Author Topic: memories of childhood christmas presents,  (Read 3931 times)

Butterpuff

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #15 on: Dec 02, 2019, 01:05:59 PM »
long ago Christmases were very exciting, there was always a stocking with a tangerine ,an apple and some Edinburgh rockI always got a book, one year I got a little sweet shop. my dad was very handy and could make blackboards and dolls cots...my sister got a dolls house that he made one Christmas.children get too much all year round now ,there's not the same excitement about Christmas

Raven

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #16 on: Dec 02, 2019, 01:55:54 PM »
I was (and still am) a right book worm, I always got books at Christmas but there was no disguising what was in the packet. Think I disappointed my mum though at a very early age as she always got me girlie clothes and dolls ect. I simply wasn't interested I would pounce on the books and vanish to my room to start reading. Everything else was ignored.

Cassandra

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #17 on: Dec 02, 2019, 02:28:03 PM »
Given envy's place on the sin-list, surely it's sinful to evoke it?  ;D ;D  Such sensible parents and no doubt with memories fresh of the two devastating conflicts they must've both lived through.

Thank you Zoon. My father was a defender in the law courts and lost a case in which the eventual appellant was hanged. Dad and I discussed this many times as it was a huge burden to him all his life. "If there had been no gun in the ensuing hand to hand struggle he might have been coshed, woke up in the cells with a headache and perhaps served eight years less remission for robbery." "As it was, he was handed a gun as they set off, a boy almost" (there were a lot of ex serviceman 'prizes' bought back after WW2 ended particularly Lugers and Walther 38mm automatics) - "it went off and ended two lives - very sad".

I've never liked guns since my childhood ended and hate to see poor witless birds being slaughtered as 'game' for example. I uphold and admire his stand with me over the removal of the toy guns I so desired.

Funny given a choice that Xmas I'd have wanted the Shcuco in preference anyway - it was so special somehow.
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Cassandra

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #18 on: Dec 02, 2019, 02:46:43 PM »
I was (and still am) a right book worm, I always got books at Christmas but there was no disguising what was in the packet. Think I disappointed my mum though at a very early age as she always got me girlie clothes and dolls ect. I simply wasn't interested I would pounce on the books and vanish to my room to start reading. Everything else was ignored.

Yes I too loved the books at Xmas. I can still smell them now! I remember that Children's hardback series which included 'Treasure Island', 'Kidnapped', 'Little women' etc about 20 titles in all. I got one a year, plus a 'William' book and the latest edition of either Enid Blyton's Noddy, Secret Seven, Famous Five, River of Adventure etc. escalating in suitability to my age each year. Mum told anyone who wanted to get me something, 'Oh give him a book token'.

My paternal grandfather endowed me with a volume of Shakespeare at Xmas and a Dickens for my birthday. I loved the latter but found 'The Merchant of Venice' hard work and very boring at ten years of age!


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zoony

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #19 on: Dec 02, 2019, 02:55:37 PM »
Thank you Zoon. My father was a defender in the law courts and lost a case in which the eventual appellant was hanged. Dad and I discussed this many times as it was a huge burden to him all his life. "If there had been no gun in the ensuing hand to hand struggle he might have been coshed, woke up in the cells with a headache and perhaps served eight years less remission for robbery." "As it was, he was handed a gun as they set off, a boy almost" (there were a lot of ex serviceman 'prizes' bought back after WW2 ended particularly Lugers and Walther 38mm automatics) - "it went off and ended two lives - very sad".

I've never liked guns since my childhood ended and hate to see poor witless birds being slaughtered as 'game' for example. I uphold and admire his stand with me over the removal of the toy guns I so desired.

Funny given a choice that Xmas I'd have wanted the Shcuco in preference anyway - it was so special somehow.
Hope you are feeling better today?


  I wonder if that was the "Let him have it!" case.I don't expect you to confirm that but it was tragic.
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Cassandra

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #20 on: Dec 02, 2019, 05:52:37 PM »

  I wonder if that was the "Let him have it!" case.I don't expect you to confirm that but it was tragic.

No not that although we often debated it. Lord Goddard, the presiding Judge, my father who always said had no choice, the Law was very 'narrow' in those days.

Its surprising how many public executions there were in the years after the wars. I often despaired after losing and in at least one case. a totally innocent man was jailed for life. However by combined efforts he was released eventually.

I'd have hated facing what my father did and then having to live with it. Derek Bentley had the mental reading age of a 4 year old child apparently and was also severely impoverished mentally. My father knew his support (junior) counsel really well as they were in chambers together, it scarred him for life apparently?
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zoony

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #21 on: Dec 02, 2019, 06:21:51 PM »
I'm not surprised. Such an emotive case..To watch such a man go to the rope must've been distressing.
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

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Cassandra

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #22 on: Dec 02, 2019, 07:05:21 PM »
I'm not surprised. Such an emotive case..To watch such a man go to the rope must've been distressing.
He was terribly distressed and cried like a child. When you are in this line of work you get a pretty clear idea, through the unique relationship established, about who your dealing with. My client was a simple man, similar to Bentley and had been used as a scapegoat. Following conviction, the police however were disinterested in 'justice'  and receiving new submissions of evidence. Sadly, as in many cases in modern times they are motivated to a large extent by statistics, career progression and the sheer lack of asset in re-opening something they consider closed. 'New Tricks' is very much fiction I'm afraid.
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zoony

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #23 on: Dec 02, 2019, 07:09:37 PM »
What is it they say..Plenty of Law but little Justice..
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

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Michael Rolls

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #24 on: Dec 02, 2019, 10:29:36 PM »
I well remember the Bentley/Craig case - front page news at the time, and even at 16 years of age felt that it was all wrong. Just checked and was amazed to find that Craig was released as long ago as 1963 - would have thought that it was much later
Mike
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Jacqueline

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #25 on: Dec 02, 2019, 10:50:13 PM »
Derek Bentley was indeed a travesty of justice, how could he murder someone when in police custody having been caught before Craig pulled the trigger.  The words " let him have it Chris" I believe meant give the policeman the gun, not shoot the policeman.  As Cassandra said Derek Bently was learning disabled, am I right in thinking there was an appeal fairly recently by Derek's family that was refused?


There are people who I think dodged the noose after capital punishment was abolished, Brady and Hindley for example.  But unless someone is caught red handed and there is 100% no doubt they did it, I wouldn't like to hang them, there have been too many innocent and unfairly hung people to justify it.


Not a very Christmasy, supposed to be thinking of Christmas presents.

zoony

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #26 on: Dec 02, 2019, 10:53:36 PM »
Posthumous pardon in 1993 Audrine. Murder conviction quashed in 1998..
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

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Bee

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #27 on: Dec 02, 2019, 11:08:01 PM »
Let's not forget Timothy Evans another travesty of justice.


In my view it was a good day when hanging was abolished, too many hung wrongly.


Hanging is just legalised murder.
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Jacqueline

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #28 on: Dec 02, 2019, 11:18:29 PM »
I wasn't sure about Derek Bently, So glad the conviction was quashed,  have muddled him up with somebody else.  Not that it will bring the poor lad back.


I'd forgotten poor Timothy Evans, wasn't he convicted on the evidence of Christie who actually did the murders?


I recently read a book about Ruth Ellis written by her sister, quite a bit of upsetting detail of Ruth's final weeks after her trial, played on my mind I'll tell you.  Horrible business hanging.

zoony

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Re: memories of childhood christmas presents,
« Reply #29 on: Dec 02, 2019, 11:18:52 PM »
  Bee, I wonder if you ever heard this Ewan McCall song..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh6eaxv2uDg
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

                                           cowboy wisdom.