I start with a meme, on the folly of redecorating the mansions of No.10 and No.11 Downing Street, it is definitely not a permanent residency. But Starmer went out of office in true British style. Laughter, jokes and tears and a stiff upper lip as we saw him cheered out of the House of Commons. Everyone wishing him well even Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition, was gentle in her farewell to him.
I hope there are a few more firm upper lips around as England once again lost their game for the football World Cup. But think strong, we were pretty near to the final game!
So what else. Well I have been frightening myself with watching videos from the 'Dark side of the Moor'. Mostly murders committed in Todmorden, but I have been having nightmares of monsters in the night, so I shall leave the 'Murder in the Vicarage' to another time. And just dwell on the fact that for a year Harold Shipman, serial killer, of apparently 250ish older people, once practised in Tod for a year between 1974-1975.
It has been calculated that he probably caused the death of 30 elderly patients here during that time. He was sacked from the local clinic because he was found to have been stealing drugs, pethidine I think for himself . I am not going to put his nasty bearded photo up (go find it yourself) as his mad eyes surely would have warned people, but no. He went on to kill the rest of his victims in Hyde in Manchester by poisoning with diamorphine.
His crimes were difficult to find as he always recommended that his victims be cremated. He was convicted of 15 murders and sentenced to a lifetime in prison. He hung himself in prison the day before his 58th birthday. I suppose he got away with it because we trust doctors so much, though there were suspicious people along the way. He never said why he did it. Did he set himself up as some sort of god, helping his victims towards an untimely end.
Sometimes it is scary to come upon what 'normal' people are capable of.
Good job you didn't move to Todmorden until many years after Shipman/Shitman had departed. Some terrible crimes are almost impossible to understand and his catalogue of cold-hearted killings comes near the top of that list. Sleep well Thelma!
ReplyDeleteI would not have been of interest to him anyway was in my thirties - too young. My bad dreams come from the Japanese traditions. Their gods are really scary. Shipham was a psychopath someone should have picked up on it much earlier.
DeleteAh yes, the normal people. Be afraid.
ReplyDeleteStarmer's exit was graceful and with respect from his own party, and the Tory Party, it seems. Err, perhaps that is where he went wrong, approval by the Tories. He should have broken something the Tories treasure.
Yes well the Labour Party are more like the Conservatives. Starmer did not act like a good Socialist and his disregard for Gaza made many people turn against him. The police arresting old ladies was beyond the pail.
DeleteI love that meme. If only it were true.
ReplyDeleteStarmer's performance at PMQs was his best yet. Very graceful.
I remember the fuss at the time, Johnson's wife had brought in an interior designer and it looked a mess. Yes Starmer let his reserve down and it was touching.
DeleteAre you trying to give me nightmares with your scary doctor story? Let's all stay safe, Thelma.
ReplyDeleteI thought your team did well to get so far in the tournament.
No Ellen, we were just speculating the other night if he might have killed someone in this house, slightly macabre I know. 60 years and we still haven't won the cup.
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