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Nairn about Britain


Richard T

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This TV programme from 1972 is now available on iplayer. It is one of a series of three programmes.https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01rwfkm/nairn-across-britain-2-transpennine-canal

It is a 30minute film of a journey along the Leeds and Liverpool canal. I've not yet found time to watch it so can make no comment on the quality!!

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Also available through You tube. Ian Nairn's approach is almost apologetic, but both poignant and prophetic. Littered with early seventies tail end industrial Britain, and with Nairns' pointed comments. Good stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1BZK2CllUY

Ian Nairn - straight to the point: "Covering the country with words - there's a pile of grit beside the road with a pole sticking out of it with the word "GRIT" on it. What do they think it is - passion fruit?" - Love him!

The man who fought the planners, the story of Ian Nairn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQBBBj_1wwI

 

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A name which I haven't heard for many years. When I was doing my A level General Studies we read one of his books - can't remember the title but it was something about the design of new towns. I remember that his writing style was lively and instilled vigour into what sounded a rather dry subject. I also remember, for some reason, his use of the word "oversprawl", which I think was of his own invention.

 

Edit: I have just started watching the video kindly posted by Derek and am amused by the appropraite theme music: it's Ramsey Lewis' 'Wade In The Water'.

Edited by Athy
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Watched this last night. I had also watched it a number of years ago before we did the L&L. Last night was very interesting to me as I am familiar with various sites. The most change visually was the basin in Leeds City. Mr Naire hoped the local authority would embrace the canal at sometime accommodation and business. They. Have done just that in the years since filming. I want more.

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I have watched it and it's intriguing as a snapshot of the canals just after they stopped being large-scale carriers (though one working boat is seen ) and just before they started being a widely-used leisure facility. Mr. Nairn's forthright opinions were, as NW suggests, worth listening to also.

I looked him up on the internet (Nairn that is, not NW) and was shocked to find that he drank himself to death aged only 52.

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It's been on iPlayer for ages, I've watched it a couple of times -- it's especially interesting to see how scuzzy places like Skipton and Leeds were in comparison to nowadays, if fact the same applies to most of the canal which was a lot scruffier then.

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Watched this myself a couple of months ago following me catching 'The man who fought the planners' mentioned earlier being shown on late night BBC4.

Interesting guy whose comments on the canal and its place in the community were properly prophetic back then. Very much of his time, if not slightly before. Really funny to see him nearly skittle the lowly crew member off the gunwhale as he steps cheerfully off the bow. In today's TV world he'd have been on first name terms with his crew. Not a bit of it back then :)

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