Paedophiles

 

Peter Allen on Drive observed that he never encountered any paedophiles when he grew up.

Obviously in Peter's part of Essex when he grew up, everything was sweetness and light.

I grew up in Barnet in the fifties and sixties and Hadley Wood had a notorious reputation. Kids always made sure they never went alone. I mentioned this to an old school friend and he told me of a shop in Southgate, where he used to get sent to buy cigarettes for his father. Again you were very careful. These aren't the only stories I've heard.

I'm not saying they were everywhere, but you passed the information around for protection. And you never ever told your parents, as they would have stopped you going anywhere interesting.