Jason Stockwood article in The Guardian

Ah!. Wrong matrix. That'll explain it then.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Here you go:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplep.....nding2020provisional

Of course most people have more materially than they had then. Not saying we didn’t have ice on the inside of our bedrooms growing up. I’m talking about the national picture, not specifically GY area. And it’s about relative wealth and income. Most people were poorer in a material sense. The better off had two weeks in the Med, the poor a day trip to Skeggy. Now the better off have two weeks in the Maldives, skiing in Chamonix, a couple of city breaks to Copenhagen and Verona. The poorest go on the 3C to Meggies.

However as you said yourself, there was a way out. And if you’re right that graduates often used to come back (I’ll take that as read you’re correct, for present purposes) doesn’t that show that there were more opportunities then in GY? There certainly wasn’t when I graduated in 1984.

There’s been a flight of capital too from GY since those days. The big local employers are generally not locally owned like they used to be. Profits are repatriated to shareholders elsewhere. So to an extent you’ve lost the old local rich, which might tend to reduce inequalities within the town.

Certainly true much of that Kingston. As a student I worked summers at Birds Eye which was a huge employer especially as the fish docks started to decline. Our next door neighbour had gone from a filleter to a charge hand to a foreman to a shift supervisor in about 10 years. They sent him off to Newfoundland to help set up a factory there. Then in a flash as it seemed, it was gone wasn’t it? Ross Group was the same, that was a big employer of returnees. They built that massive sports ground and employed professional cricketers. Eskimo morphed into Findus and left the old trolley depot in Pelham Road. I worked there one summer on nights when we took it in turns to have a kip in the carriages on the Cleethorpes sidings ……. Until someone got caught by the Railway Police!

My point amongst this jumble of memories is that in the 50s and 60s we always felt something good was round the corner no matter what our own circumstances. Then in the late 60s almost overnight optimism vanished. There were still jobs for returnees but progression beyond the lower rungs was harder. Even teaching that bastion of the returnee no longer favoured the Mr Chips and became a silly game of chasing promotions to beat inflation.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Certainly true much of that Kingston. As a student I worked summers at Birds Eye which was a huge employer especially as the fish docks started to decline. Our next door neighbour had gone from a filleter to a charge hand to a foreman to a shift supervisor in about 10 years. They sent him off to Newfoundland to help set up a factory there. Then in a flash as it seemed, it was gone wasn’t it? Ross Group was the same, that was a big employer of returnees. They built that massive sports ground and employed professional cricketers. Eskimo morphed into Findus and left the old trolley depot in Pelham Road. I worked there one summer on nights when we took it in turns to have a kip in the carriages on the Cleethorpes sidings ……. Until someone got caught by the Railway Police!

My point amongst this jumble of memories is that in the 50s and 60s we always felt something good was round the corner no matter what our own circumstances. Then in the late 60s almost overnight optimism vanished. There were still jobs for returnees but progression beyond the lower rungs was harder. Even teaching that bastion of the returnee no longer favoured the Mr Chips and became a silly game of chasing promotions to beat inflation.

Whilst Grimsby has bad points it has some good as well, depending on how well each person was doing every decade can mirror their individual circumstances. The article that this thread is about is only looking at trying to improve on some of the negative things. I really can’t see what anyone’s objections could be to that.
Thought this was football forum.

I don’t think Ron was saying Grimsby doesn’t have it’s good points, or knocking the article. Just like the original article wasn’t being negative about Grimsby as Lew alleges. Just reminiscing and adding some nuance to comments I made.

And if this is ‘non-football’ what fo you think the article was about? You can’t divorce discussion of ‘non-football’ matters from any discussion of that article.

Anyway, Ron, I agree there was a loss of optimism in the future. I hope Stockwood’s optimism is well judged.

Quoted from RichMariner

I read it as a positive piece.

He's basically saying that the opportunity for young people in Grimsby to thrive is hard, but the potential is there — and while we need some government assistance (and the football club can be used to galvanise, excite and inspire our younger generations) we should be listening to these young people, and building answers that fit their vision.

JS sees the potential in people, and he sees it in Grimsby. Fair enough, he highlights some of the blockers (none of which are unique to Grimsby) but he's highlighting the best way to improve lives and that is to love where we live, and be proud of it.

Obviously it makes reference to hardships, because success needs context. Didn't read this as negative at all.

I completely agree with this. I am not a Gurniad reader but learned a lot from the article, especially about meritocracy. I don't think he's showing off his intellect, just not talking down to people, he is assuming they either understand or will make the effort, either way he is not thinking the worst. I think the proof of their intentions will be (are) much more evident in their actions, the girl's development squads, for example. I think they are getting on with walking, not just talking. I like what I am hearing and seeing.

J.S is on the burnsy show(radio humberside) after 11 today.