WHEN I WAS YOUNG..... Life was....
Posted: Thursday, 12 June 2008 |
Comments
Now you've made me feel old - I remember a lot of these things too !!!
Duncan from Brum
What a blog. My step mum had a washing machine just like the one in the picture. Back around the time you're talking about I used to get 6d (2陆p to you young 'uns) pocket money, there was a girl in our street who got a whopping 5 bob a week (25p children)!!! Daktari - and Clarence the cross-eyed lion...great.
IA from the moist-eyed Irishman
It is very interesting! When I was young, The Beatles came to Tokyo. ( I was born in Tokyo, Japan) I didn't know who they are. When I was young, I didn't know where is UK.
Oriental Ghost from Luing Toberonochy Ghost House
Squidgy, what are boiled lites? Surely you did not all squish in one side-car? (poetic license is it?). Is Omo still around? Omo in the wash, Oxo on the slice of bread, eh?
mjc from NM,USA
Not oxo, but marmite on the bread. A cube of oxo could make a nice cup of bouillon, if I remember correctly. Believe it or not, oxo and marmite were luxuries. I know marmite is still around, but oxo?
mjc from NM,USA
Very evocative, Squidgy! I bet you remember when it was all fields around here, eh? I have especially fond memories of sherbert fountains, spangles and Whizzer and Chips.
Stromness Dragon from looking through retro specs
Nice one, Squidgy.
Ruthodanort from unst
Good article, My life was very similar except I watched 6--5 Special before going out Rock and Rolling in my drainpipe trousers. Ha Rock around the clock was great and Elvis was #1. We all wanted to have a Tony Curtis haircut and DA, Same Miners type life in Village tough. AH The good old days.
Harryd from Canada.
Squidgy what a trip down Memory Lane. Such memories are priceless and easily forgotten thanks for jogging mine. Me Dad had a sidecar and I remember me mam and me sister and me all crammed in it sitting on each others laps and the rain coming in the side flaps when the wind was in the wrong direction. Thankyou
Barebraes from Shapinsay
brilliant,squidgy
carol from crying with rage
harry from canada--ah the 6-5 specail-i remeber it so well in the beginning the image of that big train seemed to come out of the tv screen and into thr sitting room--WOW!
carol from over here
Dear, dear, Carol. Why are you crying with rage? Hope you feel better.
mjc from NM,USA
OG, I like your pictures very much, and you are very lucky to live in Luing. However, let me tell you a secret, just for your ears: I don't believe you are Oriental or Asian at all. A ghost, you may be, but a native one - if I am wrong, I would be willing to eat guga AND pay for it.
mjc from NM,USA
Another Top Blog Squidgy! Sixpence in a red phonebox eh? Someone here put 2p's in...press button B to get your money back...and that record player...well!...fpu had a grey one and, during a particularly great party, a rather confused fellow mistook it for a loo...it never recovered: the bear on Andy Williams always wanted cookies and never got them...paw thing! Oxo is very much still around and makes a very good mug of something hot on a chilly day mjc. Over a hundred years old and still going strong!
Flying Cat from it's raining in my heart
You realise you've pretty much given your age away don't you. Still, a bit younger than me. When I got my first motorbike petrol was 4/7 a gallon and a couple of years later my first (legal) pint was 1/10. The folk revival was still going on and Aldermaston marches were the forerunners of Faslane peace camps. Package holidays were just becoming affordable for the working classes but the aeroplanes still had propellors. Coming from Merseyside I was a bit of a celeb when I visited my cousins in Southampton because all their pals thought I must know the Beatles. I wish! I did go to the Cavern though.
Hyper-Borean from The Boom
Blimey woman ! I'm sitting here with tears running down my face ! I miss living like that, I miss everybody being friendly, I miss nobody excluding anyone, I miss having the freedom to be yourself, but most of all, in all those memories , I miss my dad.
Angela from Those where the years !
Feeding the dogs lites. We had greyhounds. My dad was a racing man. The dogs ate lites, which were boiled lungs/offal, yes Bl**dy awful. After I had finished writing this blog, I seemed to be thinking about it all night I missed so much out, like hoola hooping, skipping ropes and hopscotch. Ethel Gough, our neighbour tried to hit the red squirrel with a frying pan cos it ran into her house and knocked over an ornament, a boy eating cherries. (Worth a fortune now) And Coronation Street, Ena Sharples, Martha Longhurst and Minnie Caldwell, Minnie had a cat, now what was it called?? Elsie Tanner and Len Fairclough. I've painted my dad in somewhat of a bad light, looks like he was a drunk, but no, he was a miner and worked hard every day god sent. He had to bike to the pit (on a pushbike) and having a few pints was the miners' way of clearing out the coal dust from their lungs. Well, it was a bit of a marathon to read, and I am sorry for rambling on. Did I ever tell you about the time I ran away to Liverpool to meet the Beatles, ah well, there's another blog !! hahaha
Squidgy the Otter from Still tripping down memory Lane...
I am still trying to remember the name of that darned cat. No, Not FC, but MC, Minnie Caldwell in Coronation Street, she always had a cat. Every year it got run over, and she got another one and called it the same name. Was it Sunny Jim? or Bobby? Oh I just cannot remember. Sunny Jim, I think he was the lodger. A bloke who became deceased in Randall and Hopkirk, wore a white suit. Bobby rings a bell. Or am I thinking about Dixon of Dock Green, Sofly Softly, or even Bobby Ewing in Dallas? Oh the windmill of my mind are in full swing now....
Squidgy the Otter from What is the name of MC's Cat???
Nostalga ain't what it used to be. Yes, life is not what it was 50+ years ago.
Old Timer. from Bedbythedoor.
Oh Squidgy - you have turned back the clock - so many things I had forgotten - you are obviously a similar age to me - but just grew up in different towns - so much the same - how this world has changed - for better or worse - now thats another blog! thanks for the reminder!
Wild Freckle from Those were the days my friend - we thought they'd
For anyone wondering what the funny robot thing is at the top, it's from Smash, made by a famous chocolate firm. Anyway, powered mashed potato (YUK) was the start of it. What would Fanny and Johnny Craddock have said. Does anyone remember, Butlins and Bubblecars, Jubbly Orange, the triangular frozen ice which you squeezed until it all popped out or melted. Fruit Salads and Black Jacks, 4 for a penny? Hillman Minx and Hillman Imps, Ford Anglia's and Morris Minor's. (Gawd I once owned an Hillman Imp, it was an evil thing) and collecting Green Shield Stamps, free school milk and cod liver oil tablets, Mr.Pastry, Emma Peel and Jimmy Clitheroe? And who remembers Hilda Baker and Charlie Drake, Hello My Darlings.... haha !! Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end, we'd sing and dance for ever and a day. Then the busy years went rushing by us...we lost our starry notions on the way...
Squidgy the Otter from Those were the days, my friend
FC we have an exact record player in our barn that was left here from the previous's it too doesn't work perhaps it was yours it is grey
Barebraes from Shapinsay
Oh Squidgy - I remember all those things!! flying saucers that used to melt in the roof of your mouth, gobstoppers that were huge, cola cubes, sherbert pips (you thought you got more) Michael Miles - Hughie Green, Valerie Singleton on Blue Peter ......
Wild Freckle from taking a trip down memory lane!
Handle it with rubber gloves barebraes...it might still be full of germs...
Flying Cat from don't mention ze var!
squidgy-i can even remember seeing jimmy clitheroe in scarbourgh,drank free milk at school and all the rest of the above stuff-where's my zimmer??
carol from memories are made of this--
Thank you everyone for your comments. Looks like we miss the good old days and especially the sweets. Wild Freckle, thank you for jogging my memories over the flying saucers, I remember them, Highland Toffee, and yes the gobstoppers, everyone used to buy me giant gobstoppers, not sure why !!! The Who played Otley in West Yorkshire, before they were famous, but still out of their heads on the crazy stuff !!! smashing guitars etc. Then came the mods and the rockers, fights at the seasides and scooters decorated with loads of mirrors.
Squidgy the Otter from Sweet memories
Free hot powdered milk. Those were the good old days!! How about cod liver oil, Carol?! And ricin oil regularly (two spoonfulls, followed by a quick dollop of surgar to make the medicine go down)- to get the worms out, but, maybe that's just in the tropics. Really folks, I don't resent the good old days, but you have to admit it's much better now.
mjc from NM,USA
I'm sure all you old timers know this already, but its a sure sign of being in the 60+ bracket when you talk about the good old days, or when you were young, you could buy a gallon of petrol, 2 of you got into the pictures and bought a fish supper all for a 拢1, yes, but your wage was 拢10 a week.
Teenager from Coll
wonderful blog - I had a simultaneous thought about doin a blog cos my son claims not to be able to remember dial phones... and was Sunny Jim not on the Vital Spark? and we used to watch Doctor Who while mum made the tea (Dad stil being at work) and sometimes Lucille Ball - 'Here's Lucy' - we had boiled eggs for tea on a Saturday, and dad brought home fancies from the bakery in Lerwick. mjc - we got a spoonful of cod liver oil every day. free milk at school, and orange juice free on the NHS? we went to the shop on a saturday and bought penny caramels, gob stoppers and sherbet dips. But we had to walk a mile there and back. when we were older we got bazooka joe's bubble gum.
scallowawife from down memory lane...
Teenager from Coll??? surely all teenagers are away at school in Oban of a Tuesday, and quite unable to access 91热爆 Island Blogging in the middle of the day. Ah, I get it, you are a teenager in mind only, 50 going on 15, and you know so much about the "old days", Life's experience talking no doubt. PS, todays youngsters, ie teenagers, call the "Pictures", the cinema, small observation that's all, that you used the term "Pictures". mmmmm
Squidgy the Otter from Eternally Youthful
teenager from coll no were not all 60+i'll be a "young" 54 next week! and when i was a teenager my wage as a student nurse was 拢24 per month!
carol from i'll give you 60+
I haven't participated in this nostalgia-fest before, but I think Minnie Caldwell's cat was Bobby. Now why should I remember that?
Jill from EK
Anyone remember the old petrol pumps that worked by hand? a handle on front was pushed from left to right or vice versa. There used to be one of those up at Burnside. Some of the things we did when we were young would give the Health and Safety folk kittens! like when our grandpa used to go to the dump on a Saturday with Coll's bins we were allowed to sit in the back of the lorry, until the rubbish had been collected then had to go in front for the trip to the dump, strangely the hotels' bins were always last to be collected and we were always bought a bottle of strawberry cresta and a packet of crisps each, must have had an awful lot of bins because it always took an hour to collect them, same on way back! I remember the milk being delivered too it was in churns in a tractor and trailer and the required amount was poured into the bottles which had been cleaned previously. Gran used to keep hens so we had eggs every day, some they laid in the hen-house others elsewhere, on special occassions we had roast chicken (island life was not for the squeamish) first time one of my family met my gran she was plucking a chicken in her honour! gran also had guinea fowl they were pretty "crabbit" birds. The fowl pest outbreak of the late 60s early 70s meant that my gran had to destroy all her birds, and disinfect the living quarters that broke a few hearts! One thing all the women on Coll were good at was baking! and no matter when you dropped in there was a batch of scones just coming out the oven, or pancakes off the griddle! If however you were expected then the table was usually laden with different cakes, biscuits and other fancies, my gran used scales a lot didn't, the amount in the bowl "just looked right" The days the boat didn't get in just meant extra baking (more scones) tip; sour milk makes lighter scones sounds yucky but true! Now my fond memories of actually getting to Coll first that wee ferry boat the mail boat anchored out in the bay and we transferred across to the ferry to me that was pretty scary, then we were able to get right into the "new" pier. the next ground-breaking innovation (sarcasm-sorry) was being able to take cars to Coll! Passengers vacated vehicle then driver drove onto large net-like rope this had hooks and eyes round it these were then attached to a crane or winch and the car was hoisted onto the vessel. Maybe someone will remember the technology better than me but I remember how it was done. I could fill this with my Coll memories!
Nowahfeelauld from Scotland
Nowahfeelauld from Scotland. Thank you for your memories of Coll. I really enjoyed reading them. I think all memories should be recorded, because these young 'uns don't know they're born. (now I sound like my mother !) Thank you again.
Squidgy the Otter from Says thanks
Happy birthday, Carol. Take care.
mjc from NM,USA
mjc: thanks only i don't know why i said next week(am i that eager)should have read next month(july 3rd)
carol from looking for a boat
The car-in-a-net system was still in use on the ferry to Sanday in 1991...but only just. Did Minnie Caldwell's cat get hurt in a car crash and then miraculously appear from the shower? Oh no...that can't be right, no self-respecting cat would willingly enter a shower...
Flying Cat from the strawberry cresta run
Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Carol, happy birthday to you (for next week) xx
Squidgy the Otter from Blowing out the candles
Nowahfeelauld, in Shapinsay the petrol pump is still operating with the handle and to get a gallon you have to pump it till the dial turns one revolution Its an antique iut still in good working order . It will be a sad day when its trpalced by a new one but at least we wont have to get wet when pumping the petrol on the island
Barebraes from Shapinsay
That eager to be blanketty blank years young?
Flying Cat from keeping schtum
Thanks Nowahfeelauld, I also remember these times, the red ferry, the new pier(middle pier) the grey crane powered by willing hands for hoisting the cargo from ferry to pier, the cargo boats loch Carron, loch frisa,Loch Ard anchored in the bay,the Loch Broom which came alongside the pier to pick up cattle and sheep if the tides were right,yes happy days.
Old Timer from Bedbythedoor
I think Coll got electricity in 1975 oh the thrill! Anyone remember the old gas-mantles? where a chain was pulled in the ceiling and the gas lit with a match,very delicate they were too! a wrongly placed thumb or finger was enough to burst them, this was usually accompanied by an exclamation of, "gosh how unfortunate" or words to that effect. I also keep telling folk there used to be an overnight train from Glasgow to Oban in the late 60s early 70s, but I keep being told I'm mistaken so now I'm starting to doubt myself! Does anyone else remember it? One of my cats used to enjoy playing in the shower so maybe Minnie Caldwell's cat did appear from the shower.
Nowahfeelauld from Scotland
FC: i won't answer that
carol from WOW--ITS SUNY TODAY
does anyone remember the song I'm backing britain and who sang it?? i was at forfar acadamy so it must have late winter 1967 early spring 1968(dates i'm sure as i started in forfar in sept 1967 anad left at easter in 1968
carol from feeling her age (and loving it)
Nowahfeelauld, you are right about the night train from Glasgow to Oban, I travelled on it in the 1950s it left Glasgow at around 9.30 pm and got into Oban at around 5.30am,
Wullie from Box Car
Indeed Sunny Jim was on the Vital Spark but he was a reference to the adverts for Force, a porridge substitute. When told of Jim's soubriquet Para was heard to remark, " Was he no namely for jumping fences?" The advert began, "Over the fence goes Sunny Jim, / Force is the power that raises him." and the picture was of a cartoon man leaping a fence. I reckon that makes me 92!
Hyper-Borean from The focsle
HB: you sure don't look your age!! as i made a comment on MM's blog lets go for a hundred!
carol from basking in the sun at last
Bet none of you can remember this one: FOUR FEATHER FALLS !!! a bit like Thunderbirds puppets, and you could see the string. Tee hee.
Squidgy the Otter from The poser to end all posers
GGGRRR! you've got me on that one squidgy, i remember thunderbirds of course,but also andy pandy,bill and ben(with weed of course)I remember getting told off by my granpa as i broke a few flowerpots trying to make them move like bill and ben!
carol from suuny days are here again
Remember "Four Feather Falls,! Oh yes I do. My problem is remembering last Thursday.
Hyper-Borean from Amnesia
Does anyone remember a programme called "Twizzle" - it was a kids puppet programme and she grew - another one you could see the strings - no-one else seems to remember it - what about Animal Magic and Jonny Morris - how I loved that programme and I really thought the animals could talk - of course I know they really can now!!
Wild Freckle from wet and shivering
WF-i don't remeber twizzle,but remember animal magic-of course i already knew animals could talk!!
carol from out of the sun
Since my blog, there seems to be a revival on the TV, what with Herman's Hermits on Loose Women, Neil Diamond, now the Small Faces and that Saucy Minx Val Singleton even making confessons about Blue Peter. Very blue, if you ask me. Sorry Wild Freckle, don't remember Twizzle, remember Tivvy, from the TV club, Daktari, Lassie, Muffin the Mule, Stingray, Albert Tatlock, Stan and Hilda Ogden, Annie Walker from Coronation Street, oh the mind does wander these days.....
Squidgy the Otter from (Not really an otter)
Anyone remember Inigo Pipkins? we used to rush home from school at lunch time to watch. Squidgy my illusions are shattered I thought an otter could really use a computer which is more than I can!
nowahfeelauld from scotland
i wish now and again i had british tv-i used to get bbc prime but my the company i get satelite tv from has stopped it,sniff sniff!
carol from really over here