MEMORIES

Something I started a while ago now but it might strike a chord with some of you ....

Passport to Adventure - Part 1
There was much pushing and shoving in the excited queue of youngsters, most of it good-natured, borne of pent up anticipation of the fun to come. Sally was being pestered by snotty Steve who knew her from school and was jabbering on, pausing only to wipe the perpetual drip from his nose on his sleeve.

"How much you got? I got two bob, cos I walked here and I helped Dad clean the windows yesterday." He proudly thrust an assortment of coins in his reluctant companion's face.

"There's only one and nine there." Sally advised after habitually totting up the stash of cash. "I've got half-a-crown." She showed him two shiny shillings, a threepence and three pennies. "See. I helped MY Dad saw through some wood AND cleared out the guttering." Her pride at earning some money through such brave deeds was obvious.

Steve was rummaging through his various pockets, searching in vain for his lost thrupenny piece. Drips from his perennially runny nose splattered on his clothes and the ground unchecked. "Ah! I wonder if … yeah - there it is!" He pulled a grubby bag of sweets from his secret hiding place, inside the actual lining of the tatty gabardine raincoat that he wore rain or shine. "D'ja want one?" He asked somewhat reluctantly.

Sally peered into the bag curiously. "No thanks. I don't like clove sweets." She smiled. "And I wouldn't want to take your last humbug. I know they're your favourite." It was almost the truth; she didn't like the stripy red boiled sweets, and the humbug was sticky and covered in fluff. And, she suspected, half sucked. Especially as it was the sweet that the threepence piece had attached itself to.

"Okay." He grinned, then put the humbug, coin and all, into his mouth. "There!" The coin had been released from its captor, and its proud owner carefully put it with the others. "You got any sweeties?" He asked, eyeing the podgy girl hopefully. "Those toffees were nice you had the other day-"
"Sorry, they're all gone." She smiled at the tasty memory. "My aunty brought them back all the way from Devon for Gran, and she let me have some to try."

"Oh pity." A hefty shove from behind sent Steve sprawling. "Oi! Pack it in you- " He spun round indignantly. His face drained; Basher Bruce was the guilty thug. "Oh sorry."

"Get a move on drippy." The big Ozzie bruiser pushed him again. "The lines moving - look!"

Sally had already shuffled ahead, anxious not to be stuck with sniffy Steve, and to avoid a brawl with the Australian monster behind them. Rumour was that his parents were both killers thrown out of the past penal colony because they were so evil. Bruce denied it, said they had returned to find their old family, even tried to persuade everyone that his father was a policeman. No one believed him, of course; he was such a liar about everything. Charming to the girls and a bully to the boys. His eyes were too close together too and his eyebrows met in the middle so he must be a crook. What really scared everyone were his pets. He kept lizards and snakes. Sometimes he had one in his pocket. This recollection made Sally squeeze through a gap in the bodies ahead to put as much distance between herself and him - just in case!

"Ow!" A blonde head exclaimed. "Watch out Sally!"

"Oh, sorry Mary." Sally smiled apologetically. "Just trying to get away from Bruce and Steve."

"Get across here then." Mary glanced back anxiously. "We don't want to be stuck with either of them, do we?"

Sally wriggled next to the pretty pony-tailed blonde girl. "No." She smiled gratefully. "You going up or down?"

"Up. Not so noisy."

"Yes, and cleaner." Sally liked the more expensive seats too.

"You got enough this week?" Mary knew that Sally did not usually have as much cash as she did; her parents did not believe in pocket money and the plump girl had to earn her pennies. "I could lend you some…."

"Thanks but I have plenty." Sally showed her hard earned cash. "I've been helping my Dad."

By now the creeping crocodile of children had moved forward so much that the two girls were finally at the ticket office.

"Circle please." Mary dutifully paid a sixpence and a thrupence.

"Me too." Sally handed over a shilling. The lady in the office grunted irritably as she counted out three pennies in change.

"Now or interval?" Mary asked glancing longingly at the hot dog and drinks stand.

"Interval!" Sally was keen to get to the seats.

"Yes, better then." Her companion agreed.

The two girls scampered up the thickly carpeted stairs two at a time. A terrified usher was pinned against the door jamming it open as the hordes of excited children pushed past.

The usual scramble for the treasured front seats was apparent. Sally and Mary avoided the frenetic scuffles and settled for two aisle seats halfway up. Sitting on their carefully folded coats for extra height, they waited somewhat impatiently for Saturday Morning Picture Club to start.

To be continued ... maybe!

© Christine L. Coles - October 2001

I remember it well.

the girl walking up and down shining the torch in your face LittleMinx was probably me if you went to the Odeon Notting Hill Gate in the early 60's ha ha , i also used to be the ice cream girl and still have a photo to prove it ..Saturdays used to be late night movie night and we got paid overtime and a paid taxi home ,they used to show Boris Karloff and other such films .. the Police stood at the back with dogs and in the interval the black boys were on one side and the bovver boys on the other side all shouting insults to each other there was always fights breaking out ,i was selling the ice cream and nuts ,i had to keep my eyes on everything as they tried to steal the nuts and whatever got stolen i had to pay it back out of my wages , i also used to sell hot dogs in the foyer ... this was my evening job as i worked in Knightsbridge during the day as a Telephonist at a posh garage where Roger Moore used to bring his car for repairs ... good memories ..

Not seen this post before and it brought a smile to my face...happy days. Not sure the 1 bath (shared) a week was very hygienic but it did us no harm,and I do remember thick ice on the inside of Windows and my sister showing me the art of dressing in bed.

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Surprised nobody has mentioned having a tin bath in front of the coal fire.

No kitchen but a scullery instead and an outhouse where all the laundry was done. Oh the lovely smell of boiling whites 🙂

Toilet at the bottom of the garden, next to the Anderson shelter, which you didn't use at night and substituted the pot under the bed. Makes me cringe now haha.

Blankets on the beds with the eider down quilt on top instead of duvets.

Doctor's surgery where he lived 'over the shop' and you all went in and waited patiently until it was your turn. He would come out and take you to hospital in his car from your home if you were seriously ill too.

The winter of 63 and walking to school in waist deep snow for weeks on end..brrr. Today they would all be closed.

Coal fires in school and huddling round them trying to warm up.

Walking down the road and being surprised if you saw a car.

I could go on forever........hard but happy times 🙂

how many other items could be added to the list I wonder
here a few more lol
1) a ten bob note = 50p
2) you use to get 240 pennies to the pound now you 100 ???
3) how about Mr whippy ice cream mmm soft and smooth
4) with Esso petrol you'd put a tiger in your tank (and they gave you a free tiger tail to fix to the Ariel of your car or bike lol)
5) the only " Spam" you got came in a blue and yellow tin and was an acquired taste !!
6) Mackerson's " Milk Stout", Harp larger, Cherry B, Eggnog, and Harvey's Bristol Cream !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7) the man from the A.A. would salute you as you drove past so long as you had the badge on your car,
8) "Spangles"
9) "OMO" and no I don't mean old man out !!!!!!!!!!! I mean the washing powder ?
10) Dandy, Beano, topper, wizzer "n" chips, Mandy, Judy, Jackie? Eagle, and can you remember any more !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

I can see that I am a late comer to this topic, and am surprised that no one seems to have mentioned:-

ITMA
Dick Barton Special Agent
The Goon Show
Take it from here
Billy Cotton Band Show.

Or am I the only radio fanatic left?

Remember when soaps were things you washed with?

I remember the man coming around in the evening to light the street lights, the kids would follow him from one lamp post to the next. Some kids would mimic him lighting the lamp, others would just watch. When he moved to the next lamp, if you passed where you lived, is was an unwritten rule, that was your time to go home. I'd go in, the radio would be playing The Archers, my parents snoring in their armchairs, quick drink of water and off to bed before they woke up. Next morning we'd hear the man who came around to turn the lamps off, he'd bang his long pole against the window to wake people up, think he got paid a penny a week for that

Ahhh yes the good old days haha

I remember Dad trying to tune-in the tv, and having to move around the room to get a picture to appear, while twisting & turning an aerial in his hand. One evening he got fed up, stood on the sofa & held the aerial up towards the picture-rail, pointing it at the wood. Mum straightaway shouted Yes, we've got a picture, you'll have to stay there all night, tonight, with a twinkle in her eye! Those were days of simple pleasures & family humour.

I had to smile at the price of your marriage licence. As I had been 'wild' and was pregnant, I had to marry by special licence. It cost 2 pounds 50 and my husband has always said that he hasn't had his moneys worth yet, even though we were married for 54 years. He passed away two months ago and I can't help wondering if he did get his money's worth. I miss him very much.

We are looking to do a blog MEMORIES from Bevs child hood of time spent in Spain would any one like this

I remember;
a) Having to be absolutely still in case the cats whisker moved and you lost the station.
b) Petrol at 1s & 9p per gallon, before self service petrol came in.
c) Milk came in churns and was ladled out.
d) The purple band around the edge of newspapers when King George the V died.
e) When we were children playing in the forest with other children we would call in the nearest cottage for a drink and we were welcomed.
f) Our dogs ran free and looked after us.
g) Reading our comics by the light of the search lights.
h) No street lights.

A few I can also remember:
Jubblies - frozen triangular orange drinks
Threepenny pieces
Iodine on grazes
Oxtails - however many times I cook them, I cannot make them like my Nanna used to
Monday night was cold meat from the Sunday roast (gave Mum time to do the washing)

How about the Hotspur, Victor, Rover, Lion and Tiger

Hi Margie, thanks for your message.
I have just got back from a visit to Coventry. I loved the cathedral and although I am not religious I found it a very moving experience.
Also enjoyed looking around the city and particularly visiting the art/local history gallery. Very friendly people and great to have good weather so I could just wander about.

The sweet shop museum sounds a great idea. I love a good museum. Last one I visited was the Polar Museum at The Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge.
At the end of April I am booked on a coach trip to Bletchley Park

Used to leave Brownies on a Friday night and get " 6d of chips" at the stall in Exmouth Market in Finsbury. If extra hungry and well off could go for cockles on top!

I can remember a portion of chips cost 6d (2.1/2 p) If you were greedy you went for a shillings worth (5p) and not always being able to eat them all.
Going shopping with mum. First the butchers for the Sunday roast. Then the greengrocers for the veg. The bakers for the bread. No supermarkets then.
An advertising hoarding, promoting 'Esso Golden. The petrol of 1975, here today.'
My first car cost me £20.00 (A Rover 10)
My very first long play vinyl record. 'The Shadows' Mono only, costing 35/- (£1.75)
Street lights were gas powered and went off at about 10:30-11:00pm

Some more:

1. Spangles
2. Free plastic flowers with petrol or wash powder?
3. Green Shield stamps. loved it when mum had books of them.
4. Compendium of Games (which I usually chose with the remaining Green Shield stamps)
5. Paraffin heaters (which smelt awful and would probably be banned by H&S now!)
6. For the girls, "Jackie" Magazine.
7. Lovely, fancy chocolate boxes, with far more chocs in them.
8. Home-made carts; usually made out of someone's old pram.
9. The old "coppers" which heated large quantities of water in the home.
10. Clothes wringers, no washing machines around much then....
11. Etch-a-sketch; never could do much with them, just nonsense lines!
12. Izal toilet paper: hard as iron, tho. ouch!
13. Idris orange juice.
14. another for the girls "June and Schoolfriend" magazine.

I have enjoyed this little recollection. Well done for starting this off, gibbo! There are many more, but I must sign off for now...