It was half a century ago and yet the memories of The Sixties seem as fresh as ever. This group is all about recalling key moments – people, events, music – and sharing memories. Every month we agree on the next topic. The dilemma – and it’s a nice one – will be who or what or when or where to choose? The 1960s is such a rich and vibrant time to recall and relish, a time when Britannia was cool and London was swinging, when the world was colourful and positive and, for young people especially, anything seemed possible. The old rules and conventions were there to be challenged. They say “If you remember the 60s, you weren’t really there”. We say “Nonsense” and the course is already proving it!
Group Convener : Stephen Rigg
The Group meets in N10 on the third Thursday of every other month, 2 – 4 p.m.
Our story so far …
January 2020
The meeting included a picture quiz, with 20 questions associated with the images. No-one managed to get all 20 right – the one that caught everyone out was Graham Kerr’s birthplace – which was actually London.
Carl provided two presentations, both related to popular culture from the time.
The first one, preceding the quiz looked at The Sweeney and its impact on British TV production. Shows that had gone before such as Z-Cars and the venerable Dixon of Dock Green, found themselves trailing in the wake of the the dynamic new series, which had been inspired by the film French Connection. The producers wished to create a role akin to Gene Hackman’s big screen persona, Popeye Doyle, but have it set in a British context. This resulted in the creation of D.I. Jack Regan, portrayed by John Thaw. In the years that followed British cop shows saw the introduction of female and ethnic minority lead characters, and of course one of the greatest characters to appear on TV screens, Arthur Daley in Minder. A show that was originally intended to be a crime drama with a humorous edge, but instead became a humorous drama with a criminal edge.
The second presentation looked at the album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and the intensely personal, soul baring lyrics that arose following his embrace of controversial therapist Arthur Janov’s Primal Scream therapy.