"Radicals were the kind of people one didn’t have to dinner."

My last comment was somehow cut short.
I meant 'Judges, especially Senior one ....

Goodness..so glad never to have been to a formal dinner party. I guess I and my friends would be the radicals..we don't invite conservative people to our meals... unless we are being very radical

love the Enfield clip..thanks for the link.

My parents, reasonably radical, were at their conservative neighbours 'Summer Soiree' in the Surrey suburbs when the husband , deep in conversations with my dad said, 'I am not sure I do believe in God' his wife interjected quickly, 'Don't be silly dear, of course you do!'

I certainly didn't think the comment was an attack on you, nor was my reply.

Thank you.

Greatnan This was not an attack on you. I thought I made that clear both by my comment and the use of a 'puzzled' emoticon.

I am sorry if you took my comments to imply criticism. They did not.

I may add that I also achieved a good career and lifestyle through hard work and education but I have no problems with any 'class' of people - I judge the people I meet as individuals. Does just seeing my name trigger negative responses?

I am puzzled too, as I have not mentioned the words 'middle class'. My account was merely factual - the people at the dinners were certainly well-heeled. Why this attack on me? Of course I am aware that prejudice knows no barriers of class, age, or gender.

Quite Bags, though I didn't grow up among them but must have picked it up along the way.

Luckily, the days of 'posh' dinner parties are over, at least for us, and we just have supper now. Any kitchen faux pas are not so obvious if it's only supper. And, the wine can the colour you prefer!

Ariadne Abigail's Party is one of my all time favourite plays/DVDs

I am puzzled by the same point noodles

I grew up among radicals so I talk to the people either side of me, the people opposite, and the people at the other end of the table. As far as I'm concerned the only thing that matters is polite friendliness. Anyone can recognise politeness whether it's rough or smooth. Posh social rules? Bah humbug.

Lily I haven't been to a 'dinner party' for years but I do still go to formal dinners occasionally and I think it's only good manners to talk to both the people you're sitting next to!
As regards the ladies withdrawing, one of the biggest hurdles of my undergraduate training was going to the Professor of Oral Surgery's house for dinner, with the other 'dresser' as we were known. The Prof was ex-army and truly scary, and the evening consisted of a viva on the maxillary antrum, sherry, then dinner.
Students from previous years would regale us with details of the various faux pas to be avoided, and we were warned that after the meal was over, the students would be asked if they would like to 'go upstairs' ie use the loo.
When it was my turn I dutifully tried to leave the room, only to find the door knob had come off in my hand
I couldn't help suspecting that it had been deliberately loosened by the Prof as a test of my social savoire faire

Could never cope with the 'change partners' and talk to the one on your other side at dinner parties. Being brought up vulgar where people talked across the table, across each other, butted in and shouted. Do people still stop talking to the right-hand guest and start talking to the left-hand? Or has it gone out with ladies withdrawing, Galen ? That was explained to me as giving an opportunity for ladies who needed to relieve themselves to seize it without having to be public about it. I think that dated from the days when the gentlemen could piss in a pot kept in the sideboard so's not to interrupt the drinking conversation.

My father, father in law Ann uncle, my mother and an aunt were all Freemasons.

Galen Apparently my grandfather was a member of the pinny brigade, although I was not familiar with the term.
After he was killed in a car crash in 1946, my mother and grandmother were eternally grateful for the financial and other help they received, including legal assistance to claim for compensation.
It's not all bad.

Greatnan Then you must be familiar with working class prejucides? I am puzzled at the term 'middle class' being used as an insult, and equally puzzled at why 'working class' is not. Especially as so many people have worked hard to become middle-class through education and/or work (and I don't mean that in a snide way).

Noodles, I taught bottom-stream classes in inner-city comprehensives so I think I have moved in the circles you mention! My own family background was extremely financially deprived - but my parents were both very liberal-minded and self-educated via the local library and the WEA.

You"re a star , WHEN.
You can see I have led a sheltered life .

Have a on me!!

Freemasons, Nonu.

Greatnan Not only the well-heeled middle class. I've heard the same sort of conversations many times, only with working-class prats who collected most of their views from the redtops and who particularly hated 'all those f* immigrants* who come here and get everything for nothing.

We have worked/socialised in different circles, obviously.

I do wish someone would ask what is the "Pinny Brigade" , before I have to.

I am consumed with curiosity . Pretty please !!

Galen, I am not getting into THAT discussion ... done it before elsewhere and you wouldn't believe what happened.
Senior one) and policemen (especially senior ones) should not be members of the 'pinny brigade' as you call them- at least without it being declared!!!

But Greatnan, you missed a great entrepreneurial opportunity!

'Civilised dinners for well educated and (fairly) well heeled radicals.

Meet your soul mate and start the revolution.'

Sounds as if they'd have been terrified to meet you again, Greatnan!

I used to go to dinner parties for single people in London. They were quite expensive, so the people who attended had to be quite well-heeled. I used to sit getting more and more angry as the rants started against immigrants, single mothers, the unemployed - all the usual targets. After several glasses of wine, I would start to ask them how they arrived at their views, did they know the statistics, did they know anybody in their target groups, etc. Needless to say, I did not meet anybody I wanted to see again amongst that lot of smug, self-satisfied prats.

My MiL, visiting when we were first married, told me off for disagreeing with something DH had said in a discussion. My role, apparently, was always to agree with him in public. not a piece of advice I have followed!

I do so agree about dinner parties too - shades of "Abigail's Party"! I used to be so daunted by them, married at 19 and landed into a life I'd only experienced vicariously in novels. Lovely, now, not to give a s...t.

Ana thank you for your 'hear, hear.' but you'll be accused of being a cheerleader by those of a floral persuasion