View Full Version : Those Were the Days
M Swanson
13-Jan-13, 08:28
Just for a bit of fun, who remembers the 1950's when:-
The one thing we never had on our table, was "Elbows."
A pizza hut was an Italian shed.
We bought milk and cream at the same time in the same bottle.
Sugar enjoyed a good press in those days, and was regarded as being white gold.
Lettuce and tomatoes in winter were just a rumour.
Most soft fruits were seasonal except perhaps at Christmas.
Prunes were medicinal.
Surprisingly muesli was readily available in those days, it was called cattle feed.
Turkeys were definitely seasonal.
Pineapples came in chunks in a tin; we had only ever seen a picture of a real one.
We didn't eat Croissants in those days because we couldn't pronounce them,
we couldn't spell them and we didn't know what they were.
We thought that Baguettes were a serious problem the French needed to deal with.
Garlic was used to ward off vampires, but never used to flavour bread.
Water came out of the tap, if someone had suggested bottling it and charging treble for it
they would have become a laughing stock.
Food hygiene was all about washing your hands before meals.
I remember them well! :D Any more for the list?
Off to Car Boot to grab a bargain! :cool:
You could afford a decent sized piece of meat every Sunday but you couldn't afford chicken!!
C3.
billmoseley
13-Jan-13, 11:15
i remember all this but i was a child of the 60s and i also have the Hovis advert tune going round in my head now lolol
M Swanson
13-Jan-13, 11:42
You could afford a decent sized piece of meat every Sunday but you couldn't afford chicken!!
Yes, you're right Corrie. We used to have roast beef on a Sunday and the left-overs with bubble and squeak on a Monday. Chicken was reserved for Christmas.
i remember all this but i was a child of the 60s and i also have the Hovis advert tune going round in my head now lolol
Gee, thanks Bill. I can now add Hovis to ........ "We are the Ovaltinies, happy girls and boys! We wake each morning ........!" :lol:
The starter was our main meal.
A seven course meal had to last a week.
Brunch was not a meal.
Cheese only came in a hard lump. :D
When you finished your bottle of lemonade etc., you took the empty bottle back to the shop and got your deposit back!
You could share a bottle of lemonade with your pals because germs didn't exist back then.
Watching "Muffin the Mule" on our first ever TV set!
Waiting eagerly for the Beano and Dandy to arrive which was our weeks entertainment, much better than a PC!!!
My first ever Meccano set, it kept me quiet and led me into a career in engineering!
C3.
I remember the huge pot of soup made from a beef shank for stock and added lentils and other veg and boiled up over the course of saturday afternoon. saturday evening meal was started with a bowl of soup and a plain bread outsider. Boiled again for sunday afternoon starter and if any left, a little water was added for monday and possibly tuesday. we didnt have a fridge back then and none of this freezing lark and use by date either, food was used with little waste and if kept a few days was usually sniffed at to check if it was still fresh :-)
I remember going to the Chippy and paying 3d, (1p), for a big bag of Chips. Also being able to play Football in the road outside my house with no worries about being run over. Going to school required taking 2 buses but still only had to pay once as you could get a 1d transfer ticket.
billmoseley
13-Jan-13, 13:55
Watching the wrestling on a saturday afternoon with commentator Kent Walton. The magic round about just before the news.
M Swanson
13-Jan-13, 13:55
When you finished your bottle of lemonade etc., you took the empty bottle back to the shop and got your deposit back!
We used to scour the bomb-sites, that the alcoholics used, for empties. The Bottle & Jug gave us 1d for each one. :cool:
I remember the huge pot of soup made from a beef shank for stock and added lentils and other veg and boiled up over the course of saturday afternoon. saturday evening meal was started with a bowl of soup and a plain bread outsider. Boiled again for sunday afternoon starter and if any left, a little water was added for monday and possibly tuesday. we didnt have a fridge back then and none of this freezing lark and use by date either, food was used with little waste and if kept a few days was usually sniffed at to check if it was still fresh :-)
Me too, Shaggy. Stew is still one of my favourite meals. Mum used tomato soup powders made by Foster Clark's. Sadly, they stopped making them years ago. Did any of you use them? I know what you mean by sniffing food in the larder! :D I was in my last year at school before we could afford a 'fridge! Time's was 'ard, but we was 'appy. :lol:
Tea was made in a teapot.
Left-overs went to the dog. Poor hungry mutt.
Olive oil was kept in the medicine cupboard.
The only crisps were plain; with or without salt.
M Swanson
13-Jan-13, 14:08
I remember going to the Chippy and paying 3d, (1p), for a big bag of Chips. Also being able to play Football in the road outside my house with no worries about being run over. Going to school required taking 2 buses but still only had to pay once as you could get a 1d transfer ticket.
Didn't you buy a penny bag of fish batter scraps, Kodiak? Loverly! :D
I can remember the first person to own a car in the neighbourhood. The streets were our playgrounds.
Didn't you buy a penny bag of fish batter scraps, Kodiak? Loverly! :D
No I never paid 1d for scraps as the chippy went to used to give me them for free. I used to buy a 1d Dainty and they were a treat and used to last me for ages. They were so big back then you had to crack them hard on a wall to break them in half otherwise you could not get it in your mouth. Made by McCowan's Toffee, they were Yummy.
If you met someone from the 1950s, and they asked, "What is the future like?" What would you say?
I'd say I have a device in my pocket that gives me instantaneous access to all of mankind's knowledge… and I use it to look at pictures of cats and argue with strangers.
If you met someone from the 1950s, and they asked, "What is the future like?" What would you say?
I'd say I have a device in my pocket that gives me instantaneous access to all of mankind's knowledge… and I use it to look at pictures of cats and argue with strangers.
I'd also add that there is no entertainment industry left... Hollywood is bankrupt, no new music is getting released etc. due to the vast amounts of piracy enabled by this magic device.... lol
billmoseley
13-Jan-13, 17:36
What about a nice thick piece of bread toasted on an open fire?
M Swanson
13-Jan-13, 17:53
You could share a bottle of lemonade with your pals because germs didn't exist back then.
LOL. They did Jox. My brother went to scout camp one year and brought back the 'og. We all caught it. :lol:
Watching the wrestling on a saturday afternoon with commentator Kent Walton. The magic round about just before the news.
Ooh! Yes. My Dad insisted all us kids watched it on our 14" Sobell telly. Jackie Palo and Mick McManus! There was also a boxer he followed. He was a Scot's lad and may have been a rat catcher by trade. Can't think of his name but Dad was his number one fan! :)
No I never paid 1d for scraps as the chippy went to used to give me them for free. I used to buy a 1d Dainty and they were a treat and used to last me for ages. They were so big back then you had to crack them hard on a wall to break them in half otherwise you could not get it in your mouth. Made by McCowan's Toffee, they were Yummy.
You were spoilt, Kodiak. :D Bet you didn't buy a packet of broken crisps, made by Smith's though, for 1d. We had a large factory, just outside the town and we struck lucky. All that grease made them something special. We missed out on "Dainty's." Can't say I ever heard of them.
Cod liver oil was a must for children. Now it's used to treat canker in an animal.
Hors d'oeuvre was a spelling mistake.
Jelly & Blancmange were only eaten at parties.
toast cooked by the fire and a thick lay of dripping spread on it lovely or marrow bone stew heaped with fresh veg
toast cooked by the fire and a thick lay of dripping spread on it lovely or marrow bone stew heaped with fresh veg
Blimey! How did you people survive so long?
ducati we where a lot healthy than the kids nowadays we were fed well and played outside in the fresh air making dens and playing in the mud. we only watched tv for a hour before bed after tea in fact all of us kids were skinny little runts lol
Kevin Milkins
13-Jan-13, 19:50
The outside loo with news paper cut into squares and hanging on a piece of wire. Ice on the inside of the windows.
Remember the 1d dainty! also remember at Christmas my mum had saved for a hamper and in it was a whole chicken in a tin. How we looked forward to that. Apenny worth of sherbet and some sugar ally watter was a favourite If we didn't have any money a wee poke of sugar and a stick of rhubarb.:lol:
Smoking 40 a day, drinking heavily and the back of the hand for the mrs and kids if they back chatted or if my heart disease was not served up on time.
Not a big fan of the "kids nowadays" banter. If people think the current youth are unhealthy then the blame rests firmly on the shoulders of their parents and not with the kids.
Smoking 40 a day, drinking heavily and the back of the hand for the mrs and kids if they back chatted or if my heart disease was not served up on time.
Maybe thats your experience mi16, certainly not mine :(
Remember the 1d dainty! also remember at Christmas my mum had saved for a hamper and in it was a whole chicken in a tin. How we looked forward to that. Apenny worth of sherbet and some sugar ally watter was a favourite If we didn't have any money a wee poke of sugar and a stick of rhubarb.:lol:
AHH but do you remember how to make Sugarelly Watter. Get an old bottle and then get a 1d worth of Liquorice from the Chemist. Then cut up the Liquorice and put in the empty bottle. Fill the bottle with water and shake it till your arms felt as if they were about to drop off. Leave is soaking for 24 hours and there you have it Sugarelly Watter. If you wanted it fizzy add some Sherbert. :D
secrets in symmetry
14-Jan-13, 01:29
This is a great thread. My thread outed males and females, this one is outing old farts. :cool:
Keep it up!
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 10:03
Blimey! How did you people survive so long?
LOL. It doesn't look too good, does it Ducati? The thing is, life was so different in the 50's. We had very different priorities and I think the family and neighbourhood meant so much more to us, than it does for many today. For example, I always went home for lunch during schooldays and my mother and a hot meal was always waiting for me. My father was a very proud man and always worked hard for his family, but he was never a high-earner. Food was a priority and although we would always have liked a little more, none of us went hungry in real terms and few of us were fat. I can't remember people being jealous of anyone else in those days, because we were all in the same boat. Our front door was always open during the day, for neighbours to come in and out at will and vice versa. And perhaps more importantly, we shared what little we had with each other. We were a community and had strong bonds. Those are a few of my memories and none of your "rose tinted glasses," please. They weren't even heard of then! :D There were bad times, of course, but somehow the struggle gave life more vitality. Many of us ate all the wrong things by today's standards, but there's still a lot of us here to tell the tale. Am I boring you, Ducati? :lol:
Coke was something we mixed with coal to make it last longer.
Bread and jam was a punishment.
Liquid coffee, (Camp) was only drunk when we ran out of tea.
The menu was what we were given. No argument!
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 10:25
ducati we where a lot healthy than the kids nowadays we were fed well and played outside in the fresh air making dens and playing in the mud. we only watched tv for a hour before bed after tea in fact all of us kids were skinny little runts lol
:lol: Too right, Star. So much entertainment and it cost us nowt. There was only one way for us and that was 'up.' Did you ever bunk-off from school? We wouldn't have dared to. Then later, we finished our education on a Friday and was working by the Monday. It wasn't a choice. It's what we all did. :cool:
Then later, we finished our education on a Friday and was working by the Monday. It wasn't a choice. It's what we all did. :cool:
That is so true, I finished school of a Thursday , my father escorted me to the Labour Exchange on the Friday,by Monday I was reporting for work as a Creeler in a Dundee carpet weaving mill, I lasted 18 months, then joined the Merchant Navy, the job I really wanted
I think most of the youth today would be more than happy to work immediately after theor education has finished.
These days jobs are not there.
i agree with mi16 on the job front it is harder now to get work even if you go onto further education , it will only get worse if the government want us oldies to work longer. my worry is where are the younger generation going to get work experience if no one is going to give them a chance. The country is in a mess now and it will only get worse.
i agree with mi16 on the job front it is harder now to get work even if you go onto further education , it will only get worse if the government want us oldies to work longer. my worry is where are the younger generation going to get work experience if no one is going to give them a chance. The country is in a mess now and it will only get worse.
Exactly the same as people said when I started work in 1975 (the day after I left school).
Exactly the same as people said when I started work in 1975 (the day after I left school).
WOW Im surprised people were agreeing with my views on youth empliyment back in '75!!#
Seriously though I think a lot of the problem is caused by every man and his dog going to uni to do degrees in which they will never find gainful employment, its all very well doing a 4 year course in PE or something but try getting a job in that field that will support you and a family.
Meanwhile in the 4 years spent lording it around drinking and whatever else ,you have racked up a huge debt that will take years to pay off.
It just shows there is nothing new in politics. :lol:
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 12:50
That is so true, I finished school of a Thursday , my father escorted me to the Labour Exchange on the Friday,by Monday I was reporting for work as a Creeler in a Dundee carpet weaving mill, I lasted 18 months, then joined the Merchant Navy, the job I really wanted
Many of us suffered a similar fate, Golach. I was a baby boomer and couldn't find employment in the field I was qualified in, but my mother learned of a factory job available and my father insisted I apply for it. "The world doesn't owe you a living lassie and you'll pay your way like the rest of us." :lol: It was boring, hard work, but I stayed until I was promoted to the office work, I was trained to do. Nothing special about me! We were all instilled with a work ethic and most prospered as a result. I still work despite retirement, even though I'm not paid for it. It's a way of life and I wouldn't have it any other way. Sorted. :cool:
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 13:01
i agree with mi16 on the job front it is harder now to get work even if you go onto further education , it will only get worse if the government want us oldies to work longer. my worry is where are the younger generation going to get work experience if no one is going to give them a chance. The country is in a mess now and it will only get worse.
I agree this may apply to some extent, Star, but there is one thing so different from the 50's and now. We didn't have the EU! :roll: We do have lots of jobs in Britain, because we've given 3 million people from overseas the right to live and work here, since 1997. They all do "jobs our own people don't want to do," is the politico's cry. Yeah! Right! That will increase in 2014 when 30 million Bulgarians and Romanians also receive the right, via EU membership, to tap into our jobs. Remember Blair's prediction that only 13,000 Poles would move here? Half a million came! And still hundreds of thousands more arrive annually. For those that support this, then fine, but it's no good complaining about youth unemployment and job shortage, which is the end result. We ain't seen nothing yet!
I agree this may apply to some extent, Star, but there is one thing so different from the 50's and now. We didn't have the EU! :roll: We do have lots of jobs in Britain, because we've given 3 million people from overseas the right to live and work here, since 1997. They all do "jobs our own people don't want to do," is the politico's cry. Yeah! Right! That will increase in 2014 when 30 million Bulgarians and Romanians also receive the right, via EU membership, to tap into our jobs. Remember Blair's prediction that only 13,000 Poles would move here? Half a million came! And still hundreds of thousands more arrive annually. For those that support this, then fine, but it's no good complaining about youth unemployment and job shortage, which is the end result. We ain't seen nothing yet!
nail on head
Tripe, Cod Roe and Liquorice wood sticks..........just 3 more things you don't see now!
C3.
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 14:31
Milk slops with sugar for breakfast, Tiger Nuts and Spangles ........ gone!
Rice was a milk pudding and never part of our dinner.
A Big Mac was what we wore when it was raining.
There was no such thing as cat or dog food.
You know you grew up in the 60s or 70s if...
. when as a baby, you slept on your tummy in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead based paint (unheard of today).. when there were no childproof lids on medicine bottles, nor locks on doors and cabinets.... when you rode bikes with playing cards in the spokes and didn't wear helmets... when as infants & children, you would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires, and sometimes no brakes... when you drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.... when you shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.... when you ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon (now it's whole wheat bread and "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter")... when you drank R Whites lemonade made with real white sugar and you weren't overweight because you were always outside playing... when you would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as you were back home when the streetlights came on.... when you would spend hours building your Go-Cart out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out you forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, you learned to solve the problem... when there were no Play Stations, Nintendos or X-Boxes, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD', no surround sound or CDs, no cell phones, no personal computers, and no Internet.... when you fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents... when you would get spankings with wooden spoons, ping pong paddles, or just a bare hand and no one would call child services to report abuse.... when you were given air guns for your 10th birthday, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and despite being told otherwise, did not poke any eyes out.... when you rode your bike or walked to a friend's house, knocked on the door or rang the bell or just walked in and talked to them (none of these organized play-dates of today)... when the idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
When Jimmy Savile would systematically abuse children, all in sundry would be aware of it and the beast would make millions and be knighted to top it all off.
When Jimmy Savile would systematically abuse children, all in sundry would be aware of it and the beast would make millions and be knighted to top it all off.
nice one mi16........ruin a good thread with the saville crap.....
Apologies, just adding some shades of reality to go along with the rose tints.
At least I didnt mention James Torbett, oh darn Ive gone and done it now.
The strap, cane, tawse, plimsoll and ruler...............all away in the Teachers draw ready to help with discipline!!!!
C3.
and the board rubber i never knew how a teacher could have they back to you and throw the board rubber over their shoulder and hit the person that talking on the head without turn around
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 18:37
You may be interested to know more about where the altered, copy and paste quote job that Flynn posted in #42 came from. Well, for starters, it was written by an American, about America. The post mentions, "R Whites," Lemonade, when the article referred to Kool-Aid! Anyway, it's not until the last paragraph that the writer's intention becomes clear. It has more to do with upholding the standards and values of the 50's decade we are discussing. This conclusion was omitted, so here we are folks:-
"These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers, and inventors ever.
The past 50 to 85 years have seen an explosion of innovation and new ideas..
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
If YOU are one of those born between 1925-1970, CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good."
A faithful copy of the original article. :roll:
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 18:50
and the board rubber i never knew how a teacher could have they back to you and throw the board rubber over their shoulder and hit the person that talking on the head without turn around
Yes, I can remember not ducking quick enough on a couple of occasions, Star and getting hit. Ouch! :lol: Girls were never caned, but I do remember my brother receiving six of the best, for some infingement of the rules. Once was enough for him and he was never punished in that way again. Boys who fought in the playground, were separated and a boxing match was set up in the gym. Everyone was able to watch. The lads would have their scrap, shake hands and often left school that evening as bosom buddies. It worked. There was zero tolerance for bullying inside the school. If a parent was asked to attend the school to discuss their problem offspring, then that child knew they were in for a rough ride. We knew we were there to learn and my goodness we towed the line. In Junior School there was just one tearaway and truant and we all knew who it was and gave him a wide berth. I never bucked the system and realised later on in life, that discipline was a gift. I cherish my schooldays. Honest! :D
Soft drinks were called pop.
Sauce was either red, or brown.
Ice cream only came in one flavour.
i remember getting caught scrumping apple by the village bobby. he asked what i was doing and i said getting apple he asked what for i answered to eat , he said right eat them now i had pinched cookers boy i had bellyache never scrump again, but could not say to my parents what give me belly ache as i would have had a sore backside as well .Today the parents would have the bobby done for child cruelty
Tripe, Cod Roe and Liquorice wood sticks..........just 3 more things you don't see now!
C3.
Tripe on sale in most butchers in Auld Reekie and Cod Roe on sale in the Fishmongers when in season.
billmoseley
14-Jan-13, 19:56
My maths teacher could hit you from anywhere in the room she would have made a great darts player.
Rabbits hanging up in the street and milk churns neatly sitting in a row at the end of the lane.
The strap, cane, tawse, plimsoll and ruler...............all away in the Teachers draw ready to help with discipline!!!!
C3.
Discipline!!!! ...... Maybe, if you think the way to teach children to spell is through discipline as opposed to education.... I remember getting one of the ruler across the knuckles for every spelling mistake...
Then there was doing gym in your underwear if, no matter what the reason, you forgot your gym gear.
Cream eggs were only seen just before Easter
Cream eggs were only seen just before Easter
hah, now we all know that old age has caught up with you [lol]
Cream eggs were only seen just before Easter
& hot cross buns....
Christmas didn't start in November....
Milk came in glass bottles from a man on a van.... At least until sometime in the 70's when they started delivering milk in plastic bags which you needed a special plastic jug to put the bags in before opening.
Queuing up inside the bank for hours just for your weekly wage.
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 20:58
School games, like football, cricket, rounders and netball. We all had teams, the competition was fierce and kids worked hard to earn the right to don the prized sports kit. We all supported our school in matches played against other schools, for a coveted trophy. At home our favourite games were hopscotch and tracking. We would find our chalk from the hills that surrounded us and would play all day at no cost to our parents. The only problem was, that the feel of the chalk put my teeth on edge and still does to this day. As for it scratching on the blackboard ...... don't go there! :( Nobody was overweight, because we spent our lives on the trot! :lol:
Healthy food was anything edible.
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 21:02
Queuing up inside the bank for hours just for your weekly wage.
I must be older than you Rheg, because we received our wages from the office accounts clerk. I much preferred the days when we were paid in cash in a little brown envelope, because I found it easier to live within my means. I was 18 years old before I opened my first bank account, with Lloyds. I was a grown-up and mighty proud of myself. :lol:
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 21:07
i remember getting caught scrumping apple by the village bobby. he asked what i was doing and i said getting apple he asked what for i answered to eat , he said right eat them now i had pinched cookers boy i had bellyache never scrump again, but could not say to my parents what give me belly ache as i would have had a sore backside as well .Today the parents would have the bobby done for child cruelty
LOL. Poor you Star. Did you ever scrump again? :)
Looks like HMV will disappear from our past very shortly which brings to mind playing 78rpm records on a Dansette auto-changer record player. Jailhouse Rock and Let's have a Party by the King was my first ever 78rpm record.
C3.
M Swanson
14-Jan-13, 23:30
My brother owned a Dansette too, Corrie. He was a great fan of the King and 'Rawhide.' I was still very young then, but I remember falling in love with Clint Eastwood aka Rowdy Yates. I used to write him silly little love letters, but Mum wouldn't give ma a stamp to post them. :lol:
m swanson i learnt never to scrump cooking apples again but was known to scump a few eating ones on the 3 mile walk to school
M Swanson
15-Jan-13, 09:04
That's the spirit Star. :) These days, if you had a three mile trek to school, you'd qualify for free transport. Maybe we're all benefiting now, from all that exercise. Wouldn't surprise me.
We had a good strip wash every morning and one bath a week on a Sunday. There was six of us and we all used the same water! :roll: I was tail-end Charlie and when it was my turn the water was grey and, in the winter, freezing. I dreaded it and promised myself that when I grew up I'd never have a cold bath again ....... I didn't! If we ever had to go back to hard times, it's the one thing I'd find difficult. Not too much else would bother me. :) Dad insisted we use Palmolive soap and he used carbolic. Years after, I came across many old gents who smelt of it and I loved it.
We used soda crystals for washing-up. I can't remember when the liquid came in.
A take-away was a mathematical problem.
We only saw coconuts when the fair came to town.
Kebab was not even a word, never mind a food.
M Swanson
15-Jan-13, 09:14
My mother used to make peg rugs for the floors and in the winter when it was bitterly cold, my sisters and I used to put them on our bed to keep us warm. It worked, but I can still close my eyes and remember the dusty smell of them. There was an outside loo, so we always had a gazunder! :eek: Now I have a pretty floral one, with hyacinths in, in my lounge! :D
M Swanson
15-Jan-13, 09:37
When we had coughs, or colds, this was NEVER accepted as an excuse to take a day off work. "There's nothing wrong with you that can't be worked off, lassie." :D
After returning home, it would be an early night and a packet of Beecham's powders, "to sweat it off," then business as usual the next day. Aspirins were only taken as a last resort, but we were all dosed-up with Virol, Cod Liver Oil and Malt. I've never liked fish, or eaten it since and I'm sure that this sprang from the dreaded oil. :D
When we had coughs, or colds, this was NEVER accepted as an excuse to take a day off work. "There's nothing wrong with you that can't be worked off, lassie." :DAfter returning home, it would be an early night and a packet of Beecham's powders, "to sweat it off," then business as usual the next day. Aspirins were only taken as a last resort, but we were all dosed-up with Virol, Cod Liver Oil and Malt. I've never liked fish, or eaten it since and I'm sure that this sprang from the dreaded oil. :DSurely if you were working, taking a day off sick was your choice?
When we had coughs, or colds, this was NEVER accepted as an excuse to take a day off work. "There's nothing wrong with you that can't be worked off, lassie." :D
After returning home, it would be an early night and a packet of Beecham's powders, "to sweat it off," then business as usual the next day. Aspirins were only taken as a last resort, but we were all dosed-up with Virol, Cod Liver Oil and Malt. I've never liked fish, or eaten it since and I'm sure that this sprang from the dreaded oil. :D
I remember being told as a teen that I go to work "Even if you are dying"...it has always stuck with me and I didn't have many sick days in my 50 years at work. Were you ever given something called "Sulphur tablets"? To this day I don't know what they were for but I do remember they made you very windy!!! Same here, one bath a week on a Sunday although I had the luxury of a sprinkling of Omo or Daz in my bath and used Wrights coal tar soap. Teeth cleaned in salt and as a Monday morning treat I always started the school week off with a dash of my Dad's Brylcream!!!
C3.
Surely if you were working, taking a day off sick was your choice?Nope, not until you were 21.
C3.
You may be interested to know more about where the altered, copy and paste quote job that Flynn posted in #42 came from. Well, for starters, it was written by an American, about America. The post mentions, "R Whites," Lemonade, when the article referred to Kool-Aid! Anyway, it's not until the last paragraph that the writer's intention becomes clear. It has more to do with upholding the standards and values of the 50's decade we are discussing. This conclusion was omitted, so here we are folks:-
"These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers, and inventors ever.
The past 50 to 85 years have seen an explosion of innovation and new ideas..
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
If YOU are one of those born between 1925-1970, CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good."
A faithful copy of the original article. :roll:
Yes it was. I did not claim it was my own. It did the rounds on Facebook years ago. There were a couple of versions, one American and one adjusted for the UK.
Out of interest what prompted you to attempt a petulant hatchet job on me?
Out of interest what prompted you to try to do a petulant hatchet job on me?
Awwww Flynn, do not spit your dummy out of the pram [lol]
Nope, not until you were 21.
C3.
So a person needed their guardians approval to take time off work up until the age of 21.
What happened when you left home at 16 to work elsewhere, did folk ring their mum or dad for permission to take time off?
Pickan wilks in e ebb, baggan thum up an sendan thum til billingsgate. Twentyfive bob a hunnerweight wis a wee fortune when pockad muney wisna e order o e day.
M Swanson
15-Jan-13, 13:03
I remember being told as a teen that I go to work "Even if you are dying"...it has always stuck with me and I didn't have many sick days in my 50 years at work. Were you ever given something called "Sulphur tablets"? To this day I don't know what they were for but I do remember they made you very windy!!! Same here, one bath a week on a Sunday although I had the luxury of a sprinkling of Omo or Daz in my bath and used Wrights coal tar soap. Teeth cleaned in salt and as a Monday morning treat I always started the school week off with a dash of my Dad's Brylcream!!!C3.
No, I can't remember having too much sick leave, throughout my working life either, Corrie. My father worked all his life in the NHS and never took one day off. Was it just luck? No, I don't think that explains all of it. We were brought up to be prepared for every eventuality in life and I certainly benefitted. Likewise, we used salt to clean our teeth, until powdered Gibbs toothpaste came onto the market. We weren't given sulphur tablets, but this link explains it all. That's if you can understand gobbledegook! :D Doesn't sulphur smell like rotten eggs? Not sorry if we escaped that fate. :lol:
MSM - Natural Sulphur Supplement
(http://www.silvermedicine.org/msm-natural-sulphur.html)
Surely if you were working, taking a day off sick was your choice?
As Corrie said, the legal age of consent was 21. We didn't always obey our parents, because we had to, but we did it because we had total respect for them and their wishes. My father wouldn't allow my brother to get married until he came of age, because that was when he finished his five year apprenticeship and would be able to provide for a wife and subsequent family. It was also customary for a young couple to be engaged for a couple of years, or so, to give them a fair chance to decide if they'd chosen the right partner. As many fell by the wayside, I would think that was a sensible idea. It certainly was for my brother and SIL.
Talking about work, how many of you remember how much money was in you very first wage Packet. My First wage for a full weeks work was £2-1-0d and it was six months before it was put up to £2-5-0d a week.
I had money in my Pocket and I thought I was the lad, all grown up and able to give my Mother 10/- a week for my board. Cant even buy a Mars Bar for that now.
M Swanson
15-Jan-13, 13:17
Mine was 15.6d. I too gave my Mum a 10 bob note for my keep; I saved 1s and blew the rest. :D When I trained as a nurse, my wage was £3.19s.3d and full board. I actually managed to buy my first car from this. It was a Triumph Herald and cost me £75. Darn nigh killed me too, when the clips on the side, that kept the bonnet down came off as I approached a junction. I couldn't see a thing. :lol:
how would that wage compare to todays times?
Mine was 15.6d. I too gave my Mum a 10 bob note for my keep; I saved 1s and blew the rest. :D When I trained as a nurse, my wage was £3.19s.3d and full board. I actually managed to buy my first car from this. It was a Triumph Herald and cost me £75. Darn nigh killed me too, when the clips on the side, that kept the bonnet down came off as I approached a junction. I couldn't see a thing. :lol:
Ahh Cars, my first car was an Jade Green Austin A30, (FGS 762), and it cost £35.00, it had 12 pervious owners and it took me all over GB. All I ever did was to put Petrol in one end and oil in the other. Great fun I had with that little car and I was very sad indeed when I was rammed from the back by a Drunken Driver in a Big Wolsley. He drove off without stopping, swerving all over the place, (thats why I say Drunk), and never seen again and my poor wee car was a rught off.
I learned to drive in a dark green Triumph Herald! Think my lessons were in the region of 17/6d each!
First car was a Mark 1 Cortina. I loved that car!
how would that wage compare to todays times?
You could work this out on the Mars Bar Scale. Figure out how many Mars Bars you could buy with a weeks wages for any particular year and do the same for this year. That way you would see which wage would buy you more for your money.
When I earned £2-1-0d a week I was an apprentice and for that I could buy 82 Mars Bars. What does an apprentice earn today? I am not sure but I would imagine £120 a week, if that is correct you could buy 200 Mars Bars. That would make that you would be better off today in wages.
remember as a child getting a lift home in a bubble car that was 5 kids and 3 adults how we all fitting in i do not know
George Brims
15-Jan-13, 19:01
That's the spirit Star. :) These days, if you had a three mile trek to school, you'd qualify for free transport.
I started High School in 1966 and three miles qualified you for free transport back then. Unfortunately I had a close to two mile bike ride to the main road to get to the bus into Wick. The Caithness wind always seemed to be head on both morning and afternoon!
M Swanson
15-Jan-13, 19:47
I learned to drive in a dark green Triumph Herald! Think my lessons were in the region of 17/6d each!
First car was a Mark 1 Cortina. I loved that car!
The first car is always the one you remember most fondly isn't it, L? I still love the shape of the Herald; much better than some of the ugly cars of today. :D If I remember correctly, my first gallon of petrol cost a staggering 2s. Oh! And a shot of Redex was a penny. I don't what use it was, but my car mechanic BIL, insisted it buy it.
You could work this out on the Mars Bar Scale. Figure out how many Mars Bars you could buy with a weeks wages for any particular year and do the same for this year. That way you would see which wage would buy you more for your money.
When I earned £2-1-0d a week I was an apprentice and for that I could buy 82 Mars Bars. What does an apprentice earn today? I am not sure but I would imagine £120 a week, if that is correct you could buy 200 Mars Bars. That would make that you would be better off today in wages.
Thanks Kodiak. I did try and find out the equivalent, via Google, for MI6, but nothing worked. Your way did.
I started High School in 1966 and three miles qualified you for free transport back then. Unfortunately I had a close to two mile bike ride to the main road to get to the bus into Wick. The Caithness wind always seemed to be head on both morning and afternoon!
Thanks for the info George. My sister and I had to stay with relatives in Suffolk for a few months and on two occasions the snow was so deep that we had to stay in school for four days, until they cleared the roads. We loved the adventure. Did this happen in Caithness as well and how long did your journey to school take you?
M Swanson
15-Jan-13, 19:50
remember as a child getting a lift home in a bubble car that was 5 kids and 3 adults how we all fitting in i do not know
LOL. Blimey, that was a tight fit, Star. I never rode in a bubble car, but I was taken around London in a Robin Reliant. It was so unstable and scarey. I always thought the similar type bubble was too. The plus side, would be that it would do a hundred miles for 3 bob! :lol:
Whoops. I don't think it was the Robin, but a French car, that I can't remember the name of. It took corners on two wheels!
You could work this out on the Mars Bar Scale. Figure out how many Mars Bars you could buy with a weeks wages for any particular year and do the same for this year. That way you would see which wage would buy you more for your money.
When I earned £2-1-0d a week I was an apprentice and for that I could buy 82 Mars Bars. What does an apprentice earn today? I am not sure but I would imagine £120 a week, if that is correct you could buy 200 Mars Bars. That would make that you would be better off today in wages.
that is a great comparison Kodiak, 82 mars bars today would cost in the region of £48.38.
The average 1st year apprentice salary is £170/wk nowadays.
Therefore on the mars bar scale the kids of today are 3.5 times better off then the kids of your day.
Bubble cars.
Takes me back to when I lived near Cambridge, next door neighbour had a messerschmitt bubble, made from the original aircraft shell, two seater, driver up front passengeer behind, two wheels at the front and one behind, sounded like a motor bike engine.
Pal and partner had an Italian bubble car, top half all bubble, sat side by side, they were both large folk and managed easily into the vehicle, the front lifted up and you climbed in the front. It always used to breakdown but no problems, it was like taking a dog for a walk, one hand on the roof, a gentle push, no steering or hard work. We would get the usual cracks, taking the car for a walk are you, five miles one day to walk home with it on the lead!
M Swanson
16-Jan-13, 10:12
My father wouldn't allow my mother to work until I, the youngest, reached 14 years old. "We had them and it's our job to be look after them, Hen." Not that Mum minded ..... she was happy in her role and never complained. Dad kept his end of the bargain. In addition to working shifts, he would take a sack and cycle off to the Corporation tip. There, he would search for brass and copper. He would find it in some unlikely objects and when he had collected a good amount of this "bluey," (was this a Scot's term?), he would exchange it for cash at the local scrapyard. It made a big difference to the household income; Mum received her share and our pocket money was increased from 3d to 6d, for the week. How easily we were pleased. :D Like everyone else of that time, he was a hard worker and would do any job to make a few bob. "The money's clean, lassie." :cool: I always felt safe and secure ....... my Mum and Dad could solve any problem. They were our rock.
Spaghetti was a small town in Bolognese.
Brown bread was something only posh folks ate.
Oil was for lubricating the bike with; fat was for cooking.
Healthy food had to have the ability to stick to your ribs.
M Swanson
16-Jan-13, 10:23
I don't know about anyone else, but there was no question of my Mother discussing the birds and the bees with us and few lessons on reproduction in the school science class. But, we learned all we needed to know in the playground. Every child knew what sex was and how babies were made. We didn't need to be told. We'd all worked it out for ourselves and between each other, and had a good giggle in the process. :D There was no need to spend billions of pounds "educating," us. We knew the mechanics and later our parents taught us what was expected of us. That was their role! You went behind the bicycle shed at your own peril. :lol:
A tart was a fruit-filled pastry; not a lady of horizontal pleasure.
My first vehicles.........200cc Triumph Tiger Cub, 600cc Norton Dominator, 1952 Ford Anglia 100E with 3 speed gearbox and vacuum controlled wipers. 1965 Vauxhall Viva...With the help of a loan from my Parents)!!!.
As for sex education, mine was over in 30 seconds when my Dad told me...."You will learn about it the same way as I did"....Brilliant, it still makes me laugh today.
C3.
As for sex education, mine was over in 30 seconds when my Dad.I am glad you completed that sentance
M Swanson
16-Jan-13, 18:44
My first vehicles.........200cc Triumph Tiger Cub, 600cc Norton Dominator, 1952 Ford Anglia 100E with 3 speed gearbox and vacuum controlled wipers. 1965 Vauxhall Viva...With the help of a loan from my Parents)!!!.
As for sex education, mine was over in 30 seconds when my Dad told me...."You will learn about it the same way as I did"....Brilliant, it still makes me laugh today.
C3.
LOL. Yes, your Dad was a wise man, Corrie. :cool: I only broached the subject with my mother once and she blushed furiously and sent me off with a penny to buy some sweeties. :D I never asked her anything on the subject again!
M Swanson
17-Jan-13, 09:15
Many families owned a piano. I'm not sure why we did, because none of us could play it. I didn't know anyone else who could either. It was just a must-have in the 50's. The best I could manage was chopsticks, but I would have loved to be able to play well. Unfortunately, despite music lessons at school, I never mastered how to read music. :eek:
Ready meals only came from the fish and chip shop.
Salad cream was a dressing for salads; mayonnaise didn't exist.
Fish didn't have fingers.
In music lessons I made it to the dizzy heights of playing the triangle, I think even then my teachers realised that I was tone deaf and still am. I think the fact that lots of people had piano's and couldn't play them came down to the fact that they were a fashion item and one to keep up with the Jones with.
I didn't fare much better with dancing lessons either but did manage to master the jive in the 60's. That came in very handy for attracting the girls as they were not keen on wallflowers.
C3.
David Banks
17-Jan-13, 17:26
No running water - granny carried two pailfuls at a time (aided by a hoop) from a well a couple of hundred yards away.
No hydro electricity.
No TV, but we did have a large radio powered by a large battery which Wullie Chack recharged for us.
No garbage pickup, and "recycling" came naturally.
No telephone, but the "bush telegraph" was always in fine working order.
Great granny lived a short distance away - up ae ca.
I liked cod liver oil.
My (bare) legs would go ``tartan`` sitting too close to the fire at night.
Salt herring and tatties made me awfully thirsty.
Fresh eggs from our own hens.
Clapshot was a favourite.
Food that didn't come from the garden, came from vans: Thomson`s groceries from Castletown, Mackay`s butchers from Keiss (run by Chon but owned by his Dad, Christy), a fish van from Weeck - usually on Fridays - but sometimes did not come for weeks, and onions from the Frenchman (with one or more silver teeth) who appeared with strings of them draped over his bicycle handlebars once every autumn.
Home sing-songs with mum on the piano many Saturday nights.
Walking almost two miles to Crossroads school was good for us.
Thanks for the happy memories.
M Swanson
18-Jan-13, 09:26
In music lessons I made it to the dizzy heights of playing the triangle, I think even then my teachers realised that I was tone deaf and still am. I think the fact that lots of people had piano's and couldn't play them came down to the fact that they were a fashion item and one to keep up with the Jones with.
I didn't fare much better with dancing lessons either but did manage to master the jive in the 60's. That came in very handy for attracting the girls as they were not keen on wallflowers.
C3.
You went one better than me, then Corrie. I never mastered any musical instrument, but Dad played a mean tune on the harmonica. You could be right about the reason everyone seemed to own a piano, but it was a bit pointless really, because Mrs Jones had rugger all and nor did the rest of us. I loved ballet and tap lessons; wasn't too good at the jive, but loved the lads in their drainpipe trousers and psychedelic pink socks. Was I the business in my flared skirt and stiff net underslip! Uhm. No! :) I was fourteen before I was allowed to stop wearing white ankle socks, but still had to wear them to church. I hated it!
I wonder if the kids still play kiss-chase, today? It was our favourite game and I could run ever so slowly, if needs be. Still can! :lol:
M Swanson
18-Jan-13, 09:48
My (bare) legs would go ``tartan`` sitting too close to the fire at night.
Thanks for the happy memories.
And thank you too, for this enjoyable post, David. I'm particularly interested in life in the 50's in the Highlands and yours gives a wonderful insight into those times. I'd completely forgotten about "tartan," legs. Some old women had terrible, large, red scales on their shins and they often singed their dresses. I remember once, I was asked to light the fire in the sitting-room. I set the match to the paper and then, held another sheet to cover the fireplace to provide a draught. It caught fire and I dragged it away, but caught Dad's armchair and the darn thing was ablaze in seconds. There was a hole with a small tuft of horeshair sticking out, which it caught. Needless to say, I was in serious trouble. Never did it again. :lol:
I'd forgotten the French, onion Johnny, too David. We used to follow him around the streets, because we like the funny way he spoke. My Mum always made him a cuppa
The scrap metal and rag and bone man, (Tatter); "Any old iron." The fathers used to go behind the horse and cart to pick up the fertiliser for their vegetable plots.
The muffin man, ringing his bell, who sold crumpets.
The gypsy woman, who sold heather, or put a curse on the family.
Thanks again David.
Repped
billmoseley
18-Jan-13, 19:42
my dads old kick start Atco lawnmower. i six pence if i did the grass in straight lines. Something that stayed with me when farming.
George Brims
18-Jan-13, 21:34
Thanks for the info George. My sister and I had to stay with relatives in Suffolk for a few months and on two occasions the snow was so deep that we had to stay in school for four days, until they cleared the roads. We loved the adventure. Did this happen in Caithness as well and how long did your journey to school take you?
We had a great snow incident when I was in first year at Wick HS. A snow storm came in very suddenly. We had French class in a portakabin in the middle of the school. When class started snow had just started to fall, and when we were done one 40 minute period we had to dig snow away from the door to get back into the main building. Apparently every road in the county blocked in about 30 minutes. All the country people were stuck in Wick for the night. After that they used to have everybody declare who they would stay with in a similar emergency, at the start of each school year, and we used to get days off at the slightest hint of snow.
My journey wasn't too bad - just under two miles on the bike, then 7 by bus. We moved to Watten village when I was 14 so the bike bit was cut out.
M Swanson
19-Jan-13, 11:37
Thanks George. Another interesting post. I can't remember anything being used as a reason for our schools to be closed. Many's the time we would sit in class wearing our winter coats, because the old boiler had broken down again. Our hands were so cold, that we could barely control our nib pens and there were tiny shards of ice in the ink pots. Between lessons, we were herded into the PE room and ran around to warm ourselves up. We survived. :)
Our school day started with morning assembly and then it was an hour's Maths and time to do our times tables, using rote. I guarantee, that 99% of us left school knowing at least up to the 12th table, which proved so valuable, to most of us, throughout our lives. I don't believe the same holds true today and I don't know how the kids cope. Rote was out and replaced with a more complicated system, which, judging by my own son's experience, didn't work for many. I think more blackboard rubbers were hurled across the room during a Maths lesson, than at any other time. I must admit I struggled. :)
We all received our free, 1/3rd of a pint of milk. Some children didn't want theirs, but there was no shortage of those who volunteered to guzzle the extras. It was all very competitive.
Many 50's mothers wore the same uniform of a turban head scarf and pinafore.
Talking at the meal table was strictly forbidden.
We never had lunch. Dinner was at 12.15 p.m. and tea at 5 p.m., sharp!
.Talking at the meal table was strictly forbidden.
We never had lunch. Dinner was at 12.15 p.m. and tea at 5 p.m., sharp!
If visitors arrived, the adults were served first, we kids had to wait to be fed until they finished, as did the visitors Kids.
M Swanson
19-Jan-13, 11:55
Same here Golach. We were also expected to sit on the floor, if adults needed the chairs. Being the youngest, I think I spent most of my childhood on the peg rug. I think this kind of respect that was demanded by our parents, to adults, probably explains why our generation would readily give up our seat on the bus, to somebody whose need was greater than ours.
I've never met a man, who could better my father for the total respect he showed to women. Until the day he died, I never once heard him swear if females were present. I think this came from his Scots upbringing. I remember when he took my Mum shopping in London once and they stood in a long queue to catch the bus. When it arrived Mum took her seat, but Dad didn't show. He'd let the ladies alight the bus ahead of him and the seats ran out. When she looked back he was still in the queue. :lol: She'd carried her handbag, but because Dad always paid for things, she hadn't taken her purse. Was she in trouble with the conductor when she couldn't pay up. She had her name and address taken and the next day she frog-marched him to the bus depot to pay for her fare! :lol: That was often the measure of men of those times.
I've never met a man, who could better my father for the total respect he showed to women. Until the day he died, I never once heard him swear if females were present. I think this came from his Scots upbringing. I remember when he took my Mum shopping in London once and they stood in a long queue to catch the bus. When it arrived Mum took her seat, but Dad didn't show. He'd let the ladies alight the bus ahead of him and the seats ran out. When she looked back he was still in the queue. :lol: She'd carried her handbag, but because Dad always paid for things, she hadn't taken her purse. Was she in trouble with the conductor when she couldn't pay up. She had her name and address taken and the next day she frog-marched him to the bus depot to pay for her fare! :lol: That was often the measure of men of those times.
The measure of a good man, was a strong minded woman beside him [lol]
M Swanson
19-Jan-13, 12:27
:lol: Yes, I'm sure you're right, Golach! But then, I'm biased! Now, sign out and go and do the washing and ironing. [lol]
Now who remembers the original "Batmobile"?
If I had the money I would have loved to have bought this beauty!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21107631
I sometimes watch the original programmes on ITV 4 on weekday afternoons, they seem very cheesy now but still good entertainment value!
Kerpow !!!!!!
C3.
M Swanson
20-Jan-13, 12:52
LOL. Cheesey is about right, Corrie. Especially Robin, though Batman was just as bad. Kepow! Zap! Wallop! There's a Batmobile on eBay for £99, boxed and in mint condition. Pity Christmas has just passed, or Santa could have brought you one! ;)
I don't remember this in the 50's! Popeye, Olive Oil and Lassie were my favourites. :) My son is a Corgi fanatic and I know about Batman through him. I don't think he has the original Batmobile though. He does have his favourite Dukes of Hazard, boxed set. I bought it for £3 at a local auction. He was so grateful, he walked the dogs for a day! :D
M Swanson
20-Jan-13, 23:43
Does anyone remember the Saturday matinees at the cinema? This was a highlight of the week for kids and it was standing room only. A man played the organ when we arrived and we'd have a sing-a-long, to kick things off. We would undertake chores to find the shilling to get us in and buy an ice-cream in a pot. I think that added up to about 8d. Then we'd sit through a film like, 'The Lone Ranger and Tonto,' and we'd all shout Hi Ho Silver ....... away! :D We all lived the part and booed, or clapped throughout. In the interval, we had more singing and in the 60's we had a yo-yo competition. I remember going on the stage and trying my luck with 'walking the dog,' but was booed off when it all went pear-shaped. I remember being led off crying and I never entered again. :lol: Another stiff competition was for doing tricks with a hoola hoop. Some of the children were very clever and the winners received a free trip to the cinema the following week. At the end of the show, we always stood and sang the National Anthem. :cool:
If I had to, I could quite easily go back to those times. I think the lessons learned always stay with us. There wasn't all the bullying of today and the community was our world. Now, I hardly know any of my neighbours. They're all too busy earning a living and time is often limited. Would you survive? Bet you would!
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