When you read about British Society - say, from 1850 to 1950 - the miracle seems to be the maintenance of the population levels. I know that in France and Germany there are large cells of sexual deviants, but in Britain homosexualists have always been part of the social fabric [in spite of bad laws]. Untill recently, it was perfectly acceptable to have the late "Morecambe & Wise" pyjamad up and sleeping together in various sketches. Odd people, the British. And with so many stunningly pretty girls.
And yet, despite such a high proprotion of homosexuals, I have only ever been propositioned by a man on one occasion (a diminutive sailor on Waterloo Bridge). Very hurtful (I mean the lack of interest from the gay community rather than... oh, forget it).
many, many years ago, in the company of another King's Boy (one who, I think, attained the status of Head Boy), I attended the Merchant Navy Recruitment Office in East London in a bid to broaden our horizons and see the Seven Seas. We were met by battalions of muscled, tattooed men who saw us as easy meat. We were quick to realize that life on the ocean wave might have serious homosexualist consequences and we did not tarry. This would have been in the early Seventies just when Morecambe and Wise were sharing their double bed.....
They are the younger Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford before the disgusting sex scene in "The Lady Vanishes" [1938].
ReplyDeleteAh, yea, the notorious "under the counter" version.
DeleteWhich reminds me of this Peter Serafinowicz sketch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkp9pPuN2gQ
When you read about British Society - say, from 1850 to 1950 - the miracle seems to be the maintenance of the population levels. I know that in France and Germany there are large cells of sexual deviants, but in Britain homosexualists have always been part of the social fabric [in spite of bad laws]. Untill recently, it was perfectly acceptable to have the late "Morecambe & Wise" pyjamad up and sleeping together in various sketches. Odd people, the British. And with so many stunningly pretty girls.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, despite such a high proprotion of homosexuals, I have only ever been propositioned by a man on one occasion (a diminutive sailor on Waterloo Bridge). Very hurtful (I mean the lack of interest from the gay community rather than... oh, forget it).
Deletemany, many years ago, in the company of another King's Boy (one who, I think, attained the status of Head Boy), I attended the Merchant Navy Recruitment Office in East London in a bid to broaden our horizons and see the Seven Seas.
ReplyDeleteWe were met by battalions of muscled, tattooed men who saw us as easy meat. We were quick to realize that life on the ocean wave might have serious homosexualist consequences and we did not tarry. This would have been in the early Seventies just when Morecambe and Wise were sharing their double bed.....
Your story actually made me feel panicky - what were you and your (our) schoolmate thinking? Were you on drugs at the time?
Deleteno drugs involved just two inquisitive, innocent young chaps with romantic notions of the high seas and obviously very little common sense.
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