Comments on: Lost People

By: Peter J Washington

Peter J Washington — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 12:12:21 +0000

Wow, that picture of the docks, I went to sea as a boy seaman in 68, this conjured up memoirs of leaving London docks in winters and sailing to sunny climes. My Training school was moved to Norfolk because of the Blitz and it was in 1940 from Limehouse to Ingham in Norfolk, a move made necessary, first because greater security for the boys and also because the Admiralty expressed its wish to acquire the Limehouse building as a training depot for Merchant Navy gunners. The final school moved to Dover from which I progressed.

By: Claire D

Claire D — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 15:27:11 +0000

A day late but I just wanted to say how beautifully written Gillian’s piece is, poignant and thoughtful, thank you.

By: Linda Granfield

Linda Granfield — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 18:54:48 +0000

Thank you for this melodic piece today.

The snow is falling here in Toronto- few people are out because of the pandemic lockdown situation.

Looking out my window, the streets recall the quiet of that 1838 image.
You’ve given me a passport to the past today–and I’m enjoying the peaceful journey.

By: David Antscherl

David Antscherl — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:25:05 +0000

For those intrigued by today’s commentary, I thoroughly recommend “The Past is a Foreign Country” by David Lowenthal. He explores these themes beautifully.

By: Di Corry

Di Corry — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:40:47 +0000

Thank you for such a thought provoking piece Gillian , which reiterates beautifully that phrase ‘We are but shadows’. Both Colin and John have captured these fleeting moments so very well.
What a delightful read today ….coupled with the good news that we are on track to fund the Judicial Review to save The Bethnal Green Mulberry.

By: Lynne Perrella

Lynne Perrella — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 12:59:48 +0000

Sometimes we love a thing……..and I love vintage photographs. This beautiful essay helped me to understand why.

A fantastic way to being a snowy day here in the Hudson River Valley.
Many thanks.

By: Phaedra

Phaedra — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:43:56 +0000

A wonderful, thought-provoking piece.

By: Laura Williamson

Laura Williamson — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:34:56 +0000

A beautiful and thought provoking piece, thank you Gillian. My own small experience attests to the truth of it. My maternal grandparents were born early/ mid 1890s. In many ways, they were just like us of course, they felt love and had aches and got grumpy and laughed immoderately, but there were subtle differences in speech and not so subtle in experience. The tears I remember my grandfather crying on Armistice Day were inspired by grief rather than sadness. The shock Nan told of the loss of Titanic with, still incredulous after decades, was the sort of shock we felt on 9/11. The author of “Tipperary”, Jack Judge, was a friend to both of them (a lovely man, by their accounts) They saw Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel and Marie Lloyd and George Robey in person on stage at the music halls.

So much changed during their lifetimes and many of their experiences were very hard but there was an indefinable something about them, where you could still at times glimpse the Edwardian summer when they were young and less touched by life and history.

By: Jill Wilson

Jill Wilson — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:26:44 +0000

Another thought provoking contribution from Gillian – thank you.

I love the phrase “another vast tranche of the past slipped into the vast pool of the irretrievable” – wow! Goosebump time…

I also agree about how the past is portrayed in the garb of the time of the telling, however subtly and unintentionally. For example I have been watching re-runs of the classic series Upstairs Downstairs and Lady Majorie’s dresses often have a distinctively Seventies look to them, in both colour and style.

And in the case of the epic Bible films of the Fifties and Sixties the influence of the prevailing hourglass figure fashions was not at all subtle.

It will be interesting to see how dated the current series of Bridgerton will look to future generations – so 2021!

By: Annie Green

Annie Green — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:41:04 +0000

Beautifully written, as ever. Timely reminder of our human frailty.