Watched 'Ethel And Ernest' on the beeb last night. The story of Raymond Briggs's parents and his life had a real ring of honesty about it. No punches pulled. As with 'The Snowman' it was beautifully crafted and it was a stunning piece of social history.
As someone who grew up in post war London I recognised so much. Getting our first telephone, our first TV, our first car. There is a lot of propaganda about right now about how hard done by the younger generations are compared with us old gits.
What couple today puts a mattress on the bare un-carpeted floor of their first home and hangs sheets at the windows. Today people expect to furnish right away, they expect holidays, cars, televisions, computers, individual phones. They expect child care and help from the state and on it goes.
I'm not against any of it, but the idea that we had it so much better is laughable. Yes, property is very expensive in many places, but our mortgage rates peaked at seventeen percent, we made do with second hand things and yes in most families people found a way for both parents to work. I know a retired nurse who worked nights, so she could be there for the kids during the day, snatching sleep in short bursts here and there.
Today she quite often babysits for her grandchildren. Each generation has its challenges and difficulties, I thank my lucky stars I missed both world wars. I wonder how many people between the ages of twenty and forty would recognise Raymond Briggs's world. I do and it was tv at its very best for once; a creative, storytelling treasure.
It also shone a light on the cheerful attitude that permeated much of working class London, so different from the BBCs soap opera version. And a reminder that things really aren't so bad for those coming along now.
Three cheers for Raymond.
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