Speakers' Corner

Posting this on 15 December 2017 as I take the final test to give me the ability to apply for German citizenship. This step prompted  in part by Brexit and also by the lack of tolerance, debate and fairness in the political and journalistic scene. I find it increasingly difficult to identify with the treatment people are having to face from their leaders and opinion makers. I don't have an issue with the ordinary "folk" even though I don't understand why it is tolerated by so many.

Back in 1975 living in Bina Gardens, South Kensington, London SW5 ( I have to note this for my own reference!) in a flat share with two brothers, a mix of Dutch and Northern Irish and they either owned or were the main renters of the property. I am sure someone else was also there who I simply can't any longer be sure of. I can't even remember how I got the room but think it was through Norfolk friends.

What I do remember was that it was a great time. We all got on very well together and spent much of our free time  & weekends undertaking things together with mutual friends.

Some quite ridiculous things like a monthly Saturday morning visit to Harrods just up the road for a haircut and then a pint in the bar there before picking up some outlandish groceries which we cooked that evening.

Or we spent Saturday lunchtime in the Drayton Arms at the bottom of our road while our clothes whizzed around in the Laundromat next door. Space Invader machines were the big thing in the pubs back then as they replaced the Ping Pong Tennis machines which I guess were the first game machines.

The other thing we did was find new places to have a pint, usually somewhere on the Thames - from Kew to Greenwich. I can't think where we were heading though on this Sunday. I know there was the odd place in Mayfair behind the Playboy Club and although flatmate Andy W. was a banker (Australia & New Zealand Bank?) and had somewhat more spare cash than the rest, we weren't up to the Playboy Casino!

Anyway, this was Speakers' Corner at Marble Arch in Hyde Park. The days when Freedom of Speech was a British tradition. Yes of course the person on their soap box got hustled but it was almost always with humour, tolerance and fun. Seems to me that this is missing in 2017 England (and other places.)