tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post5143127375349256565..comments2024-01-02T16:30:43.455+00:00Comments on Hog Day Afternoon: Savile Row - Suits you, sir?Hogdayafternoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06188146617570775741noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-45422339001962414682012-10-14T19:07:27.969+01:002012-10-14T19:07:27.969+01:00I've had many a brew in Dunny's. Drove rig...I've had many a brew in Dunny's. Drove right past it not 2 days ago en rt up north for t weekend.Hogdayafternoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188146617570775741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-53251262833513961272012-10-14T17:58:05.299+01:002012-10-14T17:58:05.299+01:00Then, on another note entirely...
My father was in...Then, on another note entirely...<br />My father was in management in a weaving company, and often I'd work my school and college holidays in some menial task in the mills. <br />The women there were scary. No delicate roses at all. As a young lad always ready to blush, I dreaded running the gauntlet of the weaving shed, or the mending department. But I had some protection, that limited their actions, in that I was the son of one of the bosses, and my dad was widely liked and respected as a fair man.<br />Last week, however, at one of the mills, I met a man who'd started work there in the sixties, and he told me about the 'initiations' yound apprentices had to endure. He was lucky. On his first day, he was sent to work for the mill's boilerhouse, a mostly male environment, where there was a bit of horseplay that included him being immersed in a tank of stinking water, and having his hair gelled with black grease. <br />His pal, however, was sent to work in the weaving shed. And was groped every time he passed through. At the morning break, a mob of women surrounded him, grabbed him, and pulled his trousers down. they dragged him, kicking and yelling, and crying in humiliation, to their break room, where they held him down, and one of the younger women cut his pubic hair with a giant set of cropping-shears, then lathered his groin with soap, and shaved him. She....<br />Well, I'll leave out the details, but she aroused the virginal, terrified boy to an erection, at which point one of the older women, the ringleader, hooked a milk-bottle out of hot, almost boiling water, wiped soap around the opening, and slipped it over his erection. Then they stripped the rest of his clothes off, and pushed him out of the door into the mill yard, to roars of laughter, and no sympathy. The cooling milk-bottle was impossible to remove, as suction and swelling combined, and nobody was willing to break it, so he had to be taken, wrapped in a blanket, to the hospital's emergency department, and more humiliation. The young boy had burst blood-vessels in a very private part, and never returned to work at that mill. His friend, who told me this, said he never recovered fully, and was always afraid to be in any place with groups of women. He left the town a month or so later, and joined the navy, where, I suppose, he thought he'd never have to face a factory-full of women again. <br />The man who told me this said the women threatened to 'get' him too, but he clambered up into the beams and steampipes above, and scuttled about all day in the roofspace, having things thrown at him, and people yelling, "you have to come down some time!".<br />He was rescued by his boss, and the women were told that any person who continued to taunt him would be walking out of the gate, without a job and without pay. <br />Still women would look at him and mutter "You're dead, kid."<br /><br />Abuse is not solely a male crime.soubriquethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01151288534629885195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-22286312587241389162012-10-14T17:25:05.456+01:002012-10-14T17:25:05.456+01:00Back in the nineteen-sixties, I was in a children&...Back in the nineteen-sixties, I was in a children's hospital for three years. Jimmy Savile used to visit. He arranged entertainments for us, and, I was given to understand, was instrumental in getting us radios and then televisions in our wards.<br />The hospital contained girls and boys to the age of sixteen. I never heard anything whatsoever, from children or staff, that was negative. And believe me, we kids were expert at eavesdropping the nurses, we were desperate for all and any stories from the outside world. We knew the bad nurses, the ones to avoid. We didn't take our troubles to the adults, there was no point, you'd only be called a liar or attention seeker, and get some sort of punishment. But, as I said, I heard nothing from anyone, negative about Jimmy Savile.<br /><br />It may be that he did the things that people are now coming forward to claim. <br /><br />But for me? I always wanted to thank him, and never actually did, though I would quite often see him, in Dunny's cafe, by the riverside in Otley, where he'd sit quietly enjoying a mug of tea, in a non-flamboyant tracksuit, with a hat pulled down disguising his long blonde hair. Only really given away by the heavy rings on his fingers. Sometimes we'd exchange a few words, about the weather, or something inconsequential. I never felt it was the right time to speak up and thank him for bringing a little fun and diversion into the place we kids called 'Stalag Luft III'.<br /><br />So. Monster or saint? Who can say? If he did evil, then also he did more good in his life than a hundred ordinary people. Who decides where the balance will rest? I don't believe in god or an afterlife, myself, so I'd say he's dead. That's the end of it. Nothing said or done now can change or undo what has passed. <br /><br />And if I was religious? I'd say he's now in the hands of the one who knows all our secrets, and will face a judgement that none of us are qualified to make.soubriquethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01151288534629885195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-80632997419301967232012-10-14T13:01:05.356+01:002012-10-14T13:01:05.356+01:00Darn thang's smarter'n me :(Darn thang's smarter'n me :(Hogdayafternoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188146617570775741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-72776760766281831252012-10-14T07:55:33.122+01:002012-10-14T07:55:33.122+01:00Heh! Sometimes those things don't really live ...Heh! Sometimes those things don't really live up to the name 'smartphone', do they? ;)JuliaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07844126589712842477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-20796154987835184802012-10-14T01:42:32.317+01:002012-10-14T01:42:32.317+01:00"...thangs I nud hep."
Is that ethnic s..."...thangs I nud hep."<br /><br />Is that ethnic slang. Never seed that afore :-)<br /><br />Fingers too large for that smartphone "keyboard?" :-PQuartermasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-3945232092506450342012-10-13T18:55:15.567+01:002012-10-13T18:55:15.567+01:00JulianM. We didn't switch. That's part of ...JulianM. We didn't switch. That's part of my point.Tadanorinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-90135658369979479242012-10-13T13:13:55.522+01:002012-10-13T13:13:55.522+01:00Sorry re the duplicate comments comments. Typping ...Sorry re the duplicate comments comments. Typping on a smutphone that thangs I nud hep.Hogdayafternoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188146617570775741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-86002468236649710552012-10-13T10:35:56.004+01:002012-10-13T10:35:56.004+01:00Juliam. I hope his victims get what they need. He&...Juliam. I hope his victims get what they need. He' s dead, I say ' so what?'<br /><br />QM: :O Pedantic I ain't. ;-)Hogdayafternoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188146617570775741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-85233320240613892792012-10-13T06:54:53.671+01:002012-10-13T06:54:53.671+01:00"On the assumption Savile's accusers are ...<i>"On the assumption Savile's accusers are telling the truth..."</i><br /><br />When did we switch from the accused having the presumption of innocence, to the accusers having the assumption of pure motives?JuliaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07844126589712842477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-74673236206329015792012-10-12T23:44:50.713+01:002012-10-12T23:44:50.713+01:00OK. You said Motorbike, which in the former coloni...OK. You said Motorbike, which in the former colonies has a different meaning. Since you are in the old country, I guess I can let you slide :-)Quartermasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-72667283632470482482012-10-12T21:49:10.532+01:002012-10-12T21:49:10.532+01:00Troub': I only read it recently. Sex, violence...Troub': I only read it recently. Sex, violence(well rough stuff), and the last of the leaky Trumpets! Cant ask for more:-)<br /><br />QM: Oh yes I did;-)Hogdayafternoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188146617570775741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-75082633701299747532012-10-12T21:47:14.579+01:002012-10-12T21:47:14.579+01:00Troub': I only read it recently. Sex, violence...Troub': I only read it recently. Sex, violence(well rough stuff), and the last of the leaky Trumpets! Cant ask for more:-)<br /><br />QM: Oh yes I did;-)Hogdayafternoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188146617570775741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-48074747162128761872012-10-12T01:41:00.949+01:002012-10-12T01:41:00.949+01:00Do you realize that you did not mention motorcycle...Do you realize that you did not mention motorcycles once in this post?Quartermasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-17500553025990878482012-10-11T19:35:39.484+01:002012-10-11T19:35:39.484+01:00On Australians and perceptions - I was down under ...On Australians and perceptions - I was down under during the time Crocodile Dundee was the rage, or as the Australians say, "Flavour of the month"<br /><br />Walked into Melbourne's most prestigious dept store, George's, started giving my best Paul Hogan imitation to this rather matronly sales woman. (eg, "She'll be right mate, What do you reckon, etc, etc) <br /><br />She looks at me silently for about 5 seconds then says, "Look, we don't talk like that here" <br /><br />On men and propensity to rape - just before going into the Army 40 years ago (last month it would seem) a Lt told me about the "10% rule" <br /><br />Take any population sample and I don't care what the issue is 10% "eff" it up for the other 90%. <br /><br />I would imagine as a former policeman you saw this rule many times and up close. <br /><br />There are, I'm sure, women who have been tormented by this the rest of their lives, women who falsely accuse men for their own reasons, and men who are both justly and unjustly accused. <br /><br />It's a screwed up world out there. <br /><br />BillBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-63328738540059396282012-10-11T17:38:01.893+01:002012-10-11T17:38:01.893+01:00Hey, I have Jupiter's Travels at home right no...Hey, I have Jupiter's Travels at home right now, next on my list to read. I know, I'm behind the times.<br /><br />I've worked for a criminal defense attorney for the last 12 years and I tell you it has been an eye opener. We have seen a lot in that time. From the mean predator types of males to the men who have fallen prey to the promiscuous 15 year old siren lying about her age to see how many she could put in jail.<br /><br />I think there are three sides to every story and the tale isn't usually a pleasant one.<br /><br />Trobairitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03453398807198746434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-78254757790864432972012-10-11T14:03:19.318+01:002012-10-11T14:03:19.318+01:00Tadanori: I can see your points but...
I met a lot...Tadanori: I can see your points but...<br />I met a lot of victims during 32 years in the police, but what I thought I knew about the plight of victims of this nature was embarrassingly small compared to what I learnt in 18 months working for Victim Support. Perhaps those in the Savile fiasco, like others I've known in similar situations, feel they want to be set free as best they can and have chosen the path that they feel they can bear - the line of least resistance. A victim similar to the one I alluded to in my post told me everything, but refused to make a formal statement saying that suicide would be preferable to facing the enquiry, court case, aftermath.<br /><br />As for dear Oscar, I'm not sure he masqueraded as anything other than what he was, whereas the current bete noire in the media....Hogdayafternoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188146617570775741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434417594974826136.post-18824448946543481282012-10-11T13:15:08.338+01:002012-10-11T13:15:08.338+01:00History continues to be re-written because its inc...History continues to be re-written because its inconvenient and the accused cannot defend him or herself.<br /><br />Should we take down the statues and paintings of Oscar Wilde because he was a sexual predator of those under lawful age and vulnerable? At least he had a criminal trial yet is remembered mostly for his literary excellence.<br /><br />On the assumption Savile's accusers are telling the truth, what Savile is alleged to have done is terrible. But he was, till now, remembered for his philanthropy - charity fundraising and giving his own time to those good causes.<br /><br />He can't defend himself yet his tombstone has been removed and other potential punitive measure proposed?<br /><br />It seems to me that there are double standards at work here.<br /><br />This is not to minimise the trauma suffered by those alleging abuse but why bring it to the public domain now? Is it a cathartic action or perhaps an attempt to claim on his estate?<br /><br />I do not understand why this issue is so high profile <b>after</b> his death with swift knee jerk reactions.Tadanorinoreply@blogger.com