The year that for the first time doctors went on strike in the UK and women went on strike in Iceland!
It was the year slum clearance was almost completed and rates of housing new builds really started to decline.
It was the year that saw the end of the 3 day week due to electricity shortages.
Despite being less than 10 years old I was also roaming miles from my house with my mates armed with the sheaf knife and a fishing rod and nobody got excited when I made a spear or bow and arrow.
We played in building sites, went scrumping for apples and got cained at school if we didn’t stand when a teacher entered the room or spoke in morning assembly. Going home we get a thick ear or warm bottom from dad if we’d misbehaved. It was truly a wonderful childhood.
I remember about 1972? I could go out and have 2 pints buy 5 Hamlet cigars and get in to see a live band, famous ones too, Roxy music or Genesis around that time and incredible to think all for about a £1 !!
I have been sorting through some of my books to lighten the load. Inside one of the many recipe books I found a sheet of yellowing newspaper. Dated October 8 1979, it is entirely made up of ads for cars. Here’s a small sample.
Paper is the Bristol Evening Post. Who knows who kept it or why?
Started my apprenticeship in 1976. Princely sum of £14 a week and I thought I was loaded even after coughing up rent to My Mum. There simply wasn’t much to spend it on…