I’ve lived most of my adult life in England. This is all thanks to the easy decision to spend my junior year studying at Lancaster University in the northwest of England. I was with about six other Carls, some of whom I’m good friends with today. And it was there that I met my future husband. Except for six years in the States, I have been here ever since and became a British citizen (a dual national) in 1989.
Back in the 70s, English life had some simpler aspects to it. It was still very much a socialist welfare state. My husband grew up in a council house (social housing had no stigma), and attended university for free, including additional support for living costs. Health care was free and readily available for all.
The standard of living was much lower than in the US. Many homes had no central heating or telephones, and stores carried only seasonal fruit and veg. I became incredibly tired of carrots and cabbage until the spring crops came in. While the 70s and 80s were a turbulent time for the country with three-day-work weeks and strikes, there was still a strong sense of social cohesion.
Much of that began to change with Margaret Thatcher in the 80s. The cult of the individual and striving for material gain has taken over. The English are now better off but have become more self-absorbed, and no longer seem to feel that they need to look out for the underdog.
I mourn the declining social conscience in this country, but some of the things I love about it do remain. They are exemplified by the three p’s – pubs, public footpaths and pantomime.
Pubs, while declining in popularity (many are closing daily), still can be the center of communities as well as a friendly place where everyone is welcome. Their replacement by the coffee shop (as popular in England as in America) reflects a different attitude, with people on their own or in small groups, rarely talking to strangers.
Public footpaths are a wonder and allow you to walk from almost anywhere to anywhere on green lanes rather than roads. They are well marked and everyone has their maps, or now apps, to help them get from A to B through the countryside.
Pantomimes, the annual Christmas time mix of satire, drag queens and silly songs, usually involve retelling old stories such as Cinderella or Robin Hood. Theatre goers are encouraged to participate – to boo the bad guy and cheer the hero.
It usually involves a great deal of cross dressing, with the hero a woman dressed as a man, the mother a man dressed as a woman, etc. The scripts are topical and make fun of politicians or rivalries with the next town. It all goes against the stereotype of English reserve and can be quite uproarious. So I continue to relish those things I especially enjoy. Cheers! I am off to the pub now.