Out and about in Chelmsford

After a brief tutoring session on line this morning, I spent the next three hours on errands, mostly in Chelmsford High Street, including collecting new glasses and taking some photos. Pictured is St Mary's Church, better known as Chelmsford Cathedral since 1914 for the then newly created diocese of Chelmsford.  I also wandered in to a second hand furniture store on the old Baddow Road where to my surprise the proprietor is Turkish so we had a brief but very pleasant conversation in that language which was jolly fun and made me quite wistful for Akbuk. I really do belong in two countries.

Back home mid afternoon, I watched a very interesting documentary about factory girls - specifically sewing machinists in the 60s-70s-80s and their impact and changes wrought on society, and the rise of independence for women generally in the second half of the C20th, the Dagenham women's strike of 1968, the struggle to achieve equal pay for equal work (Act of 1970), the impact of financial freedom with money to spend on clothes, or even just being served in the pub. Apparently it was perfectly legal to refuse to serve a woman in the pub until 1982!!  I didn't realize that until 1975 it was legal to sack women for being pregnant. I've found this link of significant laws and changes in the rights of women here. Lordy, but I've lived through history! So weird to watch stuff on TV that I remember and lived through!! I remember as a kid, Mum trying to get a hire purchase agreement (pre credit card days of course) for a new reel to reel tape recorder without Dad having to sign the forms. She eventually succeeded but not without a struggle. 

Bro came for dinner this evening that included fresh raspberries I bought today - delicious! Their taste always takes me back to childhood - Dad used to grow them, as well as gooseberries. Yum.

oh, must mention that the sun made a significant appearance today. Yay.

Happy weekend folks!