Peter Gogan’s concept of equality was somewhat different from the generally held opinion, the construction also having to vary quite considerably depending on location and immediately surrounding peers. His manners, morals, convictions, were neatly sorted at minimum into two completely separate scales, the one for the public, openly viewable, socially acceptable; the other private, religiously motivated and inspired, and only understood and welcomed by a very tight knit group of compatriots.. This twin persona did not cause him the slightest degree of discomfort, he was utterly free of any feeling of error or concern about the extreme conservatism of some of his faiths ways, to the point he preferred stoic silence to ever having to defend or explain exactly why those heartfelt conviction thrived. Most entertainingly his two wives, Priscilla, and Mathilde, were inclined to find him too soft and easily manipulated by foolish emotional weakness, having on many occasions to insist of him delivering well deserved and welcomed punishment to their own and the occasional guests physical and psychological hide.
The Gogan families success in keeping some of their rather extreme and extraordinary habits private was dependent on their ability in isolating themselves and their more bizarre activities, enterprises, from the eyes and ears of immediate neighbors, who no doubt would have found the plain truth about the abnormalities included in their day-to-day existence bewildering if not outrageously unacceptable.
Revelations concerning the highly insidious nature of any number of the Gogans chosen beliefs, many most directly in conflict with the moral and ethical laws of the British state any citizens overriding sensibilities, Peter would immediately and unavoidably lose his chosen profession and most likely his physical freedom, to be superseded by long term incarceration and overwhelming social disgust and derision. Peters wives would suffer quite equal fates through any exposure, possibly even with more vocal condemnation, having willingly, most eagerly, enhanced, cajoled, and amplified the severity of the families debauchery and utter criminality. And being feminine have utterly no acceptable excuse.
Some belated praiseworthiness should be acknowledged for certain residents of St. Peters and the surrounding precepts, particularly the more suspicious members amongst of the local branch of the women’s institute. Such devout and naturally scrutinizing ladies noted with some apprehension the rather dated and frankly backward manners presented by Prucilla and Mathilde in their everyday dress, vocalizations, particularly towards anyone perceived as being of subservient position, and their absolute refusal to allow any form of social integration with the surrounding population. There were also rather pointed questions and to why two such attractive mature women should as supposed sisters be quite so obviously attuned physically and spiritually to each other, to their numerous younger female visitors, and their accompanying male counterpart.
Add to the many already ripe questions the factor of the Gogan compounds isolation and considerable consistent privatization, the local sisterhoods tongues were wholly inclined to wag indiscriminately,
It is worthy of note that the predominant bent to the Thanet area was profoundly conservative, with age range more inclined towards retirement than first flush. The population was largely Caucasian, with a smattering of more wealthy east Indian families thinly indisposed, but an almost complete lack of West Indian or African persons represented whatsoever. The entire area of East Kent was socially and politically an enclave of quintessential Britishness, with all the expected biases, prejudices, and intolerances.
Even by the very old-fashioned principles of their neighbors the delight with which of the Gogans lapsed back to modes of strictest discipline in public was beyond the general acceptability. The way the compounds young visitors were expected to display abject silence and unquestioning obedience on all occasions was a challenge for many to permit for those so plainly innocent and inexperienced in life. Mathilde and Pricilla would act as absolute tartars to all the trainee girls on almost any occasion they were ever allowed beyond the strict confines of the homestead.
Daily Abstract Thoughts 