The first year not camping in the camper van, and as it happened, dominated by transport hurdles to overcome. Michael rented a Ford Puma, no dogs allowed, so we both drove down in our respective cars on Saturday. M could not find the unlock button, to drive the Bartons from Wentworth to Cinema, then his shoe came off to drive them home. In the end, dogs Bartons Michael and I piled in.
Tea at the Wentworth was Michael and Jills excellent idea. A table reserved (necessary as all places full) useful as I was early and could relax, reflect on the morning, write a list, feel comfortable, and remember the 50th birthday week here. Still same staff and owner (hovering) dogs welcome, sandwiches with crusts cut off , fresh scones lashings of cream – oh and good company. Michael Barton, back in 1964, interviewed the Fab Four and did a voice over for one of the first Beetles films, The Mersey Sound. A rich past. His voice is there!
We were the stick people – 5 sticks between us. The front row worked. Craig Brown was genial and warm with his anecdotes. Perhaps the best one was the story of how, travelling back up to Liverpool, they selected a village at random (one with a nice sounding name), asked over the hedge the way to the river, the people invited them in to their living room, where there was a piano. Can I play it, asked Macartney? I’ve just written a song. He played Hey Jude. The pub opened late too.
Craig found a link between Gin, a moped accident and the fashion for moustaches. A quote from Benjamin Britain: I have a very busy life and don’t listen to gramaphones or know the Beetles, but I hear they are very funny.
The Final Account, Luke Holland’s final and passionate documentary recording last living generation of Hitler’s Third Reich to explore how they feel about their actions.
The debate afterwards was the most interesting. An historian present, Mary, made it clear it was a docmentary of fact, but more a film of memory. Although archive footage gave it a spurious history accurate quality. A reckoning. Did they know was not the right question. Rather What did they do about it? And indeed what would we in the UK have done about it. If Auschwitz was in Hampshire, by Bond
If Auschwitz had been in Hampshire
There would have been Englishmen to guard it
To administer records
Marshall transports
Work the gas ovens
And keep silent
The smoke would have drifted over these green hills
It’s not that all men are evil or creatures of instinct
We – even our subjective self – are products of history
Of political change
In history two things join
Our will and things beyond our will
We change what we are as a means of controlling these things
That is: we create a new culture
We remain human only by changing
Each generation must create its own humanity
And the smoke will drift over these green hills
Our culture makes us barbarians
It does not allow us to live humanely
We must create a new culture
Or cease to be human
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