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Growing up in the 70's

712 replies

morethanpotatoprints · 01/02/2014 21:34

I bet there's been one of these before but who remembers stuff about the 70's, looking back to me it was all a bit weird.

So some of my memories.

Mary Mungo and midge, the music in the lift. my orange space hopper, gridsy marbles and clackers.
Dehydrated potato, free milk you had to drink at school.
Playing out from after breakfast until dark or tea.

OP posts:
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Boaty · 02/02/2014 20:08

Those elastic belts were part of DS1s school uniform in the 1990s (small prep) along with cord shorts..
The boys bungee jumped teddies out of the windows with the belts Grin

SleepPleaseSleep · 02/02/2014 20:07

Donkeys on the beaches!

SleepPleaseSleep · 02/02/2014 20:04

You can still get Spirograph, at least I've seen it here in belgium. Several times. Always saying 'are they old enough for it yet'- dh 'no'. Me -'oh. Are they old enough for it now?'.
They still close for lunch in the villages here too.

Porridge made with five pints Dried milk for breakfast. Hate porridge know.

Anyone else have a series of books about Jennifer yellow-hat, roger red-hat and so on?

Old and middle aged women always wore head scarves. That was in midlands and north.

My dh says 'urt ya' boys and 'bovver' boots. He's a Londoner. Elastic belts with a clasp like an s.

Boaty · 02/02/2014 19:52

So many memories here....
There was a fashion amongst us kids for shiny nylon bomber jackets, I had one that was blue and white with a poppered granddad cuffed collar...loved that jacket...The first trainers..wore plimsolls until I persuaded my mum to buy trainers.
Spent hours out on my bike..a shopper style unisex bike with a basket on the front and carrier on the back. My mother wouldn't/couldn't afford a chopper..

alemci · 02/02/2014 19:47

yes chokes on cars. remember one on my grandmother's vauxhall viva.

remember Tressy and Sheena

Only1scoop · 02/02/2014 19:38

Wondered why I always got the Sunday School Prize Grin

Only1scoop · 02/02/2014 19:37

More than Grin

morethanpotatoprints · 02/02/2014 19:35

Oh I love this thread, I didn't think there would be so many of us.

All the kids in our neighbourhood went to sunday school we had aunties who taught us simple bible stories, and we did colouring in and sang Hymns.
I remember getting a prize book every year and helping to run jumble sales Grin
I don't think so many dc go to sunday school now.
it wasn't really just for the religious aspects parents used to send kids so they had time to shag, without dc around

OP posts:
MardyBra · 02/02/2014 19:29

Just found this thread. It's probably all been said now.

Has anyone mentioned Space Dust?

Only1scoop · 02/02/2014 19:26

Tb yes the phone operators

We also shared a 'party line' with the neighbours over the road....
You'd pick the phone up and hear them yacking away and have to wait to make your call

Only1scoop · 02/02/2014 19:23

Loved the oblong huge speedometer like a ruler on the V Viva....
The Chevette just was not the same Hmm

tb · 02/02/2014 19:11

Also, if you pushed the choke in too soon before the engine had warmed up properly, the car would stall.

Gapping the plugs when you put new spark plugs in an engine, and our bloody Vauxhall Viva had such a weird gap that you had to use 3 or 4 feelers out of the feeler gauge set to get the correct thickness for the gap.

I used to love Old English spangles, there were also opal mints.

Living in Wirral, there were also opal toffees for a while, but they didn't last, must have been a trial product that didn't go into full production.

The 11 plus being scrapped in Cheshire, and being replaced by the 9 plus and 10 plus.

Knitting wool being sold in ounces - about 10p or 2/- and ounce.
First class carriages on the electric trains in and out of Liverpool - they had carpet!

Tressy dolls - bit like a Sindy, but a long piece of hair coming out from the middle of it's head. You were supposed to be able to do all sorts of different hairstyles, but I could never get them to work.

The school-leaving age being 15 - and us all muttering that we'd leave and go and work in Woolies. Was at a direct grant school, so that was never going to happen.

The second Mersey Tunnel being opened.

The M53 motorway from Liverpool to Chester being opened.

The local mission running services on the sand in summer with 'uncle' Stan - I wonder a bit about this now.

Outdoor swimming pool - they used to post the temperature of the water every day, can remember swimming when it was 56F. Freezing.

The Bon Marché becoming part of G H Lee in Liverpool

Robb Bros in Birkenhead as well as Beatties.

Cripps in Bold St with what seemed like elderly saleswomen all wearing black dresses, probably pearls too, coming up to my dm and saying "Can I help you madam" when she just wanted to look at stuff and not to buy - we used to go to Lees.

Phone boxes being 2d, and having to ask for a different operator if you wanted to make a long distance phone call.

Having to wait for an operator to connect your call - for local calls, too. If no-one came, you could joggle the receiver rest, and you'd get a cross "There's no need to flash, dear" as it must have started a light flashing at the exchange.

Local calls having a flat rate charge - so you could talk as long as you wanted, and my df going beserk at me talking to a friend from school for over an hour, and muttering darkly about the phone bill.

1/3 pint bottles of milk at school and being forced to drink it. What was even worse, was it being heated up and poured back into the bottles in winter and having to drink hot milk through a straw - and half gone sour milk in the summer.

The locks on the doors of public toilets - and those in Kendal Milne - needing a penny, 1d, to open them. Hence 'spending a penny'.

Mivvy ice lollies I think they were called. They were either banana or strawberry and had a sort of fudgy centre.

'Spinsters' of the parish, wearing lace up shoes with little square 1" heels, gloves, almost hobble skirts, and hats, secured with a hat pin, and often with lace veiling.

The almost shock of getting a Christmas card with a 10/- note in it. It seemed impossible to imagine spending that much money.

Tax relief for mortgage interest being given via an increased tax code. The first year we were married, dh got a new tax code nearly every month the interest rates changed so often.

Conductors on buses, and the introduction of 1-man buses.

Steam trains.

TeamWill · 02/02/2014 19:10

I remember Weekends. There was a strange Lime and chocolate one that I loved and my Mum always kept it for me.
David Cassidy
David Essex
The Osmonds - Donny< swoon>
Sweet
Mud"really luv your tiger feet" Grin
Marc Bolan and then he died-my cousin was hysterical.
feather cuts
choppers
The Banana Splits and hey hey its the Monkeys
SpamHmm
cola cubes
refreshers
parma violets
lovehearts

Only1scoop · 02/02/2014 18:51

Tiswas....the phantom flan flanger....the dying fly....

Pan · 02/02/2014 18:47

ET,Star Wars, Jaws, Outlaw Named Josey Swales, Raid on Entebe(sp?), Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Rosemary's Baby....

lemonbiscuit · 02/02/2014 18:36

Really hot summers, Elton John and Kiki Dee, the Osmonds, little plastic pencil toppers shaped like fruits and veg, Keep Britain Tidy campaign, school holiday TV like the White Horses, Robinson Crusoe, the Double Deckers and Banana Splits, Monday night TV being Fawlty Towers and the Walton's....... Magazines like Jackie and Fab 208, roll on lip gloss.....

wetaugust · 02/02/2014 18:11

Yep - I had suede desert boots. They lasted for ages. And leather clogs with wooden soles.

NearTheWindmill · 02/02/2014 17:57

I have the mug celebrating Princess Ann's wedding. DH's grandad's retirement was delayed because of it !

Pan · 02/02/2014 17:53

Beige desert boots, from Clarkes yes.
Safari style jackets. And trousers with a massive waistband to accommodate about 6 buttons in a vertical row. I was uber cool.Smile

AllMimsyWereTheBorogroves · 02/02/2014 17:52

Princess Anne's wedding. We went to our neighbours' house to watch it because they had a colour set.

These neighbours had a new baby around that time. When we all trooped in to see it we asked what he was called. 'Jason', said the mum. 'Oh, like the Blue Peter cat!' I said. My mum was mortified. He was probably named after Jason King, a really ropey drama series from 71/2.

NearTheWindmill · 02/02/2014 17:49

But darkesteyes Arthur was completely emasculated by Olive's mum and brother because families stuck together in those days. Also if you look at the movies now, Olive was clearly absolutely beautiful when not playing Olive but we just didn't see it.

NearTheWindmill · 02/02/2014 17:47

I loved the 70s

David Cassidy
David Essex
Marc Bolan
Queen
Slade
Sweet
Lilly & Skinner
Saxone
Dolcis
tank tops
leg of mutton satin blouses under the tank top
feather boas
wind surfing came in (lived at the seaside)
snakeskin handbags
Holdalls (quite trendy) made from parachute silk
Yellow wellies
Sobrani cigarettes (I think they were from the 60s really)
tiered peasant skirts (with a matching shawl)
Coney fur coats for the aspiring

.....anyone remember beige suede desert boots? Hmm

Darkesteyes · 02/02/2014 17:45

Mrs Devere the Arthur/Olive relationship in On the Buses.....Arthur was an abuser but ppl seemed to find that funny..Confused

Pan · 02/02/2014 17:45

The 1970 World Cup. From the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City @ 8,000 feet alt. With Brazil, the finest footie team eva. Led by Pele, the finest footballer. Eva. Live and in colour.

Darkesteyes · 02/02/2014 17:43

We went to Butlins in Skegness when i was 8 (although this was 1981)
I remember the live band singing in the evenings I remember them singing "Dont You Want Me" The lead singer was banging a drum that was beside her at the same time as singing.
I remember going to the beach and just as we settled it started pissing it down and my dad swearing.

To top it all off on the morning we left my mum did a fry up. I threw it up all over the back seat of the car on the way home. I think some of it hit DB as well.
The acid from the vomit permanently damaged the seat which did eventually get replaced. It was a 1975 white Mercedes. My dad was not a happy man that day. Grin