joe thanks for the thread , good luck with the book
Anyone in London in the 50s?
- Thread starter joe-90
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I was born in 53 (it was a good year 
) and remember Plymouth looked like a bomb had hit it, it was on a par with Coventry, it was given city status after the war in recognition of its bravery and comitment to the war effort.
My dad got posted to Ayrshire in 1960 and it was normal, some would argue that like the Romans a few thousand years before, the luftwaffe so no point in going north of the border.
) and remember Plymouth looked like a bomb had hit it, it was on a par with Coventry, it was given city status after the war in recognition of its bravery and comitment to the war effort.My dad got posted to Ayrshire in 1960 and it was normal, some would argue that like the Romans a few thousand years before, the luftwaffe so no point in going north of the border.
Joe - this is what my mother have written, just about read her handwriting though!
1955
The war had been over a year and things were gradually getting back to normal but there were many buildings in London still needing to be demolished or repaired, I can't remember which buildings.
Food although staple foods were around you needed to find out when the shops had a delivery and form a queue.
My father was a chemist in St John Wood and I remember customers asking for things like glucose, Dettol and toilet rolls. Cosmetics were not plentiful and I remember rationing was still in place & if you were staying away from home you had to queue in for food at the Ministry of Agriculture for vouchers to buy certain items, there were a lot of bargaining went on between shops! (such as helping to make lipsticks in a press). Schools which had been evacuated came back to their own buildings. Foods was rather boring - bananas and oranges which was not always available and most families settled for a boring menu. Bread still had to be queued for and only obtainable on vouchers. Meat, butter, margarine and fish were available if you were lucky to find it. Sweets, chocolate was rationed.
There was difficulties after perhaps spending years apart and some members of Forces didn't see their children till they were a few years old. Trains were running but can't remember if they were up to time. Coals were available but scarce. Clothes were on coupons and had a black circle on them which meant they were "Utility". New Towns were being constructed for those who had lost their homes. BBC radio - especially news bulletins was available and most cinema were a poplar form of entertainment. Holidays were mostly in Britain, there were limit to cash to be taken aboard.
1955
The war had been over a year and things were gradually getting back to normal but there were many buildings in London still needing to be demolished or repaired, I can't remember which buildings.
Food although staple foods were around you needed to find out when the shops had a delivery and form a queue.
My father was a chemist in St John Wood and I remember customers asking for things like glucose, Dettol and toilet rolls. Cosmetics were not plentiful and I remember rationing was still in place & if you were staying away from home you had to queue in for food at the Ministry of Agriculture for vouchers to buy certain items, there were a lot of bargaining went on between shops! (such as helping to make lipsticks in a press). Schools which had been evacuated came back to their own buildings. Foods was rather boring - bananas and oranges which was not always available and most families settled for a boring menu. Bread still had to be queued for and only obtainable on vouchers. Meat, butter, margarine and fish were available if you were lucky to find it. Sweets, chocolate was rationed.
There was difficulties after perhaps spending years apart and some members of Forces didn't see their children till they were a few years old. Trains were running but can't remember if they were up to time. Coals were available but scarce. Clothes were on coupons and had a black circle on them which meant they were "Utility". New Towns were being constructed for those who had lost their homes. BBC radio - especially news bulletins was available and most cinema were a poplar form of entertainment. Holidays were mostly in Britain, there were limit to cash to be taken aboard.
Still got my train, used to puff out real smoke.
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That's really good mate. Will you thank your mum for me - she paints a very accurate picture. I'll be writing that section shortly. Just one thing I'm hazy on - what did the black circle and 'utility' mean? Oh and when did the 'Army, Navy surplus' stores spring up?
The utility mark first appeared on clothing around '41
It was a guarantee of quality of material even though materials were in short supply...most designs were identical to ensure that 100% of use was made from supplies available...pockets were smaller...no turn ups on trousers...shorter shirt tails ...all to save materials.
The mark was used later on furniture and bedding etc until '52.The stuff was very basic but at least you knew what you were getting.
I still have a 100% wool blanket with the label on... in perfect condition.
It was a guarantee of quality of material even though materials were in short supply...most designs were identical to ensure that 100% of use was made from supplies available...pockets were smaller...no turn ups on trousers...shorter shirt tails ...all to save materials.
The mark was used later on furniture and bedding etc until '52.The stuff was very basic but at least you knew what you were getting.
I still have a 100% wool blanket with the label on... in perfect condition.
A
Alarm
Great post, I cut it down to avoid the dreaded "over quoting" slap on wrists.
I think mine did that, did you not put some oil in the "funnel" or something like that?
As Joe said many thanks to your mother for writing this stuff down. I am just relying on childhood memory told to my by my Granddad. Just wish I had known him longer before cancer struck, but thats another story and detracts from the good "way" of this thread.
don't forget the 50's saw the demise of the london trams in favour of trolley and diesel buses, run down and worn out the trams were on their last legs being unceremoniously dragged off to the scrapyard.
one of my relatives was killed by a trolleybus in norbury he walked out in front of it completely oblivious to its existance as unlike its predecessor it was very quiet
one of my relatives was killed by a trolleybus in norbury he walked out in front of it completely oblivious to its existance as unlike its predecessor it was very quiet
S
Susiejb
Really glad the thread has gone so well Joe....great info...just what you need 
makes a nice change from all the ego massaging threads of late.
one of the things i forgot to mention was the Conduit rail (the live conductor in the centre all central lines had them) the suburbs were on overhead wire. anyway the local youth of the day had a trick or two one of which was to drop a skipping hoop in the slot to see the sparks fly!!
then there was also the danger of bicycles wheels getting caught in the gap.
as said about the trolleys the old tram cars could pack a punch too acceleration was pretty rapid. one of the best bits in my mind was the Kingsway Subway where trams would have a steep climb up into Southampton Row having just left Holborn Tramstop they would have to power their way up the ramp (sometimes they failed to make it and would then have to roll back into Holborn and try again!)
then there was the canal and river traffic barges laiden full of imported goods of loading into canal narrowboats for distribution across england and also coal being exported in the opposite direction.
what about the old "Rag & Bone man" with his horse and cart plodding round scrapeing a meagre existance
one of the things i forgot to mention was the Conduit rail (the live conductor in the centre all central lines had them) the suburbs were on overhead wire. anyway the local youth of the day had a trick or two one of which was to drop a skipping hoop in the slot to see the sparks fly!!
then there was also the danger of bicycles wheels getting caught in the gap.
as said about the trolleys the old tram cars could pack a punch too acceleration was pretty rapid. one of the best bits in my mind was the Kingsway Subway where trams would have a steep climb up into Southampton Row having just left Holborn Tramstop they would have to power their way up the ramp (sometimes they failed to make it and would then have to roll back into Holborn and try again!)
then there was the canal and river traffic barges laiden full of imported goods of loading into canal narrowboats for distribution across england and also coal being exported in the opposite direction.
what about the old "Rag & Bone man" with his horse and cart plodding round scrapeing a meagre existance
Me too, once they're gone the war history goes with it
however, I see my uncle 3-4 times per year, will be seeing him next month, he's very with it so will try and find out more as he's still the chemist shop owner in a well known area and still living above the shop, was also born there but retired which was handed down by my Grandfather approximately 40 yrs ago
M
mysteryman
I remember the trolleybuses, some of them 6 wheelers, and the peasoupers [fog].
