Published below in black text is the official Stalinist revisionist version of HIV/AIDS history by UK's dominant agency THT, but published in red text are the facts they did not want you to read about. The backing for these facts are contained in contemporaneous media reports and publications of the time.

This timeline covers some of the events forming THT's history, and some of the wider context in which these took place. We welcome feedback; if you think something is missing that should be included, please email us.
If you are interested in the history of HIV and AIDS, then resources you may find a useful starting point include Avert's detailed online history; 'The end of innocence, Britain in the time of AIDS' by Simon Garfield (Faber & Faber, 1995) and also Simon Garfield's article '20 years of AIDS' from the Observer. Also to be read are The AIDS War by John Lauritsen, Dirty Medicine by Martin Walker and AIDS - The Failure of Contemporary Science by Neville Hodgskinson.

GRID (Gay Related Immune Deficiency) is renamed AIDS after the same immune deficiency syndrome is found in Haitians and heterosexual women.

A second public meeting is held at the London Apprentice in August and the Trust is reborn as the Terrence Higgins Trust.

The first THT health promotion leaflet is published, and the first appeal for Buddies is made.

TV programs Panorama and Horizon run documentaries about the new disease.

The Helpline starts up, operating from 8pm to 10pm on weekdays.

THT forms Europe's first People With AIDS (PWA) support group.

THT holds its first national conference 'AIDS UK 84'.

HIV genetic variations are discovered, making the development of a vaccine more difficult.

The First European AIDS conference is held.

By the end of 1984 there have been 108 AIDS cases and 46 deaths in the UK.

The first THT candlelight vigil is held in Trafalgar Square.

THT rents a second room in Panther House and employs its first two full-time paid members of staff, one of whom, Nick Partridge is now Chief Executive.

The first meeting takes place between THT and the government.

The Department of Health publishes its first advice on AIDS to medical practitioners.

The Health Education Council produces its first literature on AIDS

Actor Rock Hudson dies with AIDS.

Body Positive, the first UK self help group for people with HIV is founded in London.

AIDS reported in 51 countries

First report of the transmission of the virus from mother to child through breast feeding is published.

Blood donation centres start screening for HIV.

STD Clinics start offering HIV testing

Interfaith Group, Women's Group and Family Support Group are set up.

THT produces its first safer sex video 'Gearing Up for Safer Sex' with Clean Cut.

UK government sets up a Cabinet Committee on AIDS

The government launches its first AIDS health education campaign 'Don't Aid Aids' which has little public impact.

THT moves to Grays Inn Road.

THT employs its first Health Education Officer, Health Information Officer, Volunteer Co-ordinator and first Legal Officer.

Stephen Fry produces 'Hysteria', a comedy benefit for THT

Princess Diana opens the first specialist AIDS hospital ward in England at Middlesex Hospital.

UK HIV organisations Positively Women and the National AIDS Trust are launched. Also launched was Positively Healthy.

The Football Association warns players not to use communal baths or to swap shirts at the end of a game.

The AIDS memorial quilt is started by a San Francisco gay rights activist Cleve Jones who made the first panel in memory of his friend Marvin Feldman.

The Helper Cell Group is formed to provide practical help to people with HIV.

Armistead Maupin signs copies of his books at THT's offices to raise funds.

THT releases 1,000 balloons to commemorate the first World AIDS Day, roughly the number of recorded AIDS cases in 1987.

London Lighthouse opens as a residential and support centre for people with HIV.

British insurers call for HIV tests for all men seeking policy cover of more than £50,000.

Foundation of Frontliners, the UK's first PWA organisation run for and by people with HIV. Frontliners operated from THT offices on the top floor and dictated its AIDS policy to THT in an autocratic manner as all its members and officers were PWAs.

Foundation of BHAN, UK's first Black and Minority Ethnic AIDS agency.

THT boycotts the 6th International Conference in AIDS in San Francisco (see right hand panel).

The red ribbon is launched as an international symbol of AIDS awareness

Freddie Mercury dies with AIDS. Freddie was notorious for his drug abuse of cocaine, the contribution of which to his death has been ignored and suppressed. He was notorious for making cocaine available at all his orgies and parties and several of his close friends and companions with HIV similarly succumbed.

In a press release dated 14th December, THT volunteer Michael Murphy, who headed the internal investigation into allegations of serious mismanagement and maladministration within THT, alleged he was "forced" to resign as inquiry chief when Nick Partridge, THT's acting CEO, refused to allow him "access to independent advice" at an internal "kangaroo court" held at THT on 11th December, where allegations were to be examined about Murphy's alleged "leak" of his findings of gross mismanagement and maladministration to The Independent. This followed the resignation on 18th November of Steve Smith, leader of THT's 600-strong 'Buddies Group', which befriended and cared for those with HIV or AIDS at home, who alleged that "the management and board of THT have failed to handle competently THT's budget and this resignation reflects the lack of confidence widely felt by a majority of volunteers in relation to THT's financial management". Moves were then allegedly made by THT to scrap the THT Group Leaders Committee, causing Murphy to state "This is a blatant attempt to silence yet another voice of discontent within THT. It is at best a crude attempt to silence criticism, at worst a cover-up. No one wants to be seen as bashing THT, but this should not be used to emotionally blackmail critics into not speaking out where such criticisms are justified and can easily be substantiated by documentary evidence".

On 14th December Pink Paper journalist Ben Summerskill published an expose accusing Nick Partridge of siphoning off £78,000 from THT's pension fund to pay staff salaries. Partridge admitted culpability and agreed "an immediate repayment of £13,500 to the fund and agreed to make repayments of £10,000 each month for the next seven months". At the same time as admitting he had raided the fund to Pink Paper, Partridge gave an interview to Capital Gay on 20th December in which he stated "It is simply not true to say pension funds were used to pay staff".

Magic Johnson announces he has HIV

The National Audit Office shows that millions of pounds allocated for AIDS have been misspent on other programmes by health authorities.

The Independent, Sunday Express and Pink Paper published allegations, on December 5th, 8th and 14th respectively, accusing Andrew McDonald, of McDonald Associates, of pocketing £90,000 for "fund-raising" on behalf of THT, despite the fact that he had allegedly raised not one penny for THT. Partridge rushed to cover up the scandal by claiming that McDonald had "secured donations from Elton John and the late Freddie Mercury's estate", but spokespersons for both stars "denied the gifts were made because of McDonald", alleged Murphy. THT insiders told the press that the actual sum alleged to have been paid to McDonald totalled £115,000 over the 17-month period he was associated with THT.

In order to allegedly manipulate the board of THT to appoint him CEO, Partridge abolished the alternative positions he could have been appointed to, Press Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, posts he had formerly held. As THT's longest serving employee, the stark choice before the board was to either appoint him CEO, or sack him. Partridge was unsurprisingly appointed to the post of CEO shortly after.

THT launched four glossy brochures aimed at those with HIV or AIDS in conjunction with Wellcome, manufacturers of AZT (the only drug licensed to treat AIDS in the UK), in which the logos of THT and Wellcome were juxtapositioned, but the brochures copyrighted by "The Wellcome Foundation". The production of the brochures was allegedly kept secret from THT staffers and bypassed the Publications Viewing Committee which traditionally oversaw all publications bearing the THT hallmark, alleged THT whistle-blower Michael Murphy. Murphy's press release claimed "Many of the facts contained in the brochures are being questioned. Some embarrassment is being felt by THT staff members in relation to their content. These reservations, coupled with the political debate as to whether this close linkage with the manufacturer of AZT is ethical, will no doubt be pursued by others. What I am interested in is the secrecy in which this project was carried out and the cavalier manner in which Partridge has ridden roughshod over the interests of THT in this matter".

Helpline extends its operating hours to 12pm to 10pm.

The Living Will is launched, the result of a joint project with King's College.

Frontliners was forced to close following evidence submitted by disaffected members and officers of maladministration, gross misconduct, malfeasance and financial irregularities invloving 6 figure sums.

POSH chair Stuart Marshall's partner donates THT 'heart logo' to THT from his company Accident which designed and held the copyright.

Gay Men Fighting AIDS is formed by former THT employees disgusted at the "de-gaying" of AIDS by THT.

Tennis player Arthur Ashe announced his HIV diagnosis.

Benetton use an image of a man dying of AIDS to advertise their clothes to widespread criticism.

Such was the controversy generated by the THT scandals in 1991 that a group of disaffected THT staff and volunteers submitted a dossier documenting allegations of "fraud and corruption" within THT's management to USA's leading gay newspaper, New York Native, who promptly despatched to London their chief investigative reporter, John Lauritsen, to investigate and report on THT. His report was published on 10 February, entitled 'Something Rotten in the British AIDS Establishment', and we publish the relevant extracts which expand upon and present new material to that already published in the 1991 section above. Click here to read the articles.

An auction of Elton John's record collection raises £182,000 for THT.

'Positive Lives' photographic exhibition opens at the Photographer's Gallery.

Tony Whitehead, the first Chair of THT, is canonised by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

To mark the 10th anniversary of THT, Jonathan Mann gives a lecture on Human Rights and HIV.

Russian ballet star Rudolf Nureyev dies with AIDS.

Arthur Ashe dies with AIDS.

Results of Concorde Drug Trial announced

In an article published by Capital Gay on 23 April "The Board of Terrence Higgins Trust angrily denied charges of 'murder' for promoting the drug AZT this week, following a picket of the AIDS charity's building by a group calling itself Gays Against Genocide (GAG)...calling on Trust chief Nick Partridge - who they refer to as Nick the Sick - to resign his job". The story was also picked up and reported in Time Out on 5th May. Michael Murphy's prescient 1991 prediction, that THT's links with Wellcome, AZT's manufacturers, would result in this matter being "pursued by others", therefore chillingly came true in a manner which eventually resulted in THT successfully prosecuting and jailing the two founders of GAG, HIV-positives Karl Burge and Michael Cottrell, and in securing their imprisonment, despite the fact that the men clearly had severe mental health problems. Burge and Cottrell came near to committing suicide whilst imprisoned, when fellow prisoners discovered that they were gay and HIV-positive and issued threats to kill them, and to this day they remain irreversibly damaged and scarred by their close brush with death in a London prison.

S64 funding Government funding to THT, London Lighthouse and AIDS Ahead is cut.

BHAN was forced to close by the Charity Commissioners following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police over the embezzlement of £500,000 by its treasurer.

POSH holds its first UK conference in London, Staying Alive, which attracts 394 attendees, Channel 4 (broadcast as 'Drugs 'R Us') and the front page of the Sunday Times.

Health Minister Julia Cumberlege blocks a £2m HEA safer sex campaign and suspends all its sexual health work.

Film-maker Derek Jarman dies with AIDS.

Tom Hanks wins an Oscar for playing a positive gay man in Philadelphia.

THT and Crusaid create a joint hardship fund.

The Treatment Action Taskforce is formed.

The results of the clinical trial 'Delta' confirms that combining the drug AZT with ddI or ddC is far more effective than AZT on its own.

The WHO global program on AIDS is closed after widespread criticism.

The Community HIV and AIDS Prevention Strategy (CHAPS) is launched.

THT launches its web site.

The first Christmas fundraising event is held at Selfridges, Oxford Street.

THT, African Advocacy Foundation and ATP launch a campaign to ensure availability of the new treatments.

Protease inhibitors new class of HIV drugs widely discussed at Vancouver
Triple combo using the protease inhibitoprs becomes standard treatment replacing dual therapy

Heavyweight boxer Tommy Morrison is identified as HIV positive after being tested prior to a fight, and as a result is totally barred from the ring everywhere.

The viral load test is developed providing information about the risk of disease progression.

By the time of the international AIDS conference in Vancouver it is apparent that triple combination therapy is more effective than dual therapy.

THT employs its first Health Promotion Officer for African People.

Tony Whitehead awarded an MBE for his services to the Trust.

Helpline awarded health services accreditation as a quality service to the public.

30 million people living with HIV worldwide.

Jonathan Mann, the first director of the Global Program on AIDS, dies in an aircrash, along with his wife the AIDS researcher Mary-Lou Clements-Mann.

The first human trial of an AIDS vaccine starts, using 5,000 volunteers from across the USA.

In South Africa, an AIDS activist was beaten to death by her neighbours after revealing her HIV positive status on TV.

THT leads mergers with Bridgeside in Leeds, HIV Network in Coventry, Sussex AIDS Trust in Brighton and OxAIDS in Oxford and later in the year, merger with counselling organisation Red Admiral Project in London.

Launch of the 'It's Prejudice that's Queer' campaign.

Russia's official AIDS prevention centre reported a twelve-fold increase in new HIV cases in Moscow.

The inaugural Diana, Princess of Wales Lecture on AIDS is held in London, given by Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

In the UK a judge orders that a baby born to an HIV positive mother be tested for HIV against her father's wishes

33 million people living worldwide with HIV/AIDS.

Merger with the Aled Richards Trust in April and London Lighthouse in October. National organisation known as Terrence Higgins Trust, while London service centres are known as Lighthouse.

THT wins Social Care charity of the year.

South African President Thabo Mbeki expresses the view that he is unsure the HIV virus is not the sole cause of AIDS & refused to consider vertical transmission treatment

In South Africa, 1,500 people are infected with HIV every day.

THT publish groundbreaking report showing links between social exclusion and HIV.

THT Direct service launched, offering telephone and email advice and information.

Living Well with HIV services launched,a national specialist health promotion service for people with HIV, covering all aspects of health and well-being.

The first person to be tried under Scottish law for culpable and reckless conduct in transmitting HIV to someone else is found guilty.

One in four people newly diagnosed with HIV in the UK is infected with a viral strain at least partly resistant to anti-retroviral drugs

UK government launches the first national strategy for sexual health and HIV

China acknowledges its AIDS crisis (600,000 people infected with HIV)

The Treatment Action Campaigns wins its case as a South African court orders government to provide Nevirapine to all pregnant HIV positive mothers

12 million children in sub-Saharan Africa have been orphaned by AIDS

Globally, 5 million people newly infected with HIV this year

40 million people living with HIV worldwide

The UN launches a Global Fund for AIDS, TB & Malaria

The South African government drops its controversial hard-line stance on Aids drugs

The UN Global Fund stands at $1.92bn (£1.35bn), of which $700-800m will be disbursed this year and the rest in 2003.