Who is the Accidental Disruptor?

Who is the Accidental Disruptor?

The story of the Accidental Disruptor begins in sight of the river Mersey in 1901 with the birth of my father – Albert Edward Walters. He grew to become an Edwardian gentleman. The Edwardians had a unique quality with particular social behaviours that underpinned an ability to be resilient and overcome adversity. A certain ‘stiff upper lip’. Not that the Edwardians were emotionally bereft. They just seemed to have what it took to get through life with the minimum of fuss.

Let’s set the scene and consider an overview of a few of his life experiences. He was born when steam trains were the only real way to travel distance on land at speed. Horse drawn transport was still commonplace. Cars were a new invention and extremely rare. Motorcycle production was only a few years old. There was no ‘flight’ – the Wright brothers still working on that. There was No TV. There was no radio. Telephones were known to exist but were extremely rare (it would be another twenty years before they became relatively commonplace). Telegrams were the text message of the day. Ten to fifteen words were the norm. Very abridged messaging. Delivered by the post office. Newspapers provided information from the wider world – if you could read. Growing up in Liverpool at that time, he will have seen the transition from tall sail ships to the more modern looking vessels that we will recognise today – and this is where his journey begins:

• The family break up as his father pursues employment in the midlands (c1912)

• The family reunite as WWI commences (c1914). His elder brother goes to serve his country in the Great War.

• WW1 – millions die. His brother survives (1914 to 1918).

• WWI concludes as the Spanish Flu emerges globally – again, millions die (1918/19)

• He marries and starts a family. Five children were born (1921 onwards).

• The Great Depression strikes (1931 onwards). Unemployment rises to over 20% nationally.

• Hitler comes to power and the threat of another world war looms (1930’s)

• WWII commences and there is a real threat of invasion (1939). Some of his children serve in the armed forces.

• Family loss – he identifies his elder brother (who served in WWI and survived), sister-in-law and their son through remnants of their clothing after a Luftwaffe bombing raid (1940)

• Atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Both cities are largely destroyed. Hundreds of thousands die instantly (1945). More die in the following days, months and years.

• His wife dies (1946)

• He married for a second time (1947). Over the next fifteen years or so, he has three more children (I am the youngest – by a long way).

• The Korean war ignites (1950’s). Some of his children are still serving in the armed forces.

• The Cuban missile crisis emerges. The threat of global destruction is prevalent (1962).

• The Vietnam war escalates (1960’s)

• Domestic unrest. Strikes and rioting are prevalent (1970’s).

• Falklands war (1982)

• The miners strike (1984/5)

• His death (1985)

He introduced me to this world with these life experiences under his belt. He never seemed ruffled. There was a calm to his demeanour and endeavour to his purpose. All was achieved with a level of decorum. An Edwardian gentleman; always in a collared shirt, jacket and waistcoat; wearing a hat in public; never letting a lady walk gutter-side or open a door.

What can we take away from this story and impart to others? I certainly haven’t experienced any near to that which my father experienced during his life. Firstly, the COVID-19 pandemic is a terrible thing for any generation to experience, but it is in our genes – our very DNA – to survive. His life proves that. Secondly, history is not about regurgitating events and dates. It’s about observing and examining why and how it happened and identifying it in the present to ensure it doesn't reoccur in the future – or at least support how to counter it.

I'll conclude with... One Saturday morning in the early 70’s, there was no bread in the house due to power cuts and strikes the previous few days. I commented about how disappointing that we couldn’t buy fresh bread that particular day – a ‘shortage’ for a few days as it was being described in the newspaper. My father retorted, “Shortage? During the war I didn’t see a banana for five years – and your grandad ran a greengrocers. That’s a shortage". He calmly turned to the cupboard, got out some ingredients and we baked a loaf. The Accidental Disruptor in me was created.

To quote Clint Eastwood from the movie, ‘Heartbreak Ridge’, “improvise, adapt, overcome”... You’ll find a way!