I have been reflecting on the way the world has changed since I was a boy growing up in the 1950s and early 1960s. I thought I would share some of these thoughts. In response to my previous posts some members have helpfully suggested that I include little smiley icons to signal when I am not being entirely serious. But that won't be relevant in this post since what follows is documentary fact.
When I was young Britain was ... black and white.
The films of the time accurately portray this. The USA might have coloured-in but we didn't know much about that except that Cowboys and Elvis Presley lived there. I was nearly into my teenage years before I discovered that grass was green and the sky was blue. And even then there was no colour in November. A thick smog formed on the first day of that month and didn't disperse until December. Sitting in your own front room (lounges were invented much later) you couldn't see far enough to watch BBC on the box - but since it was only a wireless set that didn't matter much.
When I was young Britain was ... only open from Monday to Saturday.
Nearly everything closed on Sundays. Only churches and chapels were open at which attendance was compulsory (well it was in my family). Sundays were in black and white until the late 1960s. They were mind-numbingly dull - as excruciatingly portrayed by Anthony Aloysius Hancock. The only possible redeeming feature of Sundays was the possibility that friends might visit my parents in the evening. There was then the possibility that I could sneak unnoticed to the kitchen, turn the wireless on quietly, and listen to the adventures of Jet Morgan, Doc, Lemmy and Mitch in "Journey into Space" and "The Red Planet". This was forbidden as it would give me nightmares. This was quite true. I still wake up screaming in fear of being killed in my bed by the body that was once Whitaker.
When I was young Britain was ... empty of restaurants.
There were very few restaurants in my home town and going to one a very special treat for a very special occasion. It was easy to choose what meal to have. Although there might be other items on the menu everybody knew what a proper meal for a special occasion was.
Starter: Prawn cocktail (OR tomato soup - if you didn't like fish).
Main: Steak with chips and peas (OR nothing - if you were vegetarian).
Sweet: Black Forest gateaux (OR cheese and biscuits - if you were full up).
The prawn cocktail was a dish of ultimate elegance and was served in a wine glass - we had no other use for wine glasses in those days. The soup would be tinned. The steak was always well done and the peas, and possibly the chips, would be frozen. We didn't know that the Black Forest was in Germany otherwise we probably wouldn't have eaten its cake. In up-market restaurants a selection of cheeses was served - which meant both kinds, Tasty and Crumbly - but you could only choose one.
When I was young Britain was ... empty of "bigger boys".
Nobody was born in Britain between 1939 and 1946 except by accident. This meant that there were few older youths people about. There were few teenagers. In fact there were none, since teenagers hadn't been invented yet - except in USA. Not surprisingly this lost generation were bitter and twisted. They roamed empty streets in the dark when respectable families were safely ensconced at home. They were called Teddy Boys and Teddy Girls. The males all carried flick-knives and would cut up little ‘uns like me just for fun - or so my parents assured me. [We did not think to call this "knife culture"]. Their passions were inflamed by the Devil Music of a tubby chap, in a neat suit and bow tie, who had an extraordinary quiff shaped like a question mark - Bill Haley. All cinemas in Britain were destroyed when "Rock Around the Clock" was screened.
Perhaps others would like to contribute their thoughts so that we can construct an authentic social history of our pasts. You can see how it works. Just write "When I was young Britain (or other land) was .." and then add a paragraph. Please check for accuracy.
