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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:
Thread gallery
5
Diagonally · 02/02/2014 23:12

Oh yes Romper Room!

I hated Sunday School. I loved my new baby sister who appeared about a year after we started going though Grin

500internalerror · 02/02/2014 23:26

Rice creamola.
Ice magic.

Shoes from the co op, clothes from the market.

Jacko monkeys.

Woolworths caff.

Winterlight · 02/02/2014 23:26

Ponds face cream

Shang-a-lang

Kay's/Freeman's Marshall Ward/ catalogues

Seaside Special

Can't remember the names of these crazes;

one was a ball on a rope attached to a ring that you put around your ankle and swung and skipped over.

A tennis ball an an doubled up leg of old tights that you bounced on the wall.

A corrugated tube that you swung around your head and it made a weird noise

Lovesabadboy · 03/02/2014 00:08

This has been brilliant! Thank you for all the memories that came flooding back.

500 I remember going into Woolies just to stare at the Jacko monkey hanging up. I wanted one soooo badly!

I also remember pink shrimps - still about today, but taste nothing like the originals. For some reason we once got a huge box full and I was in heaven.

I remember having long white knee socks (sometimes with little flowers down the side) in winter but being allowed ankle socks in the summer. (often worn with sandles)
I always wanted knickers with pictures on and remember being so chuffed when I once got some with the wombles on!

Who remembers the flip flops that didn't have the toe-post, just plastic criss-crossed across your toes?

I had a Carrie and Christopher doll and remember showing my friend Christopher's 'bits' in the back of the car! I also had their bath, potty and bed.

We had a Morris Minor Traveller which had zero suspension, I am sure, and I was always car sick on long journeys.My parents would both smoke in the front though and never open a window, so no wonder I would chuck up!
Also the seats that would burn the skin of your bare legs in the summer and freeze you in the winter.

After a visit to the dentist - which often resulted in an unneccesary filling as someone said upthread- my mum would take me to the Wimpy as a treat. I would have burger and chips with french mustard, and if I was really lucky, I could have a Brown Derby to follow!
Which reminds me - I always hankered after a knickerboker glory when we were on holiday in Highcliffe, Bournemouth and one day I was allowed one. I had to kneel up to reach it and then...I couldn't finish it, it was so big.

I could honestly go on for ever.
Great, hazy days!

Adeleh · 03/02/2014 00:17

My friend had a picture of the Bay City Rollers on her knickers!

MardyBra · 03/02/2014 00:32

I've just skimmed the copycat 80s thread. Phillip and Gordon the Gopher are well lame IMO.

Pan · 03/02/2014 00:35

it was all lame

People describe the 70s as the decade that taste forgot. Au contraire. It was massively stuffed with taste. Just not, well...the best.Smile

perfectstorm · 03/02/2014 00:51

Being loaded up in the boot of an estate car - four small kids, including a toddler - like puppies. We loved it, too. Can you imagine, now? Someone would call the police on their mobiles within two minutes.

Free milk at school was minging as I never drank milk at all - was linked to eczema in my case so was never made to at home, but suddenly at school it was compulsory. They said I had to unless I could bring a note in to school to say otherwise, but never mentioned it had to be from my parents, and at 5 that wasn't obvious to me. So I handed a random visitor to the house (male friend of my mother's) a pink felt tip and got them to write "PerfectStorm does not drink milk" on the paper, folded it up and handed it to the teacher. Who astonishingly accepted this as sufficient. I never had to drink the rancid stuff again. I don't think that would be enough for the school office at DS' school, somehow.

I loved space dust, and all that edible jewellery. I remember the summers in the late 70s as really hot, and the winters very snowy - no idea if that's true. I also remember seeing The Empire Strikes Back when it first came out at Leicester Square because the grownups all wanted to go, and having no idea what it was about.

Mr Men Yoghurts. Can't remember the taste, but remember the pots with absolute clarity. Also remember Kickers shoes, Osh Kosh boiler suits (older brothers, everything I wore was theirs first) horrible pre-lycra tights that itched and sagged, and nylon static dresses for parties. I do think kids' clothes are light years more comfortable - I recently unearthed some old baby clothes and they were woollen. Itchy, scratchy and horrible. Soft cotton, lycra and fleeces mean baby clothes now are lovely against the skin. Cannot fathom how people put newborns in tight elastic and wool, like that.

I was trying to explain to DS that there were no mobile phones, no internet, no iPods or iPads, no computers even when I was a child. TV only had 3 channels and closed down half the day and all night, and we didn't have videos in any homes I knew of, either. He couldn't begin to get his head around it. Eventually asked if we had cars back then! Was reassured to hear that yes, we did, and planes and spaceships, too. But it made me realise what a long way away that world was.

Scarletohello · 03/02/2014 00:53

Angel Delight. Yum!
Had a wigwam in the garden
Coloured vinyl records
Jelly beans ( plastic sandals)
Power cuts
Walking 3 miles to school ( in total)

perfectstorm · 03/02/2014 00:56

I once trod in a huge pile of dog shit in jelly bean sandals. Oozed all through the holes. Boak.

I bought Angel Delight a few years back, all nostalgic and remembering it as delicious. It's horrible! Shock I couldn't believe it.

MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 03/02/2014 01:28

Ringing the speaking clock
Buzby
Tufty road safety
Bunty comic
Janet and John
Black daps and white plimsoles
Candlewick bedspreads
Having a weekly bath on a Sunday (shared with my younger brother)
The Waltons
Angels
The Liver Birds
The utter joy felt by the whole family when a Carry on Film was on tv Grin
Pot Black was also a favourite in our house

Scarletohello · 03/02/2014 01:34

Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!

The Double Deckers with a young Peter Firth and a guy who went on to join Aswad

Scarletohello · 03/02/2014 01:39

Just found this on YouTube. Robinson Crusoe. In black and white!

Used to be on in the summer holidays. Loved the theme tune!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=fNtxng79tSY

Dancergirl · 03/02/2014 07:40

I LOVED Weebles!

I had a swing and roundabout for them. They had round holes for them to sit in.

fairnotfair · 03/02/2014 09:45

When the "proper" strawberry tarts came into the bakeries in the summer (no crème patissiere nonsense: lardy white pastry, red strawberry jelly, a large strawberry surrounded by a big swirl piped cream. Bliss.)

morethanpotatoprints · 03/02/2014 15:32

Oh the double deckers were my favourite.
I really wanted to be tiger, the little girl.
I can hear the music now.
Flippin eck Angels - the nurses, used to watch if mum or dad were out Grin

Can anybody remember The Cedar tree and sons and daughters, I'm sure they were end of 70@s watched them skiving school. Grin

OP posts:
marssparklesdownonme · 03/02/2014 16:23

Romper room was made by Anglia TV , Miss Rosalyn was very posh. I loved the silver knight turning round to classical music when transmission started at 9am .

Scarletohello · 03/02/2014 16:28

And for those of you who remember the TV series White Horses, here's the theme tune. Loved it!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=jtCNbERKvMs

FayeKorgasm · 03/02/2014 16:30

French knitting doll. I had one but didn't know how to use it!

Belts that wrapped twice around - I remember my tan leather one!

Orange juice was a starter in restaurants

Cheesecloth shirts

Drinking yogurt. The pot was shaped like a wine glass.

Raspberry ripple ice cream in a block

It perfume

IDoAllMyOwnStunts · 03/02/2014 16:44

Yes yes to cedar tree, sons and daughters and angels. Juliet bravo was one of my faves too. Seems so long ago now.

TheBuskersDog · 03/02/2014 16:51

My partner, who knew nothing of this thread, has just come home with a copy of the book 'Where did it all go right?' that somebody mentioned upthread. I almost bought it off Amazon but he got it in a charity shop for £1.50, so shall enjoy reading that.

ShadowOfTheDay · 03/02/2014 16:56

Lots of rose tinted glasses methinks!!

I remember rain and windy winters with dry drought ridden summers (for 2 years anyhow), no car, no phone, no telly, no money, being hungry and cold with ice inside the window, strikes, 3 day week and stinking rubbish heaps in the street and having no bloomin hope... dad in a job with a house tied to it - he left us all so we sat on the council office steps before opening in a hope of getting rehomed..

I do not feel my kids are missing out in ANY way... was not keen on the 70s....

mrswarbouys · 03/02/2014 17:13

My mum heating up tins of Campbells soup in the front room on a camping stove due to powercuts.. It was a crap time really, lots of social discontent, poverty, 3 day week, oh and Kung f***g fu..

Darkesteyes · 03/02/2014 17:14

Buskers yr dh is a jammy sod Smile

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