Twelfth Night at the Geffrye

On 6th January I went along the Geffrye Museum's Farewell to Christmas. I discovered a very long queue for the Twelfth Night cake and warm mulled wine on my arrival. The evening also involved carol singing with the traditional burning of the holly decorations at the end (as above).

The Geffrye is London's Museum of the Home in Hoxton, East London. The buildings were originally almhouses (houses for the poor) built by the Company of Ironmongers in 1714 following a bequest by Sir Robert Geffrye, their former Master. Robert Geffrye was a Cornish merchant who moved to London. During his illustrious career,  he became Sheriff of London, Lord Mayor of London and was knighted. 

Sir Geffrye's statue looked down on us as we sang carols. In fact his costumed 'stand-in' complete with wig lead the evening's proceedings with good humour in the rainy conditions. The Twelfth Night revellers' carol sheets got a little soggy as they sang. All were still of good cheer singing out the last night of the Christmas period.

You can see my brief record of the night including the holly burning on the YouTube video below.

Geffrye's Christmas Past Exhibition

During my visit, I also took an opportunity to see the period rooms inside the museum. The Christmas Past Exhibition showed the rooms decorated according 400 years of seasonal English traditions. 

Christmas has always been a time to gather with friends and family, eat and be merry. 

Music played an important role in the home as well as in church.

Sparse Decorations

It was noticeable that decorations gradually became more lavish over the centuries. One notable exception was during time of the Puritans. They barely had any decorations at all.

Back to the Future?

One room particularly hit me as it looked like a combination of my grandparents' homes. It was like stepping back in time. The positioning of the Christmas tree in the window and the doll in the chair felt uncanny. I recognised the decorations as sandcastle flags.

The era didn't quite fit with the Geffrye's blurb. However, I suppose that people did not change their furnishings and furniture as often as we do today. It was very much a matter of 'make do and mend' for my grandmothers' generation.

I got further shocks as I walked on. I felt that I had stepped into my own childhood Christmases. I was not the only one, as I overheard others reminiscing about their past Christmases. One room looked like that of a friend's house whose parents were older than mine.

My parents had more  a more modern style of furniture, if not quite as below.

I was stunned to recognise the style of paper decorations on the ceiling.

Even the wrapping paper all over the floor looked familiar, although the presents were from an earlier time.

Teenage Bedrooms Exhibition

Still reeling from my 'Back to the Future' experience, I moved on to the Geffrye's Teenage Bedrooms exhibition. It came as even more of a shock to find that my own children's experiences (who are still teenagers) are already history. The past medals and keepsakes... the line of Harry Potter books... those irritating cards and plastic figures they used to collect because their friends did ... They're history!

There was only one actual teenage bedroom set up. The others were formed from photographs of actual teenager's rooms, along with various comments. I loved the noticeboard with visitor comments about their own rooms or those of sons, and daughters'. Many comments struck a chord with me.

The Geffyre museum demonstrates the gradual increase in wealth across class boundaries that my generation and my parents' generation saw in our lifetimes. Today's teenagers are expected to struggle more financially especially after Brexit. They are already running up student debts and may never own their own homes. They are unlikely to inherit much either, as their parents may be forced to sell their homes to finance care in old age. 

Debt-laden from student days, homes ever dependent on landlords, responsible for both children and ageing parents, precarious employment with limited chances to save for their own future and pensions... it's a gloomy prospect for today's teenagers post-Brexit. I studied and worked hard for a better future for my children than I, my parents or my grandparents knew.

Nobody seems to have the answer on how the Economy will work if technology takes away jobs. Punitive measures won't work if there aren't jobs for all sections of the community. How will pensions work? 

We already have foodbanks, a shortage of affordable homes and the homeless sleeping rough in the streets in mid-winter. Standing in a former almshouse, I wondered if the haves will help the have-nots again? 

I thought of my maternal grandmother. Her only hope of becoming wealthy was to win the pools or the lottery. She dreamed of owning a cottage with roses growing over the door. She won the pools once. The family story goes that she was incredibly excited. Only everyone in the country seemed to win too that weekend. All she could afford was a new rug to go in front of the fire.

My visit to the Geffrye felt like a farewell to more than Christmas 2016/17.

Definitions and further information

almshouse  in British History
British history a privately supported house offering accommodation to the aged or needy
mainly British another name for poorhouse

haves and have-nots   
Collins dictionary: the people who are very wealthy and the people who are very poor
The stark contrast between the haves and have-nots has always existed but in a recession the injustices become more painful.

Company of Ironmongers

Sir Robert Geffrye

The Geffyre, Museum of the Home

Brexit Battles Ahead

Brexit has gone over the top. Ironically, today is the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.  It achieved nothing. It robbed both sides of a generation.

History teaches us that the seeds of the Second World War were sown in the negotiations at the end of the First World War. The desire to punish creates new grievances. Nasty Brexit negotiations will sow such seeds.

Where is home?

Brexit’s uncertainty has all the makings of a new war. There has already been a marked increase in hate crime. It’s already too late for a genuine Brexit. There are children here from many European nations who know only Britain as their home. They can’t go home – they are at home. Vulnerable British expat pensioners are now more at home in Spain and Cyprus.

Hungarian children at a London event

Scare stories

Brexit could turn into a bitter civil war. We have already seen how irresponsible political campaigning may have caused two young children to lose their mother. As the lawyers on both sides play hard ball with each other, the Media will report scare stories. Those affected by the conflict will not be arranged in trenches on opposite sides. They will be living intermingled with the ‘enemy’. It’s a powder keg that can only lead to tears.

Economy

It is ridiculous that the pound collapsed based on the Brexit announcement. Britain had triple a AAA rating. France has risen in the economic ranks without lifting a finger. We haven’t even left. It’s not clear if we can extract ourselves constitutionally. The financial markets are crazy. They make money and cause human suffering from such madness.

Science and Climate Change

The best European scientists should be working together on climate change solutions. Brexit could prove a costly distraction. Rumours already suggest that it might not be a good idea to apply for EU grants with British universities, even though there are two more years to run until Brexit. Fear and uncertainty is enough to create this new approach. So where will scientists go? Will all their expertise head for Germany and create further economic and industrial imbalance in Europe?

Brexit Issues

There is an elephant in the room. No-one likes to mention it. How do you ask the question and answer it tactfully? Why did elderly Brits vote for Brexit?

Yes, immigration was a major issue. Ordinary people are the ones who feel the consequences in hospitals, GP surgeries, housing shortages, etc. They are still suffering the consequences of the financial crisis – worrying about job security and pensions.

Despite all the issues, the older generation particularly stress that they don’t like to be told what to do by Europe. My parents’ generation were children during the Second World War and its aftermath. Their generation is very conscious of the sacrifices made by earlier generations. They respect the great debt that can never be repaid. Today Germany is again the strongest nation in Europe. Can you honestly blame them for feeling uneasy? They are keeping a watchful eye out for their grandchildren – those same grandchildren who are currently angry with them for destroying their European future. Which generation is right? There are probably elements of truth in both viewpoints as ever.

German supremacy was highlighted when I visited the European Parliament earlier this year. Voting is based on population numbers. Turkey is closely allied with Germany and will have a high number of votes on entry. The balance is wrong and needs adjustment. Smaller nations are complaining. The German President of the European Parliament wants to stay on again beyond his agreed time. If he were of any other nationality maybe this would not be such an issue. Perhaps the German people can tell him to go? No German that I have ever met wants to create an atmosphere of fear - or even an inkling of one.

Farcical Politics

British politics currently resembles a farce. It is a blend of Belgian and German politics. Resignations all over the place. The United Kingdom’s constitutional issues are so entangled that it may take 2 years to find a way through. We are more a part of Europe than the ordinary Brit realised. It’s not possible to extricate ourselves without enormous social and economic pain for all member states.

The UK's piece of the European Puzzle ©Octavus

Timely, Flexible Thinking

When I visited Berlin in 2014, Germans told me about their labour market. They recounted how difficult it is in Germany to change your profession. The future job market demands greater adaptability. At this time Europe requires less rigid, more out-of-the box thinking from its policy-makers. The ethical and social challenges of technological developments are coming fast and furious. We need timely, flexible thinking and access to the best brains in all fields.

As an experienced project manager, I know that no project ever runs directly to the plan. You have to adjust your thinking mid-project to reach a successful conclusion. Sometimes you have to rewrite the rulebook because the old one is more of a hindrance than a help.

Nation of Debunkers

I recognise that my wonderful, brave, independent island is a repeated thorn in European sides. Britain regularly provides the perfect foil to rigid German thinking and French idealism. We provide counterbalance. As David Cameron said we are a nation of debunkers. If something is not working, we will not pretend that it is, as other friendly nations may. We are a pragmatic race. For us, Europe must work and be seen to be working.

Dear EU, sometimes it is your best friend who tells you the truth you do not want to hear. Please take your fingers out of your ears.

Quantitative easing explained visually

The financial world loves to play with words. Jargon is rife. It is rarely static. It mutates constantly or dies a sudden death. 

To the outsider, financial terms are often impenetrable. Even an insider can go on holiday and return out-of-touch two weeks later. Recent glossary research uncovered a wealth of videos on financial topics to share with followers.

Financial reporting often mystifies the general public. The economic crisis has left ordinary people with a deep mistrust of the banking world. Quantitative easing causes particular bewilderment. A US video from 2010 with over 5.7 million viewings conveys that sense of bewilderment in a humorous and irreverent way:

Quantitative easing explained

Quantitative easing is an unconventional monetary policy. It is often seen as controversial. The unconventional is now apparently conventional. The Federal Reserve, the Bank of England and Bank of Japan have all used the policy. The European Central Bank may soon resort to quantitative easing. One of the Bank of England’s external policymakers has just claimed that quantitative easing increased the UK’s GDP by 3%.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/bank-of-england/10773681/QE-has-boosted-UK-growth-by-3pc-says-Martin-Weale.html

Quantitative easing is often described as printing money. The aim is to increase the money supply in the economy. No actual money gets printed. These days the money is injected into the economy electronically.

Younger generations are much more likely to watch a short explanatory video than read a turgid glossary or lengthy text.  HP has an excellent paper on the power of visual communication.

http://www.hp.com/large/ipg/assets/bus-solutions/power-of-visual-communication.pdf

The Bank of England has issued just such a video to explain how quantitative easing works:

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/education/Pages/inflation/qe/video.aspx

Terminology often needs to be accessible to several different target audiences. A company or institution may need to use different terms in targeted communications. Traditional glossaries have advocated a single, consistent term. Modern marketing communications are increasingly personalised. The fund manager’s in-house terminology is not appropriate for some audiences. Terminology management will need even greater flexibility in future.

The new banking era requires greater transparency. Greater use of short videos to ease understanding of financial terminology for different audiences would seem to be an ideal way forward.

What do you think?