Growing up in the 70's

[morethanpotatoprints]

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.

Deelies yes and clackers that kept local A&Es busy in the fractured wrists business.

I remember when clackers were banned from my school playground. We had to stick to elastics and handstands against the wall.

And celebs had only arrived once they'd been on Morcame and Wise and had the piss taken out of them. Eric and Andre Preview is timeless.

Gin - yes to Rotters, Placemate 7. "behind the cathedral!"

Clackers were banned at my school too. We had to content ourselves with a tennis ball in the foot of an old pair of tights which we flailed at ourselves standing against a wall while chanting some sort of nonsense rhyme.

I also remember my mum basically being told by the school it was excusable for the little shits boys in my class to beat me and my friend up 15/2 on the way home as they were "bright boys"

School milk in titchy bottles left standing all morning in the sunniest spot the teacher could find.

Discs you could put into a projector at youth club discos which had coloured oils sliding around.

Dry ice at the end at discos.

Sitting out in the pub garden because children didn't seem to be allowed in. And the parents coming out occasionally to offer lemonade or orange juice. And then going back in.

Yes, I remember clackers and the banning of clackers - the sound of the 70s playground. They looked great didn't they but sadly I don't think I ever had any of my own. Remember all the other stuff though like hand clapping games, big skipping ropes, and french elastic!

I have a vivid memory of Crows Fair coming to town every summer. They pitched up on a field near my house. When I was in bed I could hear the music and the cheesy Waltzer guy and screams.

The fairground boys were always really tanned (and took their tops off ) and had an ear ring and were so "exotic" in my little Northern village!

I remember an episode of TOTP where the audience was all wearing deelies. Had never seen them before.

By Saturday EVERYONE had a pair.

In Manningham Park, Bradford, with my very bigoted grandmother. Playing on the swings in an empty playground - until some Pakistani children arrived. She made us leave immediately.

Whit holiday on the Lleyn Pensinsula and a shopping day in Pwlleli (sp??) - all four of us left in the back seat of the parked car whilst Mum and Dad disappeared for hours. The inevitable fighting - the car must have been rocking - then a stranger tapping on the window, seeing us all fighting. He went away and came back with a pack of sweets EACH. That shut us up.

Scarborough South Bay seawater swimming pool - summer of 76. Heaven.

Anyone have a trick stick?

It was a long thin yellow stick with red ends, about 1m long. It had invisible thread attached to it and you would sort of whirl it about.

I had a pair of shiny lace ups that were red and yellow like Noddy's car. I thought I was the dog's bollocks.

I had a trick stick.

Time of orange juice, which you diluted with water.

We had tinned grapefruit for breakfast

Findus crispy pancakes and Vesta curries.

Lucky bags, with snakes and ladders on the back? Metal roller skates.

I had a black doll. I know it was technically done in 1968 but my Dad was so affected with Enoch Powell and the like that he bought us a black doll one year at Christmas. I must have only been about 4 so around 1970 xmas. We were far too young to understand but I think it was his way of teaching us that racism exists.

I remember trick sticks

Can anyone explain what "letting the choke out" on a car was all about? I just googled and it's as if the expression never existed

We had orange juice that was frozen. It was in a little tube type can and had to be defrosted then diluted. I think it may have been by Bird's Eye. I think it was called 'Florida Orange' or something.
Nearly everythng we ate was home made, apart from bread . We did have the Vesta curries, Findus crispy pancakes and some awful frozen pizzas every now and then.

Diagonally, I didn't learn to drive in a car with a choke but I remember being told it was about mixing air in or something. Or maybe keeping it out?

Choke - it let a richer petrol mix into the engine at start up, when cold. Cars now have auto as they have engine management systems. (computers).

My first car was an (old) 1974 Rover. No power steering. Great upper body work out.

I just remember you used the choke on cold mornings and you were in danger of flooding the engine, but I never understood the actual mechanics of it!

Just Googled "magic stick toy" and the first hit is virginal tightening stick !