Turning the clock back!!

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Member for

17 years 5 months

Posts: 8,980

1 Mars Bar

Ahh but an original Mars Bar, was about 5 times the size of the pathetic little thing you get today.. The double pack you can get is about the size of the originals.

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

silver fox, Apart from the black and white T.V. my Mother purchased a Pye Continental coulor TV, the first in our street, and we must have had most of our street in the house looking at it:)
As we were extremely lucky enough to live in a Council House at the time:eek: T.V. Aerials were not allowed on the chimney pots, but had to be mounted atop of a metal pole that cleared the roof of the house to get the signal, it even had four wire "Ropes" attached to the pole to tether it to the ground.
As for amusement, we made up our own games, (Ask any kid today what they do for amusement, and it's X boxes etc),
I remember the day when sweets came off Rationing and I went to the shop and pigged out on a whole pounds worth in weight of my favourite sweets.
I used to go to a bakers shop, and wait until they got a load of fresh baked bread from the oven, rip the inside of the loaf out, and eat the fresh hot crust, sheer heaven,
I will pass now, so you can get some more in of what he rest of you did;)
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

TonyT.
I agree, size does matter:diablo: Oh, Mars bars, yes, is it me, or didn't they taste better also than what they do today?.Fiz bombs, toffee apples also went down well, no such things as "E" numbers, and we are still around ;)
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Member for

15 years 10 months

Posts: 686

Ahh but an original Mars Bar, was about 5 times the size of the pathetic little thing you get today.. The double pack you can get is about the size of the originals.

They were certainly bigger in my memory, but of course I was quite a bit smaller, I think it's safe to say standard size then is probably about the same as the extra large bars of today.

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

Neighbours that you actualy knew and spoke to, these days I only know my next door neighbour, no one seems to speak any more.

Did your mother ever send you round to a neighbour to "Borrow a packet of tea, or a cup of suger", until pay day, which used to be on a Friday in those days. Why did they change most folks pay day to Thursday?.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

Anyone remember the small packet of salt in their packets of crisps, and asking if they had any "Broken" packets which they would sell you cheaper?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Member for

15 years 10 months

Posts: 686

Neighbours that you actualy knew and spoke to, these days I only know my next door neighbour, no one seems to speak any more.

Jim.

Lincoln .7

I would say on this one we are lucky, just close by there is a quite high proportion of "coffin dodgers" who fully intend to continue dodging for some time yet, yes we do know a fair number of our neighbours and for all the thoughts to the contrary when you get to speak to most people they are just as friendly as they ever were.

Just where we live there is a high proportion of bungalows, not surprisingly this attracts a higher proportion of buyers/owners who are pensioners or those whose families have grown up and flown the nest.

Granted people don't just wander round and into others houses as used to happen, but people call round for a natter, if someone hasn't been seen out and about for a while, a neighbour will invariably call round to see if all is OK.

Our little group do a quick check on holidays etc make sure someone is available to keep an eye, water plants, feed pets, move mail from the front door, and just see that all is OK. Whether this is down to the age group of those involved is another question, would this still occur among younger residents? I really don't know.

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 2,778

Smoking Players No 6--and collecting the coupons.

Member for

13 years 5 months

Posts: 919

Our little group do a quick check on holidays etc make sure someone is available to keep an eye, water plants, feed pets, move mail from the front door, and just see that all is OK. Whether this is down to the age group of those involved is another question, would this still occur among younger residents? I really don't know.

Close family only.... the thieving scumbags next door would even nick the paint from the walls if we let them in. I'm a big fan of security cameras, timing lights in a couple of rooms, and bear-traps along the hallway. There are plenty of dodgers in the bungalows across the road, and a couple of the longer term owners do look after each others houses, as even we used to do 30 years ago....

The problem now is a complete lack of trust, and a massive social divide between people who have no respect for people's property/privacy, and those who do.... I honestly believe that the difference between these two opposite social groups is very simple and fundamental: One of the groups has worked to acheive what they have, whereas the other has had everything given to them.

Member for

16 years 2 months

Posts: 1,911

Flavour!

I just paid £1 for a bag of "Finest" Jersey Royal new potatoes from the supermarket. Complete waste of money. Despite steaming them, rather than boiling, they still had little flavour or character - no different than the new potatoes sold loosely for a lot less money.

We all know it's because the farmers don't now use sea weed as a fertliser and so the spuds have lost their unique flavour. I remember when the new season Jerseys were a real treat, that lasted for no more than a couple of weeks. Now it seems you can buy them for half the year.

So why are they still a premium variety? Because we're dumb and brainwashed into thinking they are special in some way.

And mushrooms! I recall the mushrooms bought from the family run greengrocers around the corner were small, the cap was broad but shallow, and the stalk was long, slim and usually curved (stooped from the weight of the cap perhaps?). And they were packed with flavour.

Now, we all buy button or similar varieties and there is hardly any flavour at all. I usually add them as a pizza topping but the truth is they have little more than decorative value - they certainly don't add much flavour.

Yours

A Grumpy (getting) Old Man

Member for

15 years 10 months

Posts: 686

Close family only.... the thieving scumbags next door would even nick the paint from the walls if we let them in. I'm a big fan of security cameras, timing lights in a couple of rooms, and bear-traps along the hallway. There are plenty of dodgers in the bungalows across the road, and a couple of the longer term owners do look after each others houses, as even we used to do 30 years ago....

The problem now is a complete lack of trust, and a massive social divide between people who have no respect for people's property/privacy, and those who do.... I honestly believe that the difference between these two opposite social groups is very simple and fundamental: One of the groups has worked to acheive what they have, whereas the other has had everything given to them.

Lucky I suppose, in our little corner of the world most if not all are working or retired workers, a wide range of jobs or ex jobs from a couple of retired company directors to a retired council gardener, but all have the same thing in common, whatever they have they worked or are working for, you probably do have a very valid point there.

Member for

15 years 10 months

Posts: 686

I just paid £1 for a bag of "Finest" Jersey Royal new potatoes from the supermarket. Complete waste of money. Despite steaming them, rather than boiling, they still had little flavour or character - no different than the new potatoes sold loosely for a lot less money.

We all know it's because the farmers don't now use sea weed as a fertliser and so the spuds have lost their unique flavour. I remember when the new season Jerseys were a real treat, that lasted for no more than a couple of weeks. Now it seems you can buy them for half the year.

So why are they still a premium variety? Because we're dumb and brainwashed into thinking they are special in some way.

Yours

A Grumpy (getting) Old Man

Really, really sorry to mention this :diablo: but we have been eating locally grown freshly dug new potatoes for about a month now, please take my word for it but the taste is still magic, by contrast Jersey Royals have the taste and impact of old socks. :D

Member for

17 years 5 months

Posts: 8,980

Cigarette machines and chocolate bar machines on the wall outside your local shop and no one ever considered vandalising or breaking into them...

Green shield stamps.

Member for

12 years 5 months

Posts: 172

Helping my mother on washday (always Monday) by 'possing' the clothes in the fresh water tub as mother pulled them out of the washer. A posser was a broom handle with a copper bell shaped affair on the end, known by other names in other parts of the country I believe.

Dad putting fire bricks in the range oven then wrapping them in a cloth for us to take to bed in the winter.

Breaking the ice off of the inside of the bedroom windows on a winter's morning.

Zebra black lead range blacking.

'Stardrops are a girls best friend' advert sung to the tune of diamonds are a girls best friend.

Keeping a poker in the outside loo to break the ice in the bowl on a winter day.

Getting a balloon off of the rag and bone man if you gave him some old rags, hanging on to the back of his cart as he drove it up the street.

Playing out from morning until dark with a quick dash home for some tea.

Listening to two way family favourites, theme tune 'With A Song In My Heart' and hearing Jean Metcalfe saying 'Hello Australia can you hear me?' Mother was always cooking the Sunday dinner when that was on and I still hum that tune now when I can smell Sunday dinner. BFPO numbers by the cartload and servicemen on foreign detatchments that were years not months long.

Listening to Radio Luxembourg as it faded and swelled and Horace Batchelors Infra Draw Pools Method 'Write to Horace Batchelor, Department One, Keynsham, spelt K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M, Bristol.'

Making toast on the open fire on a Saturday night and watching The Avengers.

Watching John Glenn blast off for the first US orbital flight. What exciting times to live in.

There's a tendency for we old goats to sound like the Three Yorkshiremen but I wouldn't swap a minute of what I had for what kids have now. I think if you were brought up in the 50's/60's you had it all really.

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,536

Buying a lightbulb in Woolies and having the cashier test it for you.
Watching your change roll down the chute in the co-op.
Green Shield Stamps!!!

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

Woodbine Cigggies in a packet of paper wrapped 5s.

Turf Ciggies with a collectors card of aircraft?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Member for

16 years 2 months

Posts: 1,911

The Co-op was just around the corner in a series of shops - clothes, furniture, grocery and butcher etc. Sawdust on the butcher's floor and a chopping table that was so worn away, it looked like something you'd see next to a guillotine; it just needed a basket for the heads to roll into.

And of course, the vacuum tubing for cash. Cash put into little cylindrical tube and last seen ascending to the cashier's office upstairs. I think change was delivered by the reverse method? And didn't they have a similar system in Woolies at one time?

My mum's Co-op divvy number was 977 and had to be quoted at every purchase, a sort of precursor to Green Shield stamps.

Try telling that to your grandkids - they just wouldn't believe you! :rolleyes:

Must dash or I'll be late for the aeroboot!

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

What Aeroboot, and when and where?

My Grandsom, has just had his parents buy him a £400.00 Bicycle for his 16th birthday:eek:
I well remember MY first bike, wheels from one scrap yard, frame from another, and I gradualy built my first bike, then painted it bright yellow.
Kids today, they don't know how to put a nut on a bolt. there again, I can't use an Xbox,, but I bet I had more fun on my bike;)

Jim.
Lincoln .7

Member for

14 years 11 months

Posts: 894

Getting my first bike, a Raleigh Lenton Sports, with the money from working the Christmas post, while still in the Sixth Form at school; had to be at the local Post Office at 4 a.m., Christmas morning, in driving snow, to get a lift to the central sorting office 8 miles away. Still remember an old lady, as I handed over her post, saying, "I can't give you any money, but would you like an apple?" She never knew what that meant to a cold 16-year-old.
Edgar

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

Edgar B. Yes, it was kind of her, and thats another thing, good manners, I remember when at the table, God help you if you spoke, and you had to ask to leave the table, (Well it would have been too heavy for me to "Take it:diablo:"), joking apart, families now use the dining room to not only eat, but to talk together as a family, however, no one seems to ask permission to leave the table these days.
Have good manners gone out of the window?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7