How the Telegraph predicted Swinging London
On April 16 1965, The Daily Telegraph's Weekend magazine had a cover feature by John Crosby entitled 'London: The Most Exciting City', which declared: 'Suddenly, the young own the town', and claimed that it was now the place 'where the action is, the gayest, most uninhibited – and in a wholly new, very modern sense – the most coolly elegant city in the world.'
Crosby, a well-known American journalist and television critic, was the London correspondent of the New York Herald Tribune, living on the King's Road in Chelsea at the heart of much that was newly fashionable. What makes his piece especially significant is that it appeared an entire year before the article that is often credited with having prompted the whole mid-1960s ' Swinging London ' legend, Time magazine's famous April 1966 US cover, 'London: The Swinging City'.
These two high-profile features reflected a shift in popular culture that had been building up since the middle of the previous decade, exemplified by the recent American success of multiple 'British Invasion' bands, notably The Beatles.
The initial stirrings had begun around 1955, when the UK's home-grown skiffle craze led many young people to pick up guitars and try to make music of their own, and Mary Quant opened her first boutique on the King's Road. In those days, pop music was supposed to only come from America, and ground-breaking new fashions solely from the Paris catwalks, yet during the early part of the following decade, British bands gradually began showing up on music charts worldwide, and Quant's innovative styles were breaking through internationally, as she explained when I interviewed her in 2004:
'From 1962 I started to design clothes and underwear for [American department store chain] JC Penney – as well as my own Mary Quant collection. I was commuting to New York once a month, which I loved.'
The year 1962 also saw the release of the first James Bond film, Dr No, based on Ian Fleming's million-selling novels. Fleming grew up in Chelsea, and the fictional spy in his books lives in an un-named square off the King's Road. Sean Connery, star of the new film series, had cheap lodgings in the area in the late 1950s, and John Barry composed most of his classic Bond themes such as Goldfinger at his home on nearby Cadogan Square. This irreverent, wisecracking and stylish movie star appeared on the scene just as the first flush of more gritty, 'kitchen sink' films was drawing to a close.
Many of the latter were the work of directors who had started out in 1956 at the Royal Court Theatre on Sloane Square, at the eastern end of the King's Road, empowered by the shock waves created by John Osborne's debut play for the resident company there, Look Back in Anger. Moving decidedly away from middle- or upper-class drawing-room locations, and placing working-class characters at the heart of the action, such plays and films – together with the anti-heroes depicted in the so-called Angry Young Men novels of the late 1950s – helped prepare the ground for the kind of 1960s figures on-screen, in the pop charts and elsewhere in the wider culture who talked back and didn't play by the old rules.
A prime example of the latter would be a group of scruffs in 1962 who were living at the cheaper reaches of the King's Road in a squalid flat and gigging around town at any venue that would let them play their own interpretation of US rhythm and blues. John Gunnell, who together with his brother Rik ran the Flamingo Club in Wardour Street, once told me he booked the band for a month of Monday night shows during that era, but sacked them after the first one after they failed to pull a crowd. Nevertheless, The Rolling Stones did not let this deter them, and within two years they had progressed from Chelsea to the US charts.
John Crosby originally considered calling his 1965 Telegraph feature 'Swinging London', and a year earlier had already informed readers of his New York Herald Tribune column that Britain was a 'swinging' nation. Now, in the wake of the 1966 Time magazine cover article, the US media descended in force on London looking for stories, and at one point that year, as Mary Quant told me, 'American news magazines and TV were often filming both sides of the King's Road at the same time'.
Time declared that 'in a once sedate world of faded splendour, everything new, uninhibited and kinky is blooming at the top of London life', and the King's Road seemed to be the epicentre of all that had been declared groovy.
'Saturday afternoon in Chelsea, at La Rêve restaurant. Wolfing down a quick lunch are some of the most switched-on young men in town: Actor Terence Stamp, 26, star of The Collector and steady date of model Jean Shrimpton; actor Michael Caine, 33, the Mozart-loving spy in The Ipcress File; hairdresser Sassoon, 38, whose cut can be seen both at Courrèges in Paris and on Princess Meg; Ace photographer David Bailey, 27, professional associate of Antony Armstrong-Jones; and Doug Hayward, 28, Chelsea's 'innest' private tailor.'
Much of the attention on the modish capital was met with predictable derision by Londoners themselves, and by the satirists at Private Eye, who printed a 'Swinging England All-Purpose Titillation Supplement' to assist the 'very small number of American periodicals which have not yet produced their 24-page survey of the Swinging, Vibrant, Thrusting New England Where Even the Hovercraft Wear Mini-Skirts etc etc'. Time's own letters column also received some scathing responses from British readers, including one that said: 'For the year's most ridiculous generalisations, you deserve to swing indeed. All of you. And not in London either.'
Despite all this, the image of the capital as a wellspring of the emerging 1960s pop culture would continue to be disseminated as the decade progressed by numerous fashion articles worldwide, books such as Len Deighton's London Dossier, Karl Dallas's Swinging London – A Guide to Where the Action Is or the self-consciously trendy pulp novels of Adam Diment such as The Dolly Dolly Spy, scores of famous rock stars including Chelsea resident Keith Richards in his artfully tattered velvet jackets and scarves from hip King's Road boutique Granny Takes a Trip, by films such as Alfie or Blow-Up and stylish London-based TV shows like The Avengers (now shot in colour for the benefit of the American market), and by a blizzard of magazine articles either celebrating or decrying the myth of Swinging London.
As for the man whose Telegraph feature helped unleash the hysteria, the Liverpool Echo reported in June 1966 that 'Crosby today nervously acknowledges paternity of the swinging movement but says he was only trying to be funny about one minor aspect of English life', and faced with the prospect of being interviewed by Paris Match for yet another article about the subject, Crosby himself observed: 'When Frenchmen come to England to ask an American questions about London's sex, you know the millennium has arrived.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Grinning David Beckham shows off his home grown veg to fans including 'embarrassing' misshapen carrot
ONION ME HEAD, SON Grinning David Beckham shows off his home grown veg to fans including 'embarrassing' misshapen carrot DAVID Beckham pops a couple in the onion bag — as he proudly displays his home-grown produce. His giggling wife Victoria, 51, filmed the ex-footballer, 50, harvesting greens and bulbs of garlic and onions in their Cotswolds garden. 3 David Beckham showed off his home grown veg in his Cotswolds garden Credit: victoriabeckham/Instagram 3 He also showed a misshapen carrot calling it 'embarrassing' Credit: Eroteme 3 David shows off his 'impressive' collection of garlic and onion Credit: instagram/davidbeckham However he also held up a short, misshapen carrot, saying: 'I've been waiting a while for this — that's embarrassing.' The dad of four, awarded a knighthood this month, added: 'To be fair, it had Lady Beckham laughing.' When it was announced that the former England star would be getting his knighthood, he posted: "Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour. "To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true.' Becks added: 'It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.' David has been made a knight for his services to sport and to charity, which he said gave him "so much fulfilment". Spice Girl Victoria said she 'couldn't be prouder' of her husband. Taking to social media she shared a sweet photo hugging her husband, and planting a kiss on his cheek. The fashion designer penned a lengthy caption, which said: 'You've always been my knight in shining armour, but now it's official. 'Sir @davidbeckham!!! David Beckham proudly reveals his bees are making honey after he built a hive in garden of his Cotswolds mansion 'What an honour, I couldn't be prouder of you. 'Your dedication to the things that matter most — your country, your work, your passion, and most of all, your family — has never wavered. 'The way you've touched so many lives over the years with kindness and humility speaks volumes about the man you are and continues to inspire us everyday. 'But above all else, I'm so, so proud to call you mine. 'I love you so much xxxx' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Love Island fans accuse Helena of hiding true motives as her 'insecurity' shows
Love Island's Helena has been slammed online by fans as 'insecure' as they 'work out' her real game plan and say her 'main personality trait' is putting 'other girls down' Love Island's Helena has been slammed by fans after the latest instalment of the reality show, as fans claim they have worked out her game plan and said her 'main personality trait' is putting 'other girls down', following a chat with the latest Bombshell, Harrison. Helena, 29, was getting to know Harry, 30, however, their relationship came tumbling down after he kissed Yasmin three times in the hideaway and then lied about it. The blonde beauty is now opening herself up to Harrison, but fans aren't pleased with their conversation. Helena and Harrison were seen having a cosy chat in the pool together when Helena brought up his other interest, American girl Toni, 24. Helena said Toni was "marking her territory" with Harrison and said she feels like Toni doesn't like it when she talks to Harrison. Fans rushed to express their opinions on X, as one person wrote: 'Helena's main personality trait is putting other girls down. And she has the audacity to call THEM boring', while another added: 'Helena's chat is literally just talking down other girls'. A third added: 'I'm seeing a very nasty pattern with Helena…..', while another said: "Can we get a compilation of Helena talking shit about the girls behind their backs on movie night please'. Helena's flirty conversation was followed by another game in the villa, which is proving to be very dramatic this year. The islanders were tasked with a game of spin the bottle, which saw chaos erupt in the villa. The Islanders were faced with telling truths and dares. Conor, who is currently getting to know Emily, got a dare to put the person he thinks is best in bed in his "most favourite sex position", and he chose Megan. Conor got her to lie on her tummy on the floor and declared his favourite position to be "speed bumps", before he hovered above her and said: "Pump'. Megan's partner Tommy shook his head disapproving of the actions. Emily then said: "If he carries on, he'll never find out how I am in bed." Elsewhere in the episode, fans showed real concern for Alima as they pointed out her lack of airtime and questioned if she had gone missing.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Love Island's Helena slammed by fans as ‘insecure' as they ‘work out' her real game plan
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LOVE Island's Helena has been slammed by fans for being 'insecure' as they 'work out' her real game plan. Viewers watching tonight's episode of Love Island were quick to call out 29-year-old Helena for being "nasty" and "insecure". Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Helena spoke about Toni while on the sun loungers Credit: ITV 4 She was chatting to Harrison Credit: ITV 4 Fans slammed Helena and her 'game plan' Credit: ITV Sitting down with new boy Harrison, 22, to chat and flirt, Helena was talking about his other love interest, Toni, 24. Helena explained how she thought Toni was "marking her territory" with Harrison. She also said that it sometimes felt like Toni didn't like her talking to Harrison. Harrison was stunned and intrigued as Helena spoke about the American bombshell. Fans were quick to react to the comments Helena made about other girls - specifically Toni - to Harrison. "Helena's chat is literally just talking down other girls," noted one person on X. "I'm seeing a very nasty pattern with Helena….." said a second. A third penned: "Helena's main personality trait is putting other girls down. And she has the audacity to call THEM boring." "Can we get a compilation of Helena talking shit about the girls behind their backs on movie night please," pleaded a fourth. "Helena seems very insecure…" noted a fifth. Saucy sex position dare sparks Love Island row as TWO couples are on the rocks after spin the bottle game "Helena always has to put down other women to make herself more desirable. Gross," said a sixth. This comes after an explosive episode saw chaos ensue the house following a game of Spin The Bottle. In tonight's episode, a raunchy game of Spin The Bottle played out as the Islanders were faced with telling truths and direct dares. Irish rugby player Conor got a dare to put the person who he thinks is best in bed, in his "most favourite sex position". He picked Irish beauty Megan before getting her to lay on her tummy on the floor and declaring his favourite position to be "speed bumps". Conor then hovered above her as they giggled and he said: "Pump." Tommy, who Megan is currently coupled up with, watched on in horror and shook his head. Welsh beauty Emily, who Conor said he was most invested in, then said: "If he carries on, he'll never find out how I am in bed."
