The Trial of Christine Keeler.

suziewoozie is that Mariah Carey or Archbishop Carey? I have no idea what you're even talking about! Let it go dear.

What makes my blood boil is establishment of politicians and police closing ranks to protect estabishment and to hell with the little people who are dispensible, people like Ward, and Christine.

That other story on television , about Bishop Ball and the Church of England has the same theme of establishment closing ranks. In the case of the C of E bishop and Archbishop Carey the losers were the abused teenage boys and their parents.

Thanks for that post Alexa exactly what I’ve been saying on this and the PB thread and bring criticised so for doing. The hypocrisy on GN is breathtaking.

Aha, now it's clearer thanks to Alexa, you mean Archbishop Carey and Peter Ball. I was simply discussing a TV series about Christine Keeler and have not made any comments about politicians or establishment so no-one should presume they know my opinions.

Well I m still finding it too long and can’t get excited about it and I m not sure why it just seems dreary to me somehow I’m not ‘in it’
My criticism is not anything to do with the real life events But just the dramatisation and I can’t put my finger on the reasons

Bluebelle. Did you watch the two part documentary on Peter Ball which was another example of the same basic issues? It was two hours in total with a mix of real life people talking to camera and re-enactments. The story is no where near so well known ( partly because of the success of the Estsblishment in the cover up and minimising).

The CK story is of course better known and there has been the film. What I’ve found fascinating is the detail that could never come across in a 90 min film. The campaign against SW that led to his suicide, the harassment of CK and MRD. All this happened over several months and in fact was based on pure revenge by the Establishment because in the end they had not been able to prevent some of the truth coming out. The other thing is that it was written and directed by women and its USP is that it tells the story from the women’s point of view

I don’t think it’s great drama but I think it’s a worthy attempt to retell this story as it really was, not sleazy jokes about the sex orgies at Cliveden but how the Judiciary, the Met, No 10, the government and ‘high society’ conspired against the ‘lower orders’.

Anyone else start to feel sad for Simon Ward last night. The reality on his face that his so called friends just disappeared when he needed them was heartbreaking.

Yes. I think it was dreadful. I still haven't worked out though, whether he was a good man or not.

Stephen Ward, Simon Ward is an actor.

Ha ha, Simon Ward is an actor (Young Winston). I think you mean Stephen Ward. I haven't watched this week's episode yet but I did comment on how heartbreaking it was to see SW's fall from grace last week. James Norton is a fantastic actor. He is tugging at my heart strings.

Probably both good and bad, as are most of us. Stephen Ward was misguided, easily led, loved being flattered and flattering others, pretentious, a bon viveur and something of an aesthete. I haven't been watching this drama partly because, at the time, I found his suicide so sad.

Apparently they nearly re-opened his case in 2017 but decided not to as there was complete transcript of the trial. That's a shame. (info from Wiki)

sorry - no complete transcript....

I can't believe I lived through it and took no notice whatsoever!

Most proletarian people were prudes in the early 60s. Upper class people were not prudish they were sometimes exploited the poorer sort of people.

My family was proletarian. However my mother who was born in the reign of Victoria was brought up in an orphanage and she sympathised with young Christine and with all motherless girls.

Stephen Ward was a fore runner of the sexual liberation soon to arrive.

I found parts of it too difficult to watch last nigh. The actor playing Stephen Ward was brilliant in his portrayal of the hopelessness and despair he felt.

From the preface of the Book The Trail of Steven Ward by Ludovic Kennedy ( in his own words)
If on occasion the book is now rather more vehement than I Han intended, that is because I had not bargained on seeing justice miscarry before my eyes

Simon Ward died in 2012.

Poor Stephen. His lifestyle must have seemed incomprehensible to many at the time though. Sad to be abandoned by all his posh friends that he set such store on. A mixed up social climber. Very odd just letting those two girls move in with him.
I don't suppose he'd have coped in jail. Those policemen!!!

Sorry for the incorrect name, but i guess you fellow GN posters realised who i meant!!

Yes straight away travelsafar.....so close but so far! The actor is James Norton of Granchester, War and Peace, Happy Valley. A very handsome man who has proved he can also portray villainy, pathos and charm in a variety of very different roles.

Stephen Ward was 50 when he died. According to the TV program last night he slept with CK and MRD. He was easily old enough to be their father and seems to have played this role to a degree. I don't know how sympathetic to feel towards him, the real person as opposed to the brilliant portrayal. Those girls were used and abused, without doubt.

My take on Stephen Ward is that he was a ‘pimp’ who found girls for rich, powerful, well connected men, not in a straight transaction for cash but for social connections and feeling he was ‘one of them’ which of course he never was. He also benefitted financially of course even if indirectly from having patients referred to him. Once it all fell apart and he over reached himself he soon realised how low down in their pecking order he was and as we’ve seen, they moved in remorselessly to destroy him. He was treated badly and unfairly by the establishment but in turn, he had used and exploited young vulnerable women.

Jane10
I don't think many who occupied those circles would have been too shocked ? Don't forget this was the same period when Lord Boothby was having a sexual relationship with Ronnie Kray and had had an affair ( for years) with McMillans wife, Dorothy.

Whatever Stephen Ward was he paid the ultimate price.