1980’s Village Green Video
A little something to celebrate May Day with Venus and Jupiter in conjunction, by Juliette Brookman:
Around 1985, an amateur video drama was made in a house in Roebuck Green. It was called “The Eve of Walter’s Departure” and was loosely based on the J B Priestley play “An Inspector Calls”. In the video, there are some lovely shots looking south into Greg’s Farm. The “Great Hedge” (a name now all-but extinct) can be glimpsed in the far distance. This was an ancient and very-thick Elm’d hedgerow teeming with wildlife, and a hideout. All gone and replaced by the “Windsor Meadows” housing estate. Be advised that swearing and depictions of violence occur in these brief excerpts.
Historical Curiosities give a hearty vote of thanks to those who kindly devoted their great humour to produce the film and hope that life is good for them wherever they are now. We wonder what stories that house could tell us. Probably many happy memories of living by the green. Live by the green. Be green.
The photo above shows Cippenham Village Green as it is today where nature is in a desperate struggle with Sough Borough Council’s vanity projects. We wonder what research was carried out beforehand to justify installing this eyesore and how much the Council (which was recently declared bankrupt) paid for it. Over six months, the only known user so far has been a homeless man who laid his stool on one of the contraptions.
Links
The Kinks – The Village Green Preservation Society
That’s interesting. Wish there were more. Thanks for posting.