Andrew's post about the movie 'The King's Speech' drew a comment from me and his response which together started me thinking. I don't do much thinking so who knows where such rare activity might lead.
Andrew and I were born only eight years apart. I am not so unchivalrous as to reveal Andrew's age but then again as I am aged 61 you will get the picture. Together, although Andrew and I have never met, we have lived through similar times for more than fifty years. For more than half a century we have been shaped by the same external environment.
But what a difference eight years make.
Whether it suits him or not, Andrew's entire life has been lived under the reign of Queen Elizabeth 11. Andrew has known no other monarch. When I was born, 'our' monarch was King George VI. Andrew had difficulty identifying Queen Mary of Tek and yet I have childhood memories of seeing the by then dowager Queen Mary on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in cinema newsreels and newspaper photographs. This was how we knew the images of notables in those pre-television days. Oh, and for royal notables there were also the classroom photographs.
Television has existed in Australia for the entirety of Andrew's lifetime but I was 7 years old before television was introduced to Australia and 12 before my parents purchased the first one for our home.
It's all in the timing.
Thank you for thinking Victor. Of course we would have met had you not selfishly taken yourself off to be admitted to hospital.
ReplyDeleteCertainly our adult lives have had a lot in common, but as well as growing up at a different time, there are other factors in our differences, such as you are city born and bred, whereas I am city born and country bred. We had very different educations. My family is large and I think yours is or was quite a bit smaller. I can't remember the first time I went to the cinema, but I would have been well into my teens. Cinema was supposedly in its death throes with the advent of televisions. So, there are other reasons rather than just our age difference.
But then, my partner is your age, also born under George VI, grew up in a large English city, remembers Coronation street parties when he was a child and presumably would have been exposed to the same newsreels and newspapers yet he knows less about royalty than I do. Doesn't make much sense does it.
Now don't be thinking too often as this time it has led to me having to think.
Andrew - I don't intend to think again before the new year
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