Royal Security

[carni 10,094]

In the 1970s a member of my family was a patient in a London hospital, but was allowed out during the day. On a visit one time we walked up the Mall and at the time there were no big black gates around Clarence House (or if there was they must have been open). We posed for photos with the guard in all his uniform and bearskin and then just walked past him into the courtyard, we strolled round and being inquisitive we saw an open door, so we went in the porch and peeped in the door, at this stage we realized this couldn't be right so we scarpered back past the guard on to the Mall. I always wonder how far we would have got if we had entered the building and what would have happened to us, and why we were allowed to get that far.

[Cliff Ton 10,574]

That was back in the days when terrorists didn't exist, at least not in the tabloids. Security wasn't as overpowering as it is now.

When I was a kid in the first half of the 1960s we went on holiday to London several times. On a couple of occasions we went down Whitehall to Downing Street, and in those days you could walk along it like any other street, and stand right outside the famous door to have your photo taken. Try that now.

[Beefsteak 305]

It ain't that long that we did that, (1980ish) somewhere I have a picture of me and a couple of mates wearing our bright yellow and green rugby shirts. I went again in around '85 with a certain Mick2me and it was all gated off then. (It may have been my fault) I asked the copper on the gate if i could go in, he asked me why, I told him I wanted to see our glorious leader (Or words to that effect) His reply ?

"Suppose she doesn't want to see you?"

[StephenFord 866]

And even those days have gone now - (most) police have had their sense of humour extracted as well.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

The gates on Downing Street were installed during the reign of one M Thatcher about 1982/3

[Commo 1,292]

It took quite a while for them to be effective and keep her out though !

[Beefsteak 305]

They were trying to keep her in !

[tomlinson 879]

I was at RAF Cottesmore ,I think '84, when HM Queen visited. The security was interesting. Grey suits were on the roof of the Sgts' Mess, where she was to 'take tea', looking down chimneys and such, and every window within view of her itinerary had all the curtains removed. That pleased the wives in married quarters!

[loppylugs 8,429]

That was before the days of a stupid surveillance camera on every corner. Good grief! you can't even go into Wal-Mart without tv cameras looking out over the parking lot and hanging from the ceiling throughout the store. Heard recently of a plan to put them in the eyes of the clothing maniquins in the store to keep an eye on you. Welcome to 1984. Owell missed it by just a little bit but it is now more pervasive than he ever dreamed.

[banjo48 928]

Caught an item on the news here in oz last night wher the police were trialing a new computerised system in Sydney and Melbourne that "pinged" your mobile phones for a gps fix and "other" details, every time the vehicle goes through a set of traffic lights in the CBD. Obviously most if not all people now have a phone in their pocket.

The post script was there were no plans as yet as for what use the information gathered would be used for ! or where it would be stored.

Yes I think big brother is definitely on board now.

Cannot see many people throwing out their phones or switching them off.