One of the works of Sophie Calle which attracted my attention was Talking to Strangers. I grew up being afraid of strangers and it has taken over fifty decades to overcome the fear, My childhood was one of controlled isolation where friendships outside the home were discouraged because my mother feared her secret would be found out and the nature of our relationship established which would have damaging repercussions for her employment as a teacher and the financial survival of the family which included a dependent disabled sister, a dependence older sister and a dependent younger sister who had difficulty keeping the most basic of jobs. I never knew the agreement she had reached with my father and the Catholic church over our respective positions. I believe she was also afraid of me, of what I would become.
Later the imposed fear of strangers became complicated with adolescence and then I became committed to an occupation where confidentiality was paramount, one of Father Biestek’s golden principles of social work, and enshrined in the law in various ways. When I last checked the position, which is now over a decade, there were rightly dozens of different pieces of legislation protecting the position of employer’s, colleagues and service users, and it would eb surprising, given the enthusiasm of the Labour administration for legislative action if the position had not been developed and become more complicated as the extent to which information gained by officialdom in all its guises has to be shared and placed on databases in order to protect children and other dependents from abuse and everyone from the terrorist.
In addition to professional and managerial restrictions imposed as a public servant I also agreed to the sign the Official Secrets Act when acting as a temporary government inspector and there was also contracted arrangements when sitting on a committee of enquiry in the early 1980‘s, to subsequently acting as an adviser investigator for the National Lottery Charities Board in the 1990 where the requirement was also to hold documentation for a period of years.
This all has severe repercussions on my social life outside of work because by nature I like not only to talk but to communicate about fundamentals in as honest, direct and frank way as possible. This created further barriers to those developed in childhood and it was only through the creative work of the past decade that I have come to regard sharing oneself as a gift to others while also treating anything shared with me as confidential unless permission is granted to disclose or the matter is already published or made public. The Internet computer has made this possible and immediate. I therefore have enjoyed the freedom to talk within the limitations imposed and self imposed by my work and its aftermath, and talking with strangers has its special characteristics. I suspect there is a substantial difference between my approach and that of Sophie Calle which appears controlled and edited no different from the precision masterpieces of the visual artist times past and where an audience is essential for the work to live. Mine is more inspirational and spontaneous and the writing is rarely reworked more than once so that its imperfections remain intentionally and not
On the way to London, assisting a fellow passenger with their luggage led to conversation, mostly one sided on my part, for the hour’s journey to York where the individual alighted. As people use trains increasingly for short as well as longer trips there is never sufficient luggage space, especially on stopping trains from Aberdeen in the North of Scotland to London and back. There is usually only half an hour turn around time at Kings Cross so with cleaning and restocking and then inserting the seat reservations there is only ten to fifteen minuets for every one to board. On my most recent trip ticket guards formed a chain across the platform which did help to avoid the scramble as everyone tries to find their seat and luggage space at the same time. People lack the discipline to check the seat numbering from outside and thus prevent adding to the struggle by moving within a carriage in the opposite direction to those entering at the correct end.
When relaxing on a settee at the Royal Festival Hall on Saturday afternoon I could not help listening to the conversation taking place on the seating backing on to mine. In one instances a young man was explaining to a young girl that his friends having obtained posts in the provinces after qualification in London he did not visit because of the limits of the cultural life in Northern towns. I could not resist giving him a mini lecture on the virtues of Hull which eh singled out and of Newcastle. He was followed by a trio of young women concerned how the restrictions on the London Underground over the weekend would affect their evening. As it was evident they did not possess accurate information I passed over the full page listing of works and closures which had been published in the London Evening Standard on the Thursday, but not Friday’s edition and which meant that anyone travelling into inner London without access to the paper or to the internet would not know what was happening beforehand. My impression is that the situation has been a regular one as the infrastructure of London Transport is modernised for the 2012 Olympic games.
On the train journey home there was however an example of a helpful intervention which nearly ended in disaster. I had adopted a relaxed approach to the return journey making my way across London on the Thames link train at East Croydon which continued without stopping until London Bridge station and then weaves its way in and out of tunnels to St Pancras. I arrived at Kings cross via the side entrance to hear an announcement that boarding on the 12.30 to Newcastle had commenced and this meant there was no time to buy a BLT baguette. I found that I had been allocated an aisle seat at a table for four which is difficult unless you know the person opposite in terms of foot space and luggage. Fortunately in this instance I spotted a vacant pair of seats close by once the train had set off and moved there after assist the individual opposite at the table to place a bag in the top luggage rack. I had sensed the two women were not talkers and they did not engage in discussion with each other after I had moved
The advantage of the table is that it is easy to use the lap top especially now that every pair of seats has a mains socket whereas my lap top does not fit on the single seat shelf formed from the back of the next seat. I managed by placing by shoulder bag on the spare seat and using this as a surface for the computer.
It was after York as we approached Northallerton that I noticed the young Asian looking young man asking the ladies if he should get of the train for the connection to Middlesbrough. They hesitated and recommended Darlington the next stop, although were a little guilty as we then passed by a sign mentioning that there were trains to Middlesbrough from the station. I was not concentrating on this matter as the train approached Darlington as aware that one of the ladies was getting ready to depart I prepared to move back to the table to use my computer for the rest of the journey, about half an hour of writing in comparative comfort as well as privacy. As we were stationery at Darlington and I had moved into the table corner seat the woman leapt up to remind the young man that he should be getting off the train and as I learnt later he was assisted with his luggage by a member of staff who was working at the adjacent buffet. The woman return to her seat and then cried out in horror as she saw her own main case sitting with his luggage on the platform as the train departed. By the time the train reached Durham twenty minutes later the location of the missing case was not resolved. At Durham I packed up which meant moving to the other end of the compartment where my case was located but on alighting to the platform at Newcastle I walked back to the other doorway to enquire if the matter had been resolved. IT had in so far that it was admitted that the buffet assistant had put out the luggage under the impression that the man who could not speak any English and had a piece of paper on which an address was written, had confirmed it was his. He had then moved with his luggage to enquire about a train to the Boro leaving the woman’s luggage alone on the platform where it had been placed. It was being put on the next train from the Boro to Newcastle and she would have to wait around three quarters of an hour. Being the good Samaritan can have drawbacks.
I had managed to get by BLT a sandwich and a cup of tea soon after the train set off and then managed to spill almost all the contents of the plastic mug. The guard was nearby and went and got me a replacement which when still full and train jerked over some points I managed spill over myself as well as the one of the seats. I felt a fool and was for not taking more care.
Arriving back at South Shields it started to pour with rain so I made a dash to the Wetherspoon’s in time for the afternoon Fish and Chip special with bread and butter and a cup of tea cost only £3.20. The rain stopped sufficient for me to complete the journey in the dry. A young woman was smoking under the porch as I arrived and we briefly chatted. Later I did not recognise her at the bar as I went up to order the food and she had removed her coat until she told the bar I had just got off the train from London and had been caught in downpour which she said had been worse earlier in the day. It was evident from the rest of the conversation with the barman that she was celebrating a birthday with a small group of female friends and that she was disappointed that many of those known to both of them were not coming on this inhospitable Monday night. Later the group moved on with the intention of getting ratted. Another group of different ages and sexes appeared to be having a great time from the laughter which emanated. It was between six thirty and seven as I made my way up the rest of the hill. The night was very young for these revellers
On the Sunday I had watched the first of the five part documentary drama Queen- the Monarchy, which was being shown on five consecutive nights on channel four and set out to reveal the behind the scenes reality of major events during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the second’s fifty years of reign so far. The programme has a good format using original news film from each period plus interviews with former and present insiders and dramatised exchanges involving the Queen to provide the Inside Story. I remained uncertain about the objective of the series throughout.
The first programme covered her role in relationship between her sister and Captain Peter Townsend, the Equerry to the Royal Household, and although an outstanding war hero, he was an older married man and a servant in the royal household. The main point of this episode was to allege that the Queen had played a key role in persuading Princess Margaret that marrying Group Captain Townsend after he had become divorced and she had reached 25 years at which she no longer required the consent of the monarch was not in the national interest or that of the Church of England and the Royal Family. The position taken by the Queen was understandable given that she had only inherited the title from her father because of the abdication of his brother. The programme suggested that without the intervention of the Queen, the marriage would have gone ahead because the government indicated that the marriage would not be opposed as long as the Princess gave up her place in the line of succession. The programme heralded the position the Queen, her mother and Princess Margaret would take in relation to the break up of the marriages of her children and the marriage of Charles to Mrs Parker Bowles two generations later.
While in the 1950’s the majority of the country and further afield had sympathy with the Princess there was a different mood developing about the value of the Monarchy as the 1960’s moved into the 1970’s and an increasing majority refused to accept authority simply because of the positions held. This was not the right time to address the request for an increase in the civil list, that is the money provided by the tax payer for the upkeep of the institution of the monarchy which includes the full costs of pubic engagement carried out and the upkeep of the official residences, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham and Balmoral for the Queen and the other Palaces and State Parliaments for her children and subsequently her grandchildren.
The Civil List had not been increased during her reign but the move occurred at a time when the Wilson Government contained many who questioned the value of the Monarchy. The request was not helped by the Duke of Edinburgh who said he might have to give up Polo and move into a smaller home. Wilson’s approach was suggest caution and the setting up of all party committee so that any recommendations would command support of a majority. The Queen and members of the family together with Palace official resented the intrusion into the details of their official expenditure. The private income was kept private and the issue of paying income tax was not then under an issue allowed for discussion. Interestingly the programme reveals that the Queen was more comfortable with Labour Harold Wilson than she was with Ted Heath and was pleased when he was defeated in the election which was billed as the state versus the miner’s, and who had gone on strike for the first time in fifty years and where everyone including the palace had restricted electricity supply for several hours every day. On one visit to a university the Queen was subjected to heckling which included chants of Queen Out. I was reminded how strong the Wilson government had become with forceful characters such as Barbara Castle and Michael Foot on the left, Callaghan, Crosland and Jenkins and with the republican Willie Hamilton voicing what many felt was the incompatibility of the British democratic state being run by Monarch led hunting aristocracy.
What turned opinion back in favour of the Monarchy in a period where questioning its value had increased from under twenty percent to forty was two staged events with the Investiture of the heir to the throne Charles as Prince of Wales and the marriage of Princess Anne. However the event which had the greatest impact was the near murder of Princess Anne whose car had stopped and attempt made to abduct her during which her body guard was severely injured. The Civil List was doubled and Republicans would have to wait another 20 years before the issue came to the fore again.
The next event covered by the series was the relationship between the Queen and Margaret Thatcher who adopted the royal “we” although in fairness in the context of her government and emphasising the democratic nature of her position against the heredity position of the head of state.
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Since the ending of the Empire the Queen has regarded herself as more than just a figurehead for the nations participating in the Commonwealth, all former colonies of the British Isles. The issue which was reported to have divided the Thatcher and the Queen was the wish of the Black African states in particular to establish meaningful economic sanctions against Apartheid South Africa. Margaret Thatcher was rightly opposed to sanctions on the grounds that they never worked because friends and enemies would provide materials and services and the impact would be felt both on imports thus causing hardship among the very people the sanctions were trying to help as well as hitting exporters of manufactured goods and services at home. However whereas opposition to sanction is the correct position from the viewpoint of a government elected to progress and sustain capitalism there is the moral problem as opposition to sanctions appears to indicate support for a loathsome regime which had no intention of changing except through military intervention. The queen feared the Commonwealth would break up and is represented in the programmes as wanting a compromise.
The position deteriorated with a significant boycott of the Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh and where I was able to get a ticket sitting a few rows behind her Majesty on the day of her second visit after the official opening. The situation was eased by the adoption of less effective sanctions by the ECC which Britain could sign up to and a briefing of the newspaper Today by the Queen’s Press Secretary in which he disclosed her concern over the possible break up of the Commonwealth and her concern at the way the police were responding to the Miner‘s strike. That the position of the Queen became known did help avoid the breaking up of the Commonwealth but the constitutional significance cannot be overplayed. The programme suggested that the Press Secretary lied and mislead to save his ski but would eh have briefed the media in such a way if he had not been convinced that her Majesty wanted her view to be known? We have a situation where the head of state is just a figurehead but which in turn supports a feudal system of wealth, power and status and where governments and the Prime Minister in particular is able to act as a President and enjoy all the privileges which political power brings while preparing to create a fortune once they leave office through the connections and alliances which have been formed with power establishment led by the monarch. It is a system which works and it is questionable if there are other systems which work better in the interests of all the people. What is interesting is the Queen appeared to get on with Labour administrations more than the Tory ones of Heath and Thatcher. .
As someone who has witnessed unprovoked police brutality against peaceful demonstrators, it will be surprising and that I also understand the difficult task the police have in any situation where there is a mass protest especially when they are outnumbered. The problem is that there are always individuals and groups determined to create violence both to overthrow the system or to discredit those demonstrating. Recently the report on policing at the economic summit in London concluded that different training was required. At Whitechapel Gallery last Friday I discovered that there was an organisation which had promoted the violent overthrow of a bank and distributed a newspaper promoting the action. I have also witnessed two situations and London underground stations where mobs of violent men associated with individual football clubs not only fought each other viciously but then turned on the police who were attempting to keep the mobs apart. I was also aware that in the Miner’s strike the motivation of the Leader was not just halting the contraction of the mining industry and the protection of jobs and livelihoods but a political desire to bring down the Thatcher Government as happened in relation to Edward Heath, and to impose a Stalinist type of socialist dictatorship. It is never easy and almost impossible to strike the balance between protecting the state and you and me from the criminal, the violent and the terrorist and the right to demonstrate and voice dissent.
In the fourth programme last night Barbara Flynn played Her Majesty during the Annus Horribililis in which the carefully crafted myth of a united and happy Royal Family dedicated to public service was blown part by her children as one by one marriages of the three eldest children fell apart. The programme was explicit over the use of the press by the Princess of Wales and that Charles mislead his mother over his relationship with the married and then divorced Mrs Parker Bowles. The behaviour of Sarah Fergusson was also covered and the break of the marriage of Princess Anne. What shook me and I hope was duly noted by the palace is that the Queen was shown to have become more affected by the fire at Windsor Castle than the behaviour of her children. What was revealed about the relationship between Charles and Camilla appeared to me to make it difficult for him to be accepted as King when his mother dies or for Camilla to gain the affection of the people. The development of the UK as a multiracial and multinational society will have profound effect on the future of the monarchy and the nature of British Government over the next five years of which the effects of the expenses scandal is yet to be realised.
The final programme last night was splendid in that it explained the firm opposition of the Queen, supported by her mother and her sister to recognising the long standing mistress of Prince Charles and how she was persuaded to accept the situation once a decent period had elapsed after the death of Diana, especially when her grown up grandchildren accepted their father’s long standing choice of partner. The programme ended with what appeared to be a very moving and heartfelt acceptance of the marriage and best wishes from the Queen at the wedding day reception.
The programme was revealing in several respects. It showed how Prince Charles set out to force the Queen to accept Camilla as his wife and future Queen for that is what she would be in all but name. He hired a bright young and active media team who defined the problem as the Queen, Queen mother and Princess Margaret being old fashioned and out of touch and unlikely to be persuaded to change their position and 60 million citizens where an increasing number we were divorced, lived with or had mistresses or did not care what the Monarchy did or did nor do as long as it did not affect their lives. He sent out to change public opinion and was exceptionally successful in this.
The message of the series is therefore you can get away with anything as long as you have the right public relations and media team. You will continue to be able to do so in government as long as there are two substantial political parties who broadly agree with the existing economic and financial and political structure and system of the UK. This involves maintaining the role of city, banking and investment system, the Monarchy and the Parliamentary system with the government supremacy aided by a House of Lords and a weak House of Commons. I suspect they will get away with it but as the composition of the society changes, as the further education development takes full effect, I believe no one can forecast what will happen although the next few months could prove crucial. Long may she reign I say, but after her there has to be change.
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