Greenham Common

So true CariadAgain. At that time women and men were afraid of what was happening with the threat of nuclear weapons being unleashed and believed we had to let our fears be shown, and the best way to do it was to write to MP's, have shouty little gatherings and yes, wave banners BUT it was all ignored. So the idea of starting a 'peace camp' was born and after a long walk, it was started up outside a base where weapons were being stored.

This caught the eye and imagination and news spread, not just in this country but around the world. More women came to support the small camp simply because they were frightened for themselves and their loved ones and they weren't being listened to - there were a lot of women accusing the camp of being 'stupid women making a fuss'. So gathering to support each other was possibly the only way the 'powers that be' might take notice of the feeling towards having nuclear weapons being trundled around little country roads in the dead of night.
Lesbians, straights, black, white, old, young, rich, poor - it didn't matter, they were all brought together with the same aim - men supported in many ways too.

Whatever negative comments and mockery is directed here against me, I as one of thousands of women that attended and supported Greenham camp originally would do the same again if the need arose and looking at the state of the world at the moment, it might be sooner rather than later.

Am sure it all felt wonderful and virtuous and visionary….but you know what? It was a gigantic waste of time and energy and really did break up many families.And achieved nothing in the end.

Couldn't agree more.

Chaitriona

I was at Greenham Common on the day women embraced the base. Two coach loads of us went from Paddington in west London. There were thousands of women there. We spread out all along the barbed wire fence that surrounded the base and held hands. A siren or something like that went off and there was a loud speaker announcement that told us we had surrounded the base..It was a rapturous moment. There was a women's choir in one of our coaches and on the way home they sang. "You're not going to take my world away. Not with me watching.".
The barbed wire was interlaced with ribbons, wool, embroidered banners. It was a wonderful thing. So many women demonstrating peacefully, using women's craft as a form of expression.
Was it successful? There are still nuclear weapons and wars taking place in so many parts of the world, women and children suffering horrifically. I don't think we can succeed in one place at one time but there is also among humans a consistent will towards peace. If we can never achieve it, it looks as if there may be no future for any of the children being born now.
I have an embroidery on display currently in the Museum of Edinburgh which celebrates the way women have expressed themselves through thread in history and across the world. I have sewn on it, among other things, a small section of the fence st Greenham with a banner pinned on it.

I was there with you. I accept the point about nuclear and Putin in the present but I supported the Greenham women. Watching a documentary seems to have confirmed your existing critical view of the Greenham women, Oreo.

The eighties were significant for the women’s liberation / feminist movement. The Greenham women were part of the campaigning spirit. It contributed to Women’s Aid, to attempts to get violence against women and children on the agenda.

It was an important sociological movement.

I get where you're at boheminan.

I don't regret what I did in various directions - not just the peace cause...but trade unionism and general "action" to try and change the world for the better.

If I didn't "do the same again" it would be because I've become much MUCH more cynical about the human race and wearily aware that there is a high proportion out for themselves and tired of trying to figure out just how many ways our governments and those of apparently higher "importance" than our governments are trying to manipulate us and they do manage to con quite a high percentage of people (now why am I back to thinking about Lockdown and "those" jabs again and there's still quite a few people who believe all of that - though some have kept open minds/listened to those brave medics who "tell it like it is").

So I'm way WAY more cynical than I was then. Though some "shine through the years"....eg my brave friend who just told us all about that mysterious and nasty raid on his home and, in the very next breath we were all planning "business as usual". There was also the fact that, when bullying hadnt worked, they tried to bribe us - the name of that HUGE HUGE American foundation (was it the Rockefeller Foundation - if my memory serves me right?) sent a letter right out of the blue to the peace group I was in and those of us in charge were told about this letter and that we were being offered money/BIG money we hadn't even asked for/wouldnt have asked for and it took us precisely 5 minutes I should think of going round the circle to give our personal views on "Yes or no/do we take all that money we've just been offered". Precisely 5 minutes - because we just straight out as fast as you please each said "No" in turn and back went our letter refusing it.....go us...yay! We didn't even need to debate it....we all just looked astonished and it was "No, no, no, no, no etc" as we went round the circle giving our opinion and there was no need to bring that to the wider group membership for discussion - as we were all unanimous on that. We didnt need the money anyway - but we'd have still turned it down instantly and unanimously.

When I watch just how fast just how many people do "prostitute" themselves for money in our society generally then it is upsetting and disillusioning to watch so many doing so ....but good to know there are some with principles.

There is an animal rights camp in Huntingdon all along the kerbside. It has been there for years without any effect except the council have lowered to speed limit and put in portaloos

I was there too. 13 buses left Edinburgh for Greenham Common on December 12th 1983. We took food, warm clothes, string, pictures of our families, candles and musical instruments.
It was amazing! So many of us singing and dancing. I met some really lovely people there. I even met my old headmistress there.

It did me good and who can know what seeds of peace were sown.

The hands round the base day is remembered positively by so many of us. Sisters in solidarity. Singing and twining wool, ribbons etc into the fences. I bumped into my ex sister in law and her daughters,

Whatever you thought of the women
They had the couraage to question matters and so called Authority.

And could stand up and be counted.

A great effort, and thanks to all of them.
🚀 🇺🇸👎
X

Lovely to read the posts from other women who were at Greenham. We are still here but won't be for very much longer now so it is good to leave our testimonies for those who come after us.
There is a very good book I would recommend "Out of the Darkness. Greenham Voices 1981-2000." By Kate Kerrow and Rebecca Morden with a foreword by Frankie Armstrong.

I do understand why women who were there for a few days, or weeks or even years feel they need to validate their actions now.It’s hard to admit that it was all pointless isn’t it?
It seems to be a mix of CND activism and women’s liberation and reading some posts on here, the enjoyment of rebellion against the man ( authority) as well.It’s interesting from a social history perspective.
Holding hands in a circle and singing We Shall Overcome may have felt wonderful but ribbons and singing never helped any country to defend itself against invading armies did it?

It is sad that the comments here are very divided as is sometimes the case on Gransnet and seems to be happening in our country now on many issues and I do not think that will be helpful for any of us in the long run.
I am sorry that someone had urine thrown on him at Greenham. That was wrong. But it was not the approach of all the women there.
In "Out of the Darkness" Margaret McNeill writes "I didn't feel anti-military. I felt that people who were in the military were people of honour, they were holding these roles because they did care about people and their country." The book records that many women at Greenham felt it was part of their commitment to break down the " us and them" mentality and try to develop human connection and empathy with those guarding the base.
Many of the soldiers were friendly with the women, chatting with them, giving them coal for a fire in one case.
On the other hand much more harm was done to the women than they did to anyone else. Annie Brotherton recalls on a police sweep, the police unzipping her tent and saying they were coming in to rape her.

I lived very close to the base and found them and their antics infuriating - it was a pointless exercise ultimately that was punitively expensive to police and destroyed the local area. It was a good day when they finally all b***ered off!

There is a huge age gap between posters on this site. Some are young, decades younger than others of us who lived through the period of women’s subjugation and their efforts at emancipation during the 60 s , 70s and 80 s and can have no idea of how different life was fir women.
Just one example of women’s place was Marital rape was not a crime until the 90 s. Police would do nothing if abuse was reported by a woman by her husband, and it was written up as ‘just a domestic’.
It was a totally different world, when brave women stood together for change and to have their voices heard.

I wouldn't be surprised to see another radical peace movement now Putin has become threatening. Russia is quite capable of manipulating anti-war, anti-nuclear people for its own ends.

silverlining48

There is a huge age gap between posters on this site. Some are young, decades younger than others of us who lived through the period of women’s subjugation and their efforts at emancipation during the 60 s , 70s and 80 s and can have no idea of how different life was fir women.
Just one example of women’s place was Marital rape was not a crime until the 90 s. Police would do nothing if abuse was reported by a woman by her husband, and it was written up as ‘just a domestic’.
It was a totally different world, when brave women stood together for change and to have their voices heard.

Was has that to do with the American base at Greenham?

What, not was.

Grantanow

I wouldn't be surprised to see another radical peace movement now Putin has become threatening. Russia is quite capable of manipulating anti-war, anti-nuclear people for its own ends.

Yes, Corbyn and pals will be popping up any minute.

Oreo

I do understand why women who were there for a few days, or weeks or even years feel they need to validate their actions now.It’s hard to admit that it was all pointless isn’t it?
It seems to be a mix of CND activism and women’s liberation and reading some posts on here, the enjoyment of rebellion against the man ( authority) as well.It’s interesting from a social history perspective.
Holding hands in a circle and singing We Shall Overcome may have felt wonderful but ribbons and singing never helped any country to defend itself against invading armies did it?

One of the things I've noticed over the years - in many different contexts (not just this one) is people of the opposite opinion on something do their darndest to "shut the other opinion down". They try to ensure the "other opinion" doesnt have a voice and, if they can't manage it, then they turn to belittling (ie "Oh well.....didnt/isnt having any effect anyway").

That's when you know you are "getting through" - ie when they're trying to shut you up/say your contribution got nowhere etc.

It's a naughty tactic to use - but it ain't the first time by any manner of means that I've encountered it.

How strange, I don’t mind in the least any posters having a different opinion to me and don’t think for one minute that those holding opposing views to mine are trying to shut me up.
It’s a forum for views, and on any given subject there will be varying opinions.

The only Greenham Common woman I knew left her husband with 4 young children and gave up her medical career, which she never got back on track. The marriage struggled on but finally ended in acrimony. Difficult to watch the husband and children coping.

While we are on the subject of demonstrators, the queen of them all, one Greta Thunberg, has been banned from Venice after she tipped green dye into the Grand Canal, stating that she’s not happy with Italy’s continuing use of fossil fuels.

Principles very often demand sacrifice.
They have to be very strong to uphold them.
I think there would have been a lot of regret and possibly recriminations.

Miss Thunberg is a pain in the a…e.

Oreo what a strange question. The connection is obvious.