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Barry's father dies;

"My own father dead before I reach my sixteenth. Mr Patmore Walker, Esq.," (Evaristo 156).

Tristan Wasserman

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Universal suffrage in Antigua and Barbuda (Leah & Kendall)

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Larry learns about Barry and Morris’s relationship

-Chloe Miller and Valerie Weston

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The death of mathematician Alan Turing, who died by (supposed) suicide in a prison, where he was on trial for homosexuality.

Tristan Wasserman

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-18561092

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Alan Turing, the British mathematical genius and codebreaker born 100 years ago on 23 June, may not have committed suicide, as is widely believed.

Turing expert Prof Jack Copeland has questioned the evidence that was presented at the 1954 inquest.

He believes the evidence would not today be accepted as sufficient to establish a suicide verdict.

Indeed, he argues, Turing's death may equally probably have been an accident.

What is well known and accepted is that Alan Turing died of cyanide poisoning.

His housekeeper famously found the 41-year-old mathematician dead in his bed, with a half-eaten apple on his bedside table.

It is widely said that Turing had been haunted by the story of the poisoned apple in the fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and had resorted to the same desperate measure to end the persecution he was suffering as a result of his homosexuality.

But according to Prof Copeland, it was Turing's habit to take an apple at bedtime, and that it was quite usual for him not to finish it; the half-eaten remains found near his body cannot be seen as an indication of a deliberate act.

Indeed, the police never tested the apple for the presence of cyanide.

Moreover, Prof Copeland emphasises, a coroner these days would demand evidence of pre-meditation before announcing a verdict of suicide, yet nothing in the accounts of Turing's last days suggest he was in anything but a cheerful mood.

We have... been recreating the narrative of Turing's life, and we have recreated him as an unhappy young man who committed suicide. But the evidence is not there
Prof Jack Copeland, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

Alan Turing's genius
He had left a note on his office desk, as was his practice, the previous Friday to remind himself of the tasks to be done on his return after the Bank Holiday weekend.

Nevertheless, at the inquest, the coroner, Mr JAK Ferns declared: "In a man of his type, one never knows what his mental processes are going to do next." What he meant by "of his type" is unclear.

The motive for suicide is easy to imagine. In 1952, after he had reported a petty burglary, Turing found himself being investigated for "acts of gross indecency" after he revealed he had had a male lover in his house.

Faced with the prospect of imprisonment, and perhaps with it the loss of the mathematics post he held at Manchester University, which gave him access to one of the world's only computers, Turing accepted the alternative of "chemical castration" - hormone treatment that was supposed to suppress his sexual urges.

It is often repeated that the chemicals caused him to grow breasts, though Turing is only known to have mentioned this once.

The authorities' continuing interest in Turing became apparent in 1953 when a gay Norwegian acquaintance, Kjell, announced by postcard his intention to visit him at his Wilmslow home, but mysteriously never arrived.

Turing told a friend, by way of explanation: "At one stage, the police over the north of England were out searching for him."

With six decades of hindsight, these oppressive attentions, the nation's failure to appreciate his wartime contributions, his apparent sidelining at the Manchester computer department, have led to a tragic picture of Turing being hounded during his last years, and suicide being a natural outcome.

But Prof Copeland argues that on the contrary, Turing's career was at an intellectual high, and that he had borne his treatment "with good humour".

Of the Kjell affair, Turing had written that "for sheer incident, it rivalled the Arnold [gross-indecency] story"; and immediately after his conviction had told a friend: "The day of the trial was by no means disagreeable.

"Whilst in custody with the other criminals, I had a very agreeable sense of irresponsibility, rather like being back at school."

On the face of it, these are not the expressions of someone ground down by adversity.

What is more, Turing had tolerated the year-long hormone treatment and the terms of his probation ("my shining virtue was terrific") with amused fortitude, and another year had since passed seemingly without incident.

In statements to the coroner, friends had attested to his good humour in the days before his death.

His neighbour described him throwing "such a jolly [tea] party" for her and her son four days before he died.

His close friend Robin Gandy, who had stayed with him the weekend before, said that Turing "seemed, if anything, happier than usual".

Yet the coroner recorded a verdict of suicide "while the balance of his mind was disturbed".

Prof Copeland believes the alternative explanation made at the time by Turing's mother is equally likely.

Turing had cyanide in his house for chemical experiments he conducted in his tiny spare room - the nightmare room he had dubbed it.

He had been electrolysing solutions of the poison, and electroplating spoons with gold, a process that requires potassium cyanide. Although famed for his cerebral powers, Turing had also always shown an experimental bent, and these activities were not unusual for him.

But Turing was careless, Prof Copeland argues.

The electrolysis experiment was wired into the ceiling light socket.

On another occasion, an experiment had resulted in severe electric shocks.

And he was known for tasting chemicals to identify them.

Perhaps he had accidentally put his apple into a puddle of cyanide.

Or perhaps, more likely, he had accidentally inhaled cyanide vapours from the bubbling liquid.

Prof Copeland notes that the nightmare room had a "strong smell" of cyanide after Turing's death; that inhalation leads to a slower death than ingestion; and that the distribution of the poison in Turing's organs was more consistent with inhalation than with ingestion.

In his authoritative biography, Andrew Hodges suggests that the experiment was a ruse to disguise suicide, a scenario Turing had apparently mentioned to a friend in the past.

But Jack Copeland argues the evidence should be taken at face value - that an accidental death is certainly consistent with all the currently known circumstances.

The problem, he complains, is that the investigation was conducted so poorly that even murder cannot be ruled out. An "open verdict", recognising this degree of ignorance, would be his preferred position.

None of this excuses the treatment of Turing during his final years, says Prof Copeland.

"Turing was hounded," he told the BBC, adding: "Yet he remained cheerful and humorous."

"The thing is to tell the truth in so far as we know it, and not to speculate.

"In a way we have in modern times been recreating the narrative of Turing's life, and we have recreated him as an unhappy young man who committed suicide. But the evidence is not there.

"The exact circumstances of Turing's death will probably always be unclear," Prof Copeland concludes.
Roland Pease has produced two episodes of Discovery on the BBC World Service devoted to Turing. In the first, he follows the events leading up to Turing's design for a fully programmable computer (Ace) at the National Physical Laboratory. In the second episode, he explores the life and legacy of Turing.
"Perhaps we should just shrug our shoulders, and focus on Turing's life and extraordinary work."

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Alan Turing, the British mathematical genius and codebreaker born 100 years ago on 23 June, may not have committed suicide, as is widely believed. Turing expert Prof Jack Copeland has questioned the evidence that was presented at the 1954 inquest. He believes the evidence would not today be accepted as sufficient to establish a suicide verdict.

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Barry buys his first 3 rental properties on Queen Elizabeth's Walk before the "Great Luvvy Invasion" (chapter 7) (Leah & Kendall)

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In the 60's I witnessed the hippification of Stoke Newington, just as I was settling in (116)

Kaira and Chelsey

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Brit History: Ten Most Important Historical Events of the 1960s

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The Swinging Sixties were a time of cultural revolution in the United Kingdom. Music changed forever with the popularity of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, - British History, Modern Britain

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Paige, Maela, Daniela

Barry and Carmel are married in Antigua. This is the beginning of all the trouble. If they were never married, a good chunk of the hurt could have been avoided. (CH 2)

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Paige, Maela, Daniela

The Beatles performed their first live show at the Indra club in Hamburg, Germany.

https://shorturl.at/vWsev

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The Beatles’ first performance in Hamburg

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The Beatles arrived in Hamburg, Germany in the early evening of 17 August 1960, for the first of 48 nights at the Indra Club on the Grosse Freiheit street. The group performed at the venue for 48 nights, ending on 3 October 1960. The venue was owned by Bruno Koschmider, a local club owner who…

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"Harold Winston becomes Prime Minister in 1964."

Source: https://anglotopia.net/british-history/brit-history-ten-most-important-historical-events-of-the-1960s/

Kaira and Chelsey

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"Abortion and Homosexuality Partially Decriminalized"

Criminality removed for two consenting male adults above the age of 21.

https://anglotopia.net/british-history/brit-history-ten-most-important-historical-events-of-the-1960s/

Kaira and Chelsey

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Brit History: Ten Most Important Historical Events of the 1960s

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Swinging Sixties were a time of cultural revolution in the United Kingdom. Music changed forever with the popularity of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, - British History, Modern Britain

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British politician Enoch Powell's speech "Rivers of Blood" in Birmingham. Strongly criticized rate of immigration at the time and spurred anti-immigration in 1970s.

Barry mentions this on page 115.

Kaira, Chelsey

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LGBTQ+ Movements: The Stonewall Riots, starting on June 28, 1969 were a massive event. "The Stonewall Inn" was a [popular gar bar that was raided by police and this event lead to protests, marches, and LGBTQ+ conversations sparking in the 60's and 70's.

Ethan, Em, Anna

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The Immigration Act of 1971 which introduced a "voucher system," which allocated a limited number of permits to allow immigrants to enter the country.

Em, Anna, Ethan

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GSL hosts first London pride event on the anniversary on the Stonewall Rebellion

-Chloe Miller and Valerie Weston

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Barry gets beaten up by homophobic young men/teenagers at the cemetary--a known hook-up spot for gay men. (Evaristo 102) (Leah & Kendall)

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Donna gets a girlfriend (Merle) and Barry considers coming out for the first time. (Evaristo 120)

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The newspaper "Gay News" was found guilty of blasphemous libel (a type of criminal libel that consists of material with the tendency to shock Christians). This is directly related to it's publication of queer happenings. (Leah & Kendall)

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In the 1980s, the AIDS epidemic was a significant event in LGBT history. Along with discourse, it caused a large increase in awareness and research.

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1980 - Carmel laments her life and what happened from 1960-70

georgia + kiah + gregory

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1981-

Antigua and Barbuda gain independence from the British Empire

gregory, georgia, kiah

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Attempts made to replant sugarcane fields, but these are finally abandoned in 1985 because of financial problems.

Kiah, Georgia, Gregory

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1980 - housing act comes into effect allowing council house tenants to buy their homes

georgia + kiah + gregory

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1981 – Notting Hill Riots and Antiguan Presence in the UK

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1981 – Notting Hill Riots and Antiguan Presence in the UK

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The 1981 Brixton Riots and the 1981 Notting Hill Riots were partly fueled by tensions between Caribbean immigrant communities and the police, as well as by social and economic inequalities.

Ethan, Em, Anna

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Date: 1983

Barry begins his affair with Morris. He starts exploring his sexual identity more openly, exploring the idea of secrets, love, and his relationship with both Morris and his wife, Carmel.

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Maela, Daniela, Paige

Barry begins taking a history of art course at Birkbeck one evening a week. He begins an affair with Stephen. After he refuses Stephen's request for an actual relationship, Stephen leaves the class. (178-179)

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1985 - Carmel begins her "glow up"

georgia + kiah + gregory

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1985 - LIVE AID

georgia + kiah + gregory

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1990 - Thatcher stepped down as PM

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1990 - Carmel has her affair

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Barry tells Carmel he is thinking about getting a divorce. Carmel has her "First display of domestic violence." (Chapter 3)

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Paige, Maela, Daniela

Daniel was born around this time. He's like a mini-Barry.

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Prince Charles and Princess Diana separation

Kendall, Leah

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1995 - Antigua and Barbuda's 1995 Sexual Offences Act rules homosexuality as illegal

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Y2k bug scare !

(Regina, Alyssa, Liv)

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(Em, Anna, Ethan)

In 2003 Section 28 was repealed. Section 28 made it illegal for local authorities from ‘promoting homosexuality’ or ‘pretended family relationships’. It also banned Councils from funding educational materials and projects that were perceived to ‘promote homosexuality’.

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(Em, Anna, Ethan)

Barry drives Carmel to the airport to visit Antigua and her ailing father at 5 a.m. This is, as Barry says, one of the only times he's been left alone in their marriage.

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Carmel's second "display of domestic violence" after Barry returns home late from the bar. (Chapter 1)

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The 2010 general election takes place, resulting in a hung parliament.

Conservatives held 307

Labour held 258

Liberal Democrat held 57

Democratic Unionist Party held 8

Scottish National Party held 6

and 14 seats went to other parties

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BBC NEWS | Election 2010 | Results | United Kingdom - National Results

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BBC News General Election 2010, full results for the United Kingdom (UK)

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Paige, Maela, Daniela

Barry comes out to Daniel and his friends. This is the first person in his immediate family he comes out to explicitly. (CH 10)

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Sat, May 15th, 2010 - Regina, Alyssa, Liv

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Sat, May 15th, 2010 - Regina, Alyssa, Liv

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Barry references Daniel's iPod in chapter 10. In 2010, Apple released the iPod touch, iPod nano, and the iPod shuffle.

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5/18/10 - maxine finds barry after his "bender"

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5/18/10 - hung parliament meets for the first time after general election

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2010 - antigua + barbuda have their public external debts restructured by the Paris club

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2010 - carmel's father dies

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Paige, Maela, Daniela

Annual net migration to the UK in 2010 was 252,000 - the highest calendar year figure on record, figures show.

https://shorturl.at/3ldye

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Net migration to UK in 2010 at record high

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Annual net migration to the UK was 252,000 in 2010 - the highest calendar year figure on record, Office for National Statistics figures show.