Sunday, 5 August 2018

Life changing new perspective


Two weeks ago my world changed for the better as immediately after the first of two procedures on my eyes I was able not just  to see without the use of glasses for distance, including for driving, but to see in a way which I can best describe as high definition in vivid colours and helped by the light of a Mediterranean sun, not experienced since visits to Greece, Italy, Spain and Southern France. The treated eye quickly overcame the other which meant I could immediate drive although as, yet I do not trust the car to travel distance since its costly breakdown which took it off the road for two weeks.  The  positive aspect is that I used public transport and to walk distance from necessity.

It remains a struggle  learning to adjust to physical old age, but I remain inspired by the effort of the young people witnessed during the 2012 Paralympic games. Bouts of self discipline are not good enough and sustained effort remains a challenge.

I am also revising what I have written over what has become a week,  instead of a day, to consider another orchestrated assault on the Corbyn leadership of the Labour Party, although this is not to minimise the issue of racism in relation to Jewish people which  is sometime conflated with the political actions of the state of Israel. I will speak further on this and on the procedure to remove the debilitating cataracts.

I have need again to record my day. Cryptic references in a pocket diary do not provide triggers for good remembering later  and I no longer keep up the online daily events on Microsoft since the format was changed. I am doing  this in  three forms although for how long I can maintain the discipline required remains a good question.  This also applies to my daily diet and to move my weight down from below 17 stone to at least below 16 and half by the autumn annual diabetes check so that the blood sugar will also be down and not require medication.

The first form of record keeping is by hand as I attempt to write in such a way that I can read  back, and hopefully others may if anyone comes to do so if the material is not destroyed on my end of self-aware physical consciousness. Secondly, there will be the stream typed, printed and retained within the artwork volumes including that to be regarded as confidential with the parameters of the lifetimes of anyone mentioned, and thirdly an edition part of the Google blogs, and in this instance part of a blog about my most recent two visits to London and the rediscovery of the remarkable coast line here in South Shields and Whitburn  and on to Seaburn and Roker in Sunderland.

I begin the look back with the day visit to London on May 22nd.  I was confronted with the deterioration in my left eye when I attempted to read bus numbers on arrival outside of Kings Cross station on my way to the National Theatre for a revival of a musical play about the life in a Soho club during World War II,  or “The War”,  as it will remain known to me from my direct experience of the bombings, the  over 140 V1 and V2 rockets which exploded in the Croydon and its airport  area where we lived close by in Wallington.

Time has become intermingled with distant and recent past and the present,  as  I concentrate on my personal and public records of the months between going to Birmingham to successfully participate in a Home Office  arranged child care course leading to the Central Training Council in Child Care recognition as a trained office, and ending on my first day as child care and court officer for Oxfordshire Children’s Department over a full year from the autumn of 1963 to the autumn of 1964.  The book is about my origins and how I became an extremist activist according to the principles of Satyagraha and then in 1987 was invited to become an ad hoc Inspector of Social services by the Department of Health signing the Official Secrets Acts as the means of helping to establish the new Drug Advisory Service.  The focus is on the difference between coincidences and connections.

For this work  and which  must be document and record based  given the shortcomings of memories from over fifty years ago, I am going through all the paper records I have kept in a miscellany of  boxes or processed as part of the Artmanjosephgrech 101 project. This task in relation to those  on the second floor of my present home will completed later to day

This writing commenced at ten past ten  on Monday July 30, 2018 and it is now 11.20 on August 5th. On that first day I had already completed the defrosting of freezer and returned the remaining frozen items from the two most recently purchased cool bags. After a light lunch at midday the intention was to go to the nearby  Morrisons for a refill . I was up early at 7 completing just over 7 hours on the sleep apnoea breathing machine. This has become my daily target after five years of use although on a day to day basis the range is between five and nine hours with going up to bed more often around 1am. In preparation for the eye procedure I decided to change  the face mask as the straps of the full face mask crossed just below the eyes. Fortunately, there is new  half face mask which avoid fitting directly  into  the nose which used to become regularly blocked. This is more comfortable and seems more effective in directing  air into my lungs. Staff at the Newcastle could not have been more helpful. Understanding the new car parking arrangements at the Freeman’s was a problem and I begin to understand the three levels of traffic  flow being planned at Silverlink  from the Tyne Tunnel and which seems to be taking years.  Fortunately, the road works at Heworth have been completed and  after a recent visit to the Tyneside Film theatre I did a brief tour to see the new developments at Hebburn with  housing being on the former Reyrolles site and a major development underway at the Mountbatten centre.

I watched episode three of the Unforgotten the latest police drama serial on ITV a week ago in which the conspiracy between four men  pretend they were not involved in the murder of a teenager whose body was discovered when motorway road was being worked on in London where the four men had lived within half a mile in the Holland Park area of West London. I arranged to see the film Hotel Artemis at the Bolden Cineworld at 20.50 the only showing of the day something  which before rthe cataract removal I would not have been able to do because the bright lights of oncoming traffic  affected me greatly.  The film was a disappointment. I found it boring although it was good to see Jodi Foster in the leading role.

My day visit to London had been on Thursday 22 May 2018 travelling standard class  in the quiet coach B of the 8.25 from Newcastle arriving 11.39 at cost of £36 65 with an elders Travel Card, the price of first class ticket which would have included an English breakfast and drinks had I  consider making the trip some six months before. I left the car in the Metro station car park at South Shields paying the fee of £3 for the day, only to find when I eventually arrived back that because of the wind the ticket had reversed, and penalty ticked had been issued.  This was later cancelled on submission of the purchased ticket which had blown over as I closed the door. I had to pay the single fare of £3.40 to Newcastle because my Metro pass become valid from 9.30.

I travelled back on the 19.30 and decided against the provided seat in the crowded quiet coach and found an unbooked table for four in the end coach although I was only alone for a short while when three ladies in their finery which included the latest inexpensive fashion in head dress, one hesitates to call them hats, arrived from attending an afternoon tea party at Buckingham Palace and one sat on the aisle seal seat opposite with her two companions on at adjacent table until another seat became vacant and  she was able to join them. They departed at Durham City where there were  members of St John’s Ambulance service and where in the 1990’s I had undertaken an assessment for a grant on behalf of her National Lottery Charities Board. By coincidence yesterday morning as I was going through boxes to find documentation required for my book for publication of the events in 1963 and 1964 I came across one of the manuals provided by the  NLCB. At 11 I shall return to going through the boxes, reorganising the contents into new boxes according to subjects, deciding   which I will keep here  at the house for subsequent processing into the artwork project  and ready to be placed in a self-store. This  reminds that I need to prepare a brief letter to cover the contents of a posting, so  I will end the present writing.

The purpose of the day visit to London was to see a revival of play by Rodney Ackland-  Absolute Hell. Ackland had made his name with several West end productions of his own plays and adaptations of work  from Proust and, Walpole and to Somerset Maughan. As a screen writer he had been nominated for an Oscar for the script the 49th Parallel. His 1950’s-  work The Pink Room attempted to provide an entertaining but accurate picture of life in a Soho club of which several had become notorious because of what went on and who went there.  My interest in Soho was initially because I had become a regular visitor to traditional jazz clubs soon after I left school in 1955 and then over 1960 1961 had visited and worked casually at the Partisan Coffee House which was accommodated on the ground floor and basement of the building  which housed the New Left Book club, and which is now only known for the building next to Private Eye.  Last year I had made  a another day trip on a Saturday to see an exhibition of photographs and posters of the Partisan, having in the morning visited the  site of the ten  coffee bars, restaurants and club which by friend Ann Haldane was said to have visited  before  her continuing unsolved murder in Dean Street Soho in October 1963 despite being directly witnessed by some 20 people according to police testimony at the Inquest and who reported some 70 individuals were around her as she died and they arrived. She had died across the road from  notorious night club patronised by film stars, artists, political and social  leaders while a witness  provided evidence from another known for decades because of  gay debauchery, alcohol and substance abuse.

On the evening of August 1st, I watched Murder in Soho on the unsolved murder of the internationally famous British Boxer Freddie Mills, a murder which occurred in 1965  less than two years after that of Ann and therefore much of the context of the programme is the same in terms of the description Soho as  a battleground between different crime gangs and that  many of the police  who operated  were open to financial inducements to look the other way or present events in way acceptable to others and this included  the institutions of the state.  The 90 minute programme is excellent as  it went only as far as the available information, recognising that because of the  death of almost everyone involved at that time who could make a significant contribution it is unlikely the truth can be now established other than that he was murdered and did not commit suicide and that he was not involved in the murder of a number of prostitutes which appears to have become believed  because of a book written by a former criminal. However, the senior investigating officer stated that Mills was never a suspect nor was the vehicle he drove listed among the thousands that were known to have been in the Hammersmith area. There is Wikipedia article on the Hammersmith murders which lists the various suspects and the books that have been written. The programme did not deal with the allegations that have been made that Mills was bisexual and a sadist and this aspect conflicts with the memory of their father by his two daughters and step son.

It is known that Mills came from a poor background and showed talent as a prize fighter  before WW2 joining one of the touring boxing booths where professional fighters took on members of the public and fought other professionals. He became British Champion and continued to participate in professional fights as a serving member of the RAF regiment,  although participating in the freeing of Europe he did not box for  year before a professional fight in 1945 for the World championship in which he was ill equipped but captured the national imagination.  He then gained the world title against all expectation and became the first personality with a following beyond those interested in professional boxing.  He was then able to reinvent himself participating in television shows such as the Six Five Special with Pete Murray who appeared in the programme looking his present age.  Mills also appeared  as an actor in a dozen films including two of the Carry On series. The programme suggested that his bouts of depression could have been caused by brain damage from the fighting and/or by having to adjust to losing his celebrity status over time.

Mills also opened a Chinese restaurant before Soho Chinatown, as it is known to day, developed  and which he converted into a  night club patronised by criminals as well as personalities, getting into financial difficulties which has become the main reason for his murder. The programme reviewed the possibilities of a contract killing by the Krays, the Richardson’s, one of whom appeared in the programme, and the USA Mafia who  were attempting to move in  on London at that time, and this was suggested by one former associate on camera and during a meeting with the Mills son in law. Motives included the failure to pay protection and a threat to talk to Fleet street about what was going on if the club was not provide the finances necessary.

The programme also explained that Mills had married the divorced wife of another boxer who had a son, and that extraordinarily Mills, his new wife, her ex-husband and son had spent the official honeymoon in South Africa together. It was the son in law who found Mills in the back seat of his car at the back of the night Clun . His daughters who remember  their father with great affection said he had kissed them good night at bed time, saying he was looking forward to seeing them in the morning. Evidence  was produced from experts involved at the time and subsequently who explained that Mills had been shot in the eye with it open something which suggested murder and there was no previous example of someone taking their life shooting  themselves into an open eye. The evidence has all the hallmarks of either exceptional police incompetence aided by a coroner, or deliberate cover up. At least the children were brought some consolation by the belated  induction of their father into the British Boxing Hall of Fame although there is no physical Hall  in the UK as with the crime infested rest of Boxing there are competing world  Hall of Fame as there are World Titles. There are several parallels between the  unsolved murder of Mills and that of my former friend.

The original 1050’s play,  the Pink Room had some twenty characters in the style of a Chekhov drawing room, conversing about religion, politics and life, their hopes, ambitions and relationships. Unsurprisingly its realistic but bleak outlook was at odds with the post war optimism generated by the Labour Government despite the years of continuing austerity which included rationing and the ongoing black market  together with the London based Festival of Britian which had seen the South Bank of the Thames development commence.  The critics and the national media were not impressed by the preoccupations of  individualists with the time and money to pursue hedonistic self-interest and the work failed. Terence Rattigan lost £3500, worth over 100K today and is said never to have spoken to the author again

I am not surprised  the  work failed at a time before the so called kitchen sink drama became fashionable in some London theatres such as the Royal Court with the plays of Arnold Wesker. The Readers for the Royal Court  thought the play I had submitted of interest and asked to see what else I had created which at the time I had not. Arnold Wesker also became a Member of Russell’s Committee 100 and contributed to the group of ex-prisoners  group I chaired for the Prison Reform Society and which published  inside Story 100 ideas for Prison Reform which achieved some positives outcomes and a meeting with then Prison’s Minister the Home Office and a debate in the House of Lords which I attended on the floor of the House with Jane Buxton (Lady) and Margaret Turner who wrote Gate Fever which has had something of a revival in terms of books about prison conditions for women in Britain.

The National Theatre production was of its usual high standard and reflected the manners and morals of those who frequented Soho’s private clubs in the war time era. But, and it is a big But, this is not a great work and I had hoped for a higher level of social discourse.  In this  respect I must compare the writing that of the Happy Prince , the recent film with  limited screening written, directed and starring Rupert Everet in  the role of Oscar Wilde from his release from prison to his death in Paris. Which I experienced  on my weekend visit to London at rthe end of June. I cannot wait to buy the DVD and the film script if that becomes available. I thought the writing was better than any of Wilde’s individual plays and very funny. I saw the film  with a small  mixed band of others at a  Sunday lunch time showing  at the Cineworld West India Docks.

I arrived early having set off on what I had  hoped would prove a less  Mediterranean hot day experienced at Lords on the Saturday and with the intention of visiting the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. 

It had also been my  intention on arrival at East Croydon Station to take the first train to Victoria and then the Victoria Line to Green Park, but it was crushed standing only so instead I boarded the non-stop train to London Bridge and the Jubilee line back to Green Park. This provided the opportunity to look all-round the almost completed new London Bridge station which is now on three levels.  The Platforms are all  first floor level like most platforms at St  Pancras although there at three different station areas and access points at that station. At London Bridge there is a vast platform area with access down to the lowest level from the individual platforms or from the end of the platforms to the main concourse with retail outlets and  an exit on the west side by the Shard.  At the lower level is a long arcade of  retail  and food outlets still in development before reaching the Underground station. At St Pancras there are two entrances within the concourse to Underground because of the number of lines  and a separate stairway escalator lift entrance to the Crossrail Thames Link trains.  Despite the splendid Hotel façade to St Pancras, the euro tunnel and  domestic high speed trains in addition to the  Midlands Nottingham standard trains.  London Bridge  now has the feel of  one of the great modern stations  of the world although my knowledge is only from the television.

On arrival at Green Park station I joined the main volume of people who headed directly into Green park and alongside the park to  Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard  provided by the RAF regimental band whose 100 years was to be celebrated the following weekend. I then managed to find a shaded seat in St James Park to eat a late breakfast sandwich and fruit thus abandoning the idea of going to the Summer Exhibition. I have known Green Park since 1959 where I spent a month attending a four week sales training course in Berkeley Square and which I headed on the list of successful participates. In rthe summer of 1964 when walking from the Norwich bus station to Norfolk County hall where I was on a three month work placement experience with the Children’s Department, I met the person who had finished second when he stepped into the street before me from a restaurant where he had lunched with a local agent having become the Training manager for the company  covering Southern Britain.

At Canary Wharf on Sunday July 20th I entered the shopping centre by  the Waitrose supermarket where I bought a bottle of Pepsi Max and then found a seat in the  concourse  to drink and gather my bearings before making my way to the Cineworld and  relaxing in a comfortable chair on the ground floor on my own and reading the Ghosts of Spain Giles Tremlett’s important  book on  why the majority of the population have drawn a line between themselves and the reality of the horrors of Franco’s Fascist tyranny. This contrasts with the openness of the German people about their past.

At the end of the film I found the quietest room in the Ledger Building Wetherspoons which  was full in its main area for the televised world cup game. I had a triple Chicken feast and Carlsberg for £12.50. I then intended to make my way back through the shopping centre and  Jubilee line to London bridge and East Croydon  but on reaching Canada Place found that the  Innings of England’s Women Team against India in the 20 20 the way competition with New Zealand was being shown on a  large screed the other side of the fountains.   Without the sound and unable to read the score I had to rely on others watching to establish the position and then spent a very enjoyable hour while children played in the fountains with parental approval and supervision until a security guard  decided to put their enjoyment to an end.

England after their usual slow start in the competition won the final game comfortably, unlike the final of 50 over an innings one day  World Cup final which I had experience at Lords last year which proved one the great exciting finals  ever seen at the Home of Cricket.

Because of  deteriorating eye sight, I have not been to see much cricket this season, but this changed with the acquisition of a pair of powerful but heavy binoculars and,  although later than usual, I had  managed  purchase seats in the Mound Stand under cover and on an aisle for the Lords one day final this year between Hampshire and Kent,  two southern teams after Nottingham, Surrey and Yorkshire had all missed out. I decided in advance to support the Kent Spitfires, having enjoyed visits to watch Durham at Canterbury and Maidstone, just as well as I was surrounded by  Kent supporters in substantial numbers. It was the first visit to Lords of the man and his male companion the next seats. They  had also travelled by bus from Victoria Station but were unaware of the Wetherspoons Willow Walk on the other side of the road from the bus stop. Last year it boasted as being one of  a handful of pubs that had exchanged the  unlimited filter  black coffee machine to one with options of white,  flat white,  black decaffeinated and Latte (I think). The breakfast coffee deal here is £2 more than that at the Wouldhave by Morrison’s in South Shields where they also now have one the new coffee machines.

Kent were considered the underdogs and early on it became evident why as the  bowling attack was unable to take a wicket until 136, the second at 193 and the third at 270 and three of the opening four batsmen scoring over 70 with Rossouw 125 and Northeast not out 75, steering the  closing overs to a total of 330 for 7. Kent were never in it after that and all out for 269 at the start of the 47th over. Although I was sitting in the shade, it was hot and a feature of Lords this year is the provision water taps built into the side of two stands in each side of the ground. I had to find a coffee cup having not brought a plastic bottle or drinking cup with me.

Sadly, this will be my only Visit to Lords this year because although Middlesex and Durham are in the second division together, they are only playing one game at the Riverside Chester le Street.  I timed my departure brilliantly at the 45th over arriving at the bus stop coinciding with a bus to Victoria station and then finding a  train to Brighton waiting with  a seat available before its departure  minutes available.

I have previously written of my journey to London on the Friday and back home on the Monday. On the Friday evening my usual haunt for meal, The Wetherspoon’s, George was full to bursting so I made my way to other Wetherspoon located in what used to be the Grants department store where  there was  only a limited  menu available (The Milan bar) and  enjoyed  burger, chips and a non-alcoholic drink.

My car was out of action for two weeks with a failure of the electrical control unit which occurred as I arrived England’s I day game against Australia at the Riverside and where this year members were  not only banished to the indoor  cricket centre where free instant coffee or tea was provided  but we could not purchase seats in the members balcony. I was joined at one of table by two lecturers at Durham University one of whom had cataracts removed replaced by reading lens fitted which meant he continued need glasses for distance including driving. Fearing the worst when I had tried to move the car around to face the right way for a quick departure, I watched the first 50 years, and then returned to the vehicle and contacted my emergency breakdown service and was then quickly contacted by a local service  who arrived within 20 minutes and hoped to get the vehicle started. Appreciating the problem was a more serious one I was taken with the vehicle to outside  the garage which had only recently serviced the vehicle a month before.

On Monday July 30th I continued with the sorting of papers, documents and records on the second floor work with a score of boxes some of which will be amalgamated if additional contents to make an individual box is not established. I have been through each box individually and then processed initially some new material which included  a number of conferences papers and reports which I will go through at some soon.   I prepared a salad for lunch,  then wash and shave etc before going out for the freezer restock. The post included a £7 voucher if £50 at  was spent at Tesco  which was useful as a credit card statement from Sainsbury Bank also arrived which included the £720 for the new central electronic unit which kept my car off the road for 2 weeks.

It was 5pm after a quick cup tea and a chocolate dessert treat from  the  monster shop expedition which also enabled a journey along the coast road from South Shields to Seaburn where there is a Morrisons petrol garage where I fill to  just below £30 to enable a card swipe before going the large Tesco where rhe sub total was £75, but I paid only £57/50 because of the £7 discount vouchers and other offers with  in effect a free bottle wine and side dish for two is free as part of the “10 fine dine deal.   I have already enjoyed 2 Indian curries with rice , onion bhaji and naan for £4. On return and after the dessert I enjoyed the prepared prawn salad  sitting out at the back before posting a letter and going to the local morrisons for a water melon, cherries, roast potatoes, potato wedges and a pack of frozen chicken breast (for £5.50) much better value and more convenient that the cook in a  bag chicken I had set to purchase for Sunday which I have as  a roast and then break up and create curries, pasta and stir fry’s.  Total expenditure was just over £100 for the day and set up with main meals for a month! I am enjoying the first of the chicken breast pieces later this evening with roast potatoes and mini corn on the cob.  On my visit to the Freeman’s before the cataract procedure I had visited the on the way Sainsbury for petrol and to return their recently delivered frozen vegetable packs which were being recalled by all the supermarkets because of a dangerous potential contamination.

I then did not feel like further writing so watched the local news on both ITN and BBC learning that there was  some flying in the Sunderland air show on the Saturday before the hailstorm  and a little on the Sunday although the only indication it was going on from the vantage of South Shields was a Sea King  rescue helicopter and the sound of a  jet plane. I had not left the house until mid-afternoon and the continuous light rain end with patch of blue along the coast. The grass looked fresh and damp but very green despite the drought, so I kept to the paths as descending the hill through North Marne Park. I could hear Atomic Kitten but noted the absence of  the usual number of cars parked along the length of the park. Crossing, Ocean Road which leads from the Metro and bus stations and into South Marine Park I noted the absence of motor vehicles usually tail to tail, and of walkers  to the sea front, and the park was almost deserted instead of the hundreds usually enjoying  the small steam train which circles the boating lake, who sit outside the café who picnicking, crown the two safe play areas  or occupy all the available provided seating. There appeared to be  two or three  couples outside the café,  but all the seat was vacant.

In Bents Park where the four free concerts are held each July there appeared to be under 5000 people compared the 20000 said to have crammed in the previous Sunday for the Fizz which includes three  original members of the European Song Contest winners Buck’s Fizz  plus the addition of Bobby McVeigh who were followed by Scouting for Girls. Moreover, I was able to find a seat by another elder  who I discovered was also an outpatient at the Sunderland Eye Infirmary. On Wednesday I discovered the tickets for a Bucks Fix show at Newcastle City Hall  in the 1980’s and must to see if  a programmer was purchased.

A slight rain occurred  so I decide to make my way to the covered  Walkway by the Amphitheatre, my original purpose, where the Bright Street Swing band were performing two sets between 3.30 and 5.30. I saw a former colleague who had become a Councillor and Mayor and was also a member of the same Labour Party ward, so we talked  about an event at the last Council meeting which attracted the attention of the Shield’s Gazette. I also gave a wave to the Council Leader who appeared  outside the  event control office. The numbers were low because the event is free.  People do not travel if the weather is poor and leave if they are not entertained. For rthe past two years or so it is possible guarantee a seat  close to the stage with the purchase of a £5 advance ticket. I would have like to have stayed for Heather Small but had not come prepared for continuing wet. I arrived as the  Swing band ended its first set so had a chat with a couple who were visiting from Durham City. I stayed for whole of the second set which included  favourites such as Stomping at the Savoy and a  more recent work Fat Cats, created out of anger at the Bankers.

Before the cataract removal and when the car was out of action I walked from the house as far as the Sand Dancer which I once visited at least once a week in the 1990’s for an evening meal around 5.30 and watched the cross North Sea ferry depart the mouth of the River Tyne from  the birth on the north bank on its way to a European Capital city, presently Amsterdam on a daily basis. The previous regular sailings to Bergen in Norway have been reduced to a special sailing at Christmas time. The big change on rthe river time is the establishment of  births for luxury  large cruise liners just across from where Ocean Road and the High Street reach the river by passenger ferry crossing to North Shields. People still come to view the arrival and departure of these giant sea going townships bring visitors to Metro Gateshead and Newcastle Shopping centres, the Newcastle nightlife and to see  the remains of Hadrian’s wall.

Following the cataract removal, I made the same journey  from my home through the parks and then the promenade walk continuing to the Water’s Edge which became Mango’s at the Water Edge and a major development providing a range of food, sport bar activities and a separate Fish and chip sales bar for those visiting this end of the mile long wide and dog free sands.  Alas this development is closed .

My usual walk is to  commence from North Marine Park where the open grass from the roadway where my home is located provides  an uninterrupted view out across the mouth of the River Tyne. Occasionally, I turn left and into the tree and hedge walkway passing the  safe children’s play area  going down the steep steps to Ocean Drive  where there is the Yacht Club, the Little Haven Hotel and the “Conversation” artwork by Juan Manoz, 22 sculptures each a quarter of a ton and then  along the sea wall promenade to the pier which is one mile in length and completed in 1895 before climbing the steps back to the grass bank or continuing to the Ocean Road end of  the Park and back. Less often I will continue at rhe high level to the River entry control centre and to one of  two pub restaurants remaining open and then back to where I live passing the  Arbela Roman Fort  which was the supply fort for Hadrian’s Wall on the north bank and where there are free tours during the summer on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. On Sunday August 12th  enthusiasts can participate in Gladiator training for £39.

I have not walked the pier this year or had a meal at one of the two Italian food restaurants since the cost of a three course meal, soup or potato skins, pizza or pasta, ice cream or coffee was £3.95, and it is has now risen to £5.95.   Usually I turn right on the grass bank and descend through the various walkways before crossing the road  into South Marine Park or continuing down to the sea front and the Ocean Amusement Park  on the other side of the Best Western Sea Hotel alongside the  Westhovian Theatre and the still new to me indoor leisure centre with its tradition lane pool ,  the separate large leisure pool and separate  training pool, fitness centre,  sauna and jacuzzi.  When I first arrived  to work for South Tyneside in 1974 there was a plan to build such a centre and it was  another  forty years before the plan was realised!

On recent walks I have crossed the road early and walked into the park to where the pathway meets the  small steam train circuit around the boating lake with its small island  ducks and the diminished number of swans for nesting. Because of the good weather it is unusual to find a vacant seat  at weekends  but last Sunday  I appeared to be alone apart from a few enjoying afternoon tea in the distant café set back from the lake. The train had not been brought out for its two circuit rides for £1.50 a participant and no one was playing  in either safe play areas, one for  the younger children and the other for the older and adventurous. There is a similar indoor facility as part of the Dunes Centre which is located on coast sea side of the promenade. In addition to the play area there is the Sambucco, one of the Italian style restaurants previously mentioned, a separate restaurant and bar which also now serves Carvery meals on Sundays, indoor bowling, billiard table and arcade amusements. 

Five years ago, several millions of European Euros were spent transforming South Marine park back to its original Victorian splendour as  detailed maps  had been stored together with lists of all the plantings and their locations, designs for the bandstand and of the walking ways. The Park rise steeply towards the town centre and taking this route provide splendid views out to sea back across to North Maine and Across to North Bents park which is used for major events and where 20000 people can be accommodated. The adjacent caravanning and camping centre have also been transformed with large and luxury fixed lodges. The vast areas between the caravan site, Gypsies Green and the New Crown Hotel (now a Marston’s, and I must check to see if it is the same 2 for1 menu at rhe White post on the road from Doncaster  to Nottingham just outside Farnsfield been  divided  between the football pitches and for summer  overspill Parking. It has also been a couple of years since I walked through the Amusement Park to the first in the beachside roadways and where immediately behind the Amusement Park is the all year round football and net ball courts and the skate board adventure park. The Amusement Park is now  limited to one main entrance for safety and security reasons. The to sit in fish and chip restaurants, (the Blue Marlin is one) together with the restaurant along and separately from  the Sea Hotel offer fish and chips at just below £7 for eat out and which appears to have become standard although  more inexpensive that the fish and chip bars away from the  promenade area apart for Coleman’s in Ocean Road where Foreign Secretary and one time local Member of Parliament, David Miliband entertained a Tony Blair cabinet. This national prize winning restaurant is usually packed despite  the greater cost as is its separate take out centre. Even, more upmarket is the sophisticated Colemans Seafood restaurant now on the foreshore at Gypsy Green. There are very mixed views expressed about the food and staff at the Sand Dancer these days, but it is very popular with the younger  clientele as  a place to sit outside with friends and drink  and for one of the twice a week live music session.  I have never visited the Rattler which has a railway carriage, built on bar and function room together with ownership of the car park, and has always been dog friendly. The special offer and  displayed menu have disappeared but there is a notice  that the unlimited vegetables carvery has also arrived here and last Sunday there was the sound of live music from the function  room as I passed early evening. Similarly, the special offers and outside displayed menu has gone from the new Sundial which is now part of  the Dunes undertaking. This used to be a well patronised family special offer restaurant but also appears to be aiming more up market and twenties something clientele. There was a good local band playing outside  for an hour  on a   Sunday evening after the end of the Services support day and where this year I missed the honour parade of bikers and scooter groups. It is important to underline the need for the sea front businesses to make enough during the summer weekends and school holiday to survive over the Winter. 

Despite the London pressure to destroy the local Council and its services by the Tory government, everything has been done to attract visitors by the provision all year round facilities, upgrading the parks but most of all by developing and maintaining the beach since it was able to buy out the contract to remove sand which the dreadful Progressive Council sold off during their brief years in control before I arrived with the reorganisation of local government. Much of the funds have come from the European Community Social Fund and another grant was obtained recently for  a makeover of North Marine Park like that at South Marine and  where added has been some artwork of interest and value as there is  now along the promenade also on the riverside which I shall leave to another day.

It merits underling that the beach is one of the best in the UK always with parking available across the coast road  or beach side most weekdays

The  weather  has been mixed, yesterday it was  very hot  but with a good breeze at Chester le Street Riverside for the vital 2020 cricket game between Durham and Northants who they  crushed after  losing the toss and made to bat first with a total of 170 demolishing  the visitors because of having Iran Tahir rthe short game specialist originally from Pakistan but now for South Arica and where he finished  the evening 4 wickets for 14 runs. This take Durham to the top of rthe 20 20 Northern division with a straight winning run of 5 games which they may not be able to keep up tonight at Worcester.    Last Saturday with Ben Stokes in the team they had an excellent win against Nottinghamshire just before a great hail thunder and lightning storm as I drove hone missing out the final balls for the 7 wicket win. The unexpected wins were a bonus as I watched cricket for the first without glasses in seventy years. Alas Durham lost a very close game at Worcester  less than 24 hours later, but Ben’s four wickets helped achieve an unexpected win again India in the first Test at Edgbaston which is close to where I spend an academic year at Birmingham University 1963/1964. As I never  tire of reminding a met schoolboy Ben with his father when he was brought to Durham from Cumbria where his Australian father worked as a Rugby coach, to participate in a Durham Summer school. We had a conversation about the sacrifices parents make to support  the ambitions and dreams of their children!

The cricket highlight of the week was the rare 20 20 game between Surrey and Middlesex at the Oval when there was  an unbelievable display of power batting by individuals from  both teams. The Irish batsman for Middlesex made 109 from 58 balls to set Surrey a target of 222.  The Australian Aron Finch who opened for Middlesex hit 8 sixes and 11 fours for his 117 not out from 52 balls and was supported by Roy who scored 84 from 37 balls with 7 sixes and 7 fours.  Surrey reached the required total in 16 overs and with the loss of only 1 wicket.

I first noticed a change in vision quality on a family visit to the Midlands a year ago because of a sun shining bright I had lowered visor and noticed this brought a  clearer definition. I also seemed to be more affected by the lights of oncoming vehicles at night. In the autumn I attended a comprehensive Diabetes review and mentioned the change so that an addition photo was taken of each and  the formal result passed to the GP indicated that Cataracts had developed in both eyes which required reporting to driving licences where the key issue was the ability to read vehicle number plates. I therefore made an appointment with an optician and  was provided with a new pair of distance glasses. My existing reading glasses remain good although the nature of sight meant that I could read without the need for glasses if the page was held closely.  I advised driving licences and received written permission to continue driving. I also made an appointment with my newly assigned general practitioner from the large practice which has taken over the single practice of the GP to whom I was assigned when moving to live in South Shields. Based on what I disclosed he said that further deterioration was within a wide band of six months to six years. It was not until March on another family  visit to the Midlands that I appreciated the extent of deterioration in my left eye.

By then I had come to appreciate that the partners in the new practice together with the individual GPs employed, published the areas of expertise and interest, including one partner who combined Diabetes with Ophthalmology, so I enquired, and I was told that I could make an appointment, and took the first date available which was early one morning. He immediate referred me to see a consultant from the internationally recognised  Eye Hospital at Sunderland and I was invited to a full assessment at an outpatient clinic held in South Shields.  Procedure in the left eye was recommended and because of the resultant difference between the two eyes, the second eye should be treated a month later. I was then advised of  the two dates in July and August.

I was repeatedly reassured about the success and impact of the procedure, but the large print information booklet provided listed the potential complications and their occurrence. Since childhood I have tried to avoid hospital based treatment having persuaded by care mother to bring home from a hospital while waiting for  my adenoids and tonsils to be removed. When many decades later my care mother was admitted to hospital and died three weeks later in circumstances which led to three years of going through the then separate complaints machinery, my anxiety returned although this then contrasted to care my birth mother received during the last weeks of her long life at 100 years.  Despite the reassurances and that the procedure would take 30 minutes at the maximum and that the odds for  complications were comparatively small, I remained anxious until the day before when a conversation with a woman on the check out at Morrison was most reassuring. 

I also appreciated the support given by being driven to the Infirmary arriving in good time for the schedule 2pm appointment and it was not long after that I was called and sat in a chair which later was  lowered so I could lay flat for the procedure.  My existing glasses were measured to establish the  replacement lens required and the eyes numbed. The process clearly explained, and I found  myself surprisingly relaxed.   Afterwards my companion was invited to join the arrangements for discharge and self-administer after care. I  have never been good at remembering oral delivered information and stopped attending lectures at one point unless there was opportunity  to make notes at a pace which meant I could read back what I had written  After collecting the  two kinds of eye drops, one for three days and the other three times a day for a month, from thr pharmacy at hospital I went out into bright sun light and was emotionally affected by the  sharpness  of the vision and the brightness of coloured. Although the  right eye has remained at level first problem detected a year ago if I place one hand over the treated eye the colours are significantly less bright in addition to distance  vision. I did not experience after paid or headaches, so the pain killers purchased proved  unnecessary.

Getting the drops in the eye has been difficult because I now need  close work  lens for the  treated eye which obviously cannot be used when the drops are needed. This afternoon when I went to collect the prescription for the ongoing treatment I discovered there had been a mix up in communication but fortunately a doctor was in attendance and the receptionist arranged for the prescription to be authorised and communicated to the adjacent  pharmacy so I was able to collect so that if the original supply runs out over the weekend, the replacement  is ready.  I am looking forward to the second procedure in three weeks.

I have left until the end, progressing from important and everyday personal experience to an issue which affects everyone in the UK, the power of the state, the establishment institutions, our future position in the world, our political  stability, economic development, and the nature of democracy individual freedoms, particularly what can be said in a public way including interactive discourse. When a consensus among those with existing power is threatened, the natural tendency is to take measure to defend and this involves more control and less freedom although in the more sophisticated and developed states the swing can be violently to the right or the left.

The UK is a special instance.  It is only since the General Election of 1945 and the Atlee Labour Government, when in decade of war brought austerity the nation was prepared collectively to accept several social changing development in economic management, education and social welfare and care.  This was achieved without altering the basic structure of state with its heredity  head of state who combines the role with head of the Protestant churches  with the English Archbishop of Canterbury  dominant and the Anglican Bishop also influential beyond all other religion in the Upper House of Lords. In post WW2 Britain several issues have threatened the foundations of the British way of doing things. The first was the rebellion of Catholics in Northern Ireland  against the tyranny of some Protestant Unionist who openly boasted  of using whatever government money came their way to retain power and keep Catholics out any form of meaningful power. The combined efforts of a USA president and a Catholic leaning Tony Blair brought about and end to the blood shedding on the streets of  the offshore island “province” and on the mainland island, but the tribalism involved is deep rooted with the current dominant protestant political party keeping the minority conservative party in power.

 The decision to devolve power to the National Parliament of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales had led to significantly different outcomes with that in Northern Ireland dependent on the two leaders from opposite religious divides striking a working relationships  which developed into friendship and mutual respect. The ability to strike a new balance has proved impossible so far and the prospects are not good. The Protestants fear a Jeremy Corbyn premiership. 

In Scotland the Nationalists prospered because of a conservative tribalistic power holding Labour party and the failure of the independence referendum led to a huge power balancing in the British house of Commons in 2015 with 60 members reduced in 2017 because of  the effective  leadership from the Tories in Scotland and the re-emergence of the Corbyn left. The next General Election should see a reduction in  Tory representation and an increase in that of Labour.   In Wales the position  remains different with a centrist Labour leadership in control of the Welsh Assembly and strong anti-Corbyn Members of the House of Commons with Stephen Kinnock, the son of  the former Labour leader and the curious, in the sense of odd leadership contender against Corbyn when the majority of Labour MPs, in the House of Commons passed a vote of no confidence and forced a leadership election. 

Corbyn’s astonishing  and unexpected personal performance in the 2017 General Election created a situation which the hard core of opponents within the PLP cannot accept and are now mounting guerrilla offensive through fear they will deselected in the event  another General Election as the power balance shifts away from the PLP back to the Trade Unions and the constituency parties with the enlarged membership.

Underlying all these issues remains the power imbalance between men and women and where there has been slow change despite a female  head of state. Mrs Thatcher was also a traditionalist and anti-feminists at core. There was progress during the Blair years despite the main offices of state being held by men, but because of Blair centrist management of  new PLP members there was no emergence of a socialist leaning  woman Member, Mrs May has also successfully alienated former  and current women member of her cabinet on both wings of the Brexit and Remain wings of the party.

The emergence of Jeremey Corbyn appears to have been  a mistake following the failure of Ed Miliband at the 2015 General election on the left defeating his centrist brother for the Party leadership who opted to create a new  life in the USA but be suspect with one eye on a return should the opportunity arise.  David was an excellent Member of Parliament for South Shields and when he telephoned for my support in the 2010 leadership election I commented that it would be excellent for the town and region if he became successful, following on for Tony Blair at Sedgefield. This was not about policies but the politics of power and directing resources to a region and local community which has always suffered being  at one extremity of England, and which became worse  with Scottish devolution and the need to prevent the break up of the union, the national interest and the greater good combined. On a different basis I welcome his  work to minimise the damage of Brexit and unlike some political colleagues I do not get upset because  earlier this  year he shared a platform with the  Liberal Democrats leaders Nick Clegg and Vince Cable and Tories such as Niki Morgan and Sir John Major. On September 28 he will be in conversation with Sir John Major at Harton Academy sponsored  by the Port of Tune Authority, I would have applied for seat if I was not already going to the Civil Hall in Newcastle for a celebration of Our Finest Hour.

I also understand and share  his sympathy for the position of Israel  not just because of what happened to  those of Jewish beliefs  under Fascism during the last century but because of the history of their persecution. Only recently when having my DNA checked for confirmation of Ancestral origins  was I surprised to find a small percentage of Ashkenazi  Jewishness and during the two years. But as  the statement from Jewish groups from  around world the world explains in today’s Independent newspaper (August 5th) explains opposition to  all those who criticise Jews for being Jews is not the same as criticising a Government of the state of Israel for its policies and behaviour towards a state of Palestine where the majority of  present members of the Hosue of Commons voted for the British government to recognise. The present government of Israel  knowing that Jeremy Corbyn will recognise Palestine as an independent state appears to have mounted a campaign to prevent this happening, even if it means interfering in the internal political business of British  democracy,  albeit by firing up those within the Parliamentary Labour Party opposed to Mr Corbyn and his policies and from self-interest.  Because the future of the Tory Party, the Lib Dems in England and the Scottish nationalists together with the Protestant hard liners in Northern Ireland  is also threatened by Corbyn in the next general election,  a perfect storm of pressure is being created during the Parliamentary recess with several objectives all of which are against the immediate and longer  best interests of the majority of the British people. Their  most pressing concern is that with the likelihood that the ballot for nine members elected by the membership to represent them on the National Executive this will not only reinforce Jeremy’s position as leader but will herald action to make the Parliamentary Labour Party  also reflect the interests of the Membership as it has become.

The most significant issue directly affecting the future welfare of everyone in the UK is to leave the political structure of the European Economic Community about which the majority of the eligible voting population agreed but retain membership of the Common market and Customs union. This  should split the right wing of Tory party to join up with their  obnoxious counterparts in the UK and Europe. Jeremy and the Leadership also need to work tirelessly to prevent those on left who put ideology before the interests of  people now from gaining dominating power within any government. The conditions are good for a substantial shift in the power structure as it was in 1945 when against expectation Atlee and a socialist leaning government came to power against all expectations and in economic conditions far worse than Britains position to day. In this respect the approach of the Corbyn Shadow government has been sound as is understandable the position of those who want to retain the status quo and to achieve this by a second general vote if it cannot be achieved within parliament.

The gloves have come off and to mix metaphors, people are beginning to show their true colours, Predicting the outcome would be foolish. I do not rule out the Prime Minister succeeding in getting the rest of Europe to agree the substance of the Chequers plan from fear the alternative will be worse and then find it is unacceptable for  very different reasons to a majority in the Commons and an overwhelming majority in the Hosue of Lords. What happens then is the issue with calls for a National Government, a new centre Party, a General election, possibly with mandatory reselection of Labour Members of Parliament beforehand, with a significant number of present PLP members standing as independents or in some form of loose alliance.

Now to get on with research and record keeping but with one eye also on the European competitions being held in Scotland and with the Athletics during the week at Berlin.

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