secret documents to public or destroy them. John Major, then Prime Minister, apparently reviewed the papers and it was decided to keep the records secret until 2048.

1994

Jan 17 - Eugene Ivanov dies

1997

Christine is living at 418 Fairfax Drive, Westcliff on Sea, Essex SS0 9RW, to be near her remaining family

1999

Christine moves to 18 Bruce Grove, London.

2001

The Truth at Last - My Story by Christine Keeler with Douglas Thompson (Sidgwick and Jackson) is published.

2002

Christine and son Seymour at his wedding 2002

Jul 27: Christine attends her son Seymour’s wedding in Scotland.

Christine was approaches to be in the first season of “I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of here”. Thanks to her fear of spiders, she never regretted saying no.

2006

Mar 9: John Profumo dies.
"I still remember a massive pack of journalists arriving outside Christine's flat in Tottenham" - Seymour

2007

Christine’s son moves to Ireland with his family, to be closer Christine sells 18B Bruce Grove, and buys 4 Cecil St, Holyhead.
The night before she leave a removal van with her possessions is stolen.

2008

Christine’s granddaughter is born.

2009

Christine moves back to London, 3 Parkside Court.

2010

Mar 11: Christine moves to 19 Holmoaks House, 47 Bromley Road.

Sep 26: Jonny Edgecombe dies.

2012

Jan 10: Julia Ellen Payne, Christine’s mother dies. Christine and her family are not made aware of her death.

Secrets and Lies by Christine Keeler with Douglas Thompson (John Blake) is published.

2013

Dec 3: Stephen Ward (musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber) opens at the Aldwych Theatre and closes a few months later. Mandy attends the premiere, Christine never sees it.

See Actors who have played Christine

Charlotte Spencer (Christine Keeler), Charlotte Blackledge (Mandy Rice Davies)

2014

Dec 18: Mandy Rice-Davies dies of cancer.

My life has been one long descent into respectability - Mandy Rice-Davies

2017

Mar 15: Lucky Gordon dies.

Nov 25/26: Christine sees her family, for what will prove to be the last time.

Dec 4: At around 11:15pm, Christine Keeler dies in the The Princess Royal University Hospital, Orpington.

Dec 16: Christine's funeral at Kensal Green Crematorium, following a horse drawn procession up Ladbroke Grove.

Christines Funeral - Picture Seymour Platt

2019

Dec 6: Her son Seymour, granddaughter and daughter in law scatter Christine’s ashes on the Thames near Hythe End, Wraysbury, where she used to play as a child.

Dec 29: The Trial of Christine Keeler premieres on the BBC.

2020

Christine's son Seymour talks about why his mother should not have gone to prison and how funny she was, on Good Morning Britain

2021

Jun 16: The campaign to overturn and clear Christine Keelers name submits its application for a Royal Pardon to the Secretary of State for Justice. Special thanks to James Harbridge (Solicitor) and Felicity Gerry (Barrister) for their extraordinary help.

2022

Mar 22: Over 250 pages of evidence and legal documents sent to the CCRH (Criminal Case Review Commission) to overturn Christines 1963 conviction.

2048

Jan 1: Remaining documents from Lord Denning's report are set to be opened to the public, 75 years after it was first published and still secret and highly sensitive. The papers may mention more on the allegations of spying around the scandal and were therefore embarrassing to the secret service, or maybe the papers just mention the names of powerful people who where at sex parties in the early 1960s. However keeping the papers secret for so long means they must be embarrassing for somebody.

Christine always maintained that these papers would exonerate her.