This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2013/apr/19/margaret-thatcher

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Simon Hoggart's week: the madness of Margaret Thatcher Simon Hoggart's week: the madness of Margaret Thatcher
(5 months later)
✒After the Tory triumphalism of this week, more thoughts about the madness of Margaret Thatcher. My old colleague, the late Terence Kilmartin, who was literary editor of the Observer, used to live next door to her in Flood Street, Chelsea, long before she was famous. They got intriguing hints of her mothering skills over the garden wall. On one occasion, the twins' birthday, she baked, sculpted and iced personally a large cake in the shape of Windsor Castle. On another, Terry heard her endlessly patient voice saying, "Now, Mark, you mustn't poke your sister in the face with a stick, or she won't grow up to be a pretty little girl!"✒After the Tory triumphalism of this week, more thoughts about the madness of Margaret Thatcher. My old colleague, the late Terence Kilmartin, who was literary editor of the Observer, used to live next door to her in Flood Street, Chelsea, long before she was famous. They got intriguing hints of her mothering skills over the garden wall. On one occasion, the twins' birthday, she baked, sculpted and iced personally a large cake in the shape of Windsor Castle. On another, Terry heard her endlessly patient voice saying, "Now, Mark, you mustn't poke your sister in the face with a stick, or she won't grow up to be a pretty little girl!"
As the great translator of Proust put it later, "You'd think she would just have walloped him."As the great translator of Proust put it later, "You'd think she would just have walloped him."
The Irish have tried to defend her over the charge that she had no sense of humour. The then taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald, recalled a meeting about EU funding, when a junior Irish minister illustrated some point by saying that builders liked to get the roof up on a building quickly, to keep the rain out. She fixed him with her celebrated glare and demanded, "And you say that to me, a Thatcher?" Gosh, they must have been booking the Wembley Arena before she'd finished speaking.The Irish have tried to defend her over the charge that she had no sense of humour. The then taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald, recalled a meeting about EU funding, when a junior Irish minister illustrated some point by saying that builders liked to get the roof up on a building quickly, to keep the rain out. She fixed him with her celebrated glare and demanded, "And you say that to me, a Thatcher?" Gosh, they must have been booking the Wembley Arena before she'd finished speaking.
Obviously I don't think she was sectionable. But as the brains of old, battered boxers are only loosely connected to the skull, at times her mind was only in sporadic touch with reality. In 1985 her press secretary, Bernard Ingham, mistakenly said she wouldn't mind if the pound hit parity with the dollar. The pound went into freefall and there was talk of Ingham resigning.Obviously I don't think she was sectionable. But as the brains of old, battered boxers are only loosely connected to the skull, at times her mind was only in sporadic touch with reality. In 1985 her press secretary, Bernard Ingham, mistakenly said she wouldn't mind if the pound hit parity with the dollar. The pound went into freefall and there was talk of Ingham resigning.
But a few days later at a lobby reporters' reception, she appeared with him, working the room and saying repeatedly, "Do you know Bernard? Bernard is marvellous!" Since she must have known everyone there met Ingham almost every working day, the question was peculiar if not barking.But a few days later at a lobby reporters' reception, she appeared with him, working the room and saying repeatedly, "Do you know Bernard? Bernard is marvellous!" Since she must have known everyone there met Ingham almost every working day, the question was peculiar if not barking.
✒There was an intriguing programme on Radio 4 this week, saying that the pressure to maintain a reverential silence at classical concerts is quite recent. In the 19th century people would come and go as they pleased, and would have thought nothing of using a mobile, or perhaps sending a footman to offer champagne to the woman in the opposite box.✒There was an intriguing programme on Radio 4 this week, saying that the pressure to maintain a reverential silence at classical concerts is quite recent. In the 19th century people would come and go as they pleased, and would have thought nothing of using a mobile, or perhaps sending a footman to offer champagne to the woman in the opposite box.
In eastern Europe, where music was one of the few pleasures available under communism, audiences are not rowdy, but certainly noisy and excited. Here you can be reviled just for flicking the pages of the programme. I was reminded of this by the death of Sir Colin Davis, who seems to have been universally loved as well as admired. In 1997 he was conducting the premiere of Do Not Disturb by my friend Piers Hellawell.In eastern Europe, where music was one of the few pleasures available under communism, audiences are not rowdy, but certainly noisy and excited. Here you can be reviled just for flicking the pages of the programme. I was reminded of this by the death of Sir Colin Davis, who seems to have been universally loved as well as admired. In 1997 he was conducting the premiere of Do Not Disturb by my friend Piers Hellawell.
For a composer, the experience can be agony. A slight difference of emphasis here, a skipped note there, each is like another arrow in St Sebastian. Piers was moving and twitching and gurning throughout, to the evident rage of the man sitting next to him.For a composer, the experience can be agony. A slight difference of emphasis here, a skipped note there, each is like another arrow in St Sebastian. Piers was moving and twitching and gurning throughout, to the evident rage of the man sitting next to him.
The piece ended to huge applause, Sir Colin bowed, then with open arms welcomed Piers onstage. Apparently the mingled fury and puzzlement on the face of the fusspot was wondrous.The piece ended to huge applause, Sir Colin bowed, then with open arms welcomed Piers onstage. Apparently the mingled fury and puzzlement on the face of the fusspot was wondrous.
✒Actors have been moaning on this week about people's mobes going off, as if it's like bringing a boombox to a funeral. I have found a way round the problem when I have to speak in public. I say, "A word about mobile phones: please make sure yours are on. I'd hate you to miss an important call just because you're listening to me bang on." It gets a modest chuckle, and everyone checks their phone is off.✒Actors have been moaning on this week about people's mobes going off, as if it's like bringing a boombox to a funeral. I have found a way round the problem when I have to speak in public. I say, "A word about mobile phones: please make sure yours are on. I'd hate you to miss an important call just because you're listening to me bang on." It gets a modest chuckle, and everyone checks their phone is off.
✒Many of you have written about the gold ring scam I mentioned last week. Apparently it's been going in Paris for years, but it still fools people there. And it's even older than that. Simon Davies was marked several times as a victim in Bloomsbury, London, but he remembered how the fraud is wittily described in PG Wodehouse's 1958 novel Cocktail Time and went on his way "with a merry smile". Some readers have described handing over £20 for a valueless ring. Of course, the sensible thing is to ignore it. Or ask to see the hallmark, which it won't have. Or insist on taking the ring to the police, at which point the scammer will melt into the crowd.✒Many of you have written about the gold ring scam I mentioned last week. Apparently it's been going in Paris for years, but it still fools people there. And it's even older than that. Simon Davies was marked several times as a victim in Bloomsbury, London, but he remembered how the fraud is wittily described in PG Wodehouse's 1958 novel Cocktail Time and went on his way "with a merry smile". Some readers have described handing over £20 for a valueless ring. Of course, the sensible thing is to ignore it. Or ask to see the hallmark, which it won't have. Or insist on taking the ring to the police, at which point the scammer will melt into the crowd.
✒One of the pleasures of watching golf on TV, which I love, is the commentary by Peter Alliss. Aficionados have spent ages arguing about what makes the 82-year-old so captivating, so hypnotic. Is it the way he talks to the ball? ("Get in there you little beauty!") But the golfers themselves do that. Mind you, they are on the course, so there is a chance the ball might hear, whereas Alliss is in a mobile studio, watching the same images as us.✒One of the pleasures of watching golf on TV, which I love, is the commentary by Peter Alliss. Aficionados have spent ages arguing about what makes the 82-year-old so captivating, so hypnotic. Is it the way he talks to the ball? ("Get in there you little beauty!") But the golfers themselves do that. Mind you, they are on the course, so there is a chance the ball might hear, whereas Alliss is in a mobile studio, watching the same images as us.
Is it the manner in which he occasionally lapses into Yiddish ("oy vey!") though as far as I know he has no Jewish blood? Or the way he assumes we are all keen golfers ("you may have noticed this at your own club"). I like best how he lapses into national stereotypes at every opportunity. If a Spanish golfer is doing well, it's "They'll be breaking out the paella tonight!"Is it the manner in which he occasionally lapses into Yiddish ("oy vey!") though as far as I know he has no Jewish blood? Or the way he assumes we are all keen golfers ("you may have noticed this at your own club"). I like best how he lapses into national stereotypes at every opportunity. If a Spanish golfer is doing well, it's "They'll be breaking out the paella tonight!"
Last Sunday, when the Australian Adam Scott made the 18th-hole shot which almost won the Masters, Alliss observed, "They'll be chasing the kangaroos round the coolabongs tonight!"Last Sunday, when the Australian Adam Scott made the 18th-hole shot which almost won the Masters, Alliss observed, "They'll be chasing the kangaroos round the coolabongs tonight!"
Puzzle as I might, I can't figure out what this means. Coolabong has no meaning except as the name of a town in New South Wales, far from Scott's home Adelaide. And I don't think kangaroo-chasing is an Aussie pastime, though "hunting" and "culling" do go on. The topic will keep us going at the next Peter Alliss fan club convention for a long plenary session.Puzzle as I might, I can't figure out what this means. Coolabong has no meaning except as the name of a town in New South Wales, far from Scott's home Adelaide. And I don't think kangaroo-chasing is an Aussie pastime, though "hunting" and "culling" do go on. The topic will keep us going at the next Peter Alliss fan club convention for a long plenary session.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.