Larkin around

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, ‘Monitor’ was a flagship arts programme on British television. In 1964, the year I was born, they put out an episode called Down Cemetery Road, which had John Betjeman interviewing Philip Larkin. Even if you’re not into poetry I think you’ll enjoy this programme. It’s classic television, everything from the scenes of 1960s Britain to the poesy Betjeman wearing a black leather raincoat and Fedora hat, to Larkin referring to himself as “a miserable sort of fella writing welfare state sub-poetry”. It’s brilliant stuff! Oh, and the title of the programme comes from a Larkin poem called Toads Revisited, which ends thus…

When the lights come on at four
At the end of another year?
Give me your arm, old toad;
Help me down Cemetery Road.

(you can find the complete poem here)

Without further ado, here’s two old gits wandering around 1960s Hull, pontificating about life, the universe and everything. John, I just love that black leather raincoat…

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