Betjeman fully represents all that was good about the old style UK.He was articulate, well mannered and truly himself.

Some people scorn this man for his speech, manner and presentation. They have grown up in our modern society where people cannot express themselves without using the F word, have a very limited vocabulary despite years in school  and where image is more important than content.
Sir John was of an age where class (and I dont mean social class but personal class) was something admired and valued, today's concept of class is something quite different.

No man ever more deserved the epithet "National Treasure".

If he was lamenting in 1968, can't imagine what he'd think now 😱

Betjeman for me represents that kind of warm reassuring nostalgia for a time I never knew, an England of steam trains and branch lines, the glow of parish churches at evensong and immaculately kept village greens, an idealised England of The 20th century. The past wasn't like that, but I find Betjeman's imagined past immeasurably comforting.

Its first and only broadcast was on Wednesday 31st January 1968. From the Radio Times:
The poet John Betjeman goes on a journey from Marble Arch to Edgware reciting four specially written poems: 'How beautiful the London air,' 'Ho for the Kilburn High Road,' 'The sisters Progress and Destruction dwell' and 'One after one rise these empty consecutives'. Along the way he pauses at places of interest such as the hidden Marble Arch police station from where, since 1851, a hundred policemen could lie in wait ready to emerge at the first hint of trouble. After bemoaning the loss of the Metropolitan Theatre of Variety to make way for a car park and reminiscing about the 1920s air pageants from Hendon Aerodrome, Betjeman arrives "at Edgware, a Middlesex small town that was."

And he’s a total charmer. ❤

I was just reading his poem “Eunice” yesterday about a spinster and her Summer allotment in Kent. Marvellous. Imagine if Betjeman hadn’t drawn attention to the things he was seeing all about him.

Arguably one of the greatest poets of any generation and a charming presenter.

"Speed, greed, and worry." Same today as ever. And for what?

Ex Pat 59 yr old Sth Londoner watching this @ 22:20 -20-01-2023 in Edmonton Canada.Thank you for this,just thank you.Sir John and his work is very important to me :0)

Note the air-raid siren on the roof around 3.35.

A cousin of my fathers used to play the piano in the Cumberland Hotel - into bhis 80's too.

Thanks for posting this

Sheer delight for the eyes and ears, bless you.

A Masterpiece.

I did that walk many times in the late 70's early 80's would go up west see a gig and it would end after the last train and back then there were no night busses so we'd walk home up the Edgeware road. I lived in Hendon so I'd bail at west Hendon and walk up station road

Thank you so much for posting.  Betjeman always makes me smile, I love that he sees the remarkable in the ordinary, and he speaks to us in a conversational, avuncular tone that touches us in a simple and accessible way.  His desire to praise and maintain what was good about the familiar, was not so fashionable at the time but had great influence - for example the campaign he championed to save St Pancras station, which we now view as a national treasure.  Just like him.  Long may his memory and influence remain.

18:35 - Bet all that countryside is no more.

John would be turning in his grave now to see what this once proud nation has become.
Piercings
Tatoos
The homelessness
Listed buildings still being allowed to fall into disrepair.