Category: Archive Tidbits

Oct 1936 Bill C. a Canadian alkie staying at Bill’s house, committed suicide using a gas stove. Oct 1939 1st central committee formed in Cleveland; 1st example A.A. rotation. Oct 1942 1st issue of Cleveland Central Bulletin is published. Oct 1944 First non American branch started in Sydney, Australia by Father T V Dunlea &…

Sept, 1930 Bill wrote 4th (his last) promise in family Bible to quit drinking Sept, 1939 Group started by Earl T in Chicago. Sept, 1940 AA group started in Toledo by Duke P & others. Sept, 1940 Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases gives Big Book unfavorable review. Sept, 1946 Bill & Dr. Bob both…

Aug 1934 Rowland H and Cebra persuade court to parole Ebby T. to them. Aug 1939 Dr. Bob wrote & may have signed article for Faith magazine. Aug 1941 1st meeting in Orange County, California held in Anaheim Aug, 1981 Sales of the Big Book passes 3,000,000 Aug 1981 Distribution of Alcoholics Anonymous passes 3…

July 1939 Warren C. joined A.A. Cleveland, caused debate because he was not hospitalized. July 1944 Bob writes article for Grapevine “On Cultivating Tolerance”. July 1962 ‘Victor E’ cartoon first appeared in Grapevine. (Some say May 1962). July 1-3, 1960 25th Anniversary of AA in Long Beach, CA. July 2-3, 1955 20th Anniversary Convention at…

June 1, 1949 Anne Smith, Dr. Bob’s wife, died. June 4, 2002 Caroline Knapp, author of “Drinking: A Love Story” died sober of lung cancer. June 5, 1940 Ebby Thatcher took a job at the NY Worlds Fair. June 6, 1940 The first AA Group in Richmond, VA, was formed. June 1979 AA gave the…

March-May 1938 Bill begins writing the book Alcoholics Anonymous. May 1939 Lois W Home Replacement Fund started at Alcoholic Foundation. May 1949 The first AA meetings in Scotland were held in Glasgow and Edinburgh. May 1950 Nell Wing became Bill W’s secretary. May 1951 Al-Anon is founded by Lois W. and Anne B. May 1,…

April 1935 Dr. Silkworth told Bill to quit preaching at drunks & tell them of obsession & allergy. April 1950 Saturday Evening Post article “The Drunkard’s Best Friend” by Jack Alexander. April 1958 The word “honest” dropped from AA Preamble, “an honest desire to stop drinking”. April 1966 Change in ratio of trustees of the…

March 1936 AA had 10 members staying sober. At end of 1936 A.A. had 15 members. March-May 1938 Bill begins writing the book Alcoholics Anonymous. Works Publishing Inc established to support writing and printing of the book. March 1940 Mort J. came to LA from Denver; started custom of reading Chapter 5 Big Book at…

Feb 1908 Bill made boomerang. Feb 1916 Hazing incident Norwich University, Bill & sophomore class suspended Feb 1938 Rockefeller gives $5,000 to AA. Saves AA from professionalization. Feb 1939 Dr Harry Tiebout, 1st Psychiatrist to endorse AA and use it in his practice. Feb 1939 Dr Howard of Montclair, NJ suggests swapping “you musts” for…

  Dec 1934 Bill & Lois start attending Oxford Group meetings. Dec 1934 to May 1935 Bill works with alcoholics, but fails to sober any of them. Lois reminds him HE is sober. Dec 1938 Twelve Steps written. Nov/Dec 1939 Akron group withdrawals from association with Oxford Group. Meetings moved from T Henry & Clarence…