recollections of a magical childhood
Going back to a much earlier item, i.e. the Morse code set, (see Page 2) I didn't know that Tri-ang actually made something for the job. Did you?
Yes, I think I remember the Tri-ang Bell train section signalling set in the catalogue. I think it was quite expensive at the time and we'd rather have bought another loco or some coaches at the time.
Yes, and I notice it must be summer because some roof tops have been removed to create open-topped buses for the season
Nanna and Pop had Ovaltine for bed then they changed to Complan!
Linda: Cheese and crackers and Ovaltine at 10.30 p.m. in the kitchen (great recipe for nightmares and indigestion)
I'd forgotten about the cheese and crackers (Jacob's?). What about McVitie's chocolate digestives with a cup of tea in bed before breakfast?
How about condensed milk we used to have on something (what??). Not the same as evaporated milk!
Condensed milk hmm, thick sweet stuff..I think maybe we had it on porridge...sort of stirred it in, or even on bread and butter?? Later, beef dripping sandwiches...(it's a wonder we're still alive isn't it?).
Mmmm! White grease with dark brown congealed jelly - what's not to like!
It was always Libby's evaporated milk....
I can see the red labelled can! Ooops, no that was the Carnation label. Libby’s was predominantly blue (see below).
....for cornflakes etc. with rhu-baba-do-bab
God! That takes me back!
....and possibly a spoonful of sugar sprinkled over; that was before the boiled egg and soldiers with a background aroma of Bonio, pipe tobacco and a snippet of amusing news from the newspaper.
Linda: Peter’s chocolate
Yes
Brown and Gold wrapper.....Can you still get it?
I think I remember Pop trying to describe a cartoon to Nanna from behind his Daily Express and engulfed in clouds of pipe smoke, whilst she was pottering about. I recall that it lost some of the humour in the translation!
Then Tony would get trodden on under the table; a growly snap followed by, "Bast you dog!" There was always a greenish chunky thing floating in Tony's water bowl...never knew what that was! Huge dinners! No wonder we spent so much time in the loo...there was much to be done!
Ooops! Mr Mitchell's coming out, with his glasses much bigger than his cheekbones, to put a speck of house dust in the dustbin. Mrs Mitchell stands watching from the kitchen doorstep with her arms folded; scowling that there should have been any specks of dust in the house. I expect the Woods brought it in, she thinks.
A rather sinister-looking Uncle Mac'!
Oh yes, and Saturdays was the day for childrens' favourites on the old Bush radio. Oh no, not the "Runaway Train" again or Puff the Magic bloomin' Dragon!! Can you recall any others?
There's a comprehensive website with a list here. Some from the list that I can recall are:-
The Laughing Policeman : Charles Penrose
Buttons and Bows : Dinah Shore
Run, Rabbit, Run : Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen
The Runaway Train : Vernon Dalhart
The Animals Went In Two-by-Two
Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen by the sea : Max Bygraves
Nellie the Elephant : Mandy Miller
Poppa Piccolino : Petula Clark
I tawt I saw a puddy tat : Mel Blanc
How much is that doggy in the window : Patti Page
The King's New Clothes : Danny Kaye
The Three Billy Goats Gruff : Frank Luther
The Ugly Duckling : Danny Kaye
The Three Little Fishes : Frankie Howerd
The Hippopotamus Song : Flanders and Swann
Little White Duck : Danny Kaye
A Four Legged Friend : Roy Rogers
The Deadwood Stage : Doris Day
Sparky's Magic Piano : Henry Blair
Mairzy doats and dozy doats : Johnny Dennis
My Old Man's a Dustman : Lonnie Donegan
Old Macdonald had a Farm
There's a Hole in my Bucket!, Dear Liza : Harry Belafonte
The Owl and The Pussycat : Elton Hayes
Thumbelina : Danny Kaye
Little White Bull : Tommy Steele
She'll be Coming Round the Mountain, When she Comes
The Teddy Bear's Picnic : Henry Hall
I'm a Pink Toothbrush, you're a Blue Toothbrush : Max Bygraves
My Brother : Terry Scott
All I want for Christmas is my 2 Front Teeth : Spike Jones City Slickers
A Windmill in Old Amsterdam : Ronnie Hilton
Puff, The Magic Dragon : Peter, Paul and Mary
Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen : Danny Kaye
Buffalo Billy (Cowboys and Indians) : Roy Rogers
Beep Beep (The Bubble Car Song) : The Playmates
Mommy, Gimme a Drinka Water : Danny Kaye
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf : Henry Hall and his Orchestra
Michael Row the Boat Ashore : The Highwaymen
Three Wheels on My Wagon : The New Christy Minstrels
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly : Burl Ives
Que Sera, Sera : Doris Day
They're Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace : Ann Stephens
I am a Mole and I live in a Hole : The Southlanders
Messing About on the River : Josh McCrae
Peter and the Wolf
The Ugly Bug Ball : Burl Ives
Goodness Gracious Me : Peter Sellers/Sophie Loren
Flash, Bang Wallop! : Tommy Steele
Donald Where’s Your Troosers? : Andy Stewart
Delaware : Perry Como
Magic Moments : Perry Como
Champion The Wonder Horse : Frankie Laine
My Boomerang Won't Come Back : Charlie Drake
It's amazing how many you can remember - in fact there's anotherlink that takes you to the iTunes store where you can preview them all! Here’s some more from the iTunes set!
Any Old Iron: Peter Sellers
Anything You Can Do: Bing Crosby
Buckingham Palace: Ann Stephens
Christopher Robin Is Saying His Prayers: Ann Stephens
Give A Little Whistle (from Pinocchio):Cliff Edwards
Little Sir Echo: Max Bygraves
Robin Hood: Dick James
Seven Little Girls Sitting In The Back Seat: The Avons
Sixteen Tons: Tennessee Ernie Ford
The Ballad of Davy Crockett: Bill Hayes
The Gnu: Flanders & Swann
The Happy Wanderer: The Obernkirchen Children's Choir
The Road To Morocco: Bing Crosby & Bob Hope
The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine: Laurel And Hardy
The Typewriter: Leroy Anderson
The Ying Tong Song: The Goons
Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport: Rolf Harris
Tom Dooley: The Kingston Trio
Well Did You Evah? : Bing Crosby & Frank Sinatra
When You Wish Upon A Star (from Pinocchio): Cliff Edwards
Whistle While You Work: Adriana Caselotti
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? : Celeste Holm & Frank Sinatra
Woody Woodpecker: Mel
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah : James Baskett
And that brings to mind those monologues? There was one about a bloke who went to a funeral in "Brown Boots" it went something like..."I ask you, Brown Boots......etc. etc. there was another one by the same fella but I can't remember the subject.
The bloke was Stanley Holloway and the song was "Brahn Boots! I remember two more of his well - "My Word You Do Look Queer!" and "Albert and the Lion".
I seem to recall some song sung in a mournful voice about dinners of the week, beginning.."Today's Monday..Today's Monday, Monday's baked beans (or something), Monday's baked beans. Is everybody happy? You bet yer life we are!" Eventually getting I think to, "Friday's fish and chips, Friday's fish and chips. Is everybody 'appy? You bet yer life we are!"
I don't remember that at all but there is a YouTube link to it is here. It was sung by The Scaffold in '66.
Tea time was Walter Gabriel...."Doooooooow!........"
He was the star of the programme in our books - Me old Pal, me old beauty!! (See Page 2)
and bread and Strawberry jam.....Battenberg, or Angel cake....Tony springs to barking life; somebody at the back door wants to buy half a pound of tomatoes.
There's a new BBC website (project) that shows the Radio Times radio and TV listings from 1923 to 2009. There's a lot of information that you can find and which will bring back a few of those memories - see here
Which shop was Mrs Troke's or was that the one towards the airport (and not the other Mrs Woods as I thought)...things keep coming back to me at random now........oh dear!!!
Keep it coming this is great stuff!
Linda: Mrs Troke (I think she had the shop on the other side of the road from the Post Office. Seem to remember Nana sending us to Mrs Troke’s to buy a loaf of bread)
Yep, the name rings a bell and getting the bread
Whenever parents arrived at Nanna and Pop's there was always the ritual Tour of the Garden....which of course was always well-groomed.
Linda: The shows that Marion and I put on for the grown-ups. Seem to remember spending hours rehearsing a zingy dance number to the tune of Love and Marriage. Or did you and Trevor get out of watching our efforts?
I think it bored us and we escaped!
Like you, I don't remember them. We must have gone out somewhere in disgust!
When one or other set of our parents were down to compromise our freedom (!) we did, at least, get to go on some day trips. I recall going to Stonehenge...
when access was free - it looked much more imposing in those days without any fencing! (see below)
...and to Bradbury Rings
where we would run about!!
Linda: Days out with your Mum and Dad to places like Longleat and Bradbury Rings. The sun always seemed to be shining
Just a note that we all (me too) thought that place was called Bradbury Rings when in fact it's Badbury Rings...someone must have misled us there (unless they've changed all the road signs since the 60s that is!).
I can't believe that we have all had Badbury Rings wrong all these years. I must say I do prefer Bradbury!!
Actually, we're not (see below). Maybe, it's just that Bradbury is a word that comes more naturally to the lips and many have made the error, including this typesetter!
On the way to the latter, I think there was an avenue of old trees which arched across the road forming a complete canopy and we would try to count how many trees there were.
Can’t remember too many other locations –Tilly Whim Caves?
Long since closed to the public following a rock fall. Do you recall how there was a sheer drop of about 60 feet to the sea with no safety barriers? Oh, and how the bus used to crawl up the narrow road and steep hill from Swanage town to get up there.
Beaulieu House?
And the Motor museum, still there of course, and Longleat then without the safari park.
Yes, it's still there of course, about 2 or 3 miles long
I have read here about the background to Badbury Rings and the Avenue of trees nearby. There are lots of postcards on that site as well. A contributor has added that "......the Avenue of trees was planted in 1835 by William John Bankes to commemorate his mother. Beech Avenue began life in 1835 when 731 (365/366) trees were planted either side of the newly built road, which was created as a turnpike, or toll road, to the financial benefit of the land's owner, explorer and Dorset aristocrat William John Bankes. The gaps in the 1835 two and a half-mile long Beech Avenue are now being filled with newly planted hornbeam replacement trees."
It was obviously taken at the same time, apparently, from an air balloon
Stonehenge from the air looks quite isolated in those days... interesting outer grass ring is quite evident. We went there about 5 years ago and found it rather spoiled by imposing visitor centre, neat, modern gravel pathways, fences and visitor bus link...pity!
I also have some sort of recollection of sitting somewhere fairly high up and watching a flying boat take off – possibly out of Poole Harbour.
The Harbour Heights Hotel was originally built for BOAC passengers and crew arriving on the flying boats that landed in Poole Harbour, and was a vital transatlantic lifeline during the war, carrying VIPs including Churchill. Its historic role has recently been recognised with a blue plaque, pictured above, at Poole Museum, which was formerly 'Airways House,' BOAC's HQ. As its name reflects, the hotel was built on the heights to command the best view of the harbour, and still does.
There’s an article here.
I don't recall that.
As I said before, I have absolutely no memory of the flying boats from Poole...the only other flying connection with the area I have learned is that the WW11 Horsa gliders were manufactured in Christchurch, not Hurn but at Somerford airfield and could carry 30 soldiers or a couple of bombs.
I know you said you don't recall these "Speedbirds", as they were known, but I wanted to add this as it reminds me what a different era it was when we were kids!
Your memory of the BOAC "Seabirds" in Poole harbour puzzles me a little. I tried to find out more about it but it seems, they stopped flying from Poole in 1947/8. Do you think they may have had a later celebration day in the early 1950s which you were taken to watch?
Yes, that is a bit weird! As you say, it must have been some sort of special event. I do recall being very young and being with my Dad. It could be one of my earliest, ever memories but it must, as you suggest, have been of some sort of follow-up display!
Brownsea Island was still privately owned and not accessible to the public until the mid-60s....which brings to mind Poole Quay where you could still see a B4 0-4-0 tank shoving wagons about in the early years and crossing one of the roads in the town.
I didn’t realise that Enid Blyton was a big lover of Shell Bay, etc. and “Kirrin Island” in her Famous Five books was based on Brownsea Island.
The video (right) covers the first visit to Brownsea Island in 1962 which had been closed to the public for the previous 20 years
Brownsea Island.mp4
Just an ordinary house where the owner had covered everything in his front and back garden seashells. "What shall we do with the three lorry loads of shells we brought back from our holiday, dear?" "Oooh, well there's nothing on the telly tonight, why don't we....."
I wonder. Is this the same house?............
How sad that the family eventually had to demolish the garden due to vandalism - dedicated website here.
I didn't know the Shell House had been demolished and was quite sad to read how vandalism had brought about its demise.....unfortunately there seems to be less respect for people's property nowadays. If only.....
I have since found three photos of the house showing its evolution...........
It's "Playtime"!
Some toys we used to play with, in addition to the catapults – Potato guns (spuds must have been cheap then!) and cap guns with rolls of caps…
Cap Gun.mp4Walking to Hurn airport to watch...erm...very little as I recall
Yes, I certainly remember the blighters, but not when I/we actually lobbed them about...maybe it was just at school.I don't particularly recall hurling them around at Nanna and Pop's
At school, I think
Marbles (numerous rules), conkers (soak in vinegar and bake in oven?), cigarette cards (collecting and flicking against a wall to see how close to the join to the floor you could get - same game could be played with marbles or pennies?)
Can you recall what we used to call this piece of playground equipment (answer at the bottom of the page)?
And then there were Pez sweet containers/dispensers! (Sometimes still see these.)
Spirographs for patterned drawings and what was the name of that sweet that came with plastic strands that you could plait into a sort of rope to make key-rings, etc.? – “Twizzle” or “Swizzels”?
I remember but can't put a name to it...they were sort of plastic tubes in different colours. (now covered - see Page 3)
Bubble gum wrapped in a paper twist like a toffee but pink...
Bubble-O?
...and about 1-inch diameter. If you blew a bubble it stuck to your face and was hard to get off. Liquorice pipes...sweet cigarettes...and even a tobacco imitation sweet in a pouch...just to get us ready for later life!!! Why were they surprised that 14-year-olds smoked?
I know we used to love our model cars. We'd play with them on the beach when younger but then when we became much more mature it was the lounge carpet! At home, I used to oil the racing car models before school and then race them against the others' from one end of the playground to the other!
Me too! The paint got pretty chipped...and you could take those grey tyres off.
Rather dark and grainy images - but pretty amazing that these photos exist at all. I never thought I'd see us playing like this except in my mind!
Apart from the Ecurie Ecosse transporter (see here for an article on the real thing which has just sold for £1.8m)
I can just make out a Lotus XI, the yellow dumper truck, similar to but not quite the same as, the one on the 2nd row below and a Triumph Herald Vitesse coupe with the clamshell bonnet open and a Bentley Continental - see page 17
Here are photos of the ones I can definitely remember but couldn't find ones of the Roller or the Merc' with jewelled headlights, etc. Pretty sure one of my F1 cars was blue and yellow but can't track that down yet (see page 17!)
I'm afraid I used to run around the playground being a steam engine too....well in my mind I was...probably looked like a random groper to anyone else!
Answer to question above is - the Umbrella