Difficult recession
28 September 2009
Like many of us, I've found this year to be challenging from a work perspective, but am grateful that I am (and most others are in) in a far better position than our grand parents were in the great depression of the 1930s. Back in 1876 my great grandad 'Jacko', John Jones was born in Southwark, the area where he lived near Surrey Row was described in Charles Booth's Victorian poverty map as the lowest class, vicious and suffering extreme hardship. He was a builders labourer with eight children and served in WWI, still being on active service in 1919. I imagine him as being as hard-as-nails and very no-nonsense. Now 134 years later, living in Southwark, I often wonder if he walked along the same roads as me, and whether he would be proud of me and the choices and success' I've made in life. I believe he and nana's family really suffered in the 1920-1 recession. Also all of the places I know he lived have all been torn down, which suggests to me that they must have been in very bad condition to live in.
Today, the UK is a land of central heating and home computers, Jacko Jones would be amazed that we have a welfare state and can send emails and that Alexander Bell's telephone is now portable! So let us be thankful for our education and that the recession has not been as bad as first feared.
Marabese