Bird and Baby

Image via Wikipedia

I spent the early years of my life in that renowned and hallowed city of academia that is Oxford. The first decade of my life was spent in the 1960′s of Southern England and in a way, I suppose I could be considered as being a product of societies first wave of liberalism, free love, pop music and other such debauchery.

My father was the licensee of the Eagle & Child public house in St. Giles Oxford. The premises, also known locally as the ‘Bird & Baby’ or ‘Fowl & Foetus’, was a regular watering hole for students, lecturers and College Dons alike as well as the local non-academics. Despite my tender age whilst resident, I still recall the literary influence the place and it’s clientage had on my formative years.

Looking back now and listening to family folklore, I am reminded of situations and experiences that moulded me in the image I am today. In Oxford I gained an understanding and value of education (or perhaps how education was), I experienced the value of competitive sport (initially as a spectator), I developed my first love of water and boating with the canal and river discovered the beauty of wildlife and open spaces. Thanks to the effects of alcohol, I also gained my first experience of idiots who can’t take drink and became aware of race issues (see previous post).

Wikipedia: The Eagle and Child is a pub in St Giles’, Oxford, England which is owned by St. John’s College, Oxford. The pub had been part of an endowment belonging to University College since the 17th century. It has associations with the Inklings writers’ group which included J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. (Read more)

I have many fond thoughts of childhood in Oxford, some may be genuine memories although I suspect many more could be an interpretations of relayed family stories, viewed through rose tinted spectacles. That said, some of my expectations of the city today were still present during recent visits. The architecture is the same, many of the old ‘landmarks’ are still there, the colleges and students are still in dominance. Despite some signs of modern urban decay like rubbish, beggars and people sleeping rough on street corners, there is still an element of the cosmopolitan nature that still remains in the city.

There are new trendy restaurants such as Jamie’s Italian and the ”positive eating experience” of Wagamama. Oxford has played host to the Inspector Morse TV series (and spin-off Lewis) amongst others. The city has a vibrant and exciting social life and, it still attracts tourists in their thousands every month. Despite the general decline in our society and the British education system, I am still proud of my birthplace and the legacy it has provided for me and the rest of the world.

I will always be an avid Boatrace follower each year and a devoted fan of the OUBC ‘Dark Blue’!