This Town (3 Viewers)

[Brylowes]

From some of the early promo stuff I thought it was going to have a lot more focus on 2 Tone, this just seems more a generic story that could really be set anywhere but has a decent soundtrack.

Made it to halfway through the second episode before I gave up.

Yeah pretty much, it attempts to be a kind of social study of life in provincial cities at that time, racism, poverty, NI troubles, unemployment, riots, addiction etc.
All the issues bought to the fore by the popular music scene of the day “2 Tone” and in particular “The Specials”
A decent soundtrack can and does paper over a lot of cracks.

 

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[Nick]

I thought it was just me, I watched two and gave up, it seems Birmingham is about to create 2 Tone and Cov is full of IRA cells.

Pretty much the moral of the story.

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

Oh fair enough, maybe i should have given it more of a chance to develop

There's too much poetic recital stuff for me .
I thought it was going to be about the coming of 2tone, from the title " This Town" as in the Specials. It's not at all.

 

[The Great Eastern]

I thought it was just me, I watched two and gave up, it seems Birmingham is about to create 2 Tone and Cov is full of IRA cells.

You need to read up about Father Fell and then James McDade to realise Cov was more of a hot bed of IRA activity than many other cities in England.
James McDade was blown to bits by his own bomb as he placed it outside the old Post Office sorting office. In 'retaliation', the IRA bombed the two pubs in Birmingham a week later. The Tavern in the Town was a boozer I used a few times while dating a Brummie lass and can only imagine the devastating carnage in there as there was just the one stair case to leave the place.

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

You need to read up about Father Fell and then James McDade to realise Cov was more of a hot bed of IRA activity than many other cities in England.
James McDade was blown to bits by his own bomb as he placed it outside the old Post Office sorting office. In 'retaliation', the IRA bombed the two pubs in Birmingham a week later. The Tavern in the Town was a boozer I used a few times while dating a Brummie lass and can only imagine the devastating carnage in there as there was just the one stair case to leave the place.

I remember the Post Office bomber. I remember my dad went ballistic and swore all sorts in the direction of the IRA when he read the Telegraph the following day.
I think people are a bit disappointed that Coventry was a hotbed of musical innovation with 2tone and it's been largely ignored .

 

[Brylowes]

You need to read up about Father Fell and then James McDade to realise Cov was more of a hot bed of IRA activity than many other cities in England.

It would seem that London, Birmingham, Liverpool & Coventry were the 4 major IRA hotbeds on the mainland.

Coventry was actually the scene of the IRA’s first major atrocity on the mainland, a bomb exploded in Broadgate Square killing 5 and injuring many others in 1939.

 

[nicksar]

I'm of an age that i can recall the IRA support in Coventry in that period...my best mate at the time was a Belfast born Catholic and his family and extended family were staunch Ira supporters... I'm of Scottish Protestant descent (although an Atheist myself) to be fair his family were great with me on a personal level but I knew certain things were best not mentioned.
My father took a good while to warm to my mate although he did grow to like him.As an aside when I got to the age of 16 my Father told me in no uncertain terms that I must never bring a Catholic girl home...I never did!! Although I did knock about with a few catholic girls as a teenager.
My 2nd wife is a born and bred Roman Catholic.
Re the series tbh I did watch it all but didn't think much to it in all honesty.

 

[Terry_dactyl]

It would seem that London, Birmingham, Liverpool & Coventry were the 4 major IRA hotbeds on the mainland.

Coventry was actually the scene of the IRA’s first major atrocity on the mainland, a bomb exploded in Broadgate Square killing 5 and injuring many others in 1939.

Well, I did not know that. I’m going to have a read up.
Remember being told about bloke blowing himself up.

I'm of an age that i can recall the IRA support in Coventry in that period...my best mate at the time was a Belfast born Catholic and his family and extended family were staunch Ira supporters... I'm of Scottish Protestant descent (although an Atheist myself) to be fair his family were great with me on a personal level but I knew certain things were best not mentioned.
My father took a good while to warm to my mate although he did grow to like him.As an aside when I got to the age of 16 my Father told me in no uncertain terms that I must never bring a Catholic girl home...I never did!! Although I did knock about with a few catholic girls as a teenager.
My 2nd wife is a born and bred Roman Catholic.
Re the series tbh I did watch it all but didn't think much to it in all honesty.

My mum is from just outside of Belfast, she worked and lived there before coming to Cov in the 1970s.
She was a Protestant but her best friend in Belfast was Catholic, my grandparents wouldn’t have her in the house.
My mum has some stories…

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Well, I did not know that. I’m going to have a read up.
Remember being told about bloke blowing himself up.


My mum is from just outside of Belfast, she worked and lived there before coming to Cov in the 1970s.
She was a Protestant but her best friend in Belfast was Catholic, my grandparents wouldn’t have her in the house.
My mum has some stories…

Fascinating part of the world really, more people from GB should go. If we were in an ‘Irish’ part we were treated similarly to how German tourists were in Crete for a long time, in a ‘British’ part treated like family. All just based on accent. Neglected by politicians on both sides of the Irish Sea, that much is clear.

As for Coventry, tens of thousands of Irish immigrants, of course some drawn into the side depicted in the show…but many more who had nothing to do with it and saw the city as a home from home.

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

I remember going to pubs in town and getting searched around the Birmingham bombings time. It was a regular occurrence and became quite normal. This was mid 70's so I'd be 16, before 2tone

 

[Terry_dactyl]

Fascinating part of the world really, more people from GB should go. If we were in an ‘Irish’ part we were treated similarly to how German tourists were in Crete for a long time, in a ‘British’ part treated like family. All just based on accent. Neglected by politicians on both sides of the Irish Sea, that much is clear.

As for Coventry, tens of thousands of Irish immigrants, of course some drawn into the side depicted in the show…but many more who had nothing to do with it and saw the city as a home from home.

It’s also a beautiful place.
I spent my summer holidays over there. Loved it for the most part.
Although the occasional bomb scares weren’t highlights!

I’ve not been back for a while now but plan to do so.