I came across the following video last night. It documents the history as to when the hippies came to Hebden. One could almost describe it as when the children broke free of the stifling atmosphere of neat homes and subservience to conventional life. It sprang to life in the 1960s, it birthed the 'boomers' and led to the generation living now. They are unable to afford the over priced housing and jobs are not so thick on the ground as technology creeps in.
But those hippies looked like they had fun, living in the derelict houses, though squatting is the word used, never forget land ownership is sacred....
Now as the tourists roam the streets of the town in that aimless way tourist have, the talk of drugs and sex is hardly mentioned.. but both are doing quite well in modern society ;)
Catch the bearded gnome halfway through, you will laugh with him as he shows off his bright green caftan. Such a lovely character.
What a brilliant film. We had a similar, though not so concentrated, influx over the whole of West Wales in the 70s. Now, as some of the final commenters say, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference.
ReplyDeleteDid you not notice in the video that there is no mention of communes as well. The Welsh ones were definitely communes and then...the Pembrokeshire land bought in a syndicate form to allow people to build their own lives in separate dwellings.
DeleteOnly some grouped together and formed communes in West Wales. There were many, many more who lived in benders, teepees, rented sub-standard housing in certain villages, particularly in North Pembs, Ceredigion and north Carmarthenshire. Lots would park their pink or purple bus in a lay-by, getting moved on regularly by the police. Many of these returned to their former lives after a few years, the day-to-day was just so hard for them. The land-buying syndicate came much later.
DeleteHi, Actually the community did spread out of course. Whether it was road demonstrations, Battle of the Beanfield or even festivals. But as you say there were different forms. There used to be a lived in bus on the road to Whitby at the Fylingsdale radar base.
DeleteIt's an amusing film. While I've had my outrageous moments as a gay man, I was never hippie inclined. Their lives were too chaotic for my ordered persona, as a person who could function the next morning with a massive hangover and the possible still effects of Mary Jane.
ReplyDeleteAt some point during the life of my blog, in total 21 years, I realised that my audience was of a similar age to myself, Baby Boomers, and that I did not have to censor too much about what I wrote, keeping in mind that they grew up in the same time as I did, and everything that goes with that.
No I could not see you as a hippy Andrew - too neat and tidy. Interesting what you say about the baby boomers, maybe they should have grown up better.
ReplyDeleteInteresting film Thelma, Jan Bx
ReplyDeleteI do love characters, people who have seen life their own way, and lived according to that 'vision'. It sounds like they revitalized the town despite the differences.
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