Kelso Cochrane (1927-1959)

Last yeasr riots in london meant according to some that London would never be the same again, a clain that Peter Ackroyd pooh-poohed citing the cities long history of civil disturbance. I guess you could go all the way back to the Boudiccan revolt and probably further. there are two dates that appear over and over 1666 and 1940 both of which saw a substantial proportion of the city destroyed. i cant see 2011 ever joining the list.
The 1958 race riots seem to have been overlloked in all the hysterical media jawing over last year. The death of Kelso Cochrane in 1959 (probably by a British Union of Facsists member) triggered repercussions both negative - the Afro-Caribbean communities of West London rose against an institutionally racist community and positive the institution of the of annual Notting Hill carnival in an attempt to express their solidarity, their cultural identity.
Kelso Cochrane is remembered by a plaque on the side of the Earl of Portobello pub just across the road from where he was stabbed. A site that Oswald Mosley later used as a site for one o his hate-mongering speecehes. Looking at the cretins of the EDF it doesnt seem that weve progressed that much...

Dusty Springfield (1939-1999)

Well the weekly post doesnt quite seem to be working out :o( Hey ho. An easy one this week after yesterdays wander through Notting Hill from Andrew Duncans Walking London a nice walk walk marred by the tourist hordes thronging Portobello Road Market which meant a minimum of browsing (no bad thing as it meant that bank balances stayed intact.) Fortunately the weather stayed OK until we retreated to S&M for coffee.
So todays plaque was spotted on Aubrey Walk tucked neatly behind the multiple plaqued Campden Hill Gardens which irked M somewhat it being towards the end of the walk and daring to be on a slope that we were required to climb.
Mum and dad never really rated Dusty preferring Aretha - and yeah I can see their point. Dusty sings of "wishin and hopin" and "I just don't know what to do with myself" and Aretha spoke of respect. A much edgier and meaningful deal altogether until you learn of Dusty's struggles against manic depression and struggling to come terms with a non-hetero sexuality at a time when these things were only just beginning to be spoken of...