(1) Prologue

'Lets start at the very beginning' suggests one of the songs in the film 'Sound of Music' made in 1965, some 47 years into the 80 year (so far) time span of this autobiography. The position of the song within the film, when children are being taught musical scales, is acceptable, but when applied to the period that the film has under review, 'Lets start at the very beginning' means it is unfair to quote out of context.


The film is not a political brainwashing, but a demonstration of how time and major events can, and do, change attitudes and expectations. A huge depression in the years following World War 1, was slowly being overcome, but the ruling classes of Europe had lost their power and in many cases their estates, their money and their influence. New political parties, with new aims and objectives, were becoming powerful and not prepared to accept objections to their policy.


The 'Sound of Music' highlights the changes being made on Austria by their neighbour Germany, (which eventually led to the German army marching into Austria, without a shot being fired, but this is not in the film) and was one of their first conquests in World War II. To remember these changes first hand, the reader would need to be about 90 years of age now. With me now getting close to my 80th Birthday, I can remember the effects of those changes on the British Isles, but not the specific changes themselves.


If I accept the advice of the 'Sound of Music', and start at the very beginning, the first line will be '2:15pm on Saturday 16th April 1932, Violet Chapman gave birth to a healthy Son, to be named Gordon Francis Chapman ' Mother and Baby are doing well.' I need a much longer lead-in to the autobiography, and expect to start sometime early in the 1700's.