Shed Your Tears And Walk Away - Hebden Bridge - A Drug Town With A Tourist Problem
I like Hebden Bridge. I’ve visited a few times, the first being a very quick few hours to watch a band of friends support The Bees at the old Picture House – quite possibly one of if not the most favourite venue I’ve ever watched live music at.
It was some time last year whilst looking at a ‘What’s On’ page on a website for Hebden that I stumbled across a forum post regarding a documentary made by local film-maker Jez Lewis. My interest piqued I investigated further. A few mails to the very polite and accommodating Jez and I found out the documentary was being shown at film festivals in London and Sheffield – both dates that I unfortunately couldn’t make.
I kept my ear to the ground. There were rumours of a DVD release but nothing concrete, I ambled on hoping Channel 4 or someone would pick it up. They didn’t, but a hat tip to Stuart Maconie for doing a segment for it on Inside Out. Then on 17th January this year Amazon came up trumps and delivered me a copy. Time to see the darker side to the Bridge.
The documentary focuses on a very small group of people Lewis knew whilst growing up, some of whom are sadly no longer with us who had remained in Hebden and fell into drug abuse and alcoholism. Those that were still alive were heading the same way though it would appear. Each had a troubled past. Cass was beaten by his step-dad, Silly had served in the Foreign Legion and had fought in various war-torn African countries and another had been in and out of prison. All shared a love of Special Brew and drugs and regularly met up in the local park.
It showed the outlook for locals born and raised in Hebden as bleak – no prospects, nothing to do, and a community being overlooked in favour of out-of-towners coming in and buying up houses, taking seats on the councils and school boards whilst commuting out to Manchester and Leeds every day to work. There seemed a real sense of dislike, mistrust and intimidation towards them – something which as a visitor to Hebden made me squirm uneasily in my seat (particularly at the reference to Hebden having a ‘tourist problem’) and had me questioning whether going back there would ever be a good idea. It certainly wasn’t funded by the Hebden tourist information board.
I totally understand it was a personal film from Lewis and these were people who he grew up alongside. But I know from personal experience that not one school year anywhere in the UK ever produced an endless stream of happy endings. If I went back to my hometown of St Helens to film a similar documentary, I too could overlook an award winning professional rugby player, a film and music video director, an actor and a west end dancer – to name but a few success stories – from the class of ’96 and instead focus on the suicides, the murderers, rapist and drug dealers that also came out of the same school year. That was one school year from one school, Sure St Helens is bigger than Hebden, is no stranger to the post-industrial fallout that befell Hebden. It’s suffered at the hands of Thatcher’s pit closures, the closure of Beechams aswell as the decline of other production sites so only Pilkingtons remains leaving it a husk of it’s former industrious self.
I’d be more inclined to say the personal experiences of the individuals involved in Shed Your Tears contributed to how they came to be in their current situation as opposed to suggesting blame lies in the place where they resided. The experiences of those individuals could of taken place in any similar town anywhere in the world – this documentary just happens to focus on Hebden locals. In no way am I belittling the harshness of the stories told, or attempting to play down the tragic loss of life, I’m just looking beyond the scope of ‘Hebden did this to these people’. Whilst Lewis himself doesn’t necessarily advocate this perception, it certainly isn’t discouraged. When Silly breaks down and cries outside of Hebden Social Club, and speaks of his time and experiences spent in the Foreign Legion, you are seeing what is really troubling him bubble up and rise to the surface. The affluence of those who have moved to Hebden or the decline in industry in the town that angered Silly earlier in the documentary became background noise – and you genuinely feel for the guy as it is a heartbreaking realisation for him. I would of liked from this point to see a shift in focus away from Hebden and switch to the demons that weren’t buried within the walls of the town they lived, but within themselves. Instead ‘this is just how it is here’ keeps being pushed.
Temptation is absolutely everywhere, and it’s even more tempting if you’ve been through a horrendeously stressful or traumatic time. I barely remember the alcohol soaked years of 2005-2008 and dub them ‘The Dark Years’ for this very reason. It had nothing to do with the steep decline in industry and subsequent high unemployment rate of St Helens, or from any influx (if any) to the town, or from a real lack of anything to do there – it was down to how I dealt with my own personal situation. I did however happily blame the place for a good portion of this time, which in hindsight was incredibly wrong of me. It took a good friend going through a similar situation to mine, taking things a few steps too far and getting hooked on things much harder than booze to scare me into stepping out from the cans and bottles I’d come to hide behind and get up off the floor I regularly found myself waking up fully clothed on. Thankfully, all be it much later and with help, he did the same. This isn’t me displaying ignorance and preaching about some personal success story of ‘turning it all around’, but me trying to show that the surroundings didn’t need to change, the person did.
I felt the documentary was crying out for an argument for the positive side of Hebden – which it must have or people wouldn’t move there, or visit there, or play gigs there (there’s been a thriving music scene for a good few years) would they? Life beyond the borders needed to be shown, and that insular thinking needed to be broken down to help Cass and Silly get back on the right path. Giving a voice to the frowned upon out-of-towners who’d moved there and been labelled ‘cliquey’, or even look at local success stories that had come out of Hebden and the same era as Lewis would of made for a better balance. I’m not convinced that they frown upon the locals, or intentionally intimidate – a fear of ‘the other’ can generate that within ourselves. Perhaps I am wrong and I’m being naive, but at least show that side so I can form my own opinion. It just didn’t take any of this into account other than a brief reference to some mild positives at the very start. Lewis angered the local council and police alike in the filming of Shed Your Tears, and I can’t help thinking if there had been a look into what goes on in or around Hebden to help folk like Cass or Silly then those that opposed filming may of been more help than hinderance.
No matter how small a town is, it always has its success stories – surely Lewis himself is living proof? Admittedly for him to use that as leverage against the bleakness would of come across as arrogant and pompous – which Lewis clearly isn’t. There just seemed like no light at the end of the tunnel, even as the credits roll there was no glimmer of hope offered up. Had I not watched Inside Out prior to this, I would not of known that Silly actually turned his life around after watching himself back – proof that there was something positive to come from all this. Instead I would have been left to think he was still languishing and pushing his partner Di further towards the edge of despair.
An interesting documentary and worth a watch to highlight that every post-industrial village or town has it’s problems no matter how glossy the overcoat is. However allowing the angle suggesting that a curse hangs over Hebden to play out through the whole documentary was some way off highlighting the true reasons behind each persons story. Reasons that simply weren’t focused upon enough and were crying out to be looked at further – for the sake of Cass and Silly more than that of the viewer.
Hi,
I’m very grateful for your review, and I wish more of your analysis were correct, but sadly it’s very wide of the mark (sorry to say so in public but I can’t find your name or an email address. ). It’s tax return time so I’m very tied up, and anyway I wouldn’t commit much of what I have to say to writing, even in private, but if you want to email me I’ll gladly give you a phone number to talk about it.
Ever so briefly, the film is a candy-coated version of the realities in Hebden (although yes, it is a fabulous place in many ways, as I said in the film, paradise for some, purgatory for others). And Silly’s happy ending you speak of was a chimera. You will perhaps know also that Liam died a week before the Sheffield screening, and more people I filmed with have since died from drugs and alcohol (a couple appeared in the background of the film at various times). In addition ten people died in these ways or by suicide while I was making the film, not just the three you hear about in the film. The only happy ending so far is Cass’ – who’s doing really well – but he had to leave Hebden in order to achieve this.
The point about Silly’s Foreign Legion experience is as much about what drove him to it: army, navy or air force all our career advisors offered. Kids after my were taught by the careers officer how to fill in dole forms. To speak of a single school year, in the year below mine there have been at least four suicides and a drug death (one suicide only that I know of from my year, a couple from the year above, etc).
There is a comparison to be made with the historic tragedy of asbestosis in Hebden Bridge, to which at its height many both inside the town and out made similar comments; essentially, ‘this is exaggerated, it’s same everywhere’. It’s certainly the same some places, but there is a real problem that is absolutely endemic to Hebden and your phrase, “a curse hangs over Hebden” was has been said to me again and again as I made the film and since. And that ‘insular thinking’ you mentioned is ever present and absolutely crushing (the opening aerial shot was intended to show Hebden as a virtual island – it certainly feels like one when you’re growing up there). As Cass put it “It just seems like round here you kill yourself or you die anyway”.
For a take on this from many Hebden locals look at the film’s Facebook page – there are hundreds or thousands of them signed up there, not the dozen or so people on the HebWeb site you reference.
I deliberately played down the state of affairs in Hebden in the film, including the resentment between the various communities and the condescending, fatuous and dishonest attitude of the great and the good in the town as I was intent on building bridges of communcation between them in a hope that it could help. But the denial continues and has perhaps become louder as it has become more desperate. I did not anger the police or the council while filming; the police simply pestered me and the Mayor of Calderdale threatened to pull a public meeting if I turned up with a camera. Both the Mayor of Hebden Royd and the MP for Calderdale gave me interviews, but both said they didn’t know what I was talking about (at the time I interviewed the Mayor of Hebden Royd his next door neighbour was on trial for one of the biggest drug importation trials in the country). Bear in mind that most of my film is shot in and around the town centre in daylight. When the Samaritans put on a screening of the film at Hebden Bridge Picture House last September they invited every organisation and individual they thought might be interested. I was told that the council’s community development officer could hardly muster anyone at all to attend and that both the police and NHS (one of the main suppliers of the drugs that have killed so many) had decided to veto the screening. I mentioned this to the audience and afterward two or three women (I forget which as it was a frantic occasion) came up to me and told me that they were with the NHS and had wanted to let the audience know this, but that they weren’t allowed (I never found out quite what the diktat had been).
Best wishes,
Jez
Hi Jez,
Firstly let me thank you for taking the time out to respond to the review it is much appreciated, as is the further insight to the goings on behind the creation of the documentary.
Do not apologise for suggesting some of the analysis in my review was wide of the mark publically on my blog. After all my review is public for all to see and I’d prefer to encourage healthy debate regarding any post I make or comment I receive whether people agree or not. However I will mail the email address you provided should you wish to discuss further offline.
Please let me re-iterate that in no way was I playing down the deaths surrounding Shed Your Tears or any that followed. And I am extremely sorry to hear about Liam who I genuinely wanted to turn a corner from watching Shed Your Tears, for both his and his family’s sake.
My review was written from the perspective of me – an outsider – looking in on the situation, and thus taking the content of the documentary at face value. Much of my reading around the subject has been focused on the drink/drug issues raised in Shed Your Tears, and my opinions were based on what I heard Silly, Cass etc say during this, playing off against similar experiences I’ve encountered in my hometown.
I see where you are coming from in terms of Acre Mill’s legacy in drawing comparisons to Hebden’s problems today, although I would point out that asbestosis is most definitely a serious clear and present problem throughout Britain, and still the biggest killer amongst industry workers.
I understand you saying you sugar coated the realities in Hebden and played down the conflict between communities however I must stress again I was basing this review on what I saw – as a viewer I am unaware of this unless I’m told. Anything I’m not told I can only make presumptions over and I hope that I didn’t attempt to assume anything regarding the content of the film in my original post (nor would I want to) – although admittedly my wording of ‘angering’ the police and council may have been misplaced. If the Silly story presented to me by Inside Out was indeed a chimera, then I will obviously take your word for this, but again, from a viewers perspective looking in, I could obviously only comment on what I’d actually saw on the show. I’ve a self imposed ban on Facebook (and most other social networking sites for that matter) so this isn’t somewhere I could of gone to assist in structuring my opinion.
As I said, I would recommend people watch Shed Your Tears, I still maintain it is a good snapshot of where many towns in England stand today and could be used as a blueprint for how to move forward collectively. This review wasn’t intended to be perceived as a negative one, more me wanting to bring something hopeful away from it at the end. You mention Cass is doing extremely well – and this is awesome news – but as a viewer, I was left viewing the aftermath of a relapse when the credits rolled.
Obviously not all stories have a happy ending and admittedly things such as the Fair For Youth and the fundraising that has taken place for the new skatepark (all carried out by the younger generations of Hebden – something which is to be highly commended) probably came after filming had finished, but I’m always hopeful that there is a nucleus of good no matter where you are on the planet and I just felt I needed to see one. Not you must understand for my own self satisfaction or reassurance that everything is actually sunny and rosy, but to show that people (other than yourself who was highlighting the issues) are out there looking out for people such as Cass and Silly, and did want to help right there in Hebden. Last year’s election and subsequent horror show has shown it isn’t local or national governments that we can turn to for this help, but we can look to our own communities. Proof on a very granular scale for Hebden would be it has a good community of couch-surfer hosts, so I know there are charitable, helpful people out there. Unrelated to the subject matter in hand, and not much use for the situation highlighted in Shed Your Tears, but I hope you understand what I mean.
Jez, this was a very gripping insight into such a beautiful yet tragic place. I managed to catch this by chance and recorded it, i’ve since been wondering what has happened to cass, silly, di and i cant seem to find anything to update me on how they are doing? Could you possibly update me?