WIMPOLE STREET DENTISTS IN BOWLER HATS — 1967-1968: Diary of a Posh Schoolgirl

Apr 13

Apr 13 WIMPOLE STREET DENTISTS IN BOWLER HATS

1960s Culture

The bowler hat was inextricably linked to the ‘city gent' and I remember the trains to and from London teemed with them. Hence John Cleese in Monty Python’s ‘Ministry of Silly Walks’ (1970)

T H U R S D A Y, 1 3 A P R I L

Letter from Lucy. She had the most wonderful time in Paris and met a nice boy called Frédéric. She's taken two photos of him and asked if I'd taken any of Dutronc because she wants awfully to see what he's like. If only I had - I doubt she'd be able to believe her eyes if she saw what a snazz he was!

Wore my trouser suit and fur hood, and Ma drove me and Chump to Scallywags where we both got dresses. Mine is absolutely lovely, it slightly flares and has thin vertical stripes in blues and greens, and two layers of broderie anglaise at the bottom. It was £3-2-6.

Then all on to London and we went to the Danish Food Centre first. This time I had a beef and shrimp open sandwich and the chocolate almond tart. Chump had the roast beef with Danish remoulade and crispy onions on top. Then to the dentist.

“I do loathe Mr Shepherd, we saw him arrive and he has a bowler hat”

I knew it. I've got to have three fillings, maybe even more when the X-rays come out.

Chump got a super pink and white striped towelling bikini and Mummy got a yellow spring-like skirt. Then we got a tube to the cinema, bought popcorn, and watched 'Macbeth'. It was only in black and white, but it was a great help Orson Wells was both director and Macbeth. The thing I thought a bit strange was his castle was a series of caves.

We got home just as Top of the Pops was beginning. Frank and Nancy Sinatra are No.1 with 'Something Stupid' which I love (I like almost everything that I heard in Lech).

Then we all saw an interview with Baroness Asquith, the most wonderful old lady, nearly 80, but with a terrifically lively mind. Her looks, her voice and her movements are like someone of 60 or 65. She thinks in her lifetime civilisation has gone downhill - of course, this supports Daddy's theory. The trouble is, man is his own worst enemy, all this progress in science and technology has done more harm than good. Man, she says, thinks of the means and not the end. Self-interest is the route of all evil. We were all so inspired we couldn't stop taking for half an hour afterwards about what she'd said.

This time last week Dutronc was asking me to go swimming with him.