Did anyone grow up in the 50's? (and 30's and 40's if you are on here!)

Yes you are proper old like us!!

Am I allowed in? I was born in 1959.

I'm still a bit shaky with metric, I think in feet and inches. Always have to doublecheck when doing centimeters and mm, although of course I do use them.

I was 19-20 & at college for decimalisation. Because some of the values were equal & the coins stayed the same size (1 shilling = 5p, florin = 10p) it wasn’t too bad. Prices were converted as equally as possible initially, although some amounts had to be rounded (generally up )

It was suggested though that they should have waited “until all the old people died”

I was born in the 70s so I remember some of these things.

I’ve got a question though, can anyone tell me their memories of when the money changed? I can’t understand how confusing that must have been.

I remember lots of things got hushed - teenage girls going for a D and C or a scrape as it was called locally - for period troubles - we'd all be told, or they'd disappear for a few months then return looking a bit pale and wan. Women in their late 40s or 50s who became the mother to to their daughters child. A married man who it was rumoured slept with his daughter; The father of 6 kids our age who would a teenage girl out to the picture house and then buy her presents - he didn't buy for his own kids. Dirty old men that tried to touch you that you made sure you avoided. Neighbours who had Fancy men or women. Children who were badly beaten by their parents - one we knew got shut in a cupboard as a punishment. There was a peeping tom, and someone stealing knickers off lines. Drunks, madmen, gamblers, etc etc Such is the rich tapestry of 50s life

People were served in shops - no supermarkets where I lived.

Fascinating thread. Placemarking to read with a cup of tea later :)

Going to the big Coop in town where your money was despatched to the central cashier via a container on a pulley, like a mini ski lift, and she would then send back your change in the container. Fascinating to a small child!

When I went to secondary school we had to wear lisle stockings, so suspender belts too! We had regulation navy knickers and the gap betwixt stockings and knickers was horribly chafed in winter. Torture!

Children’s TV:
Monday - Picture Book
Tuesday - Andy Pandy
Wednesday - Bill & Ben
Thursday - Rag, Tag & Bobtail
Friday - Woodentops

Mum used to send me round to the chip shop for “a fish and two sixes” (two portions of chips at 6 old pence each) - she wrote the order on a piece of paper and wrapped it round the coins so I didn’t lose it. I was too small to see over the counter! It was normal to go off unaccompanied then, we used to roam the streets & woods with our friends & the alarm would only be raised if we were late for tea.

You’re going to have to throw a cloth over me to get me to stop!

Chottie, you had tights??? What luxury!

I don't remember tights being a thing at all where I lived - it was all knee socks in the winter (& chapped knees above them )

I loved country dancing at school 'strip the willow' and the 'gay gordens' are the two dances I remember.

We used to have gym as well, running along and bouncing on to the spring board to do a somersault over the horse, climbing the ropes and hanging upside down on the wall bars.

I can remember the big freeze of 1963 too, all the schools were closed and my sister and I (aged 8 and 5) went skating at the local common as the lake had frozen over. I don't remember being cold though.

My sis and I wore Chilprufe vests and pants, woollen tights and hand knitted jumpers and cardigans and corduroy pinafore dresses or trousers. My mother used to make most of our clothes, she would set one day aside a week as her sewing day. During the winter, my sister and I used to sit down with our mother at weekends and make clothes for our dolls. I had a Sindy and my sister had a Patch doll (she was Sindy's little sister). I had a lovely childhood. :)

Billy Cotton Band Show was Sat I’m pretty sure. Sundays didn’t get much in the way of light entertainment in those days

Maybe Sunday - missed a bit

There was almost no daytime TV early on - just a women’s & children’s bit mid-afternoon. There were gaps between programmes too.

I looked it up when The Crown had the King with a TV (instant image, no warm-up ) in his bedroom, showing - at 7am - film of Churchill at No 10 in 1951! As if!!!

This link has Radio Times schedules from 1923-2009. Fascinating!

Billy cotton on tv at 8pm Saturday or maybe - his catchphrase was to shout wakey wakey - that was a sign for us to get home

I’ve just remembered being taken to the hairdresser and sitting in a curtained cubicle (like a shop changing room) to have my hair cut! I assume it was to protect the privacy of the customers looking less than their best with their hair in rollers. The hairdresser was a creepy man too..
I remember that the postman was always dressed very smartly in uniform and cap.
Another very random thing - whilst no shops were open on Sundays, if we ever got low on milk, there was a ‘milk machine’ on the platform at the railway station that dispensed a pint of milk in a carton.

Think it was music and movement, I remember that!

I remember Listen with Mother, Mrs Dales' Diary, Two Way Family Favourites and there being few if any tv programmes before 6pm (or was that because the TVs didn't get switched on until Childrens' programmes started at 5pm)

At school we did musical movement ( I think that's what it was called) and country dancing.

I seem to remember that it was followed by Woman's Hour, by which time Mum had dozed off!

Listen with Mother was another radio favourite.

Just remembered, Singing Together, on the radio!

Oh it was, Pooter

Like actually having your own pony (just for the day)! I remember no details at all, just how great it was!

Riding (not lessons) was 5 bob an hour so the day must have cost close to £2. I would have used birthday money I imagine.