When Maggie Thatcher became Prime minister I was attending Haberdasher’s Monmouth Girls school; ‘a blue stocking school’ – a 1920’s euphemism for female academics – think St Trinnian’s without the lipstick and fishnets.
Us fresh faced, tunic clad ‘gals’ all felt immensely proud and uplifted that a woman had been voted in to govern our country. The feeling of sisterhood was invigorating and exiting and I still remember walking the oak floored corridors of the red brick Victorian Gothic building, thinking – wow – we’ve done it!
Today I heard a fabulous play on Radio 4 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nlbfp/Afternoon_Drama_Gwynfor_v_Margaret/ to which I urge you all to listen.
The English is well annunciated & the acting believable. It tells the true story of an exceedingly brave Welsh man who dared to stand up to Maggie by offering to lay down his life – literally – to procure from her a change in policy .
The Welsh having been suppressed by the English for hundreds of years, had had their language very nearly successfully stamped out … Methods such as putting clothes pegs on children’s noses if they spoke the language of their parents at school, were still in practice in the 1900’s and by 1979 many Welsh people had become dislocated from their own language & culture.
The Welsh wanted a Welsh speaking tv channel and had been promised this by the preceding Conservative government. However, this promise had been sidelined and Maggie’s position was trenchant and unyielding.
Through self-sacrifice, inspired by Ghandi, an elderly Welshman called Gwynfor, went on hunger strike to bring the situation to the media’s attention. Through non violent protestation, he ensured the successful revival of the Welsh language via a Welsh speaking television channel.
I found this play truly moving, enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable and I highly recommend it; not only for entertainment, but as excellent listening homework for clarity of speech.
Enjoy and be inspired…