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We didn't have a car when I was young (few people that I knew did) so going to the city was a pilgrimage.
Therefore most things were bought in the village (if they had anything) and it would be a choice of one.
The massive valve radio that we had finally gave up altogether, so dad went to the village electrical shop and came back with the only radio they had,
which was a poxy little thing in white "Bakelite", I think, and defended his purchase as sounding very "clear".
That was what we would call "thin" and indeed it was.
Started at Grammar School and needed a satchel so they went to the cobblers (as you would) and bought the only satchel that he had.
Beautiful brown leather but it was absolutely massive and must have cost mucha plenty.
Not till my first day did I discover that it was three times as big as anyone else's, and most had them to sling on the back, usually with just one strap!
On another occasion I wanted some roller skates and as anybody would they went to the cobblers who had just one pair.
"Green Monk" (Lord knows why that name was given to roller skates)!
Anyway they didn't roll anywhere, as the wheels were steel, and the bearings were "roller" rather than "ball" and they went rusty within a month!
Never played football as a kid at primary school but some idiot decided that we should play at the other village school.
So they went to the cobblers, as you would, and bought some heavy leather boots (these were boots that came high above the ankle and weighed as much as me,
and hurt everywhere, so it was a bad experience as we also had to make do with a full size leather ball, with a bladder, that was like kicking a rock!
They had leather studs, and we were playing in a quagmire, so they were soaking wet and went all slimey!
And people wonder why I turned to drink!
Therefore most things were bought in the village (if they had anything) and it would be a choice of one.
The massive valve radio that we had finally gave up altogether, so dad went to the village electrical shop and came back with the only radio they had,
which was a poxy little thing in white "Bakelite", I think, and defended his purchase as sounding very "clear".
That was what we would call "thin" and indeed it was.
Started at Grammar School and needed a satchel so they went to the cobblers (as you would) and bought the only satchel that he had.
Beautiful brown leather but it was absolutely massive and must have cost mucha plenty.
Not till my first day did I discover that it was three times as big as anyone else's, and most had them to sling on the back, usually with just one strap!
On another occasion I wanted some roller skates and as anybody would they went to the cobblers who had just one pair.
"Green Monk" (Lord knows why that name was given to roller skates)!
Anyway they didn't roll anywhere, as the wheels were steel, and the bearings were "roller" rather than "ball" and they went rusty within a month!
Never played football as a kid at primary school but some idiot decided that we should play at the other village school.
So they went to the cobblers, as you would, and bought some heavy leather boots (these were boots that came high above the ankle and weighed as much as me,
and hurt everywhere, so it was a bad experience as we also had to make do with a full size leather ball, with a bladder, that was like kicking a rock!
They had leather studs, and we were playing in a quagmire, so they were soaking wet and went all slimey!
And people wonder why I turned to drink!
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would have been very early 70's, and I had my heart set on a pair of Adidas football boots with 3 yellow stripes for Xmas. I saw the correct size parcel in the morning sitting there and dived for it, upon ripping it open I discovered it was one of these new fangled tape recorders including the Jackson 5's greatest hits. Now I know it must have cost a lot of money as they had only just come out but boy was I jacked off. Apart from not being allowed a pushbike until I was 14, that is the only time I have been disappointed.
Yeah, don't get me wrong BB as this was in the days of austerity after WW11, so they must have stretched to do what they did.
I think I was lucky growing up when I did. I turned 12 in the early 60s and the only choice you had with anything was either the colour or the size. 
Trainers? Sannies in loads of sizes but only in black were available. My Dad owned a ford consul which came in three versions and 5 colours. Bikes were available in loads of colours and small, medium and large plus boys or girls Aye them were the days.
Trainers? Sannies in loads of sizes but only in black were available. My Dad owned a ford consul which came in three versions and 5 colours. Bikes were available in loads of colours and small, medium and large plus boys or girls
Aye them were the days.
This wasn't their fault as they hadn't a clue and neither did I.
They bought me a bike as I liked the colour.
It was black and yellow and looked pretty special. It was a BSA but It was heavy, and had a three speed "Sturmey Archer"
gear system.
I didn't know better till one of my friends got a "Dawes", which was probably half the weight of mine, and had Derailleur gears.
They bought me a bike as I liked the colour.
It was black and yellow and looked pretty special. It was a BSA but It was heavy, and had a three speed "Sturmey Archer"
gear system.
I didn't know better till one of my friends got a "Dawes", which was probably half the weight of mine, and had Derailleur gears.
@BB
What Billy Connolly said about his childhood sums it up for most people of that era.
He said that if he hadn't been born a boy he'd have had nothing to play with.
What Billy Connolly said about his childhood sums it up for most people of that era.
He said that if he hadn't been born a boy he'd have had nothing to play with.
My dad realised by the time I was about 9, that if I read something, most of the time, whatever it was about, short or long, I'd remember it.
He had a bright idea that Xmas, I got an old dusty version of Encyclopaedia Britanicca. He even made shelves out of two varnished boards and some white rope, and put them above my bed.
The facking index book was 6 inches thick. If they fell on me during the night I'd have been seriously injured or killed.
I never opened them once, and they were still there when I moved out some years later. In 1977 when he died, my mother gave them to the rag and bone man. Fack knows what he did with them.
He had a bright idea that Xmas, I got an old dusty version of Encyclopaedia Britanicca. He even made shelves out of two varnished boards and some white rope, and put them above my bed.
The facking index book was 6 inches thick. If they fell on me during the night I'd have been seriously injured or killed.
I never opened them once, and they were still there when I moved out some years later. In 1977 when he died, my mother gave them to the rag and bone man. Fack knows what he did with them.
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