My grandad who lived with us used to go up to the Albert Hall every week for the Boxing. My uncle told him that the BBC broadcast the boxing every week on the new gizmo called television, so in 1951 we had a tele in our house. One of the earliest recolections as a kid was watching the Coronation with half the street in our breakfast room, crowded around this large box with a 9" screen!!!.
The sitting room and dinning room were only used on very special occasions, and were out of bounds for me most times. At Christmas Dad used to get all the fires going and try to keep them alight over the whole of the holiday.
I remember waking up in the winter mornings with snow on the inside of the window sill, and rushing down to the kitchen to get dressed in the warm. We installed central heating in the winter of 63, the year after the big freeze of 62/63.
My son complains when I keep the central heating to what I consider nice and warm, when he moved to his own place the first few times it was like going into a hothouse, then he got his first bill!!. Now he keeps the heating like Dad.
In spite of the freezing and draughty houses I do not remember catching the colds that seem to go around like they do now. I think we were tougher then, as were our parents compared to us.
As regards every day things, I did most of the daft things listed above, my Mother reconed I had my own filling cabinet down at the local A&E.
I suppose we all hanker after those days as we get older, but I look back and I enjoyed my chidhood and youth. Change a few things? yes, but no regrets.
Ahhh. nostalgia.
telling my mother what I was going to do and being told to be careful!!
